OK, I am mad, annoyed, and highly disappointed in the GSD community now.
Over 24 hours ago I posted a "why don't breeders test for DM" in a popular German shepherd based forum. I went into the benefits of testing, how it can be used, even the minimal costs of the tests ($130 for a breeding pair!!).
The thread has had 31 views. Anyone want to take a guess at how many responses?
25? Nope, lower.
20? Nope, lower.
15? Nope, lower.
5??? Nope, lower.
1???? Nope, lower.
That's right, not a single person (and there are many breeders on the forum) responded. Are German shepherd "professionals" this apathetic towards the test? Do they just not care??
All well as responses I get from so-called ethical breeders (like, "we don't test because it's not in our lines" or "we've never had an issue with DM so we don't test for it", and "the test isn't worth it").
Whiskey
Tango
Foxtrot
Seriously, is this where the breed is headed? It's easy to breed DM into dogs and I'm sure it won't be long until DM is a serious issue (well, moreso than it is now). Statistically, 50% of GSDs are carriers (N/A or A/N) and only 25% are clear (N/N) (and the other 25% are affected (A/A).
I'm just glad that we tested Kiri and she's N/N. We can breed her to any male and guarantee (short of any genetic mutation, which the chances are extremely small) that her puppies WILL NOT develop DM - EVER.
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