The new research that looked at domestic cats' DNA identified signs of disease more common in pedigree breeds than experts previously thought.

The poor pooch is now hoping to find a place to call home after being taken in by South East Dog Rescue (SEDR).Kymm White, founder of the Kent based non-profit organisation, said: "Buster was a well-loved family member, but the lady caring for him was too poorly to walk him.

Dr O’Neill continued: ‘What is most concerning is that so many of the health conditions that English Bulldogs suffer from, such as skin fold dermatitis and breathing problems, are directly linked to the extreme structure of their bodies that has been selectively bred for.

A study by the Royal Veterinary College found that distinctive features of English bulldogs such as their flat faces, protruding lower jaws and folds of skin contribute to them being twice as likely as other breeds to have health problems and substantially shorter lives.

While a standard PCR test can take a day or more to deliver a result, the scientists involved in this study said the dogs were able to analyse 20 samples in 15 seconds.

CATS can carry diseases that are lethal to surrounding wildlife and pets with bells actually kill more prey per year than silent felines, a new study has revealed.

Another dog highlighted in the study is Chico, a 13-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, who saved his owner Levi Carter's life after she developed septis from third degree burns caused by a bad reaction to hair dye.

Most recently, it was when a woman who was attacked by a cougar while out hiking in California was saved by her “amazing and loyal ” Belgian malinois, Eva. The story made headlines around the world, but drill down a little and you’ll discover that the dog, which weighs around 25kg, hit the cougar but was very quickly outclassed by the giant cat.

The study was not able to gauge whether more goldfish were being released into the wild by pet owners who bought new fish during lockdown, but anecdotal reports have suggested this could be the case.“Whilst our research didn’t focus on whether this problem has got worse since lockdown, there is reason to believe that this is, or at least will be, the case,” Dickey said.

Some pet owners take their dogs with them in the transition, and start feeding them meat-free food or other plant-based alternatives, according to an animal nutritionist and behaviourist expert.

While Howard includes these moments of playful humility on behalf of earlier science, his message is profound, though he insists that it’s “straightforward”: “It is simply that the more compassionate we have become in our explorations into the minds of dogs, the more intelligent they have shown us to be.

AN URGENT warning has been issued over the dangers of "pet kisses", as an expert has said that dogs can spread dangerous illnesses by licking their owners.

JACK RUSSELLS have the longest life expectancy of pet dogs in the UK, while French Bulldogs have the shortest, a new study suggests.According to the research, Border Collies had the second-longest life expectancy at 12.1 years, with Springer Spaniels third on 11.92 years.

Overall, the study is a reminder that pet owners (particularly those looking to find a clone-like stand-in for old companions ) are better off choosing dogs based on their individuality and behaviors, not their breeding.

Dr Elinor Karlsson of the University of Massachusetts Umass Chan medical school, a co-author of the study, said research revealed a huge diversity of behaviours within each breed.“Even if the average is different, you’ve still got a really good chance of getting a dog that doesn’t match what people say that breed is supposed to be,” she said.

Bill Lambert, Health, of The Kennel Club, said: ‘This new tool, funded in part by The Kennel Club Charitable Trust VetCompass grant, helps us understand and determine more accurately a dog’s life expectancy given different factors throughout their lives, instead of just based on historic breed estimates.

While this could be a sign of better health, prior research has indicated owners of dogs on raw meat diets are less likely to take their pet to a vet.

The study, published in the journal Plos One, found that nearly a fifth (17 per cent) of dogs on conventional diets had four or more visits to the vet over the period of one year, compared to nine per cent of vegan dogs and eight per cent of those on raw meat diets.

Vegan diets are healthier and safer for dogs than conventional meat-based diets, according to the largest study to date, as long as they are nutritionally complete.

The report said: "It was found that the vast majority of study dog owners were not aware of and did not follow FDA pet food handling and storage guidelines.