😮 Is a Beagle the Cure to Autism?!

The Key to Unlocking Autism: A Beagle?!

Chinese scientists have used gene-editing technology to create the first known model of autism spectrum disorder in dogs, opening a new avenue for research into treating the condition.

The researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing Sinogene Biotechnology and Yale School of Medicine published their study in Nature’s Molecular Psychiatry journal last month.

For the unknowing, Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental condition that is seen as mostly lifelong, affecting an estimated 1 per cent of the population worldwide. It can affect how a person communicates and interacts, and can include repetitive behaviors and intense interests. There is no single known cause, but researchers have identified genetic mutations that may lead to the condition.

Scientists have used both mice and non-human primates in the past to model autism spectrum disorder, in the hope of understanding “the molecular and neural circuit mechanisms”. Neither were ideal test subjects.

So, why a dog?

the researchers said dogs could be a more suitable model given their complex social interactions with humans and comparable drug metabolism. Dogs also have a high reproductive rate, making them more feasible for research.

Zhang Yongqing, a professor at the CAS Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology in Beijing said dogs’ interactions with humans were “so similar to human-human interactions”, and researchers could take advantage of these similarities to study human conditions such as autism.

The researchers hope dog models could be used to develop new drugs to treat the condition, as well as to identify social adjustment interventions.

…and dog behavior is going to point us in the right direction?

For the study, they carried out behavioral testing on dogs with the mutated gene to see how they differed from the controls. This included using machine learning to analyze tail position and wagging, as well as observing interactions with humans and other dogs.

They found that the dogs with the mutated gene “exhibited distinct and robust social behavioral deficits including social withdrawal and reduced social interactions with humans”, the paper said.

Artificial intelligence allows scientists to pinpoint the dogs’ emotional state.

“Eye tracking is a very translatable technique,” Zhang said, adding that it is difficult to study in models like mice since eye contact is not central to their behavior as it is for dogs.

What’s the timeline for a drug?

That’s TBD. In science, any breakthrough is considered a major win and just identifying dogs as a viable model to study is enough to celebrate. We’ll drink to the canines inching us one step closer to combatting human disorders (as if we don’t drink to dogs every night)…

🕊️ Olivia 🕊️

December 2014 - November 2023

We're paralyzed by the loss of Olivia. She was Chris’ best friend and made an impact on so many lives. We want Olivia's life to leave a lasting impact on dogs that are less fortunate. A pet's quality of life is so important and Chris devoted his life to making sure her life would be a special one…

…millions of dogs out there won't be as lucky. In 2022, around 378,000 dogs and cats were killed in our nation’s shelters just because they didn’t have safe places to call home. By making a donation in Olivia's name, you're paying respects to Chris’ best friend while supporting Best Friends, a non-profit leading the no-kill movement by running lifesaving community programs for dogs and cats, providing support and training for animal shelters and rescue groups, and mobilizing community members on behalf of pets in need across the country.

 Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for allowing her legacy to live on in an impactful way. Your kindness means so much to Chris’ family, and it helps us at Dog Juice move forward knowing that Olivia will continue to be a bright spot for so many animals (just as she was for animal owners).

Click here to donate to Best Friends, a non-profit helping to save homeless pets. Your donation will be made in Olivia’s memory. ❤️

Stray to Hero? Dog Saves Dumpster Baby’s life!

A stray dog was found carrying an abandoned baby girl who had been ditched inside a garbage bag left outside a municipal building in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli on Wednesday.

A passerby heard the stifled cries of the baby coming from inside the black trash bag, which was being held in the dog’s mouth, and sprang into action, the National reported.

She was first taken to the Islamic Hospital by a bystander before being transferred to the Tripoli Government Hospital.

Pictures circulating online show the infant with abrasions and red bruises across her entire face and body.

Overheard at a coffee shop:

Our Top Juiceheads

We love sharing dog news with you every week, so we love when you share what we share. It’s like sharing to the power of 2 (or “share squared”)? Ok… we’ll stop…but we hope you don’t stop sharing Dog Juice. It tickles us to know that we’re worth a forward to a friend…

…here are the Juiceheads that have referred a minimum of 10 subscribers to our newsletter:

• [email protected] - Cynthia Lasley, dog mom to the irresistible Koko (Instagram: @corgi.koko).

Keep passing along the good word of dog, friends. We’re like a cult…only we’re not asking you to drink anything…yet? 

“The Squeeze”: Dog News In 60 Seconds

• 💉 An owner surrendered his dog to the vet to be euthanized… the vet had other plans!

• 🚫 Vets, groomers and dog walkers can all agree on one thing: these are the breeds they’d never adopt.

• 🤔 Wait a second… Captain Marvel let her rescue dog pick his own name?!

• 🦠 Ruh Roh! Pantry check! This dry dog food is the source of a salmonella outbreak. Toss in the trash if spotted!

• 🦃 In case your dog is taking your drunk aunt’s place at the Thanksgiving table this year, here’s what can’t be on the menu.

• 😮 “The Oldest Dog” baton has been passed. While he’ll need to go on quite the run to catch Bobi, the ball is in Spike’s court!

• ☢️ The robot dog hero arch is in full effect. What happened this week? They just cleared up a nuclear waste field.

• 🎵 “Sing us a songggg, you’re a new Frenchie owner!” The Piano Man, Billy Joel, just adopted Bucky, and karaoke bars everywhere are going nuts.

Today’s Last Laugh:

Every single one of us when the stuffing comes out of the oven…

@spicy.spectre

This is literally killing me 😂 #animals #funny #veterinarian #vetmed #vetlife