Gene for ARVC found

bruinsBoxers · 04-29-2009, 03:45 PM

The gene for ARVC ( boxer cardiomyopathy ) has been found . The downside is that about 80% of the boxer population is expected to be affected .

http://www.wsutoday.wsu.edu/pages/pu...14446&TypeID=1

Ron · 04-29-2009, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Meurs said that, with her lab’s service, Boxer owners and breeders will be able to identify dogs with the mutant gene and are likely to breed away from the disease.

hope ALL vets will have access to this service, not just her lab....

bruinsBoxers · 04-29-2009, 05:53 PM

I am sure it will just like the DM test .
You mail in your $ and they will send you a cheek swab kit . You fill out the info , swab the cheek for cells ( dna) and mail it back and then wait for the results . Anyone is/will able to order the test directly through them .

Ron · 04-29-2009, 06:08 PM

ahh i see that makes sense

KeeperBoy · 04-29-2009, 07:42 PM

Not that all the BYBs will ever test, but if all the boxers with the gene were not bred inbreeding would be even more of a problem than the ARVC. I'm glad they found it, but I really worry about the breed. Boxers are the best dogs in the world, why do they have to have so many problems?

bruinsBoxers · 04-30-2009, 07:45 AM

AS with DM , there is such a high % of the population that are either carriers or at risk . I think the same will be true with ARVC . The best we can hope for is to slowly try and eliminate the affected dogs from the gene pool .

We can not risk eliminating all the affected at once , there would not be enough dogs left in the gene pool . and who knows what conditions those that are left may have . It would create more health issues down the line .

It is good to have this test become available and it will help to make better informed breeding decisions . Hope fully at ABC there will be many more questions answered and have some guidelines recommended .

I think breeders will have to make a decision as to what disease is a priority for them to try and breed away from first . For me I am not saying DM is not important but what would you rather have - a dog who lives a healthy life until signs of DM may appear at age 9 . Or a dog that just drops dead at age 2 in the yard ?

We all have our experiences and heartaches with certain diseases and we all feel pasionately about the boxer breeed . We have to be careful and not sacrifice the breed as a whole in order to eliminate 1 devestating disease , if we do there will be no boxers as we know then in 10 years .

daisy'smom · 04-30-2009, 08:58 AM

Is ARVC something that we should test our Boxers that are pets and not going to be used for breeding?

bruinsBoxers · 04-30-2009, 10:08 AM

All testing should be done on any dog that is being considered to be bred .

But anyone who would want to test their dog will be able to .

I personally would not test a pet that is spayed / neutered unless the dog was showing some symptoms of the illness . .

bruinsBoxers · 05-13-2009, 03:02 PM

Info on how to get the arvc test if anyone is interested . It is $60 per dog ,

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/deptsVCGL/Boxer/test.aspx
Genetic Mutation Testing Service for Boxer Dog's Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy

Spyglass Sally · 05-13-2009, 06:47 PM

I think there's a lot of misconception about 'genetic diseases'. If you have an extra 21st chromosome you have Down's Syndrome – 100% of the time. But most diseases that are now being labeled as “genetic” ignore that our environment shapes our genetic expression. Genes are not all static, but responding to the environment they are in. What you eat, breathe, etc causes many genes to be expressed, or not, so just having a gene doesn't mean you have or are going to get a disease.

Trying to push genetic determinism is good business for those who want to sell 'cures' (e.g., drugs & surgery) but I think it's one sided science. I would hate to see dogs with that gene removed from the gene pool since most of the time genes serve multiple purposes and via diversity of expression can also have helpful attributes. The fact that 80% of the dogs may have this - with relatively few expressing it - should give us pause and perhaps cause more research onto what causes this to be activated.

I'm getting a little off topic here, but with humans genes activation is influenced by diet, exercise and stress. Dr. David Kessler, M.D. ( FDA commissioner during Bush and Clinton days) has a new book out about overeating. Specifically, about the interaction of fat, salt, and sugar to release dopamine and how they have highly addictive effects – possibly more than cocaine. Studies have shown that when you eat sugar not only do your genes turn off controls designed to protect you from heart disease and diabetes, but the impact lasts for two weeks. I know people who are working on a treatment for obesity, based on a genetic cause, totally ignoring the role of eating a diet high in fat, salt & sugar has on genetic expression. There’s money to be made. I won’t go on and on about it, but if you’re interested there’s more here.

I guess my point is just to say that having a gene doesn’t necessarily mean you will get a disease (except in something like Downs) and most genes serve multiple purposes so eliminating them from the pool will most likely have unintended consequences. Better to look at how to raise healthy dogs using proper nutrition, exercise, etc.