The Purina® Pro Plan® Breed Update newsletters cover the latest research advances in canine health and genetics for specific dog breeds, plus there is a general dog newsletter. Explore our archive of articles or use the filters to access specific information.
When their 9-year-old brindle Boxer “Lyric” (CH LattaLane’s Irish Lyric) showed early-stage degenerative myelopathy (DM) in the spring of 2015, breeders Thomas J. and Carol Latta of Corder, Missouri, already recognized the signs.
Tick populations are at an all-time high this year, experts say. Dogs are particularly susceptible to ticks — and thus tick-borne diseases — because they spend a lot of time outdoors and are low to the ground where ticks live.
When a breakthrough in the discovery of the gene mutation that causes arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) in Boxers was announced in April 2009, breeders were ecstatic.
Co-owners Dave Berrey of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and Jay Serion of Seattle, who handled Decker in shows, consider it important to continue the health testing begun by the breeders. The winningest male Bulldog in the past 20 years, Decker, who earned 18 Bests in Show, is passing on his handsome phenotype and healthy genotype as a stud dog, having currently sired 15 litters.
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in Doberman Pinschers is a challenging disease in which to identify dogs that will develop a severe case and die, and those that will be mildly affected despite testing positive in genetic screening.
Advances in research of hemangiosarcoma in Golden Retrievers are helping to identify risk factors for the extremely aggressive and highly malignant canine cancer. The findings may one day be used to identify risk factors in other breeds.