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Originally Posted by kosoma  I am trying to clarify some information and need help in finding authoritative articles and other info related to liver shunts and testing. Most articles I have read indicate that congenital liver shunts commonly appear at a young age. (Not necessarily acquired shunts, which for the purposes of my research don't matter)
In this case, if a breeder were to wait until 18-24 months to breed, the chances are very great that a congenital liver shunt would have already manifested itself. Since testing does not reveal whether or not they are a carrier, what exactly is the great importance/value of testing?
It would seem that if the dog were from a line apparently free of liver shunts, and at least 18-24 months old....then the chance of that dog passing on a congenital shunt is very, very small.
Please understand that I'm not looking for an excuse for breeders not to do needed testing....I am just trying to get clear in my mind the real reasons/need for such testing. It appears that, in the situation I described, it would be more for peace of mind than due to actual high risk of passing on a shunt.
Any links to articles, etc. and other thoughts would be appreciated. |
Good reasoning...
You might find some good info on the University of Tennessee's Liver Shunt website.
I would choose to test because nobody has solid answers (from what I've read) about this disease genetically. It has been know to skip TEN generations. LS does usually show by a year old but it has been diagnosed at age eight. Microvascular Dysplasia is also a concern. It is often asymptomatic and not diagnosed until later in life. These dogs shouldn't be bred either. Yorkies are thirty-six times more likely to have LS than all other breeds put together, so I appreciate when breeders go the extra mile and test their dogs (even if they know their fine).