Breed Betterment Registry for GSDs - Page 3

"The DM Flash Test is availabe for those who wish to test their dogs." ****************************************************** Okay, where does one have this test done? How much does it cost? How long does it take to get test results? I haven't experienced DM in my PERSONAL dogs in the last 25 years. However, my last American-bred bitch (born in 1986--a distant descendant of my previously mentioned male AKC champion) produced a single DM-suspect (onset at 12 years) offspring in her 4 litters (3 by the same German male). She, herself, live until nearly 13 years of age with no signs of DM. I am unaware of DM in the German male's immediate family. As for the other subject (bloat), to the best of my knowledge, my last American-bred GSD (a son of Ch Kubistraum's Kane) bloated in 1983. Just out of curiosity, does the book to be published in October name specific dogs known to produce any of the GSD-related diseases--or, will it be limited to discussions of the disease entities?? I'm very sympathetic to genetic concerns and am all too aware of diseases accociated with the breed--based on my first-hand clinical observations at the UC-Davis VMTH and through other employment at several veterinary emergency clinics. I learned which AKC lines experienced health problems and who their breeders (often AKC judges) were. Because of what I witnessed, I turned to my present German lines.

Here is the URL for the DM Flash Test site. http://neuro.vetmed.ufl.edu/dm_flash_test_web/ This site will tell you everything you want to know about the DM Flash Test. It has instructions for how to gather the DNA sample, and how to send it to be processed. The test usually takes 2 weeks from the day of receipt, to get results. Cost including shipping is $85.00. Louise, I wish you would enter your dogs on the GSDBBR. If we do nothing, the problems will continue, with zero hope for the future. The Book that is being published will contain articles relating to Health and Genetics. The Book has nothing to do with the GSDBBR. No one wants to point fingers at anyone that would undermine our purpose. We want the GSDBBR to be an educational entity, to allow breeders to avoid doubling up on health problems. If one line breeds and doubles on a health problem, that problem will just spread through the breed like wildfire. All lines have problems, but it sure would be nice not to double on them!

Marjorie, Entering my dogs in the database is problematical at present. I assume that I could collect the blood in the EDTA tube without going to a vet. Too bad there is not a way for the "average" owner to collect a DNA sample via a cheek swab--similar to AKC's DNA testing. While I may be curious about the status of my dogs, I must confess that my experience with DM has not been terribly traumatic as its incidence has been confined to very old GSD's. In the meantime, I no longer breed GSD's. The only bitch I have is 10 years old, spayed, healthy, and very active. I have 2 studs that I make available to carefully screened bitches.

I must confess that my experience with DM has not been terribly traumatic as its incidence has been confined to very old GSD's. ***************************************** Louise, this is no longer the case. The age of onset of DM has been dropping like a stone. My Missie T was 4 yrs old when she was dx with it... Because of what happened with Jack Flash, I was very attuned to the early symptoms of DM. I began to notice them in Missie T, much to my horror, when she was just 4 yrs old. I sent off a a Flash test for her, as well as for Joss. Joss was negative- Missie T was positive for the marker. I put her on Dr Clemmons program, and thankfully she has gone into remission (probably because I caught it really early. Had I not had a dog with DM, I would have missed the subtle signs) It is no longer unusual to see a 5-6-7 yr old GSD dx with DM. It used to be an old dog disease, but that is no longer the case..Unless of course, you dont consider 5,6, or 7 to be old. To me, a 5,6, or 7 yr old dog should have plenty of years ahead of it.Thta is not old, to me!

Too bad there is not a way for the "average" owner to collect a DNA sample via a cheek swab--similar to AKC's DNA testing. ********************************* It is too easy to contaminate a cheek swab, if one does not know what they are doing. That would be difficult for a person who doesnt work in the veterinary field. A contaminated cheek swab would skew the results.