JULY
2007 Urate Stones
Nili
Karmi has now closed her research -more news later.
Dear
Members, owners in the UK and any overseas owners you could contact, seriously
consider the letter below. Please, follow it through, the breed deserves it.
Danika
writes;
"Dear Black Russian Terrier owner/enthusiast,
"We are researchers at the University of California - Davis, School of
Veterinary Medicine. Our laboratory is interested in understanding the molecular
basis of inherited diseases in dogs and horses. One of the main projects in our
laboratory is to identify the mutation that causes urate stones in Dalmatian
dogs and we believe we are close to such a discovery. Since Black Russian
Terriers may also suffer from urate stones, we would like to screen them
to determine if they carry the same mutation as Dalmatians. If indeed this
mutation proves to be the source for urate stones in the Black Russian Terrier,
it would enable us to provide genetic testing for early diagnosis and
preventative breeding. In order to participate in this project, we ask you to
send us a DNA sample from your dog and a brief medical history. To contact us
to obtain the mailing instructions and the swab, please email Nili
Karmi
nkarmi@ucdavis.edu
Or post to;Nili Karmi Class of 2010 Graduate Student Researcher…
Dept. of Population Health &Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine,
University of CA in Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA. Danika Bannasch DVM,
Ph.D.
Nili Karmi writes;
“Thank you so much for your interest and support. We greatly appreciate that you
sent out our request to your club members - I have already begun getting
responses. It is to our mutual benefit that your breed club is so interested in
the health of the breed – it is not always so. “I
appreciate all you are doing for the study. However, I am not at liberty to
disclose the numbers of the dogs that have been added to the study from the UK.
As for the cost, the results we are giving are on a research basis only,
as the genetic test has not yet been verified. Thus, we are not charging
anything for running the test. However, donations to the project will be
greatly appreciated since the cost of doing this study is not negligible by any
means”.
Urate Stones health study
feed back:
USA;
My dogs
were the first group submitted for this study, I strongly encourage as many as
possible to be submitted. While the study is not finished, they have made great
progress and have identified the gene. It is a simple recessive. Anyone who
submits samples will receive a confidential report on their dogs. While they do
not have all the answers yet, there is enough to at least give us some
guidelines on breeding. To give you an idea of how prevalent this is in the
BRT, I had 3 clear, 7 carrier, 9 affected in my group. We are progressing to
urine samples to study whether the affected (have the gene on both sides), show
any symptoms or not (crystals in the urine). If no crystals in urine, the next
step will be to study effect of diet, etc. If some affecteds develop stones and
some do not, why? What are the other influences? …………
“We have responded to the appeal this evening, to
provide a DNA sample from our dog to assist in the above project. Regards,C & J
“This will be interesting I am in touch with these
people. Keep you up dated. G.G.”..
Moscow, “With
pleasure shall help researches. I understand, what the question is diseases
urate. Also in Russia is not present at dogs of medical cards and anybody from
Doctors does not conduct a medical history of a dog (it concerns my dogs and
dogs of many of my friends)…
UK
Owner who
has an RBT’ with urate stones, “It is well known that many Dalmatian’s lines
have a predisposition to stones but it doesn't stop people buying the dogs, it
just makes it all honest and above board. At least if you know the dog is
liable to form stones you can make sure it has a low purine diet from the start
which may prevent stone formation. As you can tell I've done a lot of reading up
on this subject ”..……………
………
The RBT Club hope all RBT owners will join in this research, as
mentioned above, it costs nothing for the swabs, only your time, and a postage
stamp. If you really care for the health of the breed write/email requesting the
DNA swabs be posted to your home address.
We hope
those who have posted DNA swab samples from their dogs will pass on their
findings to the RBT Club Health Coordinator Kathy Gallagher
or Tom Rigby.
The Club hope to monitor the results from your
feedback. No names
are required please just send your results.
August 2007 ---Ref; Urate stones in
RBT’s. The DNA samples sent to THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA are coming back to
their owners. So far from the letters the club have received, all the dogs have
two copies of the faulty gene. One owner said it was a bit of a shock to hear
her bitch could also produce them. As a club we would like to monitor the
results from all owners of the breed not just from members. We want open feed
back to the tests. The club can hopefully formulate what is happening within the
breed. No names are required please just send in your results either to me, Kathy Gallagher
or Tom Rigby.
Have you applied for the swab kit?
More news as it comes in.
