DM is more spread in the breed then we thought!

Gypsy Wolf · 21-06-2010, 19:40

I test ALL my stock - including the outside males I want to use, for DM. Of course, even in GSD, very few breeders WANT to know! If they don't know, it isn't there, right? That's attitude.It is something I educate puppy buyers on, and sadly, I am one of the very few GSD breeders who test... Personally, I don't even know any other GSD breeder who does.
I also plan on testing Luna. It is all about KNOWING so we can eradicate DM. This stupidity of ignoring it does nothing! And the lack of knowledge is appalling. It seems that the breeders here say the test is "BS" and they also think that if a dog is Affected or a Carrier no one should know because it will be bad... they have no idea of genetics.
Back in the day there was a male who was Affected - he was a World Team dog and AMAZING. I was going to breed to him (my bitch is Clear) and yes, I would breed Carriers, but then have spay/neuter contracts and the pick would be bred to a Clear and Presto! No DM in just a generation or two of careful breeding! But the only way to know is to test!

yukidomari · 22-06-2010, 23:59

I think the problem is that there's more to DM than clear, carrier, or affected.

There is a factor X still unknown, because even dogs that test affected may not ever show any physical symptoms of DM. And wouldn't those dogs be OK to breed, especially in a breed without large numbers?

I agree that more research needs to be done regarding DM.

And GSD breeders rarely test for DM because it's so prevalent, if they were to only breed their clears or carriers it may very well wipe out lines that took them years to found. Kinda like how it's basically impossible to ask that Doberman breeders only breed vWD clear dogs when something like 60% of Dobes are said to be at the very least carriers.

21-06-2010, 19:40	#1
Gypsy Wolf Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Florida & Minnesota U.S. Posts: 252	I test ALL my stock - including the outside males I want to use, for DM. Of course, even in GSD, very few breeders WANT to know! If they don't know, it isn't there, right? That's attitude.It is something I educate puppy buyers on, and sadly, I am one of the very few GSD breeders who test... Personally, I don't even know any other GSD breeder who does. I also plan on testing Luna. It is all about KNOWING so we can eradicate DM. This stupidity of ignoring it does nothing! And the lack of knowledge is appalling. It seems that the breeders here say the test is "BS" and they also think that if a dog is Affected or a Carrier no one should know because it will be bad... they have no idea of genetics. Back in the day there was a male who was Affected - he was a World Team dog and AMAZING. I was going to breed to him (my bitch is Clear) and yes, I would breed Carriers, but then have spay/neuter contracts and the pick would be bred to a Clear and Presto! No DM in just a generation or two of careful breeding! But the only way to know is to test!

22-06-2010, 23:59	#2
yukidomari Moderator Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Los Angeles CA Posts: 847	I think the problem is that there's more to DM than clear, carrier, or affected. There is a factor X still unknown, because even dogs that test affected may not ever show any physical symptoms of DM. And wouldn't those dogs be OK to breed, especially in a breed without large numbers? I agree that more research needs to be done regarding DM. And GSD breeders rarely test for DM because it's so prevalent, if they were to only breed their clears or carriers it may very well wipe out lines that took them years to found. Kinda like how it's basically impossible to ask that Doberman breeders only breed vWD clear dogs when something like 60% of Dobes are said to be at the very least carriers.