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Happy Birthday, OMIA - a lynch-pin in the development of genetic testing
Brenda Bonnett posted a blog entry in Brenda's Blog
Congratulations to the University of Sydney and OMIA - the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals database. 25 years old 25 May 2020. Check out the celebration webpage here. This amazing resource underpins research and education on genetics in many species and has been a key support for advancement in the world of dog genetics and genomics. The development and maintenance of this fantastic database is due to the input and support of many academics, researchers, and others, many of whom volunteer their expertise and time. But it would not have existed or been maintained without the commitment and passion of Frank Nicholas. We gratefully congratulate him on this milestone. OMIA is a collaborating partner of the IPFD, and we have been coordinating and linking with them to maintain the quality of the Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs database and resources. The OMIA numbering system is vital for international collaboration and critical to harmonizing genetic phenes across research and industry. IPFD is very proud of and grateful for this association and will help celebrate this event with a donation via the OMIA site. Why not join us in recognizing this important and necessary achievement? -
UNDER CONSTRUCTION IPFD and our Partners support the health, well-being and welfare of ALL DOGS - and human-dog interaction. This section will link you to content and resources to support you and your dog - no matter what breed or type it is. Topics include: - education - activities - health and breed-specific issues (even for cross breeds and mongrels!) - behaviour, socialization - legislation Education of Consumers and the Public In this section we share information, material and links to our Partner's and Collaborator's content relevant to the education of consumers and the public, in the broadest sense. Responsible dog ownership and Pre-acquisition resources are available. Education is key to addressing the health and welfare of all dogs! -
Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi changed their profile photo
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HGTD Update: 12 May 2020 Since the last blog, we’ve had additional expert review of many Breed Relevancy Ratings (BRRs) – particular in commonly tested eye conditions, and ataxias. As we are growing our expert out-reach for input into BRRs, we are pleased to note that there is consensus between experts self-reviewing their tests as well as peer-reviewing each other. This adds reassurance to us that the current BRR estimation of combining what we can learn from research publications, phene discoverer’s expert opinions, and informal peer-review between geneticists, is working. So far, we have been able to estimate BRRs for more than 1167+ of the 2684 possible breed-specific test combinations. To support BRRs, we are also adding in additional and newly published breed-specific publications and other references in the Breed Specific Information area of the generic phenes. You can find any breed-specific publications or other resources via the "Search by Test/Disease", under the Researched Breeds section. One example is for Spinocerebellar Ataxia, CAPN1-related – where you can see for 3 breeds, there are links to further information, breeding strategies, and researcher comments and publications: Check out in the HGTD by searching on Ataxia...CAPN1 HERE or go directly to the OUTPUT HERE. Our lists of peer-reviewed publications and referenes are growing by the minute. As a reminder, in the Test/Disease (Phenes) section, you can find the original mutation discovery paper (where known) as well as a selection of other relevant references. As this expands, we are exploring other ways to capture this information to be able to share it in a useful way for you. If you are a researcher, or know of a publication we don’t currently list - especially any breed-specific references, please let us know! We try to include the reference as well as links to open-access resources or a pdf, whenever possible. You can email me at aimee.llewellyn-zaidi@ipfdogs.com Terrier image by P. Kirsi, from Pexels
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"The IPFD's signature event, the International Dog Health Workshops (IDHW) bring together decision makers from kennel and breed clubs, professional, regulatory, national and regional, welfare and other organisations that are stakeholders in dog health, well-being and welfare and human-dog interactions under the tagline 'From Information and Collaboration to Action'." We are excited to report the online publication of the report on the 4th International Dog Health Workshop. We are particularly excited to report that actions prioritized at that meeting are underway and outcomes are being realized. Links to come.... Open Access - thanks to our Collaborators at Canine Medicine and Genetics Author details: 1 The Royal Veterinary College, UK; 2, 3 CEO, IPFD Canada and Sweden; 4 Svenska Kennelklubben, Sweden; 5 Queen’s University Belfast, UK; 6 The Kennel Club, UK; 7 Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden; 8 Université Paris-Saclay, Inrae, AgroParisTech, France; 9 Project Director, IPFD, Oregon, USA; 10 Chairman Dachshund Breed Council, London, UK. View Full Article at Canine Medicine and Genetics Here Download PDF: Report on the 4th IDHW Canine Medicine and Genetics May 2020.pdf -
Vice-President Ukrainian Kennel Union changed their profile photo
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Essentials of Health Screening and DNA Testing in Dogs -
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We get questions about how we ensure the quality of the information available on HGTD. It can actually be very challenging, and we rely on having good processes, and collaboration when developing content. To meet the IPFD principle of transparency, we are starting a series of blogs to describe how we manage this resource. We hope to then provide a regular news feed on HGTD developments and changes, to give you all an insight into this work. To get started, here is a little insight into running and maintaining HGTD. How do new genetic test providers (GTPs) join? GTPs reach HGTD as part of the wider IPFD network, research conference outreach, and direct contact. Leadership Sponsors, Sponsors and Participants include commercial providers, non-profits, and large and smaller research groups. Donations from our participants and sponsors to help off-set some of the running costs and development of HGTD. All data received is checked for accuracy, and legitimacy. GTPs who offer ISAG, or other accreditation are checked. All testing information is reviewed to standardize nomenclature and catch any errors or mis-translations. Regular reviews of all databases (GTP, Tests, and Phenes) ensure changes in the industry or emerging research is captured, and disseminated. Quick, and accurate publication is our goal. We aim to have new GTP information, and updates added within 48 hours, but this is often much faster. Publication allows for peer-review, and is key to an open and transparent system. What does the general running work look like? As our GTPs are international, we harmonize across different languages, nomenclature, and national/regional accreditations. We also collaborate with groups such as OMIA and ISAG to improve consistency and harmonization across the industry. At any given time, we are the caretakers of information on dozens of GTPs, hundreds of phenes, and thousands of lines of associated data. All of which have to be checked against independent sources, and regularly reviewed to reflect the fast-paced changes in the genetic testing world. What if I want to help? Use HGTD. The most important way to help is to use HGTD, and tell your friends about how helpful you find it. If we can improve it, let us know. Recommend, Donate! If you have a favorite GTP and they aren’t participating, get in contact with us to help us encourage them to become a part of HGTD. If you have the ability to donate, even a small amount, you can choose to direct it towards IPFD, or directly to HGTD. Either way, you will be supporting us in building resources to improve dog health and welfare. Be part of our Collaboration Community. You can send questions about tests, research papers, experience that your breed club has had, or other feedback to us. We work hard to respond quickly, and while we can’t include everything, we always aim to integrate robust new information. Further information/References: Sponsors, Participant, and databases can be viewed in the Genetic Testing section of IPFD: https://dogwellnet.com/ctp/
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Everything is Connected
David Eikelberg commented on Ann Milligan's __defart_cjmedia_media in IPFD Videos
This terrific video really puts a smile on my face!!! It is a clever and thoughtfully engaging way to illustrate what IPFD is all about..., "integration" of a set of vital initiatives and subsets of types of data that are all essential in the overall wellbeing of dogs. The music makes it lighthearted and entertaining. It also makes people think about the fact that while all these things may be been done by organizations..., no one single organization has ever pulled them all together for an overall impact assessment. All the canine health care..., breed clubs..., genetic testing labs..., they all work independently and because of the lack of a coordinated effort between all organizations, vital comparative information is lost..., and that is exactly what IPFD adds..., a global harmonization of data. Well done! Great video. -
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Ask Aimee: Breeder wants to know about prioritising a new genetic test
David Eikelberg commented on Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi's blog entry in Ask Aimee
I can also attest to the robust nature of the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics lab (VGL) DNA testing program. We have used them extensively in our Black Russian Terrier breeding program as mentioned above. Our DVM just this past weekend suggested that we have our BRT tested by VGL for Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) in an attempt to diagnose the reason(s) for the weakness in his rear. So, as you can see, even DVMs look upon UC Davis as a source of diagnostic information and support, not just hobbyists and breeders. See them at: https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/myvgl/login.htm -
Is COVID-time the Right Time to Kon Mari Your Genetic Testing Plans?
David Eikelberg commented on Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi's blog entry in Ask Aimee
Great information that we all need to be reminded about now and again. Article brings people back to "center' in their thinking about breeding programs. I forwarded this on to my Black Russian Terrier Club of America breed club. I hope everyone else also forwards on to as many breed clubs as possible. -
Is COVID-time the Right Time to Kon Mari Your Genetic Testing Plans?
Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi posted a blog entry in Ask Aimee
Is COVID-time the Right Time to Kon Mari Your Genetic Testing Plans? a blog by Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi, MSc; Project Director of the IPFD Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs (HGTD) initiative. “People around the world have been drawn to this philosophy not only due to its effectiveness, but also because it places great importance on being mindful, introspective and forward-looking.” -Marie Kondo, Founder of the Kon Mari method. If you’ve already, like so many of us, used the Kon Mari de-cluttering method of “sparking joy” and being “mindful, introspective, and forward-looking” in cleaning out your garage, re-organizing your closets, and finally hanging those shelves, then it is no surprise you might be feeling like your breeding plans could do with a little refresh and reorganize. Sometimes in life, it is really valuable to assess our habits and old ways to see if they still “spark joy” or in this case, are still working effectively to achieve breeding goals. With many breeder organizations encouraging caution when planning litters, or recommending delaying mating plans, (click here) this could be the perfect time to reflect on dog breeding, and be mindful, introspective, and forward-looking with genetic testing! Being Mindful: Identifying what you want to achieve with genetic testing is critical in ensuring that the tests you use are fit for your purpose, and that you are making informed breeding decisions. There are a number of potential goals: confirming a litter’s parentage, using disease/trait test results to guide breeding plans to reduce risks or promote desirable characteristics, or providing a genetic permanent identification for your breeding dogs or puppies. Genetic tests fall into a few different types. For breeders, you might mainly be interested in parentage testing (providing confirmation of a puppy’s parents), permanent identification (a panel of markers that provide a unique genetic “fingerprint” that cannot be removed), and disease/trait tests (individual tests, or packages of tests that give risk or inheritance information on a wide-variety of inherited diseases and traits, such as coat type or color.) There are also genetic tests that are diagnostic or used to assess clinical risks, and increasingly, tests that investigate breed diversity or breed determination. What types of tests you use is determined by what your goals are – it is easy to confuse testing options, and you don’t want to order a parentage test thinking you’re getting a permanent ID, or health information. If you have a number of goals, many genetic test providers offer packages of tests, or reduced costs when purchasing multiple tests and test-types. When choosing disease or trait tests for your breed, you can start by searching the breed-specific tests listed on HGTD. The HGTD project has recently launched Breed Relevance Ratings (BRR) as a guide to what research and evidence (or not) supports available breed-specific tests. BRR uses a “traffic light” system to indicate what we currently know about a specific test for a specific breed. You can use this information in a number of ways, but it is useful when assessing how well-understood a specific disease test might be in your breed. These ratings are dynamic, and will change over time as more information becomes available. As HGTD also provides information on each disease/trait test, you can see the original research for many tests, and use this in conjunction with any information from your test providers to better interpret and understand test results. This is especially valuable when balancing a number of different test results in your dogs, with other breeding considerations. As more breed-specific tests become available, more dogs will of course have a variety low/medium and high-risk results. There is no such thing as a genetically “perfect” dog! We have recently heard from a number of kennel clubs who are either already starting to incorporate parentage testing and genetic permanent identification into their databases, or making plans for this in the future. It can be really reassuring to both breeders and pet homes to have genetic confirmation of parentage – and if you have a genetic permanent identification, it can’t get “lost”, be removed, or be changed. When choosing a parentage or ID test, look for ISAG accreditation to ensure that your test results are interpretable internationally. The ISAG panel used by many GTPs is considered a “gold standard.” They have recently released a new ISAG 2020 panel for SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) testing, in addition to the 2004, and 2006 STR (short-tandem repeat/microsatellite) panels. Once you’ve decided on your goals, and what test(s) you might want to achieve them, who is your best test provider? The Search by GTP/Lab option lets you review test providers, including what tests they offer, any accreditation, and special expertise they have. Many genetic test providers are able to perform and provide test results completely remotely and only require you to use a home kit to test your dogs. Keep in mind that during the COVID-19 pandemic that any tests that require a blood sample, or being sampled by a veterinary professional may not be recommended at this time. Other considerations for choosing a test provider might be which GTPs are “accepted” by your kennel club, what reports look like and any after-care, and what types of tests are offered. (click here) Genetic test providers are increasingly offering breed-specific “panel” tests, which can be really cost effective. It is worth checking to ensure the panel they are offering includes all the tests you’re interested in, or be ready to buy additional tests. In addition, it is recommended that if you are using a panel test, you take your time when reading breed-specific reports. Some panel test providers like to provide all results, irrespective if the test is yet known to be breed-relevant, and others prefer to report only results that are known or suspected to be relevant. Responsible genetic test providers have clear risk information in their reports, whichever style they use. There is a risk that making breeding decisions based on results from irrelevant tests (e.g. where the mutation in your breed has no known correlation with disease risk) could lead to an unnecessary reduction in genetic diversity, false-confidence in disease risk reduction, or welfare issues if a dog’s results are mis-interpreted as a diagnosis for a disease they will never have symptoms of. Introspective/Self-reflective: what to do when you get your test results? Unless you are only interested in parentage or permanent ID, you will almost certainly have more than one genetic disease/trait result to consider in your breeding plans. You will also have other aims outside of genetic testing such as conformation, behavior, and clinical test results, as well as, perhaps the health and longevity of dogs related to the breeding pair. There are many resources that can provide a wide-variety of breeding advice for your breed. (click here) It can be helpful to divide the genetic test information on the dam and sire into a number of categories – what test results do I have? Which are high, medium or low risk? Any that are no risk at all? And, with what I know about the disease test results, how important are they to the health and welfare of my dogs when balanced against other concerns in my breed? Part of what makes genetic tests such a valuable tool, is that you are able to make fairly confident decisions when it comes to paring dogs to reduce or eliminate disease risk, i.e. it may be strongest for rejecting certain pairings. In other words, after eliminating certain potential mates due to genetic incompatibility, you can go on to look at the pros/cons, benefits and risks of the options remaining. Even if genetic testing offers some solid information, do not get lulled into making false assumptions about the over-all suitability of mating pairs or the health of a dog or its progeny (see: Health tested does not mean healthy). Genetic testing is a core breeding tool, but breeders must not get complacent or allow the popularity, simplicity and ‘high science’ of using ‘DNA’ results to distract them from tackling the greater challenges of informed breeding decisions, e.g. prioritizing health, conformation or behavioral traits that don’t come with genetic tests. No one analytic tool or test can replace the broad knowledge and experience that is needed in order to adequately consider the big picture for breeding decisions. Take time to reflect back to your original goals, with your gained insight into the tests and results…“I want to eliminate this mutation from my breeding plans, but doing it slowly will be better for my breed as a whole” vs “this is a really rare disease with high welfare-impact, so trying to get it out of the breeding population quickly is important” vs “I have 20 important considerations, and this genetic test is only one of them.” This is a really useful way to keep your eye on the end-goals, use genetic tests to help hone your breeding plans, and focus your energy. Forward looking Genetic testing technology, including what tests are available and advances in interpretation and advice (as well as confusion!) are only going to increase over time. Most kennel and breed clubs are already including genetic test results in breed records to some extent , and as the genetic technology advances and becomes more accessible, the future is likely to include genetic testing as standard practice, especially when it comes to registration – with parentage testing, and/or health testing regulations. Being informed now will help you to be prepared for the future, and improve your breeding plans moving forward. As a final note, a key part of the Kon Mari method of organizing includes the concept of “thank you, and good bye.” This philosophy allows you to reflect on what worked in the past, be okay with it, and also say good bye to move onto better things for your future. This is the same in dog breeding – you might have tried something in the past that doesn’t work now, or you might have had something that worked okay but could be better. Or you may have old habits and attitudes that could be dropped. Say goodbye, and move on. Learn the lessons from the past experiences, but only take with you when moving into the future, what is right for you and your breeding strategies now and moving forward. References: Kondo, Marie. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing -
COVID-19 - a novel experience for dogs and people
David Eikelberg commented on Brenda Bonnett's blog entry in Brenda's Blog
Here is the majority of Dr Friedrich's translation: Dear dog friends, Today, from my personal point of view, I would like to say a few words to you about the current situation at the VDH. Logically, the first priority is the health of all people, be they dog owners or not. It is indubitable for each and every one of us to avoid spreading Covid 19 disease (caused by the coronavirus) as far as possible. In many ways, although this often hits us hard, we have to accept cutbacks in terms of social life, work, finance, mobility and leisure activities. Fortunately, we can continue to provide our dogs with adequate care; and as family members and companions, the wagging four-legged friends are of greater importance than ever for most of us. But unfortunately, even when it comes to hobbies with the dog, nothing is what it was. Breeders with covered bitches and already born litters are just as unsettled as those who are thinking about the future of their breeding ambitions. Others find it difficult to do without sports and exhibitions. In many respects there is currently hardly any freedom of choice due to justified government measures. Regardless of the state restrictions, I would like to comment on a few facts. I am particularly concerned with those periods in which legal requirements have been relaxed, but normal conditions are still far from being reached. For this period, the VDH recommends that visits to kennels that are already active are temporarily not carried out. New breeding facilities, where no first kennel inspection has yet been carried out, should not start their breeding activities until an initial breeding facility inspection is more reasonable and feasible. Depending on the possibilities, a type of litter acceptance should take place before the puppy is given, whereby the clubs are given more freedom of choice regarding the design in the current crisis period. Individual clubs are considering planning their litter acceptance in connection with veterinary vaccination for a few months in the future. Further litter inspections that take place before the litter acceptance should be avoided. Shifts in time are also permissible, and a suitable form of implementation must be observed. We expect that no exhibitions, performance tests, meetings etc. can be considered until the end of May because they are prohibited by the responsible authorities or imposed with hardly achievable conditions. More will then be seen. It is particularly painful for many of us that we cannot obtain breeding permits with our animals because the relevant tests have to be postponed. However, breeding may not continue without the correct breeding license of each individual dog; we are therefore required to be patient. Controlled breeding at the VDH is a quality feature that we are all committed to and that must also persist during this time. Relief in breeding approval is possible, clubs that are intended to have exhibition results as a condition for the breeding approval test can be dispensed with if a breeding judge on the breeding approval test in question thoroughly inspects the dog and the club takes a corresponding decision. Breeding approval events for individual dogs are permitted provided that they can be carried out without endangering everyone involved. A review of the behavior in a group of people must be omitted. Associations have the right to submit certificates for seminar visits in connection with activities or offices. I myself expect that a number of activities that are important to us cannot be carried out for a certain period of time. It is particularly disadvantageous that some highly questionable dog breeders outside the VDH are taking advantage of this situation and are increasingly offering puppies. If you should ask yourself now whether it is right in a situation in which many human lives are threatened to carry out planning with regard to dog beings, it should be remembered that we have a great many inquiries about the topics listed. And of course our members have the right to get answers. It is not easy to find the right way and the right measure here. The VDH board and the management endeavor to lead the dog being through the current emergency times without exaggeration, but also without omission. Please allow me one last comment. We are all frustrated right now because our lifestyle is severely impaired and we cannot achieve important goals. Even serious economic hardship threatens not a few members of our clubs and also one or the other club itself. It is all the more important, not inconsiderable.. Also, the reference to the AKC publication on "Placing Puppies in the Age of Covid-19... " article makes some excellent points and most importantly for non-veterinary-schooled canine enthusiasts directs readers to the AKCBreeder Education Courses available through the AKC, which are an excellent source of very basic information on canine health. For the more curious, I have also found that non-DVM-educated individuals can obtain subscriptions to AVMA peer-reviewed publications and research journals through the AVMA website for a minimal subscription fee without paying the full $400 annual membership. Tons of information here in the above article and what with so many people being home, now is a great time for making this study information available to advance IPFD Members' learning. Thank you for posting! Dave -
Harmonization of Genetic Testing (HGTD) 2019 Summary
Brenda Bonnett posted a blog entry in HGTD & Genetic Testing
The HGTD arose from discussions at the IPFD International Dog Health Workshops (IDHWs); it is a proud achievement, exemplifying the IDHW tagline: Information – Collaboration – Action! In 2019, the HGTD project could be summarized in one word: Growing. We’ve consistently grown our list of genetic test providers (GTPs). Participating GTPs have provided information on their accreditation, expertise, and practices – all of which helps individuals find a GTP that has the quality measures most important to them. The generic phenes database provided a centralized resource for researchers, vets, and owner/breeders, spurring unexpected benefits. We’ve seen more consistency in test naming among international providers, benefiting owners seeking testing information. It also allowed international researchers to spot industry-wide challenges, and have them addressed through a centralized platform. To better support dog owners, the veterinary community, and dog health advisors, we introduced Breed Relevancy Ratings across genetic tests. The HGTD database relevance rating indicates the amount of available evidence supporting the relevance of a specific genetic test for a specific breed/type. Currently, the relevance rating is based on a wide-variety of evidence sources. This includes peer-reviewed research papers, recommendations from the original researchers/test developers, input from additional experts including veterinary specialists, and breed experts. It is hoped that, by being more informative about what we currently know or do not know about a specific test for a specific breed, that dog health advisors and owners can make more informed decisions. The collaboration across the dog world, and the participation of those in the testing industry, dog owners, and experts around the globe, has helped to shape our achievements for 2019 and develop exciting plans for 2020. -
Not all puppies from health-tested parents will be healthy!
Brenda Bonnett posted a blog entry in Brenda's Blog
And not all dams and sires with 'clear' test results will be good choices for breeding. Oh, would that life and breeding decisions could be made easy! But every experienced breeder knows that nothing is simple. Breeding and inheritance and health and temperament are very complex issues - each on their own - and combined they constitute a puzzle with no guaranteed solutions. With the increased availability of genetic testing, with its media-inspired aura of high-tech infallibility and direct-to-consumer marketing campaigns, there has been a rush to embrace it as THE most important pre-breeding test. It is probably underpinned by the vague hope of breeders that IF they spend their money and do all the possible genetic tests, they will have fulfilled their 'due diligence''. Many of my colleagues and I have repeatedly reminded the breeding community that, in spite of genetic testing being an extremely important decision-making tool, it is crucial that attention be paid to conditions that are considered important for a breed - regardless of whether there is a 'DNA test' for the condition, or even any test at all The Big Picture is crucial. I described in another blog a genetics symposium in Canada in November 2019. During discussions with committed breeders, at we came to some very important questions. For example, everyone says they want healthy animals with good longevity. But think about these items before you nod your head: How many breeders could say that those are the primary criteria they use when selecting mating pairs? Is there good evidence in your breed that the main focus of breeding has been on producing healthy, long-lived offspring? When breeders choose inbreeding or line-breeding is it to improve health and longevity, or, more likely, aimed at fixing specific traits, often to do with appearance? These questions are not meant as any judgement but to provoke critical, rational, logical thinking about breeding decisions which are, for better or worse often influenced by something else. Primarily, people need to look honestly at the history and culture of breeding and admit that, as for anything in life, a) saying and wishing and hoping is not doing; and b) you cannot achieve a theoretical or even heartfelt goal if your actions are in direct opposition to its achievement. I say I am committed to being slender and fit and then spend all my time in front of the computer and maintain a deep and satisfying relationship with potato chips. But at least I am not shocked when the slender-fit thing just doesn't happen. Our IPFD friend and collaborator Ian Seath posted another recently called 'Health-tested does not mean healthy'. And rightly highlights that health and longevity (or 'healthgevity') is a function of many factors beyond breeding or genetics. Owners must do their part to maintain health and not push all blame for ill-health to breeders. E.g. the well-loved, but morbidly obese Pug in this shot, had, by nature and breeding, specific health risks, all, no doubt aggravated by its body condition. All stakeholders in the health and welfare of individual dogs and breeds need to contemplate their roles and take responsibility. More coming on the topic of health testing and health, soon. -
COVID-19 - a novel experience for dogs and people
Brenda Bonnett posted a blog entry in Brenda's Blog
Sources of accurate and relevant COVID-19 information for your dog, your puppies and you. In the face of the great uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 and its impact on pets and pet owners, many veterinary and regulatory organizations have been providing excellent information and advice, as have kennel and breed organizations. It is important to remember that recommendations and restrictions vary depending on location and owners need to access and follow local recommendations, especially as to issues around accessing veterinary care. An additional challenge is that the advice and situation continue to change rapidly and what was known, thought or suggested last week may not hold next week. There are some aspects that apply regardless of location... including what we know (a little) and don't know (a lot) about possible transmission to or from animals and humans. As with all information about this novel corona virus there is a lot of uncertainty about COVID-19 and pets; basically we simply are leaning as we go. Be very cautious about discussions and dire predictions on Facebook and social media from those who likely do not have the appropriate level of expertise. Putting your trust in the types of sources described below is your best bet. At a local level, dog owners can look for information from their regional veterinary association and even your own veterinarian maybe providing updates. For an example from the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, you can see a short video and article here. Prof. Scott Weese of the Ontario Veterinary College is referenced in that article and he has a recent blog post where he suggests that, in the face of the uncertainty and with an abundance of caution, "Social distancing and dog walking are compatible… with some common sense". Dr. Weese says, "To me, social distancing is a whole household activity, not just a human activity. If I wouldn’t go and shake someone’s hand, why would I let the same person pet my dog, and then touch the same spot on my dog myself right away? " It is all about doing everything we can to reduce risk. Be sure to keep up to date on recommendations and restrictions in your area. For breeders, there are all the issues as for owners in addition to some major concerns about breeding, and rehoming litters. Many of our partner national kennel clubs have been providing information and updates. We have been sharing these on our channels, as again, some issues are the same globally; others are defined regionally. See, e.g. Breeders and coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQs from The Kennel Club in the UK, or Placing Puppies in the Age of COVID-19: Safety Advice for Breeders from the American Kennel Club. There are many broader impacts for dog welfare and human-dog interactions that are developing with the COVID-19 situation. Please check out Brenda's Blog: "DOGS ARE FOR LIFE, not just for Coronavirus." Within that blog you are also directed to an excellent discussion of unintended consequences from IPFD collaborator Ian Seath. Our IPFD Board member and President of the German Kennel Club, Prof. Dr. Peter Friedrich, has posted a heartfelt statement that discusses many of the current challenges and those that we have left to face, even when we think things are starting to return to normal. (In German, but perfectly understandable with google translator.) Below are some links to sites and organizations that are doing a great job with information at an international level pulled together by our IPFD COO, Monique Megens, a Dutch veterinarian, living in Spain, and former president of FECAVA, one of the organizations on the front lines in Europe. Mid-April 2020: What do we know about dogs and COVID-19 virus? Although several dogs have tested positive to COVID-19 virus following close contact with infected humans, to date, there is no evidence that dogs play a significant role in spreading the disease. Therefore, the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) states there is no justification in taking measures against companion animals, which may compromise their welfare. When people are sick with COVID-19, when possible, close contact with dogs should be avoided; the dogs should preferably be taken care of by another member of the household, taking appropriate hygiene measures into account. Studies are underway to better understand the susceptibility of and risks for other dogs. To stay up-to-date and for more information regarding dogs and COVID-19, go to the OIE website. Can I still visit my veterinary surgeon In many countries, veterinarians are considered to be an essential profession by their national authorities; therefore in most countries you can still visit your vet. However, some vets only see urgent cases; you should always call beforehand. For more information: IPFD’s collaborating partner the Federation of European Companion Animal Practitioners (FECAVA) together with the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) have published advice for pet owners for visiting the vet. Information for veterinary teams can be found locally and regionally at, for example from American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and at IPFD’s collaborating partner the World Small Animal Veterinary Association's (WSAVA) website. In all the craziness and concerns of this pandemic, dogs are a great support to their families. Let's remember them in all the changes, planning and considerations we have for ourselves. We are all in this together. Stay safe . OTHER RESOURCES: En Francais - La Newsletter de la Centrale Canine - beaucoup d'excellentes ressources auf Deutsch - und weiser Rat von unserem IPFD-Vorstandsmitglied und Präsidenten des Deutschen Kennel Clubs, Prof. Dr. Peter Friedrich, Präsident des VDH. Corona virus -
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Before you post a question in the Help Desk Forum, please visit our Help Desk Database to see if we've already posted information that will help solve your issue. Note: You can access the Help Desk Database by clicking the ? Help Desk link in the top-right corner of any page on this site. We include the following Categories in the Help Desk Database: Quick Start Tips for getting started on DogWellNet Your Account Information on: Registration; Setting up your personal profile, notifications, settings, etc. Navigation Includes directions to: Key Areas/Features; What is visible/available to guests and various membership categories; Search functions and tips Participating in the Community Reporting broken links, missing pages, permissions etc. Using the DogWellNet Forums Helpful tips for participating in our Forums Technical Issues Reporting broken links, missing pages, permissions etc. Contributor Resources Tips for Members who post content -
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