Genetics and where we are

[Gina Heitz <brier@oregonsbest.com>]

HI All,

I have some exciting news to share.  Our family has been accepted into the 
study at Vet Gen and we as well will probably need to screen more Brier 
dogs, anyone out of Spite, Scarlette, and Meg.  Which will possibly form 
additional families as Vet Gen looks at them...

I took the pedigrees for SeaJay, Gidget and the litters and posted them to 
a list that has 1600 subscribers all goldens many of these breeders and was 
able to make contact with a few people who have related dogs for this 
specific family and others who will help form other families.  Here is what 
the posting dug up:

1/2 sister to Sprite via they share the same sire, is affected and is being 
submitted.   In SeaJay's pedigree we found that his sire Harley has two 
affected siblings, late onset.  One of which we know where she is and she 
is being submitted.  SeaJay's paternal grand mother who produced these two 
affected dogs is clear but is also being submitted via her breeder.  This 
also may form another family.

  As well on the maternal side, Scarlette's side, Jennifer Masterson who 
bred and owns Runner, Scarlette's sire, SeaJay's grad father and Gidget's 
father has agreed to  enter her dogs into the study and they are in our 
family as well as they form another family of their own as well with some 
other dogs who are not related.  All of Jennifer's dogs are clear btw.

If all goes well within in 2 to 3 years we may have a DNA test available 
for all goldens.  This will mean we can safely breed affected dogs and 
carriers to genetically clear dogs and know what our percentages will 
be.  Or choose to rule out affected and carriers.  But at least we are 
moving forward. We hope that the researchers will be able to tell us within 
a year to two if this gene is a recessive or if it is of incomplete 
penetrance.  A true recessive will mean we can wipe out this particular 
issue..

So please know that getting these dogs screened, all Brier dogs is of the 
upmost importance, and if we only focus on eye screening for right now we 
are at least making a difference for the breed!

As far as going public with the pedigrees, I probably committed political 
doggie suicide for SeaJay but that is ok!  He is not on this earth to just 
be bred to anyones dog and if he is only used with in a small group of 
responsible breeders that is fine by me.  IIene and Judy can verify this 
statement oh so clearly... :-)

I hope that those of you who should have received your test kits: One 
litter and Casino litter are figuring out what to do with them, if not let 
me hear from you privately.

Gina