EPI Research Study - Page 1

Dear GSD Lovers: I am sending out this plea for all of you that have living EPI+ and/or DM+ GSD's to help Drs. Clark and Dr. Tsai in their very important research study to find genetic markers for both Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) and Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) in the GSD. They are using the SNP array to look for markers that may help to locate these and other diseases like mega-esophagus, etceteras, in the GSD. Drs. Leigh Anne Clark and Kate Tsai of the Canine Genetics Laboratory at Texas A&M University (www.cvm.tamu.edu/cgr) are currently funded by the AKC Canine Health Foundation to identify markers associated with EPI/PAA and DM in the German Shepherd Dog. They need blood and serum samples from: GSDs affected with EPI/PAA, diagnosed by cTLI GSDs affected with degenerative myelopathy (DM), diagnosed by a veterinary neurologist GSDs NOT affected with EPI or DM and 8 years of age or older Blood and serum must be collected by a veterinarian or technician. They will provide the materials necessary for collection (i.e. blood tubes, needles, and syringes) and pay for shipping. Unfortunately, they cannot pay for veterinarian fees (most vets will draw the blood for free if they know it is for research purposes). Please, if you have an EPI+ and/or a DM+ dog and can participate or have questions about the study please contact: Dr. Leigh Anne Clark at lclark@cvm.tamu.edu . This is your chance to make a difference in our most beloved German Shepherd Dog. Please help save your breed from these horrific diseases! Very Truly Yours, Margaret Bradley In Memory: Cliff von der Baumreihe BH HOT January 31st, 2003 ~ August 8th, 2006 Genetic Disease: EPI+; Related Complications: SIBO, liver/gall bladder disease and ultimately mental defect/disease (shown as severe out of control aggression). German Import to the USA SV hips "a" normal (a1)/elbows normal/full teeth and dentition

Hummmmmmm.. this sounds fishy to me. Why not post this on the ASPCA or related site instead of a Top Quality GSD Site like this here? Ohhh never mind... it's funded by AKC. Funny how these organizations work. I wouldn't send them a quality blood sample if they paid me.

Doesn't sound fishy to me at all. I see requests for blood samples for various genetic testings all the time. The fact that they chose a POPULAR German Shepherd website to post this was quite smart of them, actually.

"Why not post this on the ASPCA or related site instead of a Top Quality GSD Site like this here?" Maybe because this is the world's leading GSD website and the study is being done on...GSDs? And regardless of whether you like the organization that's funding it, this sounds like a very legitimate research study being done at a Top 5 veterinary school. Trust me, if you'd ever watched a powerful, athletic GSD that in his prime could jump on top of your SUV and trot for 20 miles without stopping end up with DM - and toward the end not be able to take four steps without his hindquarters collapsing and falling on his ass - you wouldn't care if Satan was funding the study.

Living??? My mighty 14 mo. GSD dog went from healthy to paralyzed within days. He wasted away within 2 weeks. Never could tell me what it was after all those tests. It would seem to me a list of Vet Referral Hospitals might also be a good source. I would love to see you find a cure for this and other crippling and deadly diseases/hereditary conditions. Best Wishes for your request.