This is how EVERYONE can help
In order to be able to perform this study EPIDAL needs support from other European countries.
MOST WANTED:
- financial support for the main project and EPIDAL
- blood samples
- disease diaries
- Info from breeders
- forwarding info concerning this study
Financial support
This kind of research is very expensive and needs financial support! The Hereditary Diseases Research Support Association, PeSaTu ry, is a non-profit fundraising association formed to fund, foster and promote genetic research of hereditary diseases from dogs. The goal of the association is to increase the awareness of hereditary diseases and the need for funds to support scientific research. More about PeSaTu: http://www.pesatu.fi/indexeng.html
Instruction for financial donation
Blood samples
In order to locate the gene(s) the research team needs more blood samples of dalmatians that suffer from ideopatic epilepsy plus blood of their litter mates that are not effected and from both parents.
Please fill also the disease diary!
The research team promises confidentiality concerning names and data (see also FAQ).
Instruction how to send blood samples
Disease Diary:
The research team has developed an epilepsy questionaire that should be filled by every owner of an epileptic dog, of all breeds. It is important to know those details in order to put the genetic background in relation to symptoms and then to be able to optimize the developement of treatments and medication.
The questionaire contains following topics:
- general info about the dog (age, sex, relatives with diagnosed epilpesy etc.)
- general info concerning epilepsy (onset-age etc.)
- questions concerning seizures (periods before, during and after the seizures)
- questions concerning clinical examinations and the dogs general health status
- questions concerning medication and other treatments
http://www.koirangeenit.fi/dmdocuments/EpilepsyQuestionnaire.doc
Please fill this questionaire also if your dogs is not alive anymore.
Info from breeders/owners
Please inform the research leader Dr. Hannes Lohi about your own epilepsy cases, dead or alive- and just your own.
It is important to base this research on correct info, and not on rumors.
If you can, please fill also the Disease Diary as much as you can.
Send all info you have about your dogs to: hannes.lohi (at) helsinki.fi
Spread it around!
Get aware about this chance to erase epilepsy from our breed, and forward this info (via Link or print out) to those, who are willing to help, who could effect something, and last not least to dalmatian owners who have dogs that suffer from idioaptic epilepsy. We are aware of the fact that those owners might have difficulties to talk about their dogs disease and they are not easy to contact via breeders or clubs.
Thank you for your support!
Email: epidal@dalmatiner.org