DM is more spread in the breed then we thought!

[mijke]

In the mean time 30 CsW's were tested for DM:(Degenerative Myelopathy)

7 Affected (they have this disease)
17 Carrier (they carry the mutated gene)
6 Free

Several of these 7 affected CsW's already have physical problems...

DM is an awful and horrible disease..... See for example thesd movies:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IgH8...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybEoC...eature=related

But as owners and breeders we can stop that DM affected CsW's will be born!

The only thing we have to do is test a lot more CsW's and don't make crossings anymore with affected CsW's(DM/DM x DM/DM)

It is a pity that a several owners and breeders still deny DM exists in the breed!
And till now still a lot of CsW's puppy's of not tested parents are born.

But I hope that this topic will open eyes and more people will realize that DM can be a big thread for our breed...

[Nebulosa]

Curiosity question, could you please inform the age of the affected dogs wich already had show physical problems?
Looking the percentages now it's terribly worrying, I hope that more people will test and get free results, if it dont happen, the things gonna be very complicate.

[michaelundinaeichhorn]

I think we have to stay a little bit calm at this point. There are breeds where DM/DM doesn´t automatically mean an ill dog, you need an aditional factor for the development of the symptoms. Research is still not finished.
The test needs to have another look on.

We don´t have enough tested dogs and we don´t have enough different tested lines. At the moment I am waiting for some more results of more lines of samples I have send in but these are still single dogs.
But I don´t think that this high percentage of dogs died of DM as it should have been looking at this results.

This doesn´t mean we shouldn´t care for the now known results in mating but we need much more tested dogs out of more countries, especially the Czech Repuplik, Slovakia and Italy!!! it is time to wake up, and we need an international working genetic management specialist.and research on this breed with this gene mutation!
We can´t carry on with the breed with pairing free to DM/N because we don´t have enough free dogs if these numbers are correct for the whole breed.

Ina

[nanouk]

Originally Posted by michaelundinaeichhorn

I think we have to stay a little bit calm at this point. There are breeds where DM/DM doesn´t automatically mean an ill dog, you need an aditional factor for the development of the symptoms. Research is still not finished.
The test needs to have another look on.

We don´t have enough tested dogs and we don´t have enough different tested lines. At the moment I am waiting for some more results of more lines of samples I have send in but these are still single dogs.
But I don´t think that this high percentage of dogs died of DM as it should have been looking at this results.

This doesn´t mean we shouldn´t care for the now known results in mating but we need much more tested dogs out of more countries, especially the Czech Repuplik, Slovakia and Italy!!! it is time to wake up, and we need an international working genetic management specialist.and research on this breed with this gene mutation!
We can´t carry on with the breed with pairing free to DM/N because we don´t have enough free dogs if these numbers are correct for the whole breed.

Ina

I am always sad to read postings like yours Ina, we hear similair with Saarloos... when i first was informed about both fci recognised wolfdog breeds i was told these dogs can reach a high age because of their health...
wenn other breeds have dm affected dogs which don't show symptoms when they die at 10 yrs of age, this might be a normal age to die... My Saarloos is 10 yrs old, and still a young dog. I know of Saarloos being put to sleep with dm at ages as young as 7 and 8 yrs old.. and i fear that might be similair with other breeds. If you ever experienced the frustrations of having to decide when it is the best time to put to sleep your dog with dm, and when you look at the vids that mijke posted, i don't know how anyone can seriously can even consider mating a dm/dm to dm/dm... for me breeding is improving, and minimalizing risk using all tools possible! Not taking risk and claiming it is ok to take this risk because research has not been finished completely to your satisfaction!

[michaelundinaeichhorn]

Originally Posted by nanouk

. for me breeding is improving, and minimalizing risk using all tools possible! Not taking risk and claiming it is ok to take this risk because research has not been finished completely to your satisfaction!

You obviously got me wrong and as a vet I now more than enough about put dogs asleep. I did test my dogs and helped Mijke as much as I could. But I had a long phone call to a genetic specialist today and there is more about DM than this test.

Ina

[Mikael]

7 Affected (they have this disease)
17 Carrier (they carry the mutated gene)
6 Free

Is it possible that this first 30 tested dogs has a high number of carrier and affected dogs because of that the owners did suspect DM one there dog or in the line ???

And that the true number therefor will not be this high (bad) ???

Best regards / Mikael

[mijke]

Originally Posted by Nebulosa

Curiosity question, could you please inform the age of the affected dogs wich already had show physical problems?
Looking the percentages now it's terribly worrying, I hope that more people will test and get free results, if it dont happen, the things gonna be very complicate.

3 Affected ones have physical problems. Their age: 8, 9 and 10.