What's your opinion on DM carriers - Page 7

If I understand it, the odds of an at risk becoming effected increase as the dog ages and most GSD's may not live long enough, they succomb to something else. I don't know that there are actual statistics available on the percentages, the test has not been around long enough and most owners of dogs that are suspected to have DM don't autopsy them so they may or may not have had DM. There is some more information on that on the web. If I can find it, I'll link it here.

I could be wrong, but as I understand it the DM test not being accurate is more so that it tests for the wrong form of DM in GSDs. It does not test for the more common form of DM in the breed. Doesn't that technically mean it is accurate for that form of DM (relatively speaking), but not really addressing the more common DM? So, can we really say its not accurate? Technically, it is pretty accurate ... just for a different from of the disease. 

Obviously, this would mean that there are probably a lot more dogs at risk and carriers than we suspect, since there is not currently a test for the more common form of DM in the breed. As Blitzen stated, the dogs tend to die of something else before the DM really presents itself. I'd imagine it's quite a bit more prevalent than we understand it to be. 

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Well if it is truly a simple recessive then wouldn't it be likely for 1 out of four at risk dogs could very possibly exhibit it?  Or would it be 2 out of 4 at risk or carriers that would exhibit signs of the disease??  Not sure, but what a scarey thought...  Nan

I found 3484 results ?!?

Thank you very much, Blitzen - I got it - a lot of dogs, although it drives me crazy that there are listed that many dogs without kennel name, and, more important, without pedigree...

Otherwise I really like a database of this kind.

Nan, if a dog tests as an at risk, there is a 100% chance the dog will exhibit the condition. An at risk cannot produce a
normal,  only another at risk or a carrier. The issue with GSD's is why do some at risks actually develop DM and some don't? Diet? Exercise? Environment? Don't live long enough? At this time, as far as I know, the experts don't know.

GSD breeders seem to be divided - some feel the current DM test is valid for the breed, others don't.

Susie, OFA assigns a number to each submission. That number is static and is only used if the dog receives a clear or a carrier rating. So, for example, if the last number issue by OFA that is listed on the database is 1,000 and there are only 900 dog certified, that mean that 100 results of tested dogs are not on the database. They were either carriers or at risks that were not released because their owner wouldn't agree. Yes, there are a lot of dogs listed with no names, pedigrees, registration numbers. Some breeders/owners do not want to make the results a matter of public record for whatever reason.Still, the OFA provides a milliion percent more information that does the SV.

When I tried to calculate the percentages I rounded off the number of dog tested, etc.

It's a tool to make an educated decision... I would avoid breeding a carrier to a carrier or an at risk.... I have no issue breeding a clear to a carrier.... For myself, I would only breed to an at risk with a clear and it would need to be a very exceptional animal in every way as all the offspring would be carriers ( but not at risk)....we cannot bottleneck the gene pool... That is unwise, but do indeed need to make sound decisions....obviously a great dog that is also clear with great genetics.... Fantastic.... Real world, there is no perfect

The DM test is very uncertain. One of the dangers I see with it, is that breeders will use that alone to determine potential for DM, and forget the old ways of looking at what dogs have consistently/too frequently produced it in the past. In depth knowledge of the lines could become a forgotten art if all faith is placed in DNA testing alone, especially if the test is new/unproven. I think that they should be used in combination.