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Louie enrolls at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Louie enrolls at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Print
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Irish Wolfhound - All About Louie
Written by Hugh McManus   

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Wednesday, 13 August 2008 07:42

Louie has enrolled in the at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology for an important research program in Degenerative Myelopathy (DM).  Well, not quite.  He will have a blood sample drawn which will be sent in for study.  The research goal is to determine a possible genetic link with the disease.  Louie was diagosed with DM in early 2007.  The ailment is more closely associated with breeds like the German Shepherd and isn't that common in the Irish Wolfhound, so having a sample from an Irish Wolfhound is a help to the study.

You can read more about the study for Degenerative Myelopathy and a host of other genetic diseases at www.dogDNA.org.

Why Participating in these Canine Genetic Studies Matters 

Genes are found in the DNA; many diseases occur because of a faulty gene.  Now that the canine DNA has been mapped, scientists are interested in comparing the DNA of a dog with a known genetic ailment against their database of presumably healthy animals.  In this way, researchers hope to identify the gene associated with the particular disease.  Researchers can get a complete map of your dog's DNA from a small sample of blood.  Your veterinarian can help supply this sample.

Once the abnormal gene is identified, the next step is to determine the mechanism--the discrete steps--that lead from a genetic abnormality to the expression of the disease in an otherwise healthy animal.  When that mechanism is determined, then scientists can work on a way to interrupt the progress of a disease by shutting down one of the miscreant steps.  As long as this action doesn't interfere with anything else in the body, then they've found a cure.  It takes time and effort, but genetic diseases are finally starting to get a fair fight as scientist develop an arsenal of techniques and methods to study them!

Keep in mind that once these mechanisms are elucidated, they could have import in the link between genes and disease in all animals, including humans.  The genes work is similar in pretty much all organisms.  There are no guarantees that the investigation will have benefits in humans, but participating in these studies by donating a sample of your dog's blood could possibly have wider ramifications and benefits than is currently realized.  Research ultimately helps us all.

On the next page, you will find a list of ailments under investigation and the breeds that are of the most interest.  If you can, please help.  At the end of the document, you will find a link to more information and an e-mail address to send questions.

Cancers

Cancer affects 30-50% of all dogs. A higher incidence in certain breeds suggests that genetic risk factors exist and can be identified. Many dog cancers are clinically similar to human cancers, including several that we are working on.

Osteosarcoma (Bone cancer)

  • Osteosarcoma is the most common bone tumor of dog. This cancer develops in the bone, usually the limbs, and as the tumor grows it becomes progressively more painful for the dog and can result in lameness. Often these tumors metastasize to the lungs. Giant breeds are at the greatest risk for developing osteosarcomas.
  • Breeds needed for the study: Rottweilers, Greyhounds, Mastiffs, Leonbergers, Golden Retrievers, Irish Wolfhounds, Great Pyrenees, Great Danes, Borzoi and Scottish Deerhounds
  • Main collaborators: Kenine Comstock (The University of Michigan), Jaime Modiano (University of Minnesota), Cheryl London (Ohio State University), Elizabeth McNeil (Michigan State University), Matthew Breen (North Carolina State University)
  • Funding: AKC/CHF

Hemangiosarcoma

  • Hemangiosarcomas are rapidly growing and highly invasive, blood-fed tumors. Blood vessels grow from the tumor and often cause death through excessive blood loss due to rupturing of the tumor.
  • Breeds needed for the study: Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Chinese Shar-Peis, Boxers, Pugs, and Rhodesian Ridgebacks
  • Main collaborator: Chieko Azuma (Tufts University)
  • Funding: AKC/CHF

Mast Cell Tumors (MCT)

  • MCTs are cancerous proliferations of mast cells. Although they can and will spread throughout the body, the danger from MCTs comes from the secondary damage caused by the release of chemicals the tumors produce. These chemicals can cause systemic problems that include gastric ulcers, internal bleeding, and a range of allergic manifestations.
  • Breeds needed for the study: Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, Pugs, Shar-Peis and Boxers
  • Main collaborators: Cheryl London (Ohio State University), Lisa Barber (Tufts University)
  • Funding: Morris Animal Foundation

Lymphoma

  • A cancer of the lymphocytes that can occur in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, and other organs. Characteristics are high white blood cell count, swollen lymph glands, lethargy, and loss of appetite. It is a treatable cancer, but if left untreated, it will eventually lead to death. A number of B- and T-cell subtypes exist.
  • Breeds needed for the study: Golden Retrievers, Cocker Spaniels, Rottweilers and Boxers
  • Collaborator: Matthew Breen (North Carolina State University)
  • Funding: Pending

Mammary tumors

  • Tumors of the mammary gland are the most common tumors found in unspayed female dogs. Several subtypes exist but may segregate in the same families.
  • Breeds needed for the study: English Springer Spaniels, Boxers and Cocker Spaniels
  • Main collaborators: Henrik von Euler (Swedish University of Agricultural Science), Elizabeth McNeil (Michigan State University)
  • Funding: Pending

Melanoma (skin cancer)

  • Melanoma is a cancer of melanocytes (the pigment-producing cells of the skin). Irregular cells develop when the melanocytes erratically multiply and invade surrounding tissue. Malignant melanomas can spread from the original tumor and travel through the blood to other vessels and organs.
  • Breeds needed for the study: Scottish Terriers, Cocker Spaniels, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, and other breeds.
  • Main collaborators: Phil Bergman (Animal Medical Center), Catherine André (Université de Rennes)
  • Funding: Pending

Immunological Diseases:

Familial Shar-Pei Fever (FSF)

  • FSF is a condition that causes dangerously high recurrent fevers, which can be accompanied by swollen hocks and muzzles and can even result in renal and liver failure.
  • Breeds needed for the study: Chinese Shar-Peis
  • Main collaborators: Francesca Puppo (National Institutes of Health), Daniel Kastner (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
  • *Note - sample collection primarily at NIH

Addison’s disease

  • Also known as hypoadrenocorticism or adrenal insufficiency, Addison’s is caused by an insufficient production of adrenal hormones by a kidney’s adrenal gland. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, poor appetite, pain in the hindquarters, and generalized muscle weakness.
  • Breeds needed for the study: Poodles and Bearded Collies
  • Main collaborators: Anita Oberbauer (University of California, Davis), Åke Hedhammar (Swedish University of Agricultural Science)
  • *Note - sample collection also at UCD and SUAS

Lymphocytic Thyroiditis

  • Lymphocytic thyroiditis is an immune-related destruction of the thyroid gland that can result in sluggishness, obesity, skin disease, cold intolerance, hair loss, weakness, poor coat, and infertility. This disease is also one of the leading causes of primary hypothyroidism.
  • Breeds needed for the study: Giant Schnauzers, Doberman Pinschers, and Leonbergers.
  • Main collaborator: Åke Hedhammar (Swedish University of Agricultural Science)
  • Other:

White coat color

  • Our white coat color study serves as proof of principle for association mapping using the canine SNP arrays. Breeding studies in the 1950s by Clarence Little designated the white coat variant as the extreme white, or sw, allele of the major white spotting locus (S). Several other alleles were also suggested to share the same locus, including Irish spotting (si), and piebald spotting (sp).
  • Breeds needed for the study: Complete
  • Main collaborators: Leif Andersson (Uppsala University), Göran Andersson (Swedish University of Agricultural Science)

Dermoid sinus (DS)

  • DS is a congenital disorder where, during embryonic development, the tissues that are to become skin to do not properly separate from the tissues that are to become the nervous system. Dermoid sinuses occur as tubular structures of the skin on the middle of the back, which can penetrate into the spinal canal and become infected, painfully swollen and life threatening for the dog.
  • Breeds needed for the study: Rhodesian Ridgebacks and Thai Ridgeback
  • Main collaborators: Göran Andersson (Swedish University of Agricultural Science), Leif Andersson (Uppsala University) *Note - sample collection at SUAS

Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)

  • DM is a degenerative neurological disease where the dog’s immune system attacks both the myelin and axons of the nerves in the spinal cord (similar to multiple sclerosis in humans). The first signs are hind limb weakness and lack of coordination which can progress to a complete inability to walk.
  • Breeds needed for the study: Boxers and Corgis
  • Main collaborator: Joan Coates (University of Missouri)

Juvenile Renal Dysplasia (JRD)

  • JRD is an inherited condition affecting the developmental maturation of the kidney. The key clinical signs of JRD include (but are not limited to) excess water intake and urination from a young age (8 weeks to 2 years of age), and small, irregular-shaped kidneys observed by ultrasound examination, often leading to renal failure.
  • Breeds needed for the study: Boxers and Shih Tzus
  • Main collaborator: Åke Hedhammar (Swedish University of Agricultural Science)

Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)

  • DCM is a disease of the heart muscle that can result in enlarged heart chambers, valve leakage and, in turn, weakened contractions and difficulty pumping blood out to the body and lungs. DCM is most commonly seen in large breed dogs, but it can be found in smaller breed dogs.
  • Breeds needed for the study: Boxers, Doberman Pinschers, and Newfoundlands
  • Collaborators: Kathryn Meurs (Washington State University), Åke Hedhammar (Swedish University of Agricultural Science)
  • *Note - sample collection at WSU and SUAS

Please click on this link for information on donating a sample. At this site you will also get more valuable information about the study. 

If you have questions, please contact the study at the address below.
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it