Page 9 - 9 Spring 2023 Newsletter

This should apply to ALL breeders
- not just ABS members. No-one A current list of Keesies who have
can say that they haven't got or been scored or have
never had a problem in their line had an eye test can
or their breeding unless they be found on the
have the data to back it up. If a Keeshond Health
breeder hasn’t had their dogs Matters web site.
tested, then they can't say they
haven't got or never had a
problem - end of.

KCCGC PHPT Research

The Kennel Club Canine Genetics of analysing the results and updating
Centre is continuing to work on sample records.
finding the genetic variant that Recently an updated version of the
causes PHPT in Keeshonds.
canine reference genome has been
The existence and use of the DNA test released (called CanFam4), which is
from Cornell for such a long time has better quality and has fewer gaps
made the project quite a bit more than the previous version
challenging. While the test is not (CanFam3.1). We have therefore had
perfect, the marker that it detects is to realign all 200+ of our whole
probably quite closely linked with the genome sequences against the new
unknown PHPT causal variant and as reference which was a monumental
a result fewer clinically affected dogs effort and took a long time. We will
are being born, which means that we now re-analyse the Keeshond whole
have fewer robust samples at our genome sequence data to see if there
disposal for the research. In addition, is anything new and interesting
the genotypes that dogs have for the that wasn’t there in the first round of
existing DNA test muddy the waters; analysis. We are also still looking
we can’t be sure how accurate they at the possibility of using linked
are. markers to develop a test and we
have a couple of promising markers.
While we have received many DNA
samples from Keeshonds over the However, the challenge is to
determine if they would be any more
years only a small proportion have
reported any status with regards accurate for detecting PHPT than the
to PHPT. We contacted many owners existing DNA test is.
in 2022 to request that they We would like to thank the Keeshond
complete an online questionnaire, in community for their continued
an attempt to fill in some of these support and patience. We are also
gaps. We have had 79 responses (of frustrated by the lack of obvious
which only 53 completed the full progress but are doing the best we
questionnaire) and are in the process can.

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