Labrador health study published
The Dogslife project, which began in July 2010, called for owners of Kennel Club registered Labrador Retrievers born after January 2010 to participate.
The aim of the project was to study dog illnesses in order to improve welfare and identify methods for preventing disease. The study is the first long-term project to study illnesses that have not been reported to vets.
In the first year of the study 1407 dogs were enrolled in the study, which was organised in conjunction with the Kennel Club. Early results, published in the BMC Veterinary Research journal, indicate that four in ten of the dogs to participate had been ill at some point in their lives. 80 per cent of these illnesses occurred by the time the animal was a year old, and only half were considered serious enough to be referred to a vet.
Discussing the project, lead author of the study Dr Dylan Clements, of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute said: “Labrador Retrievers are the most popular pedigree dog in the UK, and breeders and owners are passionate about the health of their pets.
"We are extremely grateful for the time and commitment provided by owners and breeders contributing to the study. We hope to follow the health of these dogs throughout their lives so that we can identify aspects of care which might reduce the risk of dogs developing disease in the future.”
The study of health, illness and veterinary care is ongoing, so any Kennel Club registered Labradors born after 1 January 2010 are still able to participate.
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
