A success story to smile about at Dachshund Health UK
In 2011, we awarded a three-year grant, totalling £16,500, to Dachshund Health UK. The Trust recognised the important work being done by the charity to introduce a Lafora screening programme for Miniature Wire-haired Dachshunds and encourage more responsible breeding programmes across the country.
Lafora is an inherited form of epilepsy that affects the breed's ability to process starch into sugar. Over time, insoluble starch platelets build up in the central nervous system and the evidence suggest that most, if not all dogs with the condition, begin to show symptoms after the age of five. These include regular seizures, loss of balance and as the disease progresses, blindness and dementia.
Grants that become game-changers...
With the Trust's support, the charity was able to develop an effective DNA test for Lafora which it has been monitoring as part of a nationwide screening programme for the last 10 years. "Back in 2012, more than half of the litters in UK were understood to be 'unsafe' in that either one of both parents were untested and risked giving birth to affected puppies," said Ian Seath, Trustee at Dachshund Health. "Last year, (2022), our research showed that 96% of litters were now safe, with no risk of producing affected puppies."
For a small charity like Dachshund Health UK, grant-funding used to kick start a programme can be a game-changer. It can give charity leaders the confidence they need to take a project forward and in this case, transform the health outcomes of an entire breed.
Thanks to you, we can keep dogs happy and healthy
The Lafora screening programme is an incredible success story that we are really proud to have played a patron. Enabling ground-breaking canine science and research programmes is one of our key priorities and we can only do this because of the extraordinary support of the KCCT community. If you'd like to know more about the work we are doing and how you can have a lasting impact on the lives of dogs and their owners, take a look at the Support Us pages on our website.
Image Credit: Gill Key