That title is sure a mouthful! Here's what it is: A study for owners of certain breeds to participate in for free!
All poodle owners are strongly encouraged to participate in the study! They are looking for genetic markers for certain diseases that affect standard poodles (and other breeds). They need both affected and unaffected dogs.
I beg of anyone reading this blog who owns or breeds poodles to please order the free cheek swab kit and send it in. It won't take long, and you will be doing a tremendous service to the poodle breed!
As someone who has now been faced with the diagnoses of Addison's disease in two of my unrelated poodles, I am on board with as many of these studies as possible. There is no feeling of dread like the one when you see your beloved dog going down right before your eyes. If you've had to deal with bloat, or Addison's, or an immune mediated disease, you know what I am talking about. If you have not, then go give your dog a big hug and thank your lucky stars. It is just awful.
These diseases are complex! That is why researchers haven't found ways to test the breeding parents. We can do thyroid panels on our breeding parents, and skin punch biopsies for SA, but until a concrete solution is found, we are just going by careful pedigree research and a roll of the dice. Some folks do not believe there is a family relation and will continue to breed affected dogs. I do not agree with this, but it just has not been proven yet. The more info the better, so PLEASE participate!
http://cgap.ucdavis.edu/Default.htm
All poodle owners are strongly encouraged to participate in the study! They are looking for genetic markers for certain diseases that affect standard poodles (and other breeds). They need both affected and unaffected dogs.
I beg of anyone reading this blog who owns or breeds poodles to please order the free cheek swab kit and send it in. It won't take long, and you will be doing a tremendous service to the poodle breed!
As someone who has now been faced with the diagnoses of Addison's disease in two of my unrelated poodles, I am on board with as many of these studies as possible. There is no feeling of dread like the one when you see your beloved dog going down right before your eyes. If you've had to deal with bloat, or Addison's, or an immune mediated disease, you know what I am talking about. If you have not, then go give your dog a big hug and thank your lucky stars. It is just awful.
These diseases are complex! That is why researchers haven't found ways to test the breeding parents. We can do thyroid panels on our breeding parents, and skin punch biopsies for SA, but until a concrete solution is found, we are just going by careful pedigree research and a roll of the dice. Some folks do not believe there is a family relation and will continue to breed affected dogs. I do not agree with this, but it just has not been proven yet. The more info the better, so PLEASE participate!
http://cgap.ucdavis.edu/Default.htm