A DALMATIAN STUDY by Robert H. Schaible, Ph.D. The Genetic Correction ofHealth Problems The following arlicle df!scribes a lell-year research study by Dr. R,merl H. Schaible into a .'erious genelic de/eel ill Da/malialls. It sels Jorth Ihe basis for his requesl for registralioll of two Ii'ler males, a dog and a hilch. These puppies are the fiflh /leneralioll offspring ofa Dalmalian-Poilller bruding. Afive-gelleralioll pedi­ greeJor Ihese dogs j'hows all regislered Dalmatians excepl for one ofIhe 32 allcestors illlhefiJlh generalioll which is a Poilller. Allhe February 10, 1981, mUling of the Board oj Directors of lhe American K.nnel Club, Dr. Schaible's requesljor registralion wo. approved and Ihe dog and bilch will be It/liSlerrd as DalllUJ· lions. IfIhere I.a logical, sdemitit' way /(J corteell/ellefif' heallh prob­ lems anocialed wilh cerlaill breed ,rail. and sliII preserve Ihe ill­ legrity of Ihe breed siandord, il Is Ineumbefll upon Ih. Amertccl/l Keflflel Club to lead Ihe way. -Willi"m F. Stifcl President, Amerieall Kenllel Club ~nd Iriet ~~ h: lion fQr certum truit, dc­ .crs f Ih' Duch!>hulld, Ba :-ct Iiound 'ItiltlbJ- .. K -1'1 tl'J3S) .lh nd Ih.tl ,cribcd in brc~d !ol,mdar<h hll~ fre­ t:kin C!>' breed ecau c tho'>" i1T ed unl­ Ilw iln;""Il~' )1' IIjkl,~wr~\:d Whit.: h:ur Ii! ft rml ' hav' h rt I g~, The genetic ludic, S\jll nIl rcwllcd ill Jli IklOg all an- Dalmali itHy!'c 'put'> w", ' '~\-lllf,'d \\ ItI a imal:> of abreed homo? gouo, for agene that c ndueled by 51 ckard (194 I) indicated ctcfl;TI in the rnl?tabl)lj~m of un' .lud, llll{ t i' :l,,()ciatcd with health fohlcm,' Wll rh' m difyin) gcn Ilsiblc for Ihe !luly in lh· I. ;lhnati' II breed, htH tilth lit types Ilf (IS lltltllions will l C C011sidcr'd ,Inii ht nin of achl1nd apJastic I £1> could "pril rl!<,lIltiilP fllml f).lIrll;,llian (' llll\' II, b U 'Cllinul tcd by clc~tion, Cr '> C~ here: (tJTh' h' lIb prohlem t1f,uklil i nal f bndh l)~ill' b,wh 'w'> Cill' purehl1.'d I .tll ,I h~~ct cftech of Ihe g llC .",,;p It j Ie fOl Ih d '. Hound and errnl1n 'hcphcrdt- pro­ (tim,. In Ih.: fr.'nl'lind'l' III fhc; bm.kcm~, f traiL (2) 'cone! gt>nc which i~ rc· ducceJ 0)'0 ld, that were lfllcrmct.lialc in Ie pmgen " tntcr,pt r,.:d \vhlk h:tir~ III D.llma 'iponsible for III ' h alttl probkrm blink d l'nglh, The Ilyb id were IOler-cro 1>CU to tiall-L;pl.', pot~ were a.. .,()(:i:Il~·J with nOfllhd In (loc;tt d nC..lrby on tlll; 'um' chr l11lJ~OJllc) produce he 1·2 cnc arion whi h approxi­ m~,taboli~n of mi' add III 1971 ill rl197., malely 25 had Ie s of normal I -ngtlt lulhc 'cl1e re pon. Hie for the dC1>ir 'd trail, I I pcaicJ frililbJ' 'Kn:! 'r.;' 'Itl....t''I 'lI1d (homol.ygOUl\ lor the n (mal allele), O,r It if> iJRpoS iblc to di<;tin ui, h ctwccn th ' fund that Ih ~ilJTlC W.'lll 'jaB In... g'liI:I,I!ly, had Il.:g .. of intc In r zy­ two types f,,~ ·talion in purc brc~d<;, Toc 'dtalC length (hel bUI l1ilt ;llw,IY~, ll('CUITC.! !11 the; t ut'kno ,ot sj and 25 ' hOld short lc ',> (h }mOL :gou .. desircd brc d tnlit is nlwu. s pr<;.~cn(. Ilu" [11\)),len). Ikt;w",,: thl' 'omrn"llloll 1'1' thl' for acnondtopla if!) _ The Ie wcr' .. J !hl'nt J" I\() oppoftunit r health probkms l'li.l£\ of ('rdlit:<. .1Ild I)a!lll,lli:m, hfl'n'd 'Il cwoked in s me of the :.horl-!egg'd am­ dt:t'rmmcd by ,I sc ond cnc t~) ocelli !lllt\:h II W:.\' [111·,0,11111' lilld ,,;\II;HI\11l in lilt.! Illal that the) were crippled, pp ..m.:fHly, with(lllt the desired trait, CVCIl If the <;. ond (' lah 1I11)!ht hoWl' bud ,Ill dkct 1I11h~' di,tll the ml) ifY10g g 'n'~ wcr' n01 ng 'r Ilrc\,cnt gt't1e clI.iswd, 'rns!.cs to ore 'ct, which d hUlitl1l of wlillt' h.l/l\ wltllllllh.. D,I!m;tti<l1l ill adcql,la!c numb 'I s or tht: right o,;OIl1\'llna­ ne! hu c til' dc:-ircd truit ,nd walth prol' typ' "[Jotl> ot the had-,ll' '.. , pru, ~l'll\ nil.: tit11l in lhe F gcnt:ratiot} l<' Ix effective In It'Hl' arc ·qlllfCI.! to di IIf\.gui:-h belw 'en lh ' 2 . 111ic W' <. 1101 {he hl.:~{ 'lIllie' ul breed 1\1 typc~ l~ :-traighl 'ning th\,' chfJndropJn~li I'gs, Two two f 0 iUlion, 1I~0 in ~'l.'n\;tt~' dll,i/ ~h ~ondusI(1n 'nil bt.: d awn from lhe brccdlO ' In II}, ~ i47t,. II 'r~'all:d Ih~ hrn.' lmgc\· Two e ample, of brc·j t aill> tllal hav~' c refunen£:,: (I 'he. -rm<t.n ShcphnJ 11l:11l1t'lll<, Ug;1l11 ~\i: 'Il! lha! Ih<: )).I!Ill'III'lll il dated health prQhlcm. und (l dill' tent c ntnbulcd fe or n modifie.r~ ,n It)' ;I~ crn""t:d t(l I" nc:uc:-l rd.llih:, llie rl]­ III <ln~ of g '11 ,tic (; rrc tinlt in clIch 1:. all­ ,lraightcning pI Jcht n(lro lastl~ I 'g:- b~'~ ~li'h PIll! It'r, {1 Willillil/': \!I'llt'!IC difln ph: 1\ lit bl: disCll~scd, In the fil)\ ' ample. "IU~C there had n '\'~r been a need lor eket· em: ' .. l'\C: pI Illr tiJ~ \,:;11 "I gl.'nt: (\IlHH,l ad\<lndrvpla ia, tilt' I}P of "!>so iati n h (If Ifi lito!>' mll.h!lcl~ in Ihe t rcc Ilfl/:! of l.'f­ iinf( uri,' ..... id lllC:li1hnlt"Il1IS 'h,!ibk 1'11(1) liuk Jrllcocal importllnce bccau<,('" '!cellon m,lO Shepherd .. , (2) Sclccli II for Thl.· hyhrnJ llff pI III 1 had !l,mn;d IIII'Wb\, bu'- appll 'nlly b 'en ~ucl:c:-<,rul in dinunal InOJlt mg gClll.'s il1 3, I H ulllhhad wen Ii. flt or 1I1 ic a 'id .Ill Im,dl It 'k "p,Jt~ '1111­ 109 h' heliith IJ nl'>l 'Ill~, ut in the ~eQnd a !lU ·,~~ .. ful m~'an of COl celing the health I;lillj[l~! inh.:r..p<.'! "cd \\ hilt: lhll(~ ITI!: ll. t:'Aull1pl " [ allll,ttiao-typ' "'1' llin, ekc­ proDlcm ... (nippling) ,10, .. J(:iatcd \\ it!t .1 II \'th 'II rill! h 'hral ;n lln~d .. wt:r' h' d.er l....cd ,ion tll~ llot h' 'n 'l'fcctive, Ilnwin!! th'lt nmdropla ia, III l)almati,Ul:-. It IJl' til, 'II \llhpllli~' the health pm len. art' attrihutable to: _,"C­ ! IlL'Uri ' Ill,' \.·X]I ','l·"d 50'. I had lI1>flllal HIe ond ' 'I1C in lil ' lallcr ' nl1lpk, provid :,' the {'rill Dahnntian-lypc Spoltin/, ry 1;I!ilJlbll lit' uric,an I HUI ,,11 {hI: It' \ nc ba"l~ for olfr 'rl'nl .lpproaches to tl1 • g 'l1cll-= Stunr.; alld Ilives e cepfllllls Ul fti'llhk x Kl'dl'}'~ l,h"CIV.1 corm:tiolt\ II lht: problem. ~ r~lll. l)all11<ltiam 'n ,Ire horn \\ ith I ur' !lOll-- III Ihat Ihll~\' ' !l,llt f'\\ III l\iI \\ Illll' k~s) {ho~c ;\chondruplus.ja (..flort, !towed willi' hall' b 'C,IUhC Ihat tI hav' hairs illl('Co,p T.,l.:d within Ilw l)ahHali;Il!' A b 'ne that i.. r,,:spOll'olhk fur Idwll(.Irn pillchc~ of pi mcnl(lar e '[XI\'; lik<,: Iho~t: ol lyre spnh. 'I Ill.' h,lkm III ' (('1n 'lll'o'IHh arc pl.t~la ~ccms to b~' hOnHl1.y 'OU' io ,dIm m lit· tn:fi. II oinl 'f Hnd B IHan) Spani '1) h:hPd on tll " 're II!! : ( f l /\h,l.'(\(:c "f Inkl af' u~ul:llly nul fI:laincd tor hrcctllll '. 1an "I' '["cd whIle I "if ill I ):dlll~ltl.HH\ r ' .p,'t... fI Sl liM', A,I.,i'Jalll of tit' Dalrnali,IIHypc ~POI~ • ~ pl'l<cnt 10 Rolwl't Ii l'iIl . " an ill Ilill an .ldditlfltl.l! rlfl','1 III Ill: g,'nc re 11rujes.\IIr oj Mt'du (/1 (iI'lH'(ln (I( Indiallll Ih,' ~kin at hmh lIUllhe 'd not JppcaJ 10 lh' "pilI!. il>l.: for llll' ",'kd ill til it: ;\l'ld 11ll'lab<J­ lIil'eni!) ,." I oj '!<'dKin(', 1<'1/( hmN hail c it liHul ahlJut two wed., 01 31le. TI1l' li'>lll. l~) Ih: atl';;f1I'C III Ill! 'I"pe;r... , j willIe .I(W/lt/-veur I/It.'dind ,(/((1<'11(,\, 1\ gradllll(1' ::.pol.. ~ctlm ' fully f igm~ntcd, Fe\~, it an>'. hlli , In Dahn,t!l;m I 'i'lr ~P"h i., 11lJ' 'He ·t <II ,{eilit ratio Slw('ll"ivt'I'"irl'. Ill' ('lIrt/cd II/I while h,urs <.Ire lIlter, per 'd l!l!(lu'lt the dl/(WftI(t (JI !01l11 ,'((llf ('nil ni(\, .rllI 1'1' he u .era al 'nxes>;j .<: ",'ne. (.\) rhe I, '.,liOll' ~po i-. ; Idl.:llfl· alntO<'\ .III oj the '\-hll' /lILljon,r/ lrI 1('1/('11('.\, /limo/I'd ill (/1111/1(11 (llll'l hI!' h\J11l gVllt'" ;jf(- dlht' (0..' ·til 'lOll III ' haUl< uf Ih' hlrth c al lox:a( 'd \\ Jlhm tht brt'cdill~ (lIId l't'rwIJf'(/t(' l'mbn(l/t gl, 'hIll It chI <1 nlO\11 IH '\'-'!ll\dy lillh.c.l) [.ll Ah ~rob are r 'pitt· 'd with pi ~mcntcd hall'> <I!1 Nil a~'(kft(lill.\ inc/lldt' (/ [lrJ\Ir/O('(f/I ,1/ jd.