March 2019

Could you catch flu from your dog?

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Zoonostic diseases (caused by bacteria, virus and parasites that spread from animals and humans) include Ebola and Salmonella.  Scientists at Korea University suggest a potentially new and harmful virus could be added to that list, passed from dogs to humans. Previous flu research has typically neglected dogs according to Dr Daesub Song, who led a […]

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Gene mutation linked to sudden blindness in dogs

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A new study has found that a change in genetic code is linked to sudden blindness known as goniodysgenesis ( or ‘gonio’) in Border Collies. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies identified a mutation in the gene called 0LFML3.  This is a gene involved in […]

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“Nip it in the bud!”

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Five words that sum up an owner’s frustration about their dog’s problem behaviour.  Five words I have heard so often if they were airmiles I would be heading to the States right now.  Five words that also make me twitch… Can unwanted behaviour be ‘nipped in the bud’? In some cases, yes. Managing your dog’s […]

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Chemical pollutants at home and in diet may impact dogs’ fertility

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Whether you are aware of it or not hazardous chemicals are often lurking in many of the products we use and immediate environment.  Two of these man-made chemicals include: i.) DEHP, a softener for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) used in a wide array of products such as carpets, clothes and toys and, ii.) polychlorinated biphenyl 153, […]

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