Latest News
April 2011 - The Kennel Club Genetics Centre at the
Animal Health Trust launches DNA tests for dry eye and curly coat syndrome and
episodic falling
Scientists working in the Kennel Club Genetics Centre at
the Animal Health Trust have identified the mutations responsible for causing
dry eye and curly coat syndrome and episodic falling in Cavalier King Charles
Spaniels (CKCS).
Episodic falling is a neurological condition, induced by
exercise, excitement or frustration, in which muscle tone increases. This means
the dog is unable to relax its muscles, becomes rigid and falls over. Affected
dogs usually start to demonstrate clinical signs before one year of age, with
most cases having their first episode aged four to seven months.
Cathryn Mellersh, Head of Canine Genetics at the Animal
Health Trust, said: "To date there has been no long-term effective treatment
for either dry eye and curly coat syndrome or episodic falling so the
development of the DNA tests is an important breakthrough for breeders, and
owners, of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels."
see full Press release -
here
Dogs required for study
The Animal Health Trust (AHT) recently launched a combined
DNA test for dry eye and curly coat syndrome and episodic falling in Cavalier
King Charles Spaniels. As an additional service to the breed, we intend to
estimate the frequency of mutant alleles for both conditions in the UK
population. This would involve collecting DNA samples from 200 individual dogs
of breeding age, widely selected to be as representative of the population as
possible so that the mutant allele frequencies of both of these conditions can
be determined with some degree of accuracy. Genotyping will be performed in the
AHT laboratory once all 200 samples have been submitted. The standard £48
fee for the combined test will be waived for participating dogs, and owners
will not be charged for email notification of their dog's results. A
certificate can be sent to owners on request for a £10 fee to cover
administrative costs. Individual test results will remain confidential. Once
data analysis is complete, a report summarising the overall findings will be
sent to you for distribution to the participating breed clubs and other
interested parties. The guidelines for selection of participating dogs are as
follows: • each of the 200 dogs should have a unique dam • ideally,
each dog would also have a unique sire, but as this may be difficult to achieve
we ask that no more than four dogs out of the total 200 share any one sire
• only one dog can be tested free of charge per owner • dogs must
have been born on or after 1st July 2005 • dogs must be registered with
the UK Kennel Club To register your interest in participating in this study,
please contact Peter Towse, kchealthrep@cavalierhealth.co.uk.
Providing the name, date of birth, KC registration number, microchip #, sex,
colour, sire and dam of the dog you would like to participate in the study.
Then your name, address, telephone and email address. If your dog does test
positive, it is NOT a failure, it’s a carrier and can still be bred from.
Knowing its status you don't bred to another carrier.
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Health Dates
We are delighted to announce that all Eastern Counties
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Members are offered the opportunity to have
reduced cost DNA testing for Dry Eye and Episodic falling, by the Animal Health
Trust. All members need to do is call Maryann Hogan on 01462 670774 or email
her on maryannhogan@stavongacavaliers.co.uk
she will give them a code and they can go on-line to the AHT and put in the
special code order the number of tests they want and only pay the reduced cost
for each test.
This opportunity is only open for the month of January
from 3rd through to 31st January 2012. The kits will be sent out directly to
the members who will complete the inside cheek swab and return to the AHT who
in turn will send the results to them directly. For those that are unable to go
on-line and still want to test call Maryann at the above number and she will
arrange to get the tests sent directly to you. Any problems give her a call.
Don't miss this opportunity the prices go up in January.
Sat 14th April 2012 Heart testing at ECCKCSS
Championship show - St Ives Cambridgeshire details from
maryannhogan@stavongacavaliers.co.uk
Dogs must be either entered for the show or entered not for competition.
Sat 3rd March 2012 Heart and Eye Testing at The
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club Championship Show Stoneleigh Coventry.
Details from Mrs A Jones health@thecavalierclub.co.uk
See the Facebook page click on image
above. |
