PawPrints Posted November 15, 2008 Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 This is bound to be a very controversial procedure; a Prof. Lee Sweeney of the University of Pennsylvania has pioneered and is preparing to market a type of dog gene therapy whereby dogs would be injected with substances that switch off the genes that regulate their muscle growth in an effort to stave off the aging process in dogs and regulate their muscle growth. He is hoping to begin the "era of genetic enhancement" within the next year: "He said: "We are now in the final stages of getting all the approvals to offer this through the veterinary hospital as a treatment to try to improve strength in pet dogs. "As the dogs get weak their owners get upset that they can't walk around any more. So we're hoping that within the next year we will begin the era of genetic enhancement in dogs." Under the therapy, dogs would be given an injection into the liver of an inhibitor which switches off the gene which produces myostatin, a protein which inhibits muscle growth in animals and humans." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted November 16, 2008 Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 omg what will they think of next!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laura_3173 Posted November 16, 2008 Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 leave the poor animals be!! how would they like it if someone came up to them and started injecting them with all sorts of stuff that they don't know what it is!! GRRR it makes me so angry!!:mad::mad::mad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc Posted November 16, 2008 Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 Just read up more on this subjuct and have learned never diss something so off hand Laura, I would no more likely give this to my dogs as much as you but after years of seeing the suffering of animals thou hip displacer and a parent that suffered from something like the human form of it till it ended his life. Can you imagin if you didnt have to put your dog down because his back legs had gone thou this and they lived for a few more happy years would you do it then ? In my life time there as been heart lung eye all sorts of operations done on humans and animals that when I was born we would of just died and the durgs we take today my god folk are living longer than ever and its all thanks to people like Prof. Lee Sweeney. Just my oppinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PawPrints Posted November 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 bit on the fence with this one, dont think it's right to meddle with nature let it takes its course but on the other hand if i ever needed something or my dog would i take up the offer?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laura_3173 Posted November 16, 2008 Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 i suppose but i dont think it is natural for you to put your dog through operation after operation its poor heart must get weaker and weaker every time you do it! and whilst you are fixing one problem you are causing another. I would have to take serious consideration whether it would be worth all the pain the dog has to go through just to live a little bit longer. If i was suffering with it and the doctors said we can put you through all this and you will live another 2 years i would say forget it i will just make the most of today! but thats just my opinion! Each to their own thats what i always say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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