GOdogs Investigating the Genetics of Obesity in Dogs |
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Hello GOdogs volunteers! We've had many more of you added to our mailing list since our last newsletter so a huge welcome to you all and a big thanks for getting involved by taking our questionnaire and/or sending us your dog's DNA sample. This is our first newsletter for quite a while now so we have lots to update you all on. Read on for new and exciting studies, new team members and more! |
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New Team Members Earlier this year we bid a fond farewell to our postdoctoral researcher, Marie. Although only with us for less than a year, Marie's expertise were invaluable in designing our latest energy expenditure and feeding behaviour studies. She has now moved on to an exciting new job in Switzerland but continues to collaborate with and advise us. Jodie |
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In June we welcomed Jodie Wainwright to our team. Jodie is a recent University of Nottingham Animal Science graduate. She completed a placement year with MARS Petcare where she gained experience in behaviour, training, and nutrition research in cats and dogs. She recently undertook a project examining dog owner views of nutrition and feeding in relation to wellbeing. She is interested in the human-animal bond, pet obesity and animal welfare. She lives in Cambridge with her 2 naughty cats, Buckbeak & Crookshanks! |
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Natasha Over the summer we were joined by vet student Natasha Sumanasekera who has now returned to the University of Cambridge and is working hard in her 4th year of study. Natasha helped out with the project by tidying up our database and hunting down missing information - you may have heard from her requesting various details from you. We hope that she will continue to help out on the project during her holidays! |
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Over 10,000 of you have now completed our Feeding Behaviour Questionnaire and a further 1600+ of you have sent us your dog's DNA sample! This is absolutely fantastic and we can't thank you enough for your time and help. We are still collecting questionnaire responses for all breeds and DNA samples from retriever breeds, pugs, French & English Bulldogs. If you have another dog which we don't have information for please take our questionnaire for them too (and please send us their DNA if it is one of the above breeds). Don't forget to tell your friends! | | |
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Why don’t we just keep eating forever? Why don’t we just stop when we’ve had enough to get through the day? Some of you may have already read about appetite regulation and the POMC gene variants on our website or in our previous newsletter but for those of you who have just joined us or need a refresher, here is a summary. The graphic below shows how feeding and metabolism is regulated by messages (hormones) about energy status. These travel from the gut and blood to the brain. Similar biology governs human appetite so dog genetics can teach us more about people too. |
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POMC Gene Mutation & Obesity: Labradors & Flatcoated Retrievers In 2016 we published findings of a study in the Journal Cell Metabolism. We found that a mutation in the POMC gene is associated with obesity and food-motivation in Labradors and flatcoated retrievers. It disrupts signalling ability between the brain and the gut, affecting the ability to regulate hunger and ‘feel full’. These dogs can be different 'genotypes' i.e. they can carry either 0x copies (known as 'Wild Type'), 1x copy ('Heterozygous') or 2x copies ('Homozygous') of the variant with the effects on appetite being stronger in those with 2 copies than 1. Dogs carrying the gene variant are often described as “obsessed with food” and are highly food motivated, which may be an advantage for training assistance dogs. This helps towards explaining why Labradors are more prone to being overweight than other breeds. The obsession with food puts them at risk of weight gain. Owners need to be aware so that they can actively manage their dog’s food intake and weight. This is why we are collecting DNA from these breeds, so that we can further study their genetics and understand the whole picture. |
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You can read more about the POMC gene variant on our website by following the link below: |
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Why are we so Fanatical about Flatcoats? We have been collecting DNA samples from Labradors for quite a while now so many thanks to all of those owners who have sent those into us, they are highly valuable to our study. We recently decided to add flatcoats to our list of breeds we are collecting DNA from. This is because flatcoats can also carry variants of the POMC gene and with a much higher prevalence than in Labradors. We are investigating this further and just like with Labradors, we are comparing weight, body condition score and results of the feeding behaviour questionnaire with how many copies of the gene variant they carry. So, if you have a flatcoat or a Labrador which we don't yet have DNA for, please fill out our questionnaire and request a DNA sample using the link below: |
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The Prince of (food) Thieves This is Huggins demonstrating the effect of his genes! Over the years he has managed to pilfer 12 mince pies, a whole cauliflower, a Victoria sponge cake, a loaf of bread, a block of cheese, a Quorn shepherd's pie, a punnet of tomatoes, a bag of kiwi fruits, and most recently he visited the vets following the consumption of 8 whole plums!! He certainly keeps his poor owner on her toes. There was absolutely no surprise when his DNA results showed that he does indeed carry 2 copies of the POMC gene variant! |
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Spotlight on Lark & Raven Raven & Lark (pictured earlier on) live together but are not related. Lark is Homozygous (2 copies) for the POMC gene variant and recently took part in our Energy Expenditure Test in Cambridge. Raven on the other hand is Heterozygous (1 copy). Their owner Nicky was very keen to take part in our project due to the big differences she observes between Raven (black) & Lark (liver) in their build and character. She says Lark puts on weight just by looking at food! Nicky has to meticulously monitor her feeding and is so far succeeding in overcoming the challenge posed by both Lark and Raven's genotypes - both are a healthy Body Condition Score - well done Nicky! They are both gundog trained and are fed a raw food diet. Lark is very mischievous and often leads Raven astray! Interestingly she is also described as very lazy and can sleep for up to 20 hours per day.... Zzzzz! |
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Lark's ability to snooze for hours came in very useful when she visited us in Cambridge for the day. She was the very first participant in our Energy Expenditure Test (more information to follow) and we got some very valuable data from her. Here she is practicing before the day and again after the test looking very pleased with herself! |
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Why are we so excited about energy expenditure? Studies in humans and mice which have mutations in genes related to POMC have been shown to have lower metabolic rates, contributing to an even further increase in the risk of weight gain. We want to see if this is the case for POMC in dogs too. We can test how genes affect the way fuel from food is used in the body using our complicated kit, pictured below. This is where Marie's expertise proved invaluable! The test is simple - dogs are taken on a 1 hour walk and then settled in a modified airline transport kennel (see image) until they're resting or sleeping for about 2 hours. Meanwhile, a fresh supply of air is pumped through the kennel and we monitor the amount of oxygen used up and carbon dioxide produced. We can then do some not-so-simple calculations to work out metabolic rate. |
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We're recruiting Flatcoats to take part in our energy expenditure test!! |
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We're recruiting enthusiastic owners of flatcoated retrievers to take part in our test in Cambridge. We are testing resting energy expenditure/metabolic rate of flatcoated retrievers which carry either 0 or 2 copies of the POMC gene variant. The day usually lasts around 4-6hours and owners are invited to stay throughout. All travel expenses as well as lunch are included, as well as a £50 Amazon Voucher as a thank you for taking part. To be eligible to participate, flatcoats need to be entire and aged 2-7 years old (+/- a couple of months). |
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We need their DNA results as we are only currently recruiting dogs with 0 copies of the gene variant. We already have enough flatcoats with 2 copies of the variant, which is fantastic news - thank you all of our lovely owners and dogs who have already taken part. If you have a flatcoat who is not particularly bothered by food we are even more interested in hearing from you as they are more likely to have 0x copies of the variant and so likely to be the perfect candidate for the test.
If you might be interested in taking part please complete the form below to find out more information and to register your potential interest. This will allow us to send you a DNA kit asap!
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You can also send us an email if you have any questions about the test or your dog's eligibility.... godogs@hermes.cam.ac.uk Please note: If your dog fits the criteria and you have already sent us their DNA but haven't heard from us, that may be due to your dog's genotype. We have managed to recruit plenty of dogs with 2x copies but are desperately in need of those with 0x copies to take part. So, your dog may have 1x or 2x copies of the variant or perhaps you are located very far away, hence we haven't contacted you to take part. Your dog's sample is still hugely valueable to our project and so we are very grateful to all owners who have sent in DNA samples from their dogs. We don't generally give out individual results due to the sheer number we receive but feel free to drop us an email with any questions. |
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Why flatcoats and not Labradors? Its simple really - the POMC gene variant is much more common in flatcoated retrievers than Labrador retrievers. So, despite Labradors being more commonly found throughout the UK than flatcoats, those with 2 copies which are not neutered are much more difficult to find! Here are a few of our fantastic flatcoats that have taken part so far. A huge, huge thank you to all of their owners for bringing them along, we couldn't do it without you all and we're over halfway through now! |
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We're continuing to collect questionnaire responses from all breeds, this is highly valuable to us as we can identify trends in eating behaviour across all breeds. We're currently collecting DNA from retriever breeds, Pugs, French & English bulldogs. Our database is continuing to grow and the more data we have, the more powerful and robust our results are. Keep the responses coming for any other dogs you own! Watch this space in case we broaden our search to include DNA samples from other breeds too! |
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NEFRA Championship Show, November |
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We're very excited to be at the Northern England Flatcoated Retriever Association Championship Show next month. We'll be collecting blood pressure measurements from willing flatcoats so if you're going to be there be sure to keep an eye out for us! We want to know if the POMC gene variant affects blood pressure in dogs. We use a veterinary blood pressure cuff which is somewhat similar to a human blood pressure cuff but doesn't inflate quite so extremely! You can see Reign giving us a fabulous demonstration above. We can take measurements from the tail or the hindfoot. |
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Following our test of energy expenditure we're hoping to test eating behaviour and food preference in dogs with and without the POMC gene variant. We're not sure whether we will be testing Labradors or flatcoats or both at this stage. |
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What we do know is that humans and mouse models with similar mutations in their POMC pathway show an increase in preference for high fat foods and a decreased preference for high sugar foods. We want to know if the same is seen in dogs. We are hoping to use the 'clever pet hub' (pictured) to measure eating behaviour. Dogs have to press a pattern of lights to reveal a treat. Will dogs with POMC variants work harder for high fat treats and less for high sugar treats? Stay tuned to see if your dog can get involved! |
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Thanks https://clever.pet/ for the kit! |
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Remember, Remember, your pet on the 5th of November! |
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Over half of our pets show signs of distress during the firework season. We have combined some top tips from Dogs Trust and the RSPCA with a few of our own about how to make your pet feel more comfortable around this time, plus plenty more information can be found across the web. - Ensure your dog is walked and that both cats and dogs have had chance to go to the toilet before dark. Feed them before the noises start too incase the stress makes them not want to eat.
- Create a cosy hiding place and close all curtains, windows and doors. This will help muffle the sound and make them feel more safe.
- Make sure your garden is secure and that your dog/cat is wearing their collar incase they are startled and escape. Make sure your cat is microchipped too.
- Turn the volume up on your TV or leave the radio playing to help drown out the noise.
- Don't punish your dog for reacting, barking or hiding from fireworks as this can increase their stress. Instead, ignore the fireworks yourself and any negative behaviour. Reward positive behaviour with treats or fuss. You can also try to distract them with toys but don't try to force them out of hiding if they are scared.
- Pheromone sprays and diffusers may also help relieve stress and are available at most pet stores. These should be introduced before the firework season begins.
Visit Dogs Trust and the RSPCA websites for more information about fireworks and how to help your other pets feel more comfortable. |
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Music to your dog's ears.... |
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A recent study by the University of Glasgow and the Scottish SPCA has shown that different music genres, including soft rock and reggae, can help dogs relax and show less signs of anxiety and stress. The Scottish SPCA have teamed up with multi-million record selling songwriter, John McLaughlin, to produce and album especially for dogs! All of the tracks on the album, titled 'Paws. Play. Relax.', are based on the findings of the collaborative study. You can find out more on the Scottish SPCA website and the album can be purchased from the Scottish SPCA online charity shop. So why not give your dog some relaxing music to drown out the fireworks with as well as raising money for an excellent charity at the same time?! |
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That's all from us at GOdogs for now! Thank you for reading, we'll be in touch with another newsletter soon. Thanks again to all of you lovely dog owners for taking part in our project. Don't hesitate to contact us with any questions at godogs@hermes.ac.uk |
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Make sure you follow us on social media to keep up to date with what we're up to! |
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