Research Testing for cord1 PRA in Miniature Wires

The Animal Health Trust has made the Cord 1 PRA test available to owners of Miniature Wire Dachshunds since 1st January 2010.

They have now kindly offered to test a “research sample” of Miniature Wires to try to estimate the frequency of the mutation within the variety. To date there has been one “affected” dog and some “carriers” tested so the Cord1 mutation is clearly in the Miniature Wire population, albeit in a very small way.

The Animal Health Trust is willing to do this testing free of charge and would report back breed statistics anonymously to the Breed Council as this data will help the Trust and the Breed Council determine the best advice for breeders to follow. Owners can receive their individual results.

The testing needs to be done on 50 different dogs, by 50 different sires out of 50 different dams. By testing this number of relatively unrelated dogs a fairly good estimate will be obtained of the frequency of the mutation within the breed.

Anybody willing to have their dogs tested should contact the co-ordinator Judy Squires (Miniature Dachshund Club) at Tel. No. 01480 462813 or email squires@wirehall.freeserve.co.uk

Please state your name, address and telephone number – as the testing kits will be sent direct from the Animal Health Trust to the owner – also the full name of the dog to be tested and the name of the sire and dam and whether it is of English, Continental or other breeding, as a good cross-section is required.

The names of those participating and details of their dogs will be kept confidential and will only be recorded by the co-ordinator and the AHT.

Dachshund Breed Council Newsletter for May 2010

The May 2010 Newsletter contains details of how you can participate in two research programmes:

cord1 (PRA) in Mini Wire Dachshunds


Epilepsy

Both programmes are being run by the Animal Health Trust and require cheek swab samples. The MW cord1 programme is being co-ordinated by Judy Squires of the Miniature Dachshund Club.

Kits to provide samples to add to the epilepsy research programme can be obtained directly from the AHT – full details are in the Newsletter.

PLEASE NOTE:

The epilepsy research referred to here is not Lafora’s testing. It is Idiopathic Epilepsy research. They are collecting samples to try to find the gene(s) causing epilepsy. If you want Lafora’s tests, please contact the Wire Club.

http://sunsongdachshunds.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/dbc-news-may-10.pdf