If you have followed my blog at all, you know that I do not condone inbreeding or even linebreeding within the Standard Poodle breed. I attempt to keep my Coefficient of Inbreeding (COI) below 6% (this would be like having kids with a second cousin in humans) and have done a really good job in recent years of staying well below even that figure. Because of the heavy inbreeding that was done in the 50’s, the use of Popular Studs, then the exportation of dogs around the world, we now suffer a shortage of dogs that are not closely related. Breeders around the world have looked to North America for their next Champion. Puppy mills did their best to grab a few top winner kids to add to their breeding programs. Even the person breeding pet poodles next door sought out an AKC Champion or two. You would think this would be a good thing, but what has happened is people discarded dogs who are not the current ‘ideal poodle look’ for the dogs who are winning in the ring. A Championship title sells puppies, so everyone has jumped into breeding dogs that will appeal to the public. This has resulted in almost every Standard Poodle world wide going back to the same founders, a handful of dogs from a specific kennel called “Wycliffe”. We have termed this the “Wycliffe influence“.
Why exactly is this bad? There are several theories. One idea is that our dogs have become so closely related that they all have similar immune systems, leading us to see so many autoimmune related diseases. Most Standard Poodles, world wide, share a similar immune system. Last year I sent in 5 DNA samples from my dogs to test their immune systems to see where I stood compared to the average Population of Standard Poodles.
Below is the results and letter I was sent. Before you read this you need to understand that most Standard Poodles are Haplotypes 1 and 1. To get something other than 1 and 1 is fairly rare and pretty exciting. This is a little long and a bit wordy, but please take the time to read though. My comments are in RED
——————————————————
The Poodle Club of Canada Study investigating Dog Leucocyte Antigen (class II) variations in Poodles
Aug 14, 2013
Dear Becky:
Haplotypes found in Standard Poodles:
|
Haplotype |
DRB1 |
DQA1 |
DQB1 |
|
Haplotype |
DRB1 |
DQA1 |
DQB1 |
|
1 |
01501 |
00601 |
02301 |
|
14 |
00201 |
00901 |
00101 |
|
2 |
00601 |
005011 |
00701 |
|
16 |
01501 |
00601 |
04901 |
|
3 |
01502 |
00601 |
02301 |
|
22 |
02001 |
00401 |
01303 |
|
4 |
01503 |
00601 |
02301 |
|
26 |
01201 |
00401 |
013017 |
|
5 |
00101 |
00101 |
00201 |
|
27 |
01101 |
00201 |
01302 |
|
6 |
01501 |
00901 |
00101 |
|
28 |
01801 |
00101 |
00802 |
|
7 |
00101 |
00101 |
03601 |
|
29 |
10301 |
00101 |
00802 |
|
8 |
01301 |
00101 |
00201 |
|
30 |
01501 |
00601 |
02201 |
|
11 |
00901 |
00101 |
008011 |
|
31 |
001v |
00101 |
00201 |
Here are the results for your dog(s):
|
PCCHS# |
Name |
Haplotypes |
# different gene alleles |
|
187 |
Karbits Energizer FLASH 3/4 German, 1/2 Klein |
6 and 28 |
6 |
|
189 |
Anutta Mystical Princess – ZELDA (Flash x Rain daughter. Flash gave the 28) |
1 and 28 |
6 |
|
377 |
Anutta Lady Liberty LIBBY (Zelda x River daughter. Zelda gave the 28. River the 6) |
6 and 28 |
6 |
|
378 |
Anutta Splash of Curiosity GEORGIE (Levi x Rain) Levi was tested and is a 1 and 1 as well. Due to Rain’s bloodlines I am assuming she was a 1 and 1, but tested Georgie to be sure. |
1 and 1 |
3 |
|
436 |
Anutta Commander in Chief QUINCY (Bree x Bret) Because River has the 6 gene, Quincy has a chance at a 6 on both sides of his pedigree. I’m not exactly sure which side gave him the 6 but I will take it!! |
6 and 1 |
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thank you for participating in the Poodle Club of Canada’s Study investigating the Poodle Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), specifically in trying to locate as many DLA haplotypes (immune system variations) as can be identified within the breed. This Study was conducted by Dr. Lorna Kennedy, Senior Scientist at the Centre for Integrated Genomic Medical Research at the University of Manchester, UK. and supported in part by a grant from Royal Canin (Canada).
When the PCC set up this Study in 2010, the hope among geneticists was that this DLA test would indicate how much diversity remained in the rest of a dog’s individual genome; research in the last three years has called that idea into question. As usual, things are more complex than first supposed! However, a recent review of many MHC studies has indicated that the test is still valuable for those populations which are highly inbred and lack diversity. Two research studies from Dr. Pedersen at UC Davis indicate that the Standard Poodle should be classed among those populations lacking sufficient diversity (6% left) to be considered sustainable. A more accurate picture of whether an individual dog has inherited sufficient diversity to have a healthy immune system is still to be developed, but the work is close to completion by different teams in Europe and the US.
What do these test results tell you?
The Dog Leucocyte Antigen (class II) genes are the part of the immune system which fight infections, including some cancers. These genes are unlike any others; the linked article by Dr. Heather Lorimer explains how they work (even though it is written for cat breeders!) Think Lego blocks.
<http://pawpeds.com/MCO/mchs/articles/lorimer.html>
Therefore, it is better to inherit two different DLA variations (haplotypes) than the same one.
There is NO preference for any specific DLA variation.
There IS a preference for DLA haplotype combinations which include 6, rather than 5 or 4 individual gene alleles (more chance to have codes to fight infections).
That’s it for now. (Check the PCC’s website or the StandardPoodleProject for further information.)
Mary Jane T. Weir
Health Officer, Poodle Club of Canada
Carol Dureault, member, Health committee
————————————————————
Centre for Integrated Genomic Medical Research
University of Manchester
Dr Lorna Kennedy
Senior Scientist February 2012
Use of MHC data in mate selection
I do not endorse the use of MHC data in mate selection, since we have no idea what the effects might be of changing MHC profiles within a breed.
It is likely that some haplotypes are rare because they are actually detrimental in some way.
However, there is some evidence in humans that mating between people who are both homozygous for the same MHC haplotype results in an increased risk of spontaneous abortion.
So my suggested use for MHC in mate selection is as follows:
Choose several sires for your bitch, based on your usual criteria.
If your bitch is homozygous for MHC e.g. 1/1,
then you could use MHC to avoid a sire that is homozygous for 1/1.
However, if all the sires are the same MHC, then it does not matter which one you choose.
If your bitch is not homozygous, then you do not need to use MHC in your mate selection.
It is much more important to avoid mating two dogs that are either both affected with the same disease or both have first degree relatives with the same disease.
There is no reason to exclude homozygous dogs from mating, and it is perfectly acceptable to sell homozygous dogs.
Homozygous dogs may be slightly less able to respond to particular immune challenges such as infection, but since other genes also contribute to these processes, lack of variety at the MHC is not enough of a reason to exclude these dogs from the gene pool.
The gene pool in any dog breed is fairly limited, so excluding dogs from the gene pool has to be very carefully considered.
=========================================================================
What does all this mean? We are not sure. BUT I hope it means my breeding choices are a little less mainstream, that I am improving the immune system in my breed ever so slightly. I will not know if this is indeed the case for about 10 years, until the younger dogs start to age out. It is vitally important that everyone who has a puppy of mine keep me posted on their health. Do they have a sensitive tummy? Ear infections? Are they slowing down before you feel they are really ‘oldsters’? All these are signs of auto-immune related issues. Things you feel are minor might give me a clue as to the long term health of my breeding program.
I will continue to seek out rarer haplotype dogs who comes from health tested parents and use these dogs in my program in an educated manner. Haplotype testing is a TOOL in a breeders arsenal and should not be the focus of any breeding program.
Please read my post from yesterday concerning Population Genetics for more thoughts on how I hope to progress with my Poodles.
~Becky