Articles about Health & Welfare
ISCGB Interim CA Breeding Protocol
If you are new to the Spinone or are not familiar with Cerebellar Ataxia (CA), please take the time to learn about this FATAL disease in the Italian Spinone. It occurs when 2 dogs who are carriers of CA are bred together. Statistically 1 in 4 puppies will be affected and have to be euthanased around 9 months of age. A further 2 in 4 puppies will themselves be carriers and can pass this on if bred from, so even in a small litter it is highly likely that 1 or more puppies will be impacted.
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As many of you will know the ISCGB has a long relationship with the Animal Health Trust. In 2005 the Canine Genetics Team at the AHT, started working to identify the genetic mutation responsible for the devastating inherited neurological disorder Cerebellar Ataxia (CA) that is known to affect the Italian Spinone.
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28.07.2020
The Kennel Club and the Animal Health Trust (AHT) have issued a joint statement today (July 28) to advise that, in the wake of this month’s news of the closure of the AHT, the scientific data and biological material including more than 40,000 DNA samples stored at the Kennel Club Genetics Centre at the AHT’s headquarters in Newmarket have been secured and moved to Cambridge University.
The Kennel Club Charitable Trust has funded the Genetics Centre since 2009. Led by Dr Cathryn Mellersh, the Centre aimed to develop, where possible, simple mouth swab screening tests to determine affected and carrier dogs. In deciding which diseases to investigate, the joint Kennel Club and AHT team was looking at the impact on the health and welfare of dogs, but also on the support of breeders and access to data and samples.
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HIP DYSPLASIA HAS A GENETIC TRAIT THAT IS AFFECTED BY ENVIROMENTAL FACTORS
Hip dysplasia is the abnormal formation of the hip socket that, in its more severe form, causes crippling lameness and painful arthritis of the joints. It is a condition that begins in dogs as they grow resulting in instability and laxity of the hip joint causing progressive joint changes. Continual abnormal movement of the femoral head deforms the socket. The long-term response to this joint laxity is the progressive loss of cartilage, the development of scar tissue around the joint, and the formation of bone spurs around the ball and socket. Rapid weight gain and growth through excessive nutritional intake and inappropriate exercise can complicate the development of HD. Worst case senario is that some young dogs are put to sleep or have shortened lives in pain.
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The ISCGB and AHT are delighted to announce that samples for a second GWAS (genome scan) for Idiopathic Epilepsy in the Italian Spinone have been sent off for genotyping. This…
The AHT is pleased to confirm that by the end of 2017 they will have sequenced the entire genomes of four Italian Spinone, all of which will be dogs with…
What stage are we at with this research?
In early 2015, scientists at the AHT conducted a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS), or DNA scan, in the Italian Spinone to search for regions of the DNA that might be involved in idiopathic epilepsy. Our cases were 30 Italian Spinoni confirmed as having idiopathic epilepsy by Dr Luisa De Risio, Head of Neurology at the AHT, through survey or examination at the AHT. The controls used were 29 Italian Spinoni over the age of seven which had never had a seizure. We were unable to identify any regions of the DNA that are associated with epilepsy in the Italian Spinone. To take this research further we would ideally like to repeat the GWAS with an additional 30 cases and 30 controls.
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Consideration needs to be given at all times to the fact that we do not know how this condition is inherited. Our gene pool is very small and we should not be excluding dogs or lines from being bred without good reason.
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Calling all Spinone owners and breeders past and present. If you have ever owned or bred a Spinone that has had one or more seizures please support the ISCGB…
To help build the information in our health database we are creating some speedy surveys. They take no longer than 30 seconds to complete and are open for any Spinone, anywhere in the world, living or deceased. Results will be added to the online health database at www.hudsonspinone.co.uk.
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