GREAT NEWS! DNA Test for Degenerative Myelopathy - Page 10

 continued: See above link.

Where to From Here?

Gold bead therapy offers no proven benefit over regular acupuncture and poses

substantial potential for injury. The fact that implantation is regarded as malpractice in

human medicine should come as a wake-up call to the veterinary profession.   

People, Pls ALWAYS do your own research.  Don't believe blindly what I or anyone tell you.   Sharon Baker, is on her usual high horse. 

It is not allowed for humans.  But neither are many other treatments.   To the great chagrin of many.  Its just one of many.  But since this is the only thing that one can do at this time, there are many who have successfully used it for their pets.  

My (one) vet, Gene Aversa of Olive Branch Animal Hospital of Santa Fe, NM had treated a dog with severe hip displasia.  The dog,  a mutt of two yrs old, walked in crippled of pain and the cost and agony of full hip replacement was something its owner did not want to explore.    At that time, a friend of mine was working as his assistant at that office.  Thus I got a call from her two weeks later when that same 2 yr old mutt walked back in like any other healthy dog and had been playing for the first time in his life.   

It is up to the individual to seek out an experienced Vet, and those vets will give you NO guarantees, by the way. 

the DM tests  is  available from this location. 

GO TO THE MAIN PAGE AND SCROLL TO THE YELLOW BOXES

http://www.offa.org/

THEN CHOOSE

http://www.offa.org/dnatesting/  at right and you will note the DM test once you open it up.  

My 2 showline males are DNA negative for DM.

1) V Zeek vom Olympus

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/124258.html
Sch3 IPO3, Kkl 1"a" Lbz, HD "a" normal, OFA clear hips ("Good") and elbows, OFA GS-DM20/115M-PI

(2) V Geronimo vom Olympus

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/124262.html

Sch3 IPO3, Kkl 1"a" Lbz, HD "a" normal, OFA clear hips ("Good") and elbows, OFA GS-DM21/87M-PI

Their new OFA certificates state: "This dog is homozygous N/N with two NORMAL copies of the gene associated with Degenerative Myelopathy."
 

When I ordered the tests from the OFA site, I thought to myself that I could hardly justify the $130 expense--given that I've not known of DM in the line--and the boys are older and asymptomatic.

It is only "peer pressure" that will motivate more owners of SL and WL GSD's to have their dogs DNA tested for DM.

For explanation of test results and breeding guidelines: http://www.cbrs4me.com/wwwboard/health/DMletter.pdf
 

Louise,

Give what has been posted about Dr. Clemmon's position, does that even matter anymore? 

Both the DNA and the Flash tests are still available.  The DNA is available via the OFA site and requires a cheek swab; the flash test is available via Dr. Clemmons and requires a blood sample. The Flash test is specific for the breed; the DNA test is for all breeds. OFA has stopped listing dogs cleared with Clemmon's Flash test.  Previously OFA listed the results of both tests. A week or so ago they removed the results of the Falsh test from their website.  Marjorie is trying to find out why that was done.

According to the OFA website, there have been about 20 GSD's tested with DNA and the majority of them have tested as being clear, a few are carriers and at least one is at risk. So far not all results are on the website as the owner must give written permission for the release of the positive results - the at risk and carrier dogs. I think it's safe to assume that the dogs that are not listed there yet have tested either as carriers or at risks.

Personally I am delighted to see that so many GSD's are not carrying this gene per the DNA test.  Let's hope those results are indicative of the entire breed as it would mean that most GSD's do not carry the gene or will not develop DM in the future. Neither of these tests is perfect, but they are both great beginnings to understanding the mode of inheritance of this deadly disease. I am happy to have been able to offer my dog's genes for the study. He has tested as a carrier and his result is on the OFA website as I gave permission to publish it.  He is 100% showlines from some well known kennels in Germany. His sire is Urr v Trienzbachtal, his dam Panama v Beluga.