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Happy 2nd Birthday Dogslife!
The Kennel Club Charitable Trust
Looking after your dog in summer
Prize winners!
Happy 2nd Birthday Dogslife!
The Dogslife project has now reached 2 years of age! The study currently has over 2,530 members providing information on over 2,590 Labradors. To date, Dogslife is still the largest study of dog health in the world.
Dogslife will continue to recruit Labrador Retriever puppies over the coming year. In following a larger cohort of dogs, more information can be gathered on the health and lifestyle of UK Labradors, better helping us to identify the factors that keep dogs healthy over their lifetime. We are very grateful to the Kennel Club Charitable Trust for providing part funding for the project for the next two years. The Kennel Club is also continuing to help by telling new owners about the project when they transfer their puppy’s registration.
Over the next year (as well as continuing to enrol more Labrador puppies), Dogslife will be analysing the data received far, and hope to release more information about the health of dogs partaking in the project. As soon as we have any findings, we will let you know in our Newsletter and in The study so far section of the website.
Huge thanks to everyone who contributes to the project for all the information provided. To date you have provided over 300,000 separate pieces of information about your dogs! Whether you are a breeder that tells new owners about Dogslife, or you are encouraging people you know to take part with their Labrador, or are taking part yourself, you are helping the study enormously. All the data we receive is invaluable to our research; thanks again for all your help – we couldn’t do it without you!
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The Kennel Club Charitable Trust
The Kennel Club Charitable Trust (KCCT) is a canine charity founded in 1987 (legally separate from the Kennel Club) to support the health and welfare of dogs. The KCCT help a variety of canine support, rescue, and welfare charities and organisations, and fund scientific research projects (such as Dogslife) to help improve the future health of dogs.
Nearly £6 million has been awarded to causes aimed at benefitting dog health since the charity began. The three main areas of work the KCCT support are Science, Support and Welfare.
The KCCT fund scientific and educational projects and facilities to research canine health problems. As well as Dogslife, the KCCT provide funding for a number of other scientific research initiatives, for example, the Kennel Club Genetics Centre at the Animal Health Trust, Newmarket, England. £1.2m has been granted over five years to support the Centre (which opened in 2009) to study inherited canine diseases and develop more diagnostic tests to identify carrier and affected dogs. This will help breeders to minimise the risk of future generations of dogs developing disease and also to address and improve genetic diversity within dog breeds.
The KCCT have also given grants to help a number of support charities to train dogs to help humans. These charities include Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, Dogs for the Disabled, Canine Partners, Pets As Therapy, and the Bark and Read Foundation to name but a few. More information on the work carried out by charities such as these can be found in our previous newsletter articles (please click here to browse).
The KCCT also provide funding to rescue centres, sanctuaries and animal shelters around the UK to help dogs in need of rescue and care. Recent examples of KCCT funding include donations for new ambulances, specialist veterinary treatment and equipment.
The KCCT’s aim is to fund causes that will make a difference to dogs, now and in the future. To find out more about the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, please click here.
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Looking after your dog in summer
Most of us have seen some warm summer sunshine recently, and some of us may be going abroad with our dogs where the weather may be hotter. For dogs, there are certain risks to be aware of when the mercury rises.
Dogs don’t sweat like us; they expel excess heat from their body by panting. However if dogs are in a very hot place with no ventilation (e.g. a car), panting may not be effective so they may not be able to cool down. If their body temperature rises too high, they could develop heatstroke. Signs of heatstroke include: heavy panting, salivation, vomiting, lethargy, loss of coordination, and even collapse. In severe cases, heatstroke can prove fatal. If you think your dog has heatstroke, contact a vet immediately. Be careful not to leave you dog in places such as cars, caravans, or conservatories where they are at risk of becoming overheated on sunny days.
To make sure your dog stays comfortable in hot weather, provide them with a cool, shaded place to rest, plenty of water, and room to move around. It is a good idea to exercise your dog early in the morning and later in the day so it is not too hot (for either of you!) and your dog does not become dehydrated. Grooming excess hair from your dog can also help them stay cooler in hot weather. If you are out enjoying a barbeque, remember to keep your dog away from the perils of lighter fuel, outdoor candles, and left over bones which they could choke on. Tarmac can often get very hot in direct sun so be careful your dog does not burn his paws. Dogs, like us, can suffer from sunburn (and particularly dogs with pink noses) so you may need to invest in some canine sun cream (human sun cream can be toxic) to rub on areas likely to be affected such as their nose, ears, and tummy.
If you are going on holiday by car this summer (or if you’re just driving locally) you may wish to read our previous article on road travel with your dog by clicking here. Remember to keep your vehicle cool and well ventilated, supply water at all times, and never leave your dog alone in the car.
If you are travelling abroad with your dog, or wish to find out more about taking your dog overseas, you can find information about the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) by clicking here.
Dogslife wish you a very happy summer!
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Prize winners!
Congratulations to all our prize winners!
Ms T from Cleveland has won £50 of Pets at Home vouchers, and Mrs A from Cambridgeshire and Mrs R from Gloucestershire have both won £25 of Pets at Home vouchers. The following 10 members have each won £10 of Pets at Home vouchers: Mrs C from Tyne and Wear, Mrs M from Ayrshire, Mrs B from Kent, Mr T from the Isle of Lewis, Mrs J from Lincolnshire, Ms A from Somerset, Mrs K from Aberdeenshire, Mrs K from North Devon, Miss S from Fife, and Mrs M from Surrey.
We hope you enjoy spending the vouchers on your pet!
Thank you to everyone who has completed their dog’s record. If you haven’t won a prize this time, be sure to update your dog’s record soon, and you will automatically be entered for our next prize draw in September – good luck! Most importantly, all the information you provide goes towards helping us find out what keeps dogs healthy!
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Don't forget to come back to Dogslife to update your dog's record www.dogslife.ac.uk
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