Tag archives: straining to urinate

Though reliable accounts marking the early origins of the Spanish water dog (SWD) are lost to history, likely ancestors of the SWD (and probably the Portuguese water dog) were described in the Iberian Peninsula around the 12^th century. Primarily used as a herding breed, the Spanish water dog has also been trained to perform tasks for fishermen and hunters including towing boats to shore, gathering fishing nets, and retrieving game from waterways. Though still used as working dogs in modern day Spain and other countries, the demand for Spanish water dogs dropped precipitously during the industrial revolution of the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries when machines took over many tasks historically performed by the SWD and other breeds. This decrease in demand led to a decline in the world Spanish water dog population which still remains relatively small today.

In general, dog breeds with smaller population sizes tend to also have a smaller amount of genetic diversity within the breed. This means that any two individual dogs from a small breed population are more likely to share the exact same genetic information at any given location in their genome, including disease associated genetic mutations. This is ...

Though the cruel bull-baiting practices for which the ancestors of bulldogs were used have long passed, the enthusiasm for the modern bulldog as a friendly companion animal is as fervent and robust as ever. Ranked the 4^th most registered dog in the AKC, it’s no secret to most that the bulldog has established itself as one of America’s favorite canines. Through selective breeding practices, the previously fierce and aggressive bulldog of old has given way to a gentle, even tempered, yet strong willed breed with copious amounts of character; in both temperament and physical attributes. Unfortunately, like other purebred dogs, during the course of breed development, some inherited genetic diseases have come to light that can make life difficult for bulldogs and those that love them. Luckily, through the use of genetic testing technologies and selective breeding, some of these inherited diseases can be completely eliminated (or greatly reduced in frequency) from blood lines. One example of an inherited disease that can now be prevented in the bulldog is an inherited form of urinary stones known as hyperuricosuria (HUU), caused by a genetic mutation in the SLC2A9 gene.

Clinical Signs of HUU

Dogs affected with HUU lack a protein which ...

It is a very exciting time in canine genetics. Every month, new discoveries are making their way out of the laboratory and into scientific journals, thus disseminating new information to the scientific community. Some of these discoveries are newly identified, disease associated genetic mutations. Knowledge of a specific mutation and the way a condition is inherited allows for diagnostic laboratories such as Paw Print Genetics to develop new genetic tests for a particular disease. It has been the goal of Paw Print Genetics to offer a comprehensive menu of tests for our clients. This helps our client breeders improve their bloodlines and also assists prospective puppy buyers in purchasing a dog free of known inherited diseases. Therefore, Paw Print Genetics makes every effort to stay current with new mutation discoveries and medical updates in order to offer testing that will help improve overall canine health.

One such test that has recently been added to our expansive menu of test offerings is for a condition in Labrador retrievers known as cystinuria. Cystinuria in the Labrador is a condition caused by a mutation of the SLC3A1 gene. This gene functions as a blueprint for a protein that allows the kidneys to transport ...