Newfoundlands (Canis lupus familiaris) for #WetnoseWednesday! With their webbed feet and water resistant outer coat, Newfs are strong working dogs bred for helping in the fishing industry, and they are also used for water rescues. #SciArt by Louis Agassiz Fuertes for Ernest Harold Baynes and Fuertes’ Book of Dogs: an intimate study of mankind’s best friend (c1919). Contributed for digitization by Smithsonian Libraries (@silibraries) to #BiodiversityHeritageLibrary. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14994731 _________________________________________________ #Newfoundlands #Newfs #Dogs #Pets #Newfoundland #WorkingDogs #BHLib #Biodiversity #NaturalHistory #NatHist #ScientificIllustration #ScientificArt #OpenAccess #Libraries #Archives #SpecialCollections #LibrariesofInstagram #IGLibraries #IG_Libraries #SmithsonianLibraries
‘Limber tail’ is a painful condition affecting large working dog breeds, such as Labrador Retrievers.
To find out more about the cause, a team of researchers reviewed cases of limber tail with the owners - noticing a few trends.
They discovered that dogs suffering from limber tail were more likely to be working dogs, live in northern areas in the UK, and be related to each other. Further studies are now needed to identify the genes associated with the condition.
The symptoms can be distressing for the animal, but usually resolve within a few days or weeks.
This is the first large-scale investigation of limber tail conducted as part of the Dogslife Project; which follows the health and wellbeing of more than 6000 Labradors across the UK to improve animal welfare.