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  • 2 days ago
Genetic diversity is known to be a boon for all species, so are purebred dogs more prone to diseases and health issues than others?That has been the conventional wisdom for a while, especially as dog breeding and the ethical issues of that have come to light, but a new study hoped to give a definitive answer once and for all.
Transcript
00:00Genetic diversity is known to be a boon for all species, so are purebred dogs more prone
00:08to diseases and health issues than others? Especially as dog breeding and the ethical
00:13issues related to that have come to light. But a new study hoped to give a definitive
00:16answer once and for all. Researchers with the Royal Veterinary College surveyed some
00:219,400 crossbreed dog owners, specifically mixed breed poodle varieties. They then compared
00:26their health with their purebred counterparts. The study looked in particular at the most
00:30common varieties of health issues these animals face, including eye and ear infections, diarrhea,
00:36and cruciate ligament rupture, finding that the crossbreeds and purebreds shared the same
00:40health issues 87% of the time. So what does that mean? Well, it means that at least with
00:45these particular breeds, they show no signs of what is often referred to as hybrid vigor,
00:50or an increased ability to stave off illness and other issues. However, the researchers
00:54say this isn't the only reason to consider alternatives to purebreeds, with the experts
00:58imploring prospective dog owners to carefully consider the conditions in which your future
01:02pet might be bred and the animal's temperament and health.
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