CavalierCampaign.com
Campaign to improve the health of Pedigree Dogs
Breeding Values
Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) - An Effort to Save the Cavalier Breed
A way to breed away from inherited disease in all dog breeds?
Groundbreaking research for dogs is taking place at the Animal Health Trust, under Dr Sarah Blott and Dr Tom Lewis, to provide Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) for all Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in the UK.
The aim of this project is to develop strategies for breeders for selection against disease while safeguarding the long term health of a breed by maintaining genetic diversity.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed suffers from two very widespread and serious genetic diseases: Heart Disease (Mitral Valve Disease, MVD) and Chiari-like malformation/Syringomyelia (CM/SM). The breed also has lower incidences of Episodic Falling Syndrome, Dry Eye Curly Coat Syndrome, Epilepsy, Deafness, Eye Disease (Multifocal Retinal Dysplasia, MRD) and Pancreatic Disease.
With so many inherited health problems and the two most serious at such a high level of incidence, attempting to eliminate them would reduce the gene pool to a dangerous level. The work at the AHT aims to provide breeders with tools to 'optimise' the choice of dogs so that there is low risk of serious genetic disease in the offspring and genetic diversity is maintained at a sustainable level.
How is this done?
In order to provide the Cavalier breed with EBVs for its entire registered population, a huge amount of health data needs to be collected and the pedigree of the dogs known. The health data is correctly termed 'phenotypic measurements'.
A dog's phenotype is what we see in the dog. It includes its physical characteristics, clinical signs, and also heart test results, eye test results and MRI scan (Syringomyelia) information.
The DNA research of Dr Clare Rusbridge and Penny Knowler collated over several years has provided a large database of phenotypic information, DNA and pedigrees for Syringomyelia. The database holds 11,800 related dogs, including over 700 MRI confirmed dogs and over 1,500 DNA samples.
Building on this database, additional health data and DNA is currently being collected by Drs Sarah Blott and Tom Lewis. Initially EBVs will be provided for Syringomyelia and Mitral Valve Disease but as data on other health problems builds up, other diseases will be taken into account as well.
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