The omestic dog's health is possibly one of the best-studied areas in veterinary medicine, since the dog has had such a long and close relationship with humans. Infectious diseases are prevalent in dogs and are important not just from a veterinary standpoint but also because of the risk to public health. The most wellknown example of this is rabies. Genetic diseases are common in dogs due to the selective breeding necessary to produce individual dog breeds. Due to the popularity of both commercial and homemade dog foods, nutrition is also a heavily studied subject.