Quote:
Originally Posted by Lunas Mom
Do we have any informtion on how many of the Affected dogs actually end up developing DM symptoms? Or anyone studying this in the CsV?
Some veterinarians here say that 50% of German Shepherd Dogs are Carriers, 25% Normal and 25% Affected.
Of that 25% that are Affected, not all of them develop DM symptoms. Sometimes something else kills them young (like Gastric Torsion) and the GSD lifespan is not as long as the CsV.
So, if we extrapolate that CsV have similar statistics, shouldn't we see a LOT more symptomatic CsVs?
According to Dr. Clemmons, there are obviously other factors that cause development of DM symptoms - which they are now studying in GSD.
It is entriely possible that the wolf genetics mitigate development of DM symptoms somewhat, or that certain lines have a higher predisposition to developing symptoms - but is anyone collecting the information?
I ask, as here in the US our gene pool is small and given the above statistics, it is not necessarily an option to not breed 2 Carriers - in which case, some Affecteds may be produced. But if the amount of Affecteds that actually develop symptoms is low, than breeding 2 Carriers is an acceptable risk to keep our gene pool healthy.
|
That was the reason why we talked Bern into doing a study on our breed.
Nobody knows on any breed at the moment because as far as I can oversee there is no breed where all dogs are tested so you cannot say how many dogs really are DM/DM. The numbers I could find about how many homocygotic carriers will get ill have been around 60 - 75%, though it might be also 100%
But there is a big consense about other things have to drop in or if it follows the human model there might be different forms of DM. In humans there are three different genetic forms and ways of heritage all causing the same symptoms.
We simply don´t know yet and we won´t know the next years.
That makes the research so important and it also makes it very neccessary that as many dogs as possible will get tested and send their blood to the research and keep somebody up to date when the dog gets ill (about everything not only DM!)
Ina