Biewers Accepted Into Cornell University’s Liver Shunt Study
Permission to cross post: Please feel free to share this information.
The BYTNC is pleased to announce the inclusion of the Biewer Yorkshire Terrier into Dr. Sharon Center’s study of liver shunt. We are hopeful through this study that Dr. Center can find the DNA marker to help eliminate liver shunt in this beautiful breed. The BYTNC is committed and dedicated to this goal and as such we are kicking off our fundraiser for liver shunt at the IABCA in Orlando, Fl this weekend (
IABCA 2.0) where Dr. Donald J. Jones, 2008 Westminster BIS judge will be judging our Biewer Specialty. We hope all breeders will enter into this study for the betterment of the breed. Please share Dr. Center’s following letter to the BYTNC with all Biewer breeders.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The BYTNC has been in contact with Dr. Sharon Center at Cornell University and we have been asked to coordinate the participation of the Biewer breed in the clinical study being conducted on the genotyping of Portosystemic shunt (portosystemic vascular anomaly (PSVA) also known as Liver Shunt)/ microvascular dysplasia (MVD). Dr Center developed the bile acid test to determine the presence of PSVA and MVD in dogs and is working to identify DNA markers that may enable development of a genetic test for the PSVA/MVD trait. Linkage between the PSVA/MVD trait and a common chromosomal region has been demonstrated in several breeds. This AKC supported project is entering the phase of fine gene mapping using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Inclusion of more breeds in the study will help narrow the DNA region requiring fine mapping. We hope that everyone will participate, regardless of affiliation, to expand the breed-wide data regarding this trait. Participation of the Biewer breed should be viewed as a proactive step towards eventual eradication of this heartbreaking disorder.
Samples are being solicited from dogs affiliated with informative pedigrees (3 generation pedigrees, multiple offspring per parent pair) in which dogs are available for bile acid testing and DNA sampling. Each dog will need to have paired serum bile acid measurements (a sample before a routine meal, a sample 2-hrs after a routine meal) for phenotype designation. All Biewers are welcome to participate including known affected subjects (dogs with high bile acid concentrations attributable to PSVA/MVD) and non-affected individuals. Information is kept strictly confidential. Individuals interested in participating are welcome to contact Dr. Center via her email (sac6@cornell.edu)
providing your name, phone number, and a general description of your pedigree and availability of dogs for testing.
Sincerely,
Sharon Center
Sharon A. Center, DVM, DiplACVIM
Professor
Department of Clinical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
Fax: 607-253-3788