Tag archives: degenerative myeloopathy

The following is a review written by a Paw Print Genetics' customer, Tina Cox, reposted here with her permission.  You can find her entire review on her website. 

Paw Print Genetics Review
by Tina Cox

Recently I used Paw Print Genetics to do some genetic testing on Maia.

I was introduced to them a couple years ago through friends on Facebook. I kept seeing all these posts about the site so I thought I should check this out. What I found was a place to do my major genetic testing at a price I could afford while not skimping on quality. This is from the homepage of their website…

Highest Industry Standards and Accuracy

Our laboratory is staffed with expertly trained geneticists, veterinarians, and technicians. We are equipped with the latest testing technology and analyze each mutation with two independent methods to provide you the highest accuracy in the industry. 

• All mutations offered are based on the published, medical literature
• Board-certified geneticist by the American Board of Medical Genetics on staff
• Each mutation is tested twice, with two independent methods
• All results are reviewed and reported by both a PhD geneticist and a veterinarian
• Majority of test results accepted ...

Paw Print Genetics is a proud sponsor of the US Border Collie Handlers Association. With their Sheepdog Finals next month, it is a good time to think about genetic issues and whether to breed your dog.

Although generally considered a relatively healthy breed, like other purebred dogs, the border collie is at risk to inherit several genetic diseases. Testing your dog prior to breeding prevents the disease through avoidance of producing puppies at-risk. This brief article describes a few of the diseases that can currently be tested for in border collies.  Click here to find a complete list of tests for border collies.

Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA) can vary from mild to severe; mild cases have normal vision, while severely affected dogs can have retinal detachments, malformation of the eye, and blindness. Unfortunately it is not possible to predict the severity of clinical signs based upon the severity of an affected parent. About 2% of border collies tested at Paw Print Genetics are affected with this disorder.

Trapped Neutrophil Syndrome (TNS) is a disease of the immune system that prevents affected dogs from producing an adequate amount of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell).  Affected dogs commonly present at ...

Degenerative myelopathy (DM) can be a devastating disease. Some breeds with this disease will lose the ability to walk in their later years – certainly after the age most dogs are bred. The mutation has been found in more than 120 breeds (1), which indicates that the original mutation might have occurred hundreds or thousands of years before many of the modern dog breeds emerged.

However, the frequency of the mutation varies between breeds and certainly the risk of developing the clinical disease seems quite distinct and breed-specific. For example, the frequency of carriers and homozygous mutation (affected) dogs in the Kerry blue terrier is about 52%(1), while carriers and affected dogs make up 91% of Pembroke Welsh corgis in Japan(2). Although wire fox terriers have a similar combined carrier and at-risk frequency of 90%, none have ever developed the clinical signs of DM(3).

In a 2001 study by Moore et al., German shepherd dogs had nearly twice the risk for death associated with spinal cord diseases, compared with Belgian shepherd dogs among military dogs(4).  Although we don’t know for sure if the spinal cord disease was DM, certainly DM is one of the more common causes of this ...

Descended from Roman drover dogs, which were used to drive and protect the cattle herds of Roman soldiers on the warpath, the Rottweiler maintains its herding and guarding instincts to this day, while also using its intelligence, size and athleticism to perform duties as varied as police dog, guide dog and search-and-rescue dog.

The Rottweiler was developed in the German town of Rottweil, where its continued use was as guardian and protector of cattle being pushed to market. They were also used by butchers as guard dogs, which earned them the nickname ‘butcher dogs.’

Two historic events played a huge role in the Rottweiler’s popularity. Technological advancements, specifically the railroad, nearly led the breed to extinction. As railroads could move goods to market faster, cattlemen began using the iron horses instead of driving them with dogs. Throughout history, many breeds have gone extinct when their primary purpose was supplanted by technological advances or social changes.

The two great World Wars also nearly led to the extinction of several breeds, but for the Rottweiler, it was a saving grace. The demand for police dogs grew exponentially with the wars, and that renewed interest in Rotties, which were used as draught ...

When it comes to diagnosing genetic conditions in dogs (or in humans), doctors use a variety of clues.  One of those clues may not necessarily be what the physical symptoms are, but when did the physical symptoms start happening.  Today’s blog focuses on the when, not the what, of genetic diseases.  Although the when of genetic disease does not exclude the importance of what; when will be today’s topic.  Now that I’ve thoroughly confused you and you may be thinking about the old slapstick comedy routine “Who’s on First” by Abbot and Costello, let’s get started. 

“Congenital” is a term that often floats around the medical community when discussing disease symptoms.  It simply means “present at birth”.  This complicated word comes from the Latin root “congenitus”, which literally means “born together with”.  Con – with; genitus – to bear, or beget.  If a symptom or group of symptoms is seen right when a pup is born, it is congenital.  When making a diagnosis of an inherited genetic condition, knowing the symptoms are congenital can shorten the list of what genetic condition may be the cause.  Only recently has canine ...

An iconic breed, the Siberian husky is often associated with Alaska, sled dogging and arctic temperature. Indeed, the husky dog is well suited to the arctic with an extremely thick double coat (said to be able to withstand temperatures as cold as -76 degrees Fahrenheit) and thick, fluffy sickle tail that aids in keeping it warm when at rest. It originated in northeastern Siberia (and was subsequently imported to Alaska), and was bred by the Chukchi people of northeast Asia. With their medium to large, well-muscled frame, the dogs have been used by indigenous people, explorers, miners and homesteaders to settle the coldest regions on the planet.

A member of the spitz group, the husky is just one of many sled-type dogs, which includes the Samoyed, Alaskan malamute, Alaskan husky and the Japanese Sakhalin husky, to name just a few. Members of the family all share the weather-resistant coat, as well as powerful and athletic bodies and high-energy levels. They were first used by the Inuit to pull sleds full of supplies and people, therefore aiding in the settling and inland exploration of Alaska, Canada and other places. European explorers then began using dog teams to pull sleds in their ...