In This Issue:
- News & Highlights
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In This Issue:
IPFD in the News
Articles
Blogs
Breeds Resources
Breed of the Month
Brief Description:
One of Britain’s oldest indigenous breeds, the Bulldog is known as the National dog of Great Britain and is associated throughout the world with British determination and the legendary John Bull. The Bulldog was first classified as such in the 1630s, though there is earlier mention of similar types referred to as bandogs, a term reserved today for a type of fighting dog. Source: The Kennel Club
Bulldogs love to live indoors and be part of the family. They are generally amiable and easy-going, but can be stubborn. Estimates of lifespan vary from >6-7 to over 10 years of age. Care should be taken in breeding management of this breed to avoid selection of dogs with extreme morphological traits - traits which can lead to dogs suffering from a variety of health conditions.
Get a GRIHP! on the English Bulldog is part of a series to highlight the Big Picture of health, welfare, and breeding and to help develop Globally Relevant Integrated Health Profiles (GRIHPs) for many breeds.
Learn more about the English Bulldog in our Pedigree Breeds database.
IPFD Partners in Action
You can also view previous editions of Dog Breeds: What You Need to Know in our archive article here on DogWellNet.com.
Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs (HGTD)
IPFD Hosts 2nd Virtual International Dog Health Workshop on Genetic Diversity
On May 3, we hosted our second virtual workshop, Genetic Diversity. Focusing on genetic diversity (primarily from a genetic tests/tools view), 60 participants - including representatives from IPFD and our Partner kennel clubs, genetic test providers, breeders, and other key stakeholders - came together online to identify genetic diversity tools and resources, and to discuss priorities and actions for the benefit of all dogs.
A very special thank your to our distinguished panel, which included Prof. John Woolliams (The Roslin Institute, UK), Samantha Hauser (Embark, USA), Katy Evans (Guide Dogs, USA), Saija Tenhunen (Viking Genetics, FI), Pieter Oliehoek (Dogs Global, NL), and Sally Ricketts (University of Cambridge, UK), for sharing their time and expertise with us!
Stay tuned for more on workshop outcomes and next steps!
Ask Aimee
Our HGTD Project Manager, Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi, provides answers to your questions on canine genetic testing in Ask Aimee. In her latest post, Ask Aimee: I'm concerned about DM (degenerative myelopathy) in my dog, what new information should I share with my vet?, an experienced breeder of French Bulldogs expresses concerns that her middle-aged dog was showing "classic" signs of Degenerative Myelopathy (DM).
If you’d like to submit a question to Aimee, please email her at aimee.llewellyn-zaidi@ipfdogs.com.
Get Involved in HGTD!
We welcome additional participant GTPs, more collaborators from any stakeholders concerned with dog health and welfare, the advice of experts, the participation of breed clubs and other consumer groups. We stand ready to provide more information to ongoing discussions.
Please feel free to contact us as we work together for healthy dogs and to support those who breed and own them: HGTD Project Manager, Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi.
Correcting the Confusion around Degenerative Myelopathy
Jerold Bell, DVM, Adjunct Professor of Genetics Department of Clinical Sciences Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine Tufts University, USA, Chairman, Hereditary Disease Committee, World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), and IPFD friend and collaborator has written the definitive paper on Degenerative Myelopathy (DM), DEGENERATIVE MYELOPATHY-DIAGNOSIS AND INHERITANCE.
IPFD Veterinary Science Officer Dr. Brenda Bonnett summarizes Dr. Bell's paper in a new article on DogWellNet:
"This information is needed and must be disseminated widely – to veterinarians, breeders, kennel and breed clubs, and owners to counteract many areas of misunderstanding and confusion about this diagnosis and about genetic testing for it. This paper brings together the evaluation of the best evidence, consultation with experts and researchers, and an understanding of the issues in both veterinary practice and the world of breeders. We encourage all to read and share this paper, to try to revise/reverse some of the problems that have arisen due to confusion and over-reaction about the condition and testing."
In her summary, Brenda also provides key excerpts from the paper and some additional comments from IPFD, including the 'bottom line' on the DM testing issue:
"Given the relative uncommonness of this disease, and its generally late onset, breeders must be cautious about prioritizing control of this condition over other diseases and health concerns which are more common, or important in all breeds. Yes, this is a devastating disease for dogs and owners, but it is not appropriate to implement breed-wide control measures like eliminating sod1 homozygous dogs from breeding. “The greatest issue with the misuse of sod1 genetic test results (both in breeds with and without confirmation of affected DM dogs) is where breeders are devastating their gene pool diversity by selecting against the sod1 variant.” Simply put: excessive use of this test will negatively impact the overall health and genetic diversity of the breed."
IPFD is truly a "people driven" service organization. We allocate the bulk of our financial resources to maintain a small but dedicated team of consultants to manage our modest resources and facilitate the activities of our stakeholders, with the aim of achieving our collective goals.
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