Lupoid Dermatosis in the German Shorthaired PointerLupoid dermatosis is a form of lupus also known as exfoliative cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Signs of this inherited condition, including dry, flaky skin, can appear as early as 8 weeks of age. As the disease progresses, it results in painful crusts and lesions on the face, back and ears, along with hair loss. These lesions open the skin up to bacterial or fungal infections, and they are extremely itchy and painful for the pup. This disease may also cause a pup to become lame due to joint pain; it can even lead to renal failure. Because no cure exists, treatments tend to focus on relieving the discomfort the ailment causes.
It's All in the DNALupoid dermatosis is a type of autosomal recessive condition because it results from a genetic mutation that runs specifically in the German shorthaired pointer breed. Just because a pup carries the mutated gene for this condition doesn't mean he will suffer from it. To suffer from this disease, a pup must inherit a mutated gene from each of his parents. For this reason, genetic testing is recommended to prevent two carriers of the gene from mating, which otherwise would result in about 25 percent of the offspring suffering from the disease. DNA testing is not perfect, but it can give you an idea of whether or not your pup is a carrier of the disease.
Diagnosing and Dealing With Lupoid DermatosisLupoid dermatosis first appeared around the 1990s but may date back to the 1970s, according to Purina. Most pooches diagnosed with this condition are euthanized by 4 years of age due to the pain and recurrent skin infections it causes, according to an April 2011 study published in "Immunogenetics." Some pups may live longer if they suffer from a milder form of the disease. The only definitive way to diagnose this condition is for your vet to take blood tests, skin scrapings and skin biopsies. She may also perform bacterial and fungal cultures of the skin. After diagnosis, your vet can formulate a treatment plan for your pooch that may include the use of medicated shampoos and steroids to treat the skin.
Testing for Lupoid Dermatosis and Possible TreatmentIf your German shorthaired pointer is diagnosed with lupoid dermatosis, he should not breed. Carriers of the mutated gene can breed only with specimens that don't carry the gene. When purchasing a pup from a breeder, ask whether the pups and parents were DNA-tested for the disease. This test, available through the University of Pennsylvania, requires only a cheek swab. If a pup is diagnosed with the disease at an early age, treatment with hydroxychloroquine may halt progression, according to a paper published in the Lonestar German Shorthaired Pointer Club newsletter.
Lupoid Dermatitis, or LD is a form of Lupus and only found is German Shorthairs, and it would seem the Braque du Boubonnais. Does this sound right or what do you think? I just got off the phone (Jan. 3, 2018) with a researcher (Karthik) from PennGen who returned my phone call. This is what I got from our conversation. There is no test that will identify the mutation at this time, there is a test to identify a marker. It is not known when the mutation test will be found. Karthik told me that 500 dogs tested mainly from the United States gave the following information. Approx. 35 percent test for the marker which is equal to being a carrier. 13 dogs or approx. 3 percent tested as being effected with LD. Considering that only about 3 percent of GSPs test as carriers of Von Willebrand II, this 3 percent testing as effected for LD is huge.
The recommendation by PennGen at this time is not to stop breeding dogs that test positive for the marker, but not to breed two carriers together. They do not go on to recommend eliminating the 50% of puppies from that breeding from further breeding. It seems the reasonable thing to do would be to test every puppy from such a breeding and eliminate every carrier as further breeders.
When asked of Karthik about where LD came from or identifying the the carriers responsible for this Karthik said that the one of the other breeds they are looking at is the French pointer the Braque du Bourbonnais. I am aware of the use of French pointers in the make up of the German Shorthair but weather this is a link or not I have no idea. Mutations happen in a breed and this LD could be a mutation that does not involve another breed.
I made it a point to ask Karthik if it was possible for a puppy to be a carrier of LD if both the parents were cleared as carriers themselves? Or if two non carries could produce a carrier? Karthik said that would not be possible. Some error in testing would account for that.
What do you think?
It's All in the DNALupoid dermatosis is a type of autosomal recessive condition because it results from a genetic mutation that runs specifically in the German shorthaired pointer breed. Just because a pup carries the mutated gene for this condition doesn't mean he will suffer from it. To suffer from this disease, a pup must inherit a mutated gene from each of his parents. For this reason, genetic testing is recommended to prevent two carriers of the gene from mating, which otherwise would result in about 25 percent of the offspring suffering from the disease. DNA testing is not perfect, but it can give you an idea of whether or not your pup is a carrier of the disease.
Diagnosing and Dealing With Lupoid DermatosisLupoid dermatosis first appeared around the 1990s but may date back to the 1970s, according to Purina. Most pooches diagnosed with this condition are euthanized by 4 years of age due to the pain and recurrent skin infections it causes, according to an April 2011 study published in "Immunogenetics." Some pups may live longer if they suffer from a milder form of the disease. The only definitive way to diagnose this condition is for your vet to take blood tests, skin scrapings and skin biopsies. She may also perform bacterial and fungal cultures of the skin. After diagnosis, your vet can formulate a treatment plan for your pooch that may include the use of medicated shampoos and steroids to treat the skin.
Testing for Lupoid Dermatosis and Possible TreatmentIf your German shorthaired pointer is diagnosed with lupoid dermatosis, he should not breed. Carriers of the mutated gene can breed only with specimens that don't carry the gene. When purchasing a pup from a breeder, ask whether the pups and parents were DNA-tested for the disease. This test, available through the University of Pennsylvania, requires only a cheek swab. If a pup is diagnosed with the disease at an early age, treatment with hydroxychloroquine may halt progression, according to a paper published in the Lonestar German Shorthaired Pointer Club newsletter.
Lupoid Dermatitis, or LD is a form of Lupus and only found is German Shorthairs, and it would seem the Braque du Boubonnais. Does this sound right or what do you think? I just got off the phone (Jan. 3, 2018) with a researcher (Karthik) from PennGen who returned my phone call. This is what I got from our conversation. There is no test that will identify the mutation at this time, there is a test to identify a marker. It is not known when the mutation test will be found. Karthik told me that 500 dogs tested mainly from the United States gave the following information. Approx. 35 percent test for the marker which is equal to being a carrier. 13 dogs or approx. 3 percent tested as being effected with LD. Considering that only about 3 percent of GSPs test as carriers of Von Willebrand II, this 3 percent testing as effected for LD is huge.
The recommendation by PennGen at this time is not to stop breeding dogs that test positive for the marker, but not to breed two carriers together. They do not go on to recommend eliminating the 50% of puppies from that breeding from further breeding. It seems the reasonable thing to do would be to test every puppy from such a breeding and eliminate every carrier as further breeders.
When asked of Karthik about where LD came from or identifying the the carriers responsible for this Karthik said that the one of the other breeds they are looking at is the French pointer the Braque du Bourbonnais. I am aware of the use of French pointers in the make up of the German Shorthair but weather this is a link or not I have no idea. Mutations happen in a breed and this LD could be a mutation that does not involve another breed.
I made it a point to ask Karthik if it was possible for a puppy to be a carrier of LD if both the parents were cleared as carriers themselves? Or if two non carries could produce a carrier? Karthik said that would not be possible. Some error in testing would account for that.
What do you think?