224: Characterizing Idiopathic Epilepsy in the Poodle, Giant Schnauzer, English Mastiff: An Assessment of Inheritance
Grant Status: Closed
Abstract
Idiopathic epilepsy afflicts many dogs, in fact, epilepsy is listed as being a major health concern by 35 Parent Clubs. In some breeds, epilepsy has been established to be an inherited disorder although the mode of inheritance differs. For the Poodle, Giant Schnauzer, and English Mastiff, three breeds in which epilepsy is a recognized health concern, the mode of inheritance, heritability and relative incidence have not been defined. Collection of health information, pedigrees and DNA samples will provide the necessary data needed to characterize this disorder in these breeds. Survey data describing the characteristics of the seizures (frequency, age of onset, and intensity) will be collected and statistically analyzed to generate reliable heritability estimates of seizuring. Once we have determined how heritable epilepsy is within these breeds, more advanced statistical procedures will be employed to ascertain whether epilepsy is a complex disorder involving many genes or whether a single gene regulates the seizures. If the statistical analyses suggest a major gene affects the seizures within each breed, then it becomes possible to identify a genetic marker linked to that gene. Determining heritability and mode of inheritance of epilepsy in the Poodle, Giant Schnauzer, and English Mastiff will prove valuable for breeders to make informed, health-based breeding decisions.
Publication(s)
None at this time.
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