American Kennel Club
Many studies have shown that there are a great deal of therapeutic benefits to owning a pet. Your pet pooch can lower your blood pressure, and therapy dogs are used in hospitals and nursing homes nationwide to help patients heal and cheer people up. We are now learning that dogs are also an integral part of developing life-saving treatments for certain diseases in humans.
The genetic makeup of humans and canines is about 85 percent similar, and both species are plagued by roughly 400 of the same diseases. Scientists are finding a strong connection between human and animal health, and the health of purebred dogs can directly affect the health of humans.
The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation has conducted studies that have yielded astounding results.
-Scientists were able to isolate the gene that causes night blindness in Briard dogs. They found that the same gene also was responsible for Leber Congenital Amaurosis, a childhood-onset disease that causes blindness in early adulthood if left untreated. Because of this research, gene therapy has been developed to treat young people with this disease.