Why don't we Haemophilia test here in the US? - Page 1

Zacsmum posted this question below and I thought it was a good question.  Why does the UK test for Haemophilia and we do not here in the US?  - Thanks Kelly

zacsmum Fun forum OR Stuffy forum? (0 replies) 25 Nóvember 2007 - 12:11

(BTW-I cut out the other part of the message that appeared before the part)

He was haemophillia negative, which, by the way, i never hear any of you top show dog owning people testing for.? We have a good, reasonably priced testing scheme here in the U.K which is well used. Research your pedigrees, maybe you need to think about testing? Or turn a blind eye, as usual, when it doesnt suit. Win at all costs, even when it costs the breed dear?

I think because we have basically eliminated it here, if memory is correct. I never tested any of mine for that and do not know anyone else who has. Surely someone here can give a better answer than mine.

Regards,

Bob-O

The post above came out soooo weird.... lets have another go at it....

Zacsmum posted this:   He was haemophillia negative, which, by the way, i never hear any of you top show dog owning people testing for.? We have a good, reasonably priced testing scheme here in the U.K which is well used. Research your pedigrees, maybe you need to think about testing? Or turn a blind eye, as usual, when it doesnt suit. Win at all costs, even when it costs the breed dear?

I wanted to know why we don't Haemophilia test here in the US.  Thats all.  Thanks!  Kelly

Very interesting!  You mean we actually did something good?    Thanks Bob-o!

I have never heard of any haemophilia cases here in the U.S. or in Germany. In Germany, you will just receive blank stares if you mention Haemophilia, I tried when I researched that genetic disorder which was attributed to Canto. I know just like everybody else that cases crept up through Canto's daughters. But ever since Flora Koenigsbruch (who was an obligatory carrier), we never heard of that again. Supposedly, her two famous sons (who make up for most of the links to Canto)eluded that problem. This is a free quote of Willis's evaluation. Since haemophilia is a gender-linked  recessive gene, which is carried on the x-chromosome we should only worry about a female line to Canto. Males are either affected or free of haemophilia, females are carriers.

Zacsmum, if I am guessing correctly, you are from the UK? Your fellow countryman Malcome Willis wrote a nice chapter on this. If you have his book "The German Shepherd Dog: A Genetic History", please check out pages 221 ff.

Chris

What some test for and does still crop up in the U.S. is Von Willebrands disease. VW is expressed as a spectrum however and a dog with a minor bleeding problem might never be identified unless it went in for surgery or something big and had a problem. While I have known of VW cases I have never known of a GSD in the U.S. that had  Haemophilia. Not tosay it never happened - we all know how good some breeders are at hiding or disposing of problems- but if it was a constent problem word eventually gets out.   Like Bob said I think that's one small bullet we dodged.

What I see as two very common and persistent problems in both Am and German lines that not much attention is paid to is Pancreatic Insufficiency and Megaesophogus (sp). Again both have a range of expression. The MegaE can be xrayed for at 8 weeks but I don't know many who do it.

I do remember the presence of von Willebrand's disease, but (I think) this too has been for the large part eliminated here. And as was said above, unless the dog suffers a major wound or surgery, then it might never be known whether the dog is affected. This bleeding disorder once affected GSD's but that seems to be no longer the case. In years past there was screening available for it, yet as far as I know the disease has been reduced nearly to the point of elimination.

I also agree that megaesophagus and endocrine pancreatic insufficiency (E.P.I.) take too many dogs away from us, and both are inheritable conditions. The carriers of the second malady can certainly be determined. There are some E.P.I. cases that are not caused through inheritance, but those are rare. When the condition is caused by a single gene, it is relatively easy to discover whether a dog has the makeup for it. Very unlike hip dysplasie, that is polygenic in nature and for that there may never be a genetic diagnosis for proven clear or proven faulty.

Regards,

Bob-O

Hi Silbersee, and yes indeed, Malcolm Willis book has been my gsd bible for many years and will continue to be. The scheme in the uk is well used, and i have had any male pups i have purchased tested, all negative. 

Bob O, you say you have eliminated haemophilia in the US? Maybe up to a point, and all kudos to you for tackling the problem, but if it was as easy as that, we would have no testing scheme here. Whilst its not a problem one hears about on a weekly basis, it takes just one, less than knowledgeable puppy farmer (BYB) to precipitate any fault, genetic or otherwise, and re introduce it back into a breeding. I realise it is an almost impossible logistical task to eliminate genetic faults whilst there are people who breed at all costs, and my question was more rhetorical than anything. Thank you for your input though, and it was in no way meant to suggest that you have a problem in the U.S.

Trivia now, I have a "Montana fund" going on at the mo. Would be grateful if anyone could suggest ideas for a 2-3 week holiday in late 2008? It must be horse/dog related and oooooooooooh, those open spaces! Just stunning. This will be my once in a lifetime holiday, so I would be grateful for any hints and tips from anyone? (and if anyone could provide Robert Redfords telephone number? ) Ans snow times please?

Thanks

Jane