GOdogs Investigating the Genetics of Obesity in Dogs |
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Happy New Year! We're kicking off 2019 with our winter newsletter. In this installment we've got some GOdogs updates, tidbits of doggy science, feeding advice to maximise your dog's feeling of fullness and some useful information including changes to Pet Passports! |
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New Team Member Our most recent addition to the team is Eloise Cross. Eloise is a recent graduate from the University of Bristol and is undertaking a Masters project with GOdogs, looking into the biochemistry underpinning obesity. She lives locally with her family and her cockapoo Maisy, who is Instagram famous and has more followers than Eloise does!! |
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Do you have other dogs not signed up? Take our GOdogs questionnaire |
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We would like to ask those of you with multiple dogs (of any breed) to fill it out for them too, thank you to those of you who already have. All of the survey responses we receive are highly valuable and the more data we collect, the more scientifically robust the results are! | | |
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We're still collecting DNA, BCS, weights and vet histories from retriever breeds, pugs and French & English bulldogs. If you have one of these breeds not yet registered with us, or know someone who does, we'd greatly appreciate their data, starting with our questionnaire! A polite reminder: If you have any spare or unused test kits please send them back to us and let us know if you no longer wish to participate. We are funded by grants from charities including Dogs Trust so it is important that we try to minimise wasting resources! If you need help arranging your vet appointment to waive the fee, please get in touch: GOdogs@hermes.cam.ac.uk Unused kits can be sent back to: GOdogs Project Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science Addenbrooke's Hospital Box 289 Cambridge CB2 0QQ |
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NEFRA Championship Show You may remember from our last newsletter that we were attending the Northern England Flatcoated Retriever Association Championship Show back in November. We had a brilliant day meeting all of the lovely flatcoat owners and their wonderful dogs, as well as enjoying watching the show in action. We weren't just there for the wagging tails and attempted face licks (sadly), the purpose of our day out was to collect blood pressure, shoulder heights, weights and body condition scores from as many flatcoated retrievers as possible! Our blood pressure machine was flat out all day, even requiring a couple of battery changes. We managed to collect the required data from around 30 flatcoats, which is fantastic for our research. We recruited more owners to take our questionnaire and gained more DNA saliva samples from some very friendly flatcoats too. We're still analysing the results we collected but so far we deem the day a big success! A huge thank you to NEFRA who let us come along for the day and to all of the fab owners and their dogs who took part. |
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Blood Pressure & the POMC gene |
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Why are we interested in blood pressure? Firstly, we're interested in studying blood pressure in dogs due to the same reason as in humans - the increase seen with increasing weight. However, studies of overweight humans with defects in a related gene to the POMC variant that we study in dogs, show that they do not have high blood pressure to the extent that you would expect. These people were compared to a similar group of people without the defect; their blood pressures were much lower in comparison. The POMC gene results in the production of a peptide called POMC which is then chopped up into even smaller molecules which signal to nerve cells in the brain via a receptor called MC4R. The mutation we found in dogs stops production of two of those molecules (called beta-MSH and beta-endorphin). As a consequence, they can no longer do their job in the brain. Our colleagues who study obese patients with defects in their MC4R have found that these patients tend to be taller, more muscular (beneath the underlying fat tissue) and their blood pressure not as high as expected. We're investigating whether some of these effects are seen in dogs carrying the POMC gene variant. We're measuring blood pressures, shoulder heights and muscle scores of those with and without the variant as well as their weight and body condition scores. We're not sure if we will see anything within our cohort (none of which are obese), but we're excited to start analysing our data and see if we do! The diagram below shows how a genetic defect in the POMC gene can effect food intake and energy expenditure. |
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How do we measure blood pressure in dogs? The method we use to measure blood pressure is similar to that in humans - we use a small cuff which inflates with air. Don't worry - the cuffs don't inflate quite as dramatically as the ones your GP uses on you. We tend to put the cuff on either the hind leg or the tail (with waggy, longhaired flatcoats that can be a bit of a challenge!). The cuff must be level with the dog's heart so lying down is best (as demonstrated by one of our very relaxed volunteers in the earlier image!) but we can measure standing dogs using their tail. Our fancy machine inflates the cuff at a press of a button, temporarily restricting blood flow. The pressure is then slowly released and it then measures the pulse and the pressure through the blood vessels in two different places as the flow returns to normal. You may have seen your vet use the more traditional method of using a stethoscope to listen. This gives two numbers e.g. 115/79 which is the systolic/diastolic pressures, and an average e.g. 87mmHg. The normal blood pressure range for a dog is S90-140 / D50-80 with an average of 60-100mmHg. We expect the measurements we took may be slightly higher due to the effect of the excitement of the show. |
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Flatcoats, We Need You! We're still recruiting Flatcoated retrievers to take part in our study of how genes affect metabolism. Firstly, we're collecting DNA samples from as many Flatcoated retrievers as possible (all dogs are eligible) - If you own other flatcoats we don't yet have samples for, or you know someone who does - please get them involved! The samples alone are highly valuable to our study so we greatly appreciate all of our volunteers who have taken the time and effort to get the required information from their vet and send samples to us. Further to this, eligible dogs will then be invited to take part in our relaxed test of energy expenditure/resting metabolic rate in Cambridge. The criteria for dogs to be eligible for the energy expenditure test are: Entire/not neutered Aged 2-7years (+/- a few months) Able to visit Cambridge Not carry any copies of the POMC gene variant (i.e. DNA sample dependent) We provide travel expenses and lunch as well as a £50 Amazon voucher as a thank you for taking part. |
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What does the test involve? As demonstrated by Lilly and Hugo (above), we want dogs to be as relaxed as possible, ideally even asleep! The test is simple - dogs are taken for a 1 hour walk and then their weight, height and blood pressure is measured. They are then settled into a modified transport kennel (pictured above) 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. Why are we measuring 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. Interested in taking part or finding out more? If you think your dog might be suitable to take part and want some more information, start by taking our feeding behaviour questionnaire and opting in to sending us their DNA if you haven't already done so, by following the link below. Alternatively, send us an email to GOdogs@hermes.cam.ac.uk |
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A leaner life could mean a longer life A very recent study by the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition and The University of Liverpool has shown that overweight dogs are more likely to live shorter lives. The team studied vet health records for over 50,000 dogs of 12 different breeds and found that overweight dogs simply do not live as long. They studied 12 of the most popular breeds in the USA: the Dachshund, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, American Cocker Spaniel, Beagle, Boxer, Chihuahua, Pit Bull Terrier, Pomeranian, Shih Tzu, and the Yorkshire Terrier. They found that the lifespan of all of the studied breeds decreased with increasing body condition score (a scale used to determine the weight status of pets). The lifespan difference varied between the breeds. Yorkies were the most affected by carrying a few extra pounds, living up to 2.5years less than those of ideal bodyweight! The cause of this decrease in lifespan was not investigated but previous studies show that overweight dogs are much more likely to suffer from a range of adverse health implications including joint problems, breathing and heart issues, hormonal disease, cancer and even incontinence, as well as a lower quality of life. So, keeping your pet at its ideal weight certainly will go a long way to ensuring they live a long and happy life. Consult your vet for advice on what your pet's ideal weight should be and how you can keep them there. | | |
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We're featured in BBC Futures! |
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The article, titled 'Our Pets: the key to the obesity crisis?' discusses obesity in pets, humans and even wild animals too. 'Even animals that aren’t eating too much or exercising too little are getting fat. If we can figure out why, we may have the key to our own obesity crisis – and how to stop it' The key message from GOdogs Project leader Dr Eleanor Raffan, is that we shouldn't view obesity as a moral failing in pets nor humans! | | |
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Feeding Your Hungry Hound The Labrador POMC mutation makes affected dogs prone to putting on weight because they feel they are more hungry, more of the time. We all know that feeling hungry is unpleasant and best avoided. But, if we let dogs which are ‘genetically hungry’ eat what they want, they will become obese and their quality of life will suffer. So, rather than just feeding affected dogs small amounts once or twice a day, we at GOdogs think it is sensible to think about how we can ‘trick’ dogs into thinking they are getting more food than they are. This can be applied to food motivated dogs and those trying to lose weight too. The recommendations are based on scientific knowledge of how appetite and satiety are regulated, human research into eating, and common sense animal management techniques. GOdogs have plans to test them rigorously but until then they will do no harm and may well keep your hungry dog happier while you keep him slim. The principles underlying the recommendations are to feed in a way that send signals of ‘fullness’ for longer; distract your dog from thoughts of food; and to provide enough exercise to allow your dog to eat well. |
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Tip No1 - Use puzzle and slow feeders These work well as they enable your dog to obsess about food. Slow feeders (as demonstrated above by the lovely Rupert) slow down meal times, helping your dog feel more satisfied. Puzzle feeders engage your dog's brain, stimulating their mind. These require your dogs to solve a puzzle such as sliding open compartments to reveal food, and are a great way to bond and play with your dog without overindulging them. Others are made of tough rubber which your dog can tug/chew/throw around for hours to liberate the food inside; try stuffing them with tinned food then freezing them (remember to factor these into your dog's daily food amount!). |
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Pet Passports We won't mention the B word, but if you're planning on taking your dog to an EU country this year there are some potential changes you may need to be aware of. Depending on what the outcome is, if come March there is no deal, your pet's EU passport may no longer be valid. Whether your pet is joining you on your holidays, competing in an international show, travelling to be used for breeding or for any other reason - make sure you consult your vet at least 4months in advance! This long preparation time is due to the requirement to prove that your pet is rabies free. They may be required to have a blood test 30 days after their rabies vaccine which must be carried out a minimum of 3months before their travel date. Use the button below to see the guidance from DEFRA. |
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Pets in Ads The British Veterinary Association (BVA) have just set out new ethical guidance for the use of pets in advertising. Their campaign 'Pets in Advertising: A social concern' is great news for animal welfare and it hopes to encourage big brands to be responsible when using animals in their advertising. 'From television advertising to marketing materials in veterinary practices, the prominent visibility of pets has the potential to normalise hereditary defects, poor welfare, and inappropriate diet and housing, as well as drive demand for certain breeds with physical and behavioural problems that are not always recognised by the public.' - BVA, 2018 The guidelines recommend that animals are always depicted in situations which meet their 5 welfare needs as much as possible. For more information about their campaign and to read more about the 5 Welfare Needs of pets use the button below. |
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Thank you for reading, stay tuned for our next newsletter in the spring! In the meantime, don't forget you can find us on
Facebook, Twitter & now Instagram too! |
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