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Scottish vet wins prestigious canine health award
Dr Hamilton will use her prize to analyse spinal X-rays of French bulldogs and establish a dtaabase of scores from the results.
Dr Laura Hamilton honoured for work to improve the health and welfare of French bulldogs.

A pioneering vet from Scotland has been named winner of a prestigious award for her work to improve the health of French bulldogs.

Dr Laura Hamilton, a full-time veterinary surgeon from Tranent, East Lothian, will receive a 2022 International Canine Health Award in the Breed Health Co-ordinator category during a ceremony in London (28 September).

Dr Hamilton has been clinical director and breed health coordinator of the French Bulldog Club since 2020, through which she has been instrumental in updating the breed standards, following careful analysis of responses to an extensive health survey.

She has worked tirelessly with various stakeholders as a member of the Brachycephalic Working Group, and spent much of her own time travelling across the UK to promote and increase accessibility of The Kennel Club’s Respiratory Function Grading Scheme.

Now in its tenth year, the Canine Health Awards are organised by The Kennel Club Charitable Trust and include substantial cash prizes from the Vernon and Shirley Hill Foundation to go towards new or continued research.

Laura plans to use her £5,000 prize to analyse spinal X-rays of French bulldogs and establish a database of scores from the results. The information will be used to monitor the dogs throughout their lives to identify correlations between spinal scores and health outcomes. 

Dr Hamilton said: “I am truly honoured and thankful to The Kennel Club Charitable Trust on being selected as the winner of this award, and to those who nominated me for this prestigious award. I love my role as Breed Health Co-ordinator where I work with the breed clubs and The Kennel Club to improve the health and welfare of our wonderful breed.

“I am looking forward to continuing our work using the generous prize to further research key issues in the French bulldog, such as spinal issues, and BOAS. We plan to make health testing more accessible by providing owners funded health testing with the French Bulldog Club of England health scheme and the University of Cambridge/Kennel Club Respiratory Function Grading Scheme."

She added: “At a time when we are seeing a huge rise in indiscriminate breeding of French bulldogs, especially for exaggerations and fad trends over health and welfare, it is more important than ever that we focus on improving awareness and uptake of health testing.”

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

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News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.