The health and wellbeing of many dogs has been compromised because of how they have been bred by humans. Cambridge researchers have been at the forefront of investigating the genetic basis of some of the most painful, blinding and life-limiting inherited diseases, developing tests to spot which dogs carry them and working with breeders to breed ‘hereditary clear’ dogs. As a result of their work, in the UK alone at least 52,000 dogs have been tested for 22 different mutations in 46 breeds, according to records from The Kennel Club, an organisation that holds the largest register for pedigree and crossbreed dogs in the UK. Development of the world’s first objective testing criteria for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), a condition that affects flat-faced dogs, has also been used for training of UK vets after it was endorsed by The Kennel Club.
Added 31 May 2023