A new DNA test for dogs could reportedly soon help stop progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), a condition that causes man's best friend to gradually become blind, for English Shepherds. This is by assisting dog breeders to stop breeding dogs with the condition. 

As per Interesting Engineering, the test was finalized by a study from the University of Cambridge's Department of Veterinary Medicine.

The goal of the study was to locate the variation in English Shepherd Dogs (ESD) linked to PRA. Initially, they requested DNA samples from breeders and owners. According to the news release, they ultimately had six that carried PRA and twenty that did not.

They found the genetic mutation causing the malfunction by employing whole genome sequencing.

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Prevention Through DNA Tests

The detected genetic mutation is recessive. For a dog to get the illness, they need to inherit two copies of it. Because they carry the gene, they can still pass it on to the following generation. If two carriers breed together, one dog out of every four will become blind.

Since there is no cure for the disease once adult dogs begin to go blind, prevention is the best course of action as it develops a few years into the dogs' lives and they don't exhibit symptoms as puppies.

All breeders may therefore easily collect a sample from within the mouth and send it for additional testing with this £48 test. 

Wellness Advancement for Pets

This new DNA test is just one more illustration of how medical treatment for domesticated animals is developing. Most intriguingly, pet owners are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) to take care of their cherished cats in Japan, where cats are considered lucky symbols. 

One of the most recent pet care innovations is the AI-powered CatsMe! App developed to track the health of cats by interpreting their facial expressions for signs of suffering. 

CatsMe! was created by the tech startup Carelogy in association with Nihon University researchers.
According to reports, the AI of the app was trained on 6,000 images of cats that were categorized by experts based on how the cats expressed distress. With more than 95% accuracy in detecting pain thanks to this training, the app's detection rate should rise with additional data.

The software is simple to use: pet owners upload a picture of their cat, and the AI determines the possibility of discomfort into three categories based on facial expression: none, slight, or severe. 

Owners can use this information to determine if a trip to the veterinarian is required. According to data from Nihon University, over 70% of senior cats experience arthritis or other pain, yet just 2% of them visit a hospital. This is according to Professor Kazuya Edamura of the university.

Using CatsMe, pet owners like Mayumi Kitakata keep a daily check on their animals' health! Carefully observe his actions and read his facial emotions. In an interview with sources, she talks about her former pets, like Soran, who passed away at the age of eight from cancer.

Meowls! has attracted more than 230,000 users in more than 50 countries since its introduction, growing quickly. In January 2024, the app had a significant update that made all features that were previously only available to premium subscribers available to all users while also switching to a paid service. 

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