In This Issue:
- News & Highlights
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Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs:
A Year in Review and Our Vision for 2022
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Make a Donation
- Stay Informed!
News & Highlights
Blogs
IPFD Veterinary Science Officer Dr. Brenda Bonnett has been busy blogging on several important issues in the dog world.
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In her latest post, Genetic Rescue of the Highly Inbred Norwegian Lundehund, Brenda examines a new paper on attempts to 'save' the Lundehund breed - which also serves as a good reference for anyone working with a rare breed.
- In her post, Why do legislators address the supply side and not demand?, Brenda looks at legislative and legal approaches and other actions as they relate to dogs, specifically brachycephalic (short-muzzled) breeds. In a follow-up entry, Animals are Sentient Beings - But Still Property - Spain, Brenda ponders the long-term consequences of animal sentience legislation.
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In Trends in the Pet Industry - Interesting or Troubling?, Brenda ponders several current issues in pet ownership, dog welfare, and the veterinary world - from pandemic puppies to high rates of suicide among veterinary professionals.
Breeds Resources
Breed of the Month
★ This Month We Feature the Whippet ★
The Brief Description:
The Whippet (also English Whippet or Snap Dog) is a dog breed of medium-size. They are a sighthound breed that originated in England, where they descended from greyhounds. Whippets today still strongly resemble a smaller greyhound.
Source: Wikipedia
Get a GRIHP! on Whippets is part of a series to highlight the Big Picture of health, welfare, and breeding and to help develop Globally Relevant Integrated Health Profiles (GRIHPs) for many breeds.
Learn more about the Whippet in our Pedigree Breeds database.
Pedigree Breeds Database Updates
We routinely add and update breed pages in our Pedigree Breeds Database.
New Breeds:
Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois)
Brief Description:
Pronounced lak-in-wah, it is named for the town of Laeken where it originated and is the rarest of the four Belgian herding breeds, which in their home country is considered a single breed. Learn more
Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervueren)
Brief Description:
Originally the dogs were utilized on farms as herders and guardians; today’s Tervs are employed as military and police K-9s, as search-and-rescue, and as service dogs for the disabled as well as working companion that excel competing in a variety of dog sports. Learn More
NOTE: The Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) describes the Malinois, together with the Groenendael, the Laekenois, and the Tervueren, as varieties of the Belgian Shepherd dog breed. The American Kennel Club, however, officially recognizes the Belgian Malinois, the Belgian Sheepdog (FCI: Groenendael), the Belgian Laekenois (FCI: Laekenois), and the Belgian Tervuren (FCI: Tervueren) as four distinct breeds.
Recently Updated Breeds:
In case you missed it! See a special feature... Anne-Marie Class is an international respected judge and her presentation provides examples of traits described in the Mastiff and Bullmastiff breed standards. Her perspective includes not only presentation of desirable traits but goes further to emphasize that the Mastiff and Bullmastiff breed standards call for absolute soundness.
IPFD Partners in Action
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IPFD Collaborating Partner, The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), has recently published the latest edition of Dog Breeds: What You Need to Know, a regular feature in their online news section (and in the WSAVA Bulletin) that highlights IPFD resources on a particular breed with a focus on breed-specific diseases.
In the latest edition: Meet the Whippet – Update Your Knowledge!
You can also view previous editions of Dog Breeds: What You Need to Know in our archive article here on DogWellNet.com.
Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs (HGTD)
HGTD News
- We're delighted to welcome a new new 'Academic Supporter' Genetic Test Provider (GTP):
Canine Genetic Testing, University of Cambridge, led by Dr Cathryn Mellersh (formerly of the Animal Health Trust), is a UK-based research group now providing genetic testing and undertaking international genetic research supported by the Kennel Club Genetics Centre.
- We have also introduced a new Academic Supporter logo for those non-profit research groups actively participating in HGTD.
Check out this edition's Spotlight Feature below to learn more about the growth
and achievements in the Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs!
Ask Aimee
Our HGTD Project Manager, Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi, provides answers to your questions on canine genetic testing in Ask Aimee.
If you’d like to submit a question to Aimee, please email her at aimee.llewellyn-zaidi@ipfdogs.com.
Get Involved in HGTD!
We welcome additional participant GTPs, more collaborators from any stakeholders concerned with dog health and welfare, the advice of experts, the participation of breed clubs and other consumer groups. We stand ready to provide more information to ongoing discussions.
Please feel free to contact us as we work together for healthy dogs and to support those who breed and own them: IPFD Veterinary Science Officer, Dr. Brenda Bonnett and/or HGTD Project Manager, Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi.
Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs:
A Year in Review and Our Vision for 2022
Since its launch in 2018, IPFD’s Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs (HGTD) has grown to include information on 82 international genetic test providers (GTPs) with 45 actively participating in 22 countries. The database includes all the major phenes (tests) sold for use in dogs and is integrated with latest research and clinical information, with additional breed-specific information on test usage or application in the breed(s).
In addition to providing a searchable database of GTPs, breed-specific genetic testing information complied for HGTD is being integrated into Get a GRIHP! documents, a series of articles on the Big Picture of health and welfare within specific breeds.
Further genetic testing and counseling resources are available in articles and blogs by HGTD Project Manager Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi (Ask Aimee | HGTD & Genetic Testing).
Beyond the numbers and specific actions, IPFD and HGTD contribute to the overall quality, consistency, and accuracy of data on genetic testing for dogs. We help improve communication on genetic testing and counseling and bring together national and international stakeholders including researchers, veterinarians, genetic test providers, kennel club advisors, breeders, and owners.
HGTD - Select achievements for 2021:
- All 2,000+ breed and trait combinations have been reviewed and given a Breed Relevance Rating (BRR). Since the publication of the BRRs, we have seen increased engagement with both genetic test users (e.g., breeders and breed/kennel clubs) and researchers contributing relevant information.
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Several sponsor GTPs have used the BRRs to adjust their reporting to consumers and routinely communicate ideas and concerns with our team.
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New Feature: key comments were introduced in 2021 to capture breed-specific test variant information, including specific researcher-led application and test usage – including breed-specific variants (and incorrect variants).
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The breed-specific recommendations for testing and test application have dramatically expanded, particularly for challenging tests (such as IVDD and CDDY, and genetic diversity tools) thanks to enthusiastic researchers and expert collaboration.
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The first virtual International Dog Health Workshop (IDHW) – Webinar 2021, included 36 decision leaders in genetics of dogs including kennel club advisors, researchers, veterinarians, breeders, and GTPs. This workshop focused on standardizing genetic testing and reporting and has spawned ongoing developments.
2021 by the Numbers*:
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All Users: 15,453 HGTD Pageviews (8.86 % of all pageviews on DogWellNet.com); 10% increase over 2020.
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New Users: 9,936 HGTD Pageviews (10.10 % of new user pageviews on DogWellNet.com); 20% increase over 2020.
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Approximately 30% of HGTD users were looking at phenes; 13% GTP; 10% breeds.
*We note that Kennel Club genetic counsellors often make use of the HGTD, and they pass on information to their members (especially in countries where English is not the native language). This makes the true number of people we reach unknown.
HGTD – Our vision for 2022:
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Supporting standardizing (harmonizing) genetic test reports, including templates, based on the IDHW-virtual workshop, together with Working Groups
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Continuing development of HGTD databases to include information important to the canine health community, e.g., tests offered (linkage vs. direct mutation), more breed-specific test and test application information
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Supporting and advising kennel and breed clubs on integrating genetic testing and technology into registration systems and health strategies
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Hosting the second IDHW-Virtual Workshop on Genetic Diversity
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Building on our collaborations with OMIA and the wider researcher/expert network for more information sharing
- Outreach to new GTPs and researchers
Watch for the latest developments in HGTD in future issues of our Digest, published on DogWellNet.com and posted to our social media accounts.
HGTD Quick Links
IPFD Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs: Initiative Description
Make a Donation
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You can specify how your donation is used (support IPFD and its programs and activities OR support the Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs). All donations are handled securely via PayPal.
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