I wrote this piece a few weeksago in response to Tim Hutchings request that people write in and tell him what they think about the JKD situation. I gather that I am the only one to do so. So why dont those that feel strongly about the Boxer and this dreaful kidney disease write to him and say what they think shoud be done. Its a golden opportunity although it wont do your popularity much good among show goers. Tim Hutchings asks his Dog World Breed Notes readers for views on the fracas on facebook. I have answered on this already but would add that from speaking to exhibitors at some recent shows I gather that many are as upset as facebook contributors at the lack of information. I would confess that from the very beginning of JKD (for me) three years ago I was very worried when I saw the situation. Too many of the main stud dogs seemed to be involved and I felt that release of pedigree information would cause chaos. But time has passed, the situation has moderated a little, and I think it is clear that people need to be able to see a way forward - and they can’t because the information is still being withheld. Anger is indeed brewing. And the feelings are developing abroad too when it is seen that JKD is appearing with inbreeding on certain imports from Britain. It is even possible that matters there will be brought to the attention of the Kennel Associations involved. I don’t think we can go on like this. Waiting for the gene to be found after so many failures is not an option. Something needs to be done now to help breeders try to deal with JKD. I have written various pieces on facebook presenting options for breeders, how they can try to breed away from JKD, what they can do to help understand the disease, and therefore what more they might eventually be able to do. These were only off-the- cuff suggestions and can be developed. If anyone wants to view these they can best be found on my website (steynmere.co.uk). As to the research I can say that the 80 odd blood samples (from cases, controls and parents) that I sent to Norway for a gene scan arrived safely, and are providing high quality DNA. The researcher and I are in full accord regarding their best use so I hope we will be more successful than the three other labs which have attempted to find the gene so far. But there are now 5 labs looking for the JKD gene. Which will be successful? Any one will do. I have said many times that JKD is complex but this does not mean that the inheritance is questionable. Once one accepts that large amounts of damage that must be caused before symptoms can occur, everything genetically becomes much clearer. We cannot possibly get the 25% frequency of affected cases normally expected with a recessive gene inheritance; most cases are simply not detectable. But what does puzzle me is the wide distribution of the gene around the world. I have one explanation for this, but the actual observation is the reason that I sought the attention of a quantitative geneticist - not to check the inheritance, but to see if a better explanation for the wide distribution could be offered?
Posted on: Thu, 24 Jul 2014 13:50:06 +0000
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