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Dog owners sought for autoimmune disease research
The study will collect information about dogs that have been recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.
Study will be the largest of its kind ever conducted in veterinary medicine.

Owners of dogs with autoimmune diseases are being called upon to participate in a vital piece of new research being undertaken by the RVC.

The research will be one of the largest studies of autoimmune diseases ever conducted and aims to collate data and insight into the diagnosis, treatment response and outcomes of dogs with autoimmune conditions.

Results will be distributed among local veterinary practices and specialist hospitals to help owners and vets make informed decisions when their animals are diagnosed.

Dr Barbara Glanemann, lead researcher and senior lecturer in Small Animal Medicine at the RVC, said: “This study will be the first time that the treatment and progress of dogs with autoimmune diseases has been investigated outside universities, providing an essential perspective on the challenges faced by affected dogs and their owners in wider veterinary practice."

The study, named the ImmunoRegistry, has been launched to address the current shortage of information about autoimmune diseases. It will garner information about dogs that have been recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, following them for a year in real-time to learn how they respond to treatment.

In total, the team aims to collect information from 400 dogs, making it the largest planned study of autoimmune diseases ever conducted in veterinary medicine globally and providing a crucial resource for future research.

James Swann, a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University, New York, said: "There is an urgent need to optimise the treatment of dogs with autoimmune diseases, and this study represents an important first step in gathering vital information to make clinical recommendations and guide future research projects.”

For more information about the study, along with the criteria for enrolment, visit rvc.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/immunoregistry

 

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.