[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: DM in German Shepherds Question
- From: "David Fritsche" <d_fritsche@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <gsdpal@xxxxxxxxx>, "'ShowGSD List'" <Showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2013 06:41:38 -0800
Thank you Jeanne...
I agree with you entirely. We had a wonderful girl with a
spectacular show carrier, who had several litters. Then she
started showing symptoms later in life before the test was
available. She gave us two of the best conformation dogs
we've ever had. Each is not at risk but both are carriers.
They are at my side as I write. The female was first in her
class at her maturity. The male was reserve maturity and I
delight in watching him move across the yard. Best moving
dog I've ever seen. I will not fault those who choose to
breed away from it, but I have chosen to stop this disease
in our house, here!
The test is simple ( a cheek swab) and it is inexpensive.
Please use it! Our breed deserves to put this thing behind
us and future owners deserve to not have to face it.
Did I tell you - I hate this disease with a passion!
Dave
____________________________________
I have a six year old male with DM. His diagnosis was
arrived at by a process of eliminating all other possible
causes of his symptoms, after a cheek swab test showed that
he had two affected alleles. That is the standard protocol
for living animals that are suspected of having this
disease. Among other things, his testing included full
spinal x-rays, and an MRI, all performed at a respected
specialty hospital by a veterinary neurologist. All of his
symptoms are consistent with a diagnosis of degenerative
myelopathy. Neither of his parents was affected by this
disease, but they were both apparently carriers -- there is
no other way that my dog could have both alleles affected.
The cheek swab test for the affected allele is not perfect,
but it cannot return a false negative result. It is my hope
that anyone who breeds GSDs will test for the affected
allele, and not breed a dog that carries it.
That is the only way to minimize this horrible disease in
the GSD gene pool.
I am certain that this Christmas will be the last one I can
celebrate with my dog, as he is failing rapidly in spite of
our best efforts to slow the progression of the disease. I
don't want to start a "baby and the bath water" argument on
the list, and I am not suggesting that anyone should throw
their baby out, if it carries the affected allele. Just
don't breed it. Please.
Jeanne Carlisle
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