Genetic testing is available for dogs and is becoming more and better refined all the time. Embark is just one company that offers intensive genetic testing looking for markers in that patient for all of the following:
1
Bleeding disorders such as Von Willebrands that affect clotting. Although spontaneous bleeding is rare it is essential to have this information before elective surgery in breeds that are prone, which are not only Dobermans, but other breeds including the Bernese mountain dog and the Corgi, Irish setters, and Kerry Blue Terriers.
2
Neurologic disorders in particular Degenerative Myelopathy: in some breeds such as the German Shepherd this condition has a “high penetrance” which means the genetic defect is more likely to result in clinical signs of this disease which is much like Lou Gehrigs’ disease in people.
3
Urate Stone formation: the inability to reabsorb uric acid through the kidney tubule back into circulation makes some dogs very prone to these urate stones in their bladder causing straining to urinate and obstruction of the ability to urinate, obviously a crisis. The breeds that carry this genetic mutation are Bulldogs and Dalmations. These stones are very difficult to dissolve and the patient must be fed a very restricted diet on a lifelong basis.
4
Blindness: Progressive Retinal Atrophy is a complex genetic disease with many factors causing the pet to go blind very early as a young pup 2 to 6 weeks of age, or later and more insidiously about 2 years of age. Although these patients generally adapt to blindness, knowing of this defect would allow nutraceuticals to be given to delay onset of blindness and prevent that dog from being used for breeding to pass this on.
5
Disc disease: strongly associated with chondrodystrophy or dwarfism (think dachshund, corgi): we can track through their genetic variants which dogs will have a strong propensity to have calcified discs at an early age that slip and paralyze the patient.
6
Mast cell disease: The tendency to mast cell disease, a cancer of the white blood cells that roam the skin looking for triggers, is at least partially genetic and can be tracked. Pit bull terriers are particularly prone to this.
Knowing these genetic tendencies or markers in the individual patient will help inform strategies to prevent these diseases from becoming fulminant in that patient, which is possible. This is of course the foundation of individualized preventative care.
Next month we will discuss the influence of diet on health and factors to consider in what the right choice is for you and your friend.
