Genetic testing: a dog is a human friend!
Genetic diseases of pets
"Really.Ru"
The year 1953, when the mystery of the structure of DNA was solved, became a landmark event for the entire scientific community engaged in genetics. There is no doubt that at that time it affected the minds of scientists exclusively and had no practical significance for society. But now only 57 years have passed and we can already say that molecular genetics is imperceptibly, but more and more confidently integrated into our daily life.
It is impossible to overestimate the importance of molecular genetic diagnostics in family planning, in the fight against cancer, with many hereditary syndromes and predispositions, which only some 50 years ago it was impossible to approach due to ignorance of the root causes of these phenomena. The urgency of the problem for humans turned out to be so high that by 2010 more than 1,000 genes and mutations in them were described, leading or could lead to certain clinical manifestations.
Undoubtedly, the great attention to human molecular genetics for many years now serves as a starting point for the development of methods for the molecular diagnosis of hereditary diseases of domestic animals. After all, many of our diseases are almost the same, the clinical signs are similar, which makes it possible to use the knowledge gained for yourself, already for your pets.
What has molecular genetics achieved in the field of diagnosis of hereditary diseases in pets? I must say that quite a lot. Foreign laboratories now offer more than two dozen tests for many breeds of dogs and cats.
Dogs, however, are more fortunate in this respect – there are much more genetic analyses for them than for cats. However, this area is constantly evolving, and new tests appear almost monthly. And most importantly, according to experts, for some diseases it was possible to reduce the number of births of sick animals by almost an order of magnitude.
Until recently, Russia was in a very deplorable state regarding the possibilities for conducting tests for pets – there were no domestic laboratories at all, and foreign tests were carried out mainly only by professional breeders of large nurseries. And even then, to be honest, exclusively for participation in international mating, because this requires documents on passing genetic testing.
However, in recent years, the situation has begun to improve – the Zoogen Veterinary Diagnostics center, located in St. Petersburg, constantly introduces new genetic tests and works not only in Russia, but also in the near abroad.
Active work with the community of breeders and pet clubs made it possible to clarify the situation with genetic diseases in Russia. When breeding pedigreed animals, the founder effect is very important, when a single animal with outstanding characteristics serves as the ancestor of a whole galaxy of animals, eventually scattered throughout all cities not only in Russia, but also abroad. At the same time, negligent attitude to the genetic testing of such animals can inevitably lead to a surge in the birth of animals with genetic diseases.
Undoubtedly, the "fashion" for breeds often determines the responsibility of breeders. For example, for Labrador retrievers and Newfoundlands, testing for progressive retinal atrophy and cystinuria is now very actively carried out. Persian cats are diligently tested for polycystic kidney disease.
Also, whenever new tests are introduced, breeders, just in case, carry out tests for the diseases they detect – for example, the recently appeared opportunity to conduct an analysis for ischemia caused by physical exertion for labradors showed a great interest of breeders to control it as well.
What are the preliminary results on the statistics of hereditary diseases in Russia? To be honest, very disappointing. It turned out that for Labradors, about 20% of all dogs carry a mutation that causes progressive retinal atrophy, for dachshunds this figure is even more frightening – 50%.
Such a serious disease as cystinuria in Newfoundlands is present in a latent form in 15% of cases. But these are some of the most common dog breeds in Russia.
Recently, the Entlebucher Sennenhund breed has been developed in Russia – dogs with excellent data on all indicators, there is no doubt that they have a great future in store for them, but tests have shown that the already mentioned retinal atrophy is borne by more than 70% of the dogs studied!
Unlike these diseases in dogs (they have a recessive mutation – it manifests itself only in the presence of two "damaged" genes in the genome), polycystic disease in cats is a dominant mutation, which occurs in more than 30% of cases in Persian breeds. This means that the risk of developing this hereditary disorder hangs over all these animals like a sword of Damocles.
I would like to note the great interest in genetic tests in neighboring countries, and the "closer" the country is to Europe, the higher this interest is: Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Ukraine have recently been increasingly thinking about the purity of the gene pool of their dog populations. In Russia, more and more new cities from Kaliningrad to Khabarovsk are also being connected to testing. Moreover, the material for analysis can be sent by mail without the risk of getting an inaccurate result.
For ordinary owners of dogs and cats, even if they do not plan to breed, genetic tests are also relevant – after all, you want your pet to grow up and live next to you healthy and strong, pleasing and rejoicing. Therefore, the question of conducting genetic tests when buying a dog or cat you like is quite appropriate and justified.
Statistics, and maybe, in some cases, frightening figures should in no way affect the development of film and felinology. It should be clearly understood that carrying is not a sentence, it is only a reason for a responsible approach to planning mating and certainly not a reason for refusing to own such an animal, because in this case there are no genetic reasons for the development of the disease. And a genetic certificate is your insurance policy for a happy life with a pet.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru24.06.2010