HEALTHGENE´S CANINE BULLETIN (09.08.2006)
IN BRIEF
========
DOG BITES. DON'T LET IT HAPPEN.
-------------------------------
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than 4.7 million
Americans are bitten by dogs each year. More than half of victims are
children under 14 years and about 150,000 of bites require a visit to
the emergency department. Here are some of the rules that families
should follow to minimize the risk: 1. Learn about breed
characteristics before purchasing a family dog; 2. Socialize your pet
- gradually expose the dog to people and other animals to get
accustomed to social situations; 3. Training the dog is very
important; 4. Infants and small children should not be left alone with
the animal; 5. Dogs should not be "bothered" when sleeping, eating or
caring for pups.
More information can be found at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12872955
Source: MSNBC.com. Pet Health.
...........................
HARNESSES PREFERRED WITH CERTAIN OCULAR CONDITIONS
--------------------------------------------------
A new study published in the Journal of the American Animal Hospital
Association shows that the pressure created by the use of neck collars
increases intraocular pressure in dogs. "In dogs with some types of
ocular diseases, such as glaucoma, even brief increase in IOP
(intraocular pressure) could have a detrimental effect on the eye,
resulting in further damage to the optic nerve and retina," - said Ami
Pauli, DVM, opthalmology resident at the University of Minnesota
College of Veterinary Medicine and principal author of the study.
Based on the study findings, it is highly recommended to use harness
rather than neck collar, in dogs with glaucoma. Another interesting
result of the study is that certain breeds, such as Alaskan Malamute
and Siberian Husky, experienced less of an increase in IOP when
pulling against a collar.
Source: Veterinary Practice News (vetpracticenews.com)
...........................
HEALTHGENE'S HIGHLIGHTS
=======================
HEALTHGENE CONFIRMS - THE "BEAST" IS 100% DOG
---------------------------------------------
HeathGene has unveiled a mystery of a creature found in Turner, Maine.
Media and the Internet created a sensation by naming the animal a
werewolf and some unknown exotic species. Requested by the Sun
Journal, HealthGene analyzed the remainings of the creature on genetic
level. The result - it is a dog.
"There are no traces of a wolf in this animal," - said Dr. Yuri
Melekhovets, Laboratory Director at HealthGene Corp. "There would have
been evidence of that in genome. "There was a number of tests
performed to match the sample to different species, including wolf,
fox, and human. Nothing extraterrestial or extraordinary was found.
DNA profile was typical of a dog."
To learn more about this case, visit:
http://www.healthgene.com/canine/thebeast.asp
http://www.sunjournal.com/search/story.php?ID=170829
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2006/08/25/beast-tests.html?ref=rss
http://www.sunjournal.com/search/story.php?ID=173146
http://mainehuntingtoday.com/bbb/?p=909
...........................
SWAB SAMPLES COLLECTION VS BLOOD SAMPLES IN GENETIC TESTING
(by Dr. Melekhovets)
-----------------------------------------------------------
In the last several decades, the number of genetic tests for dogs has
increased dramatically. Many breeders are testing their own dogs for
the presence of different mutations, which are responsible for
different disorders such as PRA, von Willebrand, Cystinuria etc. Also,
many DNA tests are done to determine carriers of different coat colour
genes in different breeds.
Originally, all genetic tests were developed and performed on canine
blood samples for a number of reasons. Blood samples are an excellent
source of good quality, as well as, quantity of DNA. A DNA test can be
performed much faster and with a much better success rate on a blood
sample compared to any other types of samples. With time, a number of
laboratories began to offer the same DNA tests. In order to increase
their competitive advantage and convenience for breeders, laboratories
introduced a “swab collection technique”. This sample collection
method rapidly spread among breeders and became the main method of
collection of canine samples for genetic testing - it was easy to
collect and ship them to the laboratory. Unfortunately, this new
method has also created potential problems.
The introduction of the “swab collection technique” has led to a
“contamination” problem in DNA testing. All DNA tests are very
sensitive and specific and can detect a very low amount of DNA in a
biological sample. This is why very similar DNA tests have been used
by the police for forensic testing to determine a potential suspect
from a crime scene. Since all swabs are collected from the dog’s mouth
there can arise a potential problem, especially for places with
multiple dogs. Dog’s saliva can be easily transmitted between several
dogs during play. Consumption of other dogs’ body waste or canine-
related material can lead to contamination of the mouth swab sample.
Thus, swab collection from a dog must be performed with great
precaution.
An ideal type of a sample for canine genetic testing is a blood
sample: it is a little more costly for a breeder but it is faster and
produces a more accurate result (since there is no potential
contamination of DNA from other dogs).
If a breeder still prefers to submit swab samples for DNA testing, he
or she should follow certain rules to reduce (but not completely
eliminate) the possibility of contamination.
1. If a dog shares space with other canines, the dog to be tested
should be isolated for at least one day from any dog.
2. Before collecting the swab samples, allow your dog to drink a lot
of water and do not give food for at least 3 hours.
3. Swab samples should be collected from both cheeks inside of the
mouth.
4. Once the samples are collected, they must be sealed in an envelope.
Proper sample collection is the first and the most critical step in
genetic DNA testing. Any error at this step will be reflected in the
final result.
This article is now available online at
http://www.healthgene.com/canine/swab-vs-blood.asp
...........................
ARCHIVES
===========
HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR PREVIOUS BULLETINS
--------------------------------------
- HEALTHGENE INTRODUCES NEW FAMILY PROTECTION PROGRAM (02/22/06)
(http://healthgene.com/canine/arch_bull_0206.asp)
- A MYSTERY OF DRUG SENSITIVITY IN DOGS CAN BE PUT TO REST! (09/28/05)
(http://healthgene.com/canine/arch_bull_0905.asp)
- MAKING SENSE OF COAT COLOR: A GENETIC APPROACH (05/30/2005)
(http://healthgene.com/canine/arch_bull_0505.asp)
======================================================
HealthGene offers lectures for kennel clubs in Ontario, Canada. For more information,
call 416-658-2040 or e-mail info@healthgene.com
If you would like to use any information available on www.healthgene.com
or in this bulletin for your club's newsletter, please contact
us by e-mail at info@healthgene.com
or by phone – 416-658-2040.
HEALTHGENE CORP. DOES NOT SHARE OR SELL E-MAIL ADDRESSES
REMOVAL INSTRUCTIONS:
To unsubscribe, please visit www.healthgene.com/canine/newsletter.asp,
enter your e-mail address and choose "unsubscribe"
from the pull-down menu. Submit your request and you will
receive a confirmation that your e-mail address has been removed
from our mailing list.
======================================================
>> back to the articles >>
|
