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Survey launched on pedigree dog heart health
“The results will allow us to direct new research to areas that require further attention – Charlotte McNamara.

The Kennel Club and the Veterinary Cardiology Society want to hear from owners. 

A survey has been launched to learn more about the types of heart disease affecting pedigree dog breeds and their prevalence.

Developed by The Kennel Club and the Veterinary Cardiology Society, the online survey is open to owners of any breed of dog.

Owners can compete one survey per dog, includings dogs that are living or have passed away. The dog does not need to have been affected by heart disease.

The information gathered through the survey will be used by researchers to better understand the need for heart testing across different breeds and to discover breed-specific nuances that could have an influence of the development of heart disease.

The results will also help researchers to decide on future areas of study. Such research plays an important role in the development of the The Kennel Club’s Breed Health and Conservation plans, which are based on thousands of research papers.

All personal information collected in the survey will remain confidential and the findings presented anonymously.

Charlotte McNamara, head of health at The Kennel Club, said: “We are asking dog owners to kindly spend a few minutes to complete the survey for all dogs owned, either now or in the past, even if they have never been affected by heart disease.

“The results will allow us to direct new research to areas that require further attention. We thank everyone for taking the time to contribute to this research and for help in improving canine heart health.”

The survey can be completed here.

Image © Shutterstock

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.