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DNA Project Update! |
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Having received an update from Mr Fretwell the Director of the ongoing DNA Project ( Full details at http://www.thecairnterrierclub.co.uk/dna.html ) the following extract is the section which relates to our Cairn Terriers
These samples have already been used to date in our ongoing studies to determine and confirm the genetic relatedness of UK dog breeds (a pre-requisite for informing our disease studies as it is often helpful to look at the same disease in closely related breeds to get more power for identifying disease genes – ultimately depending on the disease, we sometimes need to look at thousands of samples to find the causative genes responsible).
We are currently in the middle of a project looking at atopic dermatitis and we are looking at the terrier breeds closely in this project as we have collected a large number of terrier dogs with confirmed Atopic dermatitis, including a number of cairn terriers and many West Highland white terriers. We are planning to utilise the cairn samples to inform these studies, however to date they have not been genotyped yet. We have over 2000 samples to type and as you may imagine this takes a lot of time for the studies to complete. We are planning on completing the genotyping studies by year end, with data analysis to be performed in early 2007 in the final year of the project. We hope that the results of the project will be published in 2007 and I will keep you informed as our studies complete. The initial data analysis that we have performed on this disease to date, show great promise for identifying the regions of the dog genome that contain variants that influence Atopic Dermatitis development, however as with all research we need to carefully check and confirm our work in additional studies before we get too excited.
The information that the decision on selecting a disease was reached, based solely on the information made available by both the Owners, and Veterinary Surgeries who have taken part.
It was, we felt, extremely disappointing that less than 70 successful DNA extractions have been obtained from Cairns, knowing how many kits were requested and sent out, and with figures of approx 2000 registrations annually at the Kennel Club its a very small number.
Wherever one looks in any Breed and with almost every illness, its being decided the only way forward is DNA. The results obtained ( once any disease is identified ) are conclusive, and less stress for the Dog and far cheaper to diagnose than any other method. It is also the first step to finding possibly a cure. We feel it can only be by, firstly keeping our Health Watch fully informed of problems with the Breed, and secondly taking part in Projects such as this. Then health problems can be identified, cured, and become a thing of the past.
We would urge those people who requested kits (which are expensive) but did nothing, to please, please use them and send them off!
Paul @ Sharonne Matthews
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