For Those Who Test For DM, What Age? - Page 15

Has anyone done as I've suggested multiple times - asked the GSDCA if they can disclose why they switched their funding from Clemmons to Coates. You might be surprised if they can tell you. Has anyone asked Coates directly where she is on the project and what is still needed? I've already copied you on some of the things she's told me and listed her email address.

Blitzen, my dogs parents were not tested. They are both czech imports, and I can't find them in OFFA for any testing. I honestly didn't put much creed into the test, and now personally will not take any chance breeding to an at risk dog. I used to run 3-6 miles a day with her, trail ride for hours with her, and now she is still young, and mentally wants to go. Now I will spend the rest of her days watching her fall all over the place. She also cannot climb stairs, and it's gut wrenching.

I'm so very sorry, Ranger. My heart breaks for you.

Ranger, can you PM the pedigree if you don't want to post?

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/dog.html?id=563448-lexa-van-den-heuvel

Here's her pedigree. You can look her up in OFFA and see the results publicly.

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/dog.html?id=563448-lexa-van-den-heuvel

She's beautiful, Ranger. I'm so sorry for what you're going through.   

Will you have her necropsied when her time comes to confirm? I am aware of spinal issues in some of those lines (some from my own experience). Not DM (not saying this isn't, just saying I haven't ever heard of it), but could be mistaken for it quite easily without very extensive testing. To be entirely fair when "branding" a pedigree, she has a good dose of West German lines as well as Czech, lest we accidentally start a "Czech dogs have DM" rumor.   Enough rumors and misinformation abound about DM. 

Ranger, FWIW  anecdotally, there are some Czech dogs and WGSL's on the OFA database that have tested at risk and carrier. I don't know if any of them are behind your girl or not. Sadly some owners submitted their dogs using call names and no other identification, so we don't know who some of them are.

Link to the at risks http://www.offa.org/results.html?num=®istrar=&namecontains=N&part=&breed[]=GS&breedlist=ALL&variety[]=&sex=&birthday_start_month=&birthday_start_year=&birthday_end_month=&birthday_end_year=&birthday=®code[]=DM&rating[]=DM%3A300&rptdte_start_month=&rptdte_start_year=&rptdte_end_month=&rptdte_end_year=&rptdte=&submit=Begin+Search

The carriers: http://www.offa.org/results.html?num=&registrar=&namecontains=N&part=&breed[]=GS&breedlist=ALL&variety[]=&sex=&birthday_start_month=&birthday_start_year=&birthday_end_month=&birthday_end_year=&birthday=&regcode[]=DM&rating[]=DM%3A200&rptdte_start_month=&rptdte_start_year=&rptdte_end_month=&rptdte_end_year=&rptdte=&submit=Begin+Search

I agree with Jenni, please think about the postmortem when the time comes. Hopefully that will be a long time in the future.

So sorry, did I misunderstand ?  Is she now showing signs, because you probably still should keep walking her to keep up as much muscle tone as possible, probably not the long jogs you did with her but definitely there are some strengthening exercises that do definitely help.  My boy WGSL started showing signs at about 3 years old, I did not know what to look for at the time but just did not feel he was up to par.  Well sure enough seriously by 6 years old he was declining, still did not know what the h_ _ _  was going on until he went down and could not get up.  Really an ugly disease to watch unfold.  Best of luck to you  Nan

 I am a latinamerican living in spain but i also speak dutch and german. Last week i was watching a consumer program on dutch tv. This episode coverd among others the state of health of  the gsd breed. With a lot of allegation and asumptions that put the breed in a very bad spotlight. The most information came from a so called crusader that does'nt know what he is talking about. No experts where consulted on any matter including DM. Finaly mis informing people about the validity and state of devolpment of the DM test.  But what struck me the most is that a breedclub like the VDH did'nt make any effort to refute these unfounded allegastions. Futhermore it appears that on the offical VDH purchase contract there is a partition that says you are buying a defective product. Never noticed that before so don't know how long its been there. I tend to look more at the dog than the paper work.  But the sheer arrogance of these breedclubs is what bothers me the most. I had my first GSD in 1965 though i trained bought and sold dogs for decades i always had a family dog for my children to grow up with. I had my experience with DM on one of our family dogs. It was a devastation to especially the children wachting their beloved dog deteriorate day by day untill you have the gut wrenching duty to put a dog down with so much live left in his eyes. It is a dreadful disease.

I do beleve that there is a task for breedclubs all over the world to contribute with funding and information regarding DM.