GenoVaq Welfare guides.
A free, public welfare resource for UK dog and horse owners, buyers and breeders. We are opening it in starter form today — a small reading library, trusted external sources, and information on where to report welfare concerns — and growing it from there with welfare partners.
Where to start
Buyer-education pieces from the GenoVaq journal that are most useful before, during and just after a purchase. More are added regularly — the journal is where new pieces appear first.
How to read a health-testing certificate
A plain-English guide to hip scores, elbow grades, DNA results and pre-purchase X-rays — and what the numbers actually mean.
Read the guide →What "verified breeder" actually means on GenoVaq
What we check before a breeder receives the verified badge — and, just as importantly, what verification does not promise.
Read the guide →
Summer hazards to watch for
A short, practical list of the things that send most UK dogs and horses to the vet between May and September. None of this is new — but it is most useful in front of you at the start of the season, not after something has already gone wrong.
- Emergency
Heatstroke in dogs
Heavy panting, drooling, glassy eyes, unsteadiness or collapse. Move the dog to shade, pour cool (not freezing) water over them — particularly the chest, legs and paws — and get to a vet immediately, calling ahead. Heatstroke can be fatal within hours. Flat-faced breeds, older dogs and overweight dogs are at far higher risk. Walk early or late on hot days; never leave a dog in a parked car, even with windows cracked.
- Common
Grass seeds
From late May through August, dried grass seeds (foxtails) can lodge in paws, ears, eyes and skin and migrate inwards. Watch for sudden head-shaking, persistent paw-licking, a swollen toe, squinting or a discharging eye. Check feet, ears and armpits after every walk in long grass — spaniels and other long-coated working breeds are particularly affected.
- Common
Ticks
Tick numbers peak between April and October. Check your dog (and yourself) after every walk in long grass, woodland or moorland. Remove ticks promptly with a proper tick remover, twisting steadily — never burn, squeeze or yank. UK ticks can transmit Lyme disease and, increasingly, babesiosis; talk to your vet about preventatives appropriate to your area.
- Emergency
Adder bites
The UK's only native venomous snake is most active April to September on heathland, moorland and woodland edges. Bites usually occur on the face or front legs. Signs include rapid swelling around the bite, pain and lethargy. Carry the dog if possible (keep them still), do not apply a tourniquet, and get to a vet urgently — antivenom may be required.
- Emergency
Blue-green algae
Blooms appear on still or slow-moving freshwater through late summer and autumn — often visible as a greenish scum on the surface. Some strains produce toxins that are rapidly fatal to dogs. Do not let dogs swim in, drink from or walk near affected water. If exposure happens, treat it as an emergency and call your vet immediately.
- Horses
Horses in heat & flies
Provide constant access to clean water and adequate shade in every field. Ride early morning or late evening on hot days. Use fly masks, rugs and repellents to protect against flies and biting midges (sweet-itch). Watch sweating patterns for early signs of heat stress, and never leave horses unattended in a trailer in warm weather.
A quick reference, not a substitute for veterinary advice. If you are unsure or your animal is unwell, call your vet.
Comfort in changing weather — and thunder
Late spring and summer in the UK are when conditions swing fastest — a hot afternoon followed by a thunderstorm by evening. Both ends matter. Below is a short reference for keeping dogs and horses comfortable when the weather shifts, with a longer section for the dog who hides at the first crack of thunder.
- For comfort
Hot, then cool — both matter
Hot spells need cool water always available, shade in every field, and walks early or late. The cool snap that often follows is, in its own way, harder on senior dogs and older horses than the heat itself — watch for joint stiffness in the first cooler days after a warm spell.
- For comfort
After heavy rain
Dry paws and check between the toes for irritation. Long, wet grass is where grass seeds lodge fastest. For horses, check that rugs are not trapping sweat against damp coats, and that shelter is genuinely sheltering rather than merely overhead.
When your dog is scared of thunder
Storm-phobia in dogs is far more common than many owners realise — and far easier to manage if it is thought about before the storm arrives, not on the night. A few things genuinely help.
- A safe space they choose. A dark, quiet place the dog already retreats to — under a bed, in a wardrobe, behind a sofa. The choice is the point. Do not force the dog out of it, or shut them in against their will.
- Background noise, on early. Turn on the TV, radio or a fan before the storm builds — not after it has already started. Dogs hear the pressure changes and distant rumbles long before we do; by the time we notice the thunder, they are already on edge.
- Calm presence, not heavy comfort. Be in the room. Be normal. Heavy reassurance — repeated "it's OK, it's OK," frantic stroking — can inadvertently confirm to a dog that something is genuinely wrong. Quiet, matter-of-fact company is what they need.
- Speak to your vet — in calm weather. For dogs who suffer severely, there are effective anti-anxiety medications a vet can prescribe. The conversation is best had on a quiet day, not the night of a storm. The same applies to longer-term work such as gradual desensitisation, which your vet or a qualified behaviourist can guide.
Horses, on the whole, cope better with thunder than dogs — most will simply move closer to shelter, or to each other, and wait it out. The thing to ensure is that shelter is available and that no horse is shut into a small space they cannot leave. Sudden lightning and wind matter more for horses than the thunder itself.
A quick reference, not a substitute for veterinary advice. If you are unsure or your animal is unwell, call your vet.
Where to learn more
UK welfare charities and registry bodies who have built far more comprehensive resources than any single marketplace could. We point you to their public guidance rather than restating it. None of these organisations endorse GenoVaq; we are signposting their work because it is the work most worth reading.
For dogs
Dogs Trust
The UK's largest dog welfare charity. Practical guidance on buying a puppy responsibly, rehoming, and ongoing care.
Visit Dogs Trust →RSPCA
Animal welfare advice, buying-a-puppy guidance, and the route to report suspected cruelty in England and Wales.
Visit RSPCA →The Kennel Club
Assured Breeder Scheme, breed-specific health information, DNA testing schemes and registration.
Visit The Kennel Club →PDSA
Accessible veterinary care and clear, vet-written pet health advice, including the annual PAW Report on UK pet wellbeing.
Visit PDSA →
For horses
World Horse Welfare
International equine welfare charity. Owner advice, rehoming, and a field officer service for equine welfare concerns in the UK.
Visit World Horse Welfare →The British Horse Society
Welfare campaigns, owner education, and equine welfare advice across riding, ownership and care.
Visit The British Horse Society →Redwings Horse Sanctuary
Equine welfare and rescue charity with substantial educational resources for horse and pony owners.
Visit Redwings Horse Sanctuary →
If you suspect an animal is being neglected or mistreated
We are not a welfare authority and we do not investigate complaints. If you have a welfare concern about an animal, please contact the appropriate body directly. In an emergency, dial 999.
For concerns specifically about a licensed dog breeder or unlicensed commercial breeding, your local council's licensing or trading standards team also has powers under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations 2018.
What we are building next
The Welfare Hub is opening in starter form so it is useful from day one, and so welfare partners have something concrete to look at when we talk. Two further components are in active development.
Confidential concern-reporting tool
A confidential channel for buyers, vets or other breeders to flag welfare concerns about a listing on GenoVaq, routed to the appropriate authority. We are building this with welfare partners rather than alone.
Public data dashboard
Anonymised aggregate data on health-testing adoption, listing transparency and welfare-concern volumes by breed — freely available to breed clubs, welfare charities and researchers to inform their interventions.
Help us build the rest
If you work with a welfare charity, breed club, rescue or veterinary body and there is a version of working together that serves your mission and ours, we would like to hear from you. Our open call for partners sets out the kinds of collaboration we are looking for. Email info@genovaq.co.uk and we will reply personally.
GenoVaq is a marketplace facilitator and a welfare information provider. We do not provide veterinary advice or clinical services, and signposting to external organisations does not imply their endorsement of GenoVaq. For specific advice about your animal, please consult a qualified veterinary surgeon.