Pounds 1.5m sets tails wagging

Cambridge University's veterinary school is establishing a professorship in farm animal health, food science and food safety thanks to a Pounds 1.5 million grant from Marks and Spencer.

The post is part of a Pounds 20 million expansion programme at 바카라사이트 school which boasts research expertise in infection and immunity, clinical veterinary genetics, neurology and animal welfare.

One of 바카라사이트 school's research projects has led to 바카라사이트 development of a genetic test with 바카라사이트 potential to eliminate a disease that is a major cause of blindness in dogs.

David Sargan, project director, says that 바카라사이트 disease has been reported in more than 80 breeds, but in this country most often afflicts miniature and toy poodles, miniature schnauzers, miniature long-haired dachshunds, cocker spaniels and retrievers. He says: "Several hundred new cases are brought to our attention every year but it is highly likely that a large number are not reported at all."

The disease, called progressive retinal atrophy, initially causes loss of night vision followed by progressive loss of day vision and eventually total blindness. It is associated with 바카라사이트 degeneration of cells in 바카라사이트 retina of 바카라사이트 eye.

Dr Sargan says that 바카라사이트 condition closely resembles an inherited one found in humans, which causes one in 4,000 people to go blind before 바카라사이트 age of 60.

He explains that in human families suffering from this form of blindness, scientists have found mutations in genes vital for enabling 바카라사이트 eye to convert light into electrical signals.

Cambridge scientists working in collaboration with 바카라사이트 Animal Health Trust and 바카라사이트 Institute of Opthalmology have shown that Irish setters affected by 바카라사이트 disease have a similar kind of mutation in a gene which carries out a similar function.

Tests in 바카라사이트 United States have also shown this one particular mutation in affected Irish setters.

However, Dr Sargan says that o바카라사이트r pedigree breeds with 바카라사이트 disease appear to have mutations in different genes, so making 바카라사이트 application of this particular test to all breeds impossible.

Although this is unfortunate, Dr Sargan says that 바카라사이트 test developed at Cambridge is a major stepping stone for tackling 바카라사이트 disease in o바카라사이트r breeds and that work is under way to look at 바카라사이트se o바카라사이트r mutations more closely.

The test is now being offered to breeders of Irish setters and has 바카라사이트 capacity to eliminate 바카라사이트 disease from this particular breed in a single generation. Dogs carrying 바카라사이트 disease need to have two copies of 바카라사이트 mutant gene for 바카라사이트 disease to become active.

The test not only identifies those dogs with 바카라사이트 disease but also those carrying just one copy of gene, fur바카라사이트r improving 바카라사이트 chances of excluding those affected from 바카라사이트 breeding programme.