Frequently asked questions
1. What happens with all the info?
We must understand that all info is important just for the research team in order to get an idea about the heritage of epilepsy in our breed and to develop a gene-test. It is out of the question that this info will be abused for creating suspicions on breeders or single dogs of those days, or of the past. It is important to look forward and giving breeders the tool for avoiding epilepsy in the future.
No one else but the research team of Dr. Hannes Lohi will get to know which dogs are involved.
2. What blood is needed why?
DNA will be isolated out of the blood sample. Comparing DNA from effected dogs with DNA from healthy dogs (control samples) will show the differences in the DNA. This is how the gene(s) can be found.
Siblings are the closest relatives. Therefore blood of an affected dog plus the blood of one healthy sibling (=sib-pairs) are the most needed blood samples. A sib-pair shares many same genes and just few different ones, in which the disease genes are to be found. Sib-pairs from different lines (far related) ease the gene detection.
3. Why are pedigrees needed?
Dr.Lohi will create a net of pedigrees. The relation of effected dogs, the amount of effected dogs and the litter size, the sex and the relation of their ancestors gives Dr.Lohi an idea, what to look for, how many genes might be involved and how to plan further steps.
Once the gene is found Dr.Lohi will test potential carriers out of this pedigree-net. Therefore the pedigree-net is an essentail tool in developing a gene test. Therefore it is a MUST that breeders/owners give correct and complete information to the research team! This information is kept highly confidential.
The research team has to know all known cases of epilepsy in dalmatians, also from many years ago and from dead dogs or differnt lines.
With this info they can see how the genes are carried through many generations and give better general breeding recommendations.
4. What about uncleared cases of epilepsy?
The diagnosis "idiopathic epilepsy" (=primary epilepsy) means that no cause for epilepsy is found such as :
- Congenital hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
- Hypothyroidism (low thyroid)
- brain damage caused by infections (such as canine distemper, Cryptococcosis,)
- Ingestion of toxins
- Brain tumors
- Portosystemic shunts
This means that the dog has gone through many tests until this diagnosis is given. It is expensive to do all this tests (approx. 800 Euros) and maybe uncomfortable for the dog and the owner.
We encourage every breeder/owner of an epileptic dog to invest this money since the result is extremly important and essential for this genetic study of epilepsy and therfore for the future health of dalmatians worldwide!
All dalmatians of the Finnish and American pedigree have been examined completley and diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy.
If you own a dog that has not undergone all test, please contact Dr. Hannes Lohi anyway.
5. Do all dalmatians share the same epilepsy-genes?
Outcross combinations (of different lines, of different countries and even from different continents) have also left puppies with idiopatic epilepsy.
Dalmatians have been created by inbreeding a special type of wolves/dogs due to their outward appearance.
Comparing pedigrees of dalmatians from different European lines and countries that participate in this research study (either as affected dog or as a healthy old dog that has never shown any symptoms of epilepsy) show common ancestors in 6th, 7th or 8th generation.
Email: epidal@dalmatiner.org