Dachshunds could help discover roots of human blindness

We know as dog lovers that some of our pets can seem 'almost human' and just the other day we learned that they have so much empathy with us that they can 'catch' our yawns. However, it now seems we have even more in common with one breed in particular: the Dachshund.

Some people develop a form of blindness caused by cone-rod dystrophies, a result of progressive cell loss in the retina. Sausage dogs, as they're sometimes known, are particularly prone to similar conditions and a research team has spotted a gene which might be partly responsible.

The next step is to work on discovering more about the gene in humans.

Cone-rod dystrophies can first lead to day-blindness, in which vision is affected in bright light conditions, gradually worsening to full sight loss. The Dachshund pictured is wearing dark glasses to help with the early stages of the condition.

Researchers are circumspect about the development because there might well be some complexity to the genetic causes of cone-rod dystrophies (which are quite rare), but the NPHP4 gene, a portion of which seemed to be missing in affected Dachshunds, could be of pivotal importance.

You can find out more about the discovery in the full BBC report.

Dangerous Dachshunds? Dogs Trust responds to "aggressive breed" list

In response to the results of a University of Pennsylvania survey into the most aggressive dog breeds, Clarissa Baldwin CEO of Dogs Trust comments:

“While some people say that the voices of little dogs can be louder than those of large ones; a properly trained dog is unlikely to show aggression regardless of its breed. The manner in which a dog is reared and trained is the greatest factor that influences the likelihood of aggression. This is why owners have a responsibility to train and supervise their dogs properly. Aggression is not inherent in any breed and properly trained Dachshunds make fantastic family pets.”

We urge the public not to punish particular breeds for the actions of irresponsible owners.