The DNA test can tell you if there is a gene mutation. It can not predict if the (at risk) dog will be affected. Not all at risk dogs develop symptoms. Remember, some dogs pass before an age where they could be/are affected. You can find all sorts of info, there was an article in the Review a while back and as mentioned the educational program from the 2012 National is on the website. Kathy, member GSDCA, DVGSDC Celebrating generations of Dual Titled TC'd Champions visit http://www.pinehillgsds.com/ In a message dated 12/15/2013 2:01:21 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, rautt75@xxxxxxxxx writes: OK, I'm English and Dutch so I'm 'thick'. If it takes a necropsy to find out if a dog has/had DM, how come it can be found in a swab? Is it just a carrier that can be detected? CF - both parents must carry a (faulty) gene. It is an inherited disease. They are finding out now though that there are different mutations, genes etc. and more adults have it than ever thought possible. Anne, GA Sent from my iPad On Dec 15, 2013, at 9:36 AM, _Pinehillgsds@aol.com_ (mailto:Pinehillgsds@xxxxxxx) wrote: No Anne that's not correct. There is a DNA test and a dog can test clear (2 normal copies of the gene), Carrier (1 abnormal) and at risk (2 abnormal). Many labs can do the test. No, as to how CF is inherited, I have no idea. Kathy, member GSDCA, DVGSDC Celebrating generations of Dual Titled TC'd Champions visit http://www.pinehillgsds.com/ In a message dated 12/15/2013 9:00:50 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, _rautt75@gmail.com_ (mailto:rautt75@xxxxxxxxx) writes: If you only know your dog is a carrier if they 'happen' to produce a DM, and that dog has a necropsy on death, how do you know your dog is a carrier and how do you know you are breeding to a clear? Too many unknowns until it is too late. The dog even if it is a carrier and 'hopefully' bred to a clear, they may produce so many pups before the positive is known and then it is too late. I am a carrier (by DNA) for Cystic Fibrosis. I would never have known if my child had not had CF. Now, my other children may or may not be carriers. It is not known until Genetic Testing. Apparently, DM does not show up in genetic testing as of now.? A dog may produce many offspring before one is necropsied with DM. Is it smart to inbreed to try to find this or other potential genetic problems out early on? Not trying to start a war. Just thinking. It would be great if this horrible disease could be found out earlier. Anne, GA Sent from my iPad > On Dec 15, 2013, at 7:56 AM, _Pinehillgsds@aol.com_ (mailto:Pinehillgsds@xxxxxxx) wrote: > > Ahhh Jeanne, so hard and gosh I am so sorry you are dealt this hand. > > As far as breeding carriers or dogs that have been tested "at risk" > (obviously w/ no symptoms), I would, but I would be sure to breed to a clear. If > the test is accurate (???) and if we do this for several generations, > keeping a carrier puppy from an "at risk" to a clear breeding, then breeding > back to a clear and keeping a clear puppy back, we can greatly improve. > > Kathy, member GSDCA, DVGSDC > Celebrating generations of Dual Titled TC'd Champions > visit http://www.pinehillgsds.com/ > > > In a message dated 12/15/2013 12:09:25 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, > _gsdpal@gmail.com_ (mailto:gsdpal@xxxxxxxxx) writes: > > 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 > > > ============================================================================ > POST is Copyrighted 2012. All material remains the property of the > original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of > any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of > the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. > > Each Author is responsible for the content of his/her post. This group > and its administrators are not responsible for the comments or opinions > expressed in any post. > > ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY > MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS > PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY > FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE > PROSECUTED. > > For assistance, please contact the List Management at _admin@showgsd.org_ (mailto:admin@xxxxxxxxxxx) > > VISIT OUR WEBSITE - _http://showgsd.org_ (http://showgsd.org/) > SUBSCRIPTION:http://_showgsd.org/mail.html_ (http://showgsd.org/mail.html) > NATIONAL BLOG - http://gsdnational.blogspot.com/ > ============================================================================ > > > ============================================================================ > POST is Copyrighted 2012. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. > > Each Author is responsible for the content of his/her post. This group and its administrators are not responsible for the comments or opinions expressed in any post. > > ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. > > For assistance, please contact the List Management at _admin@showgsd.org_ (mailto:admin@xxxxxxxxxxx) > > VISIT OUR WEBSITE - _http://showgsd.org_ (http://showgsd.org/) SUBSCRIPTION:http://_showgsd.org/mail.html_ (http://showgsd.org/mail.html) > NATIONAL BLOG - http://gsdnational.blogspot.com/ > ============================================================================ ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2012. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Each Author is responsible for the content of his/her post. This group and its administrators are not responsible for the comments or opinions expressed in any post. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://showgsd.org SUBSCRIPTION:http://showgsd.org/mail.html NATIONAL BLOG - http://gsdnational.blogspot.com/ ============================================================================