Interesting fact on Doberman PDK4

Doberman's and the Doberman health test for PDK4.

 I just wanted to let everyone know that I just an e mail from a friend yesterday who lives  out east- She has a black male that is a CH, IPO3 and Sch 3 multi titled dog - just a wonderful working dog.

She was all upset as she just got the results back on his DNA test and he is PDK4 positive Homozogyus which means he got both copies of the gene. She is devastated and said he would not be bred. OMG he is 11 - How wonderful

This is what is going to make breeding decisions cloudy to some breeders who want to just focus on cardio and scream wolf- Prior to this we used to look at longevity as a good indicator of breeding for longevity. So now where do we go?  As I see it we are in the same boat. 

The more I learn about this test the more I have to wonder how much help it will be, BUT rest assured my plan has not changed. I will eliminate it just like Vwd because I don't want it to ever be a problem, but it is not the death sentence evidently that everyone thought it was. I am fortunate as most of my up and coming dogs were all neg for PDK4.  So I have a great start to eliminate it totally in a short period of time.

For those who wanted to jump the gun and throw out half their dogs based on one test I feel sorry for them after learning about the above dog. I know you can't base an entire premises on one dog but it does clearly show that it is not an absolute death sentence and there is a lot more we don't know about DCM.  Dr. Meurs herself asked for digression and not go so far the opposite direction that we did more harm than good.

For those that don't cry wolf all the time we did not freak out when someone had a dog whose sire or dam died young  of suspected DCM because we know some lived long lives and some just focused on the ones that die young and wanted to throw out the entire line as cardio ridden.

I see hope for our breed as we learn more and more and I do not see a health ridden breed. Our breed IMHO is as healthy as any other breed out there. The fact is just like in life some die young, some die old and some die somewhere inbetween.  If we only focus on health and keep promoting that our breed is unhealthy we will create the very thing we hope to avoid.
 
Dobs4ever
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