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Sunday, March 26, 2006

Blood Samples Needed From Epileptic Dogs

UPDATED MARCH 2006: Dr. Yuri F. Melekhovets, Laboratory Director of HealthGene Corp., Toronto, Canada, has announced that his group has located the gene responsible for producing inherited epilepsy in canines.

HealthGene Corporation is the largest private veterinary DNA diagnostic and research laboratory in Canada. DNA-based testing for animal infectious and genetic diseases.


HealthGene now is studying the various mutations that produce different forms of epilepsy in different breeds. Dr. Melekhovets requests that owners of dogs with epilepsy submit blood samples to further that research.

Samples should come from dogs which have been medically diagnosed with epilepsy or have had symptoms of epilepsy for at least two years. Two vials of blood samples per dog should be sent in lavender topped tubes, together with a pedigree and brief health history (whether it has seizures, when they started, whether they are mild or severe, and what type of diagnostics have been performed).

Send the samples by FedEx, using HealthGene's account number (#238368138),
using FedEx's International Air Waybill with the following information for "Shipment Information":

a) Commodity description: "Canine Blood Samples for DNA Testing";

b) Total Declared Value for Customs is $1.00;
c) international first; and
d) 3 copies commercial invoice.

Send the vials to this address:

HealthGene Laboratory

2175 Keele Street
Toronto, Ontario M6M 3Z4 Canada

Dr. Melekhovets may be contacted at:

telephone: 905-669-5399;
fax: 905-669-2235;
email:
dr.melekhovets@healthgene.com
Source http://www.cavalierhealth.org/epilepsy.htm

Veterinary Resources:

Control of Canine Genetic Diseases, Padgett, G.A., Howell Book House 1998, pp. 198-199, 235.

Inheritance of occipital bone hypoplasia (Chiari type I malformation) in Cavalier King Charles spaniels, Rusbridge C., Knowler S. P.; J. Vety.Int. Med. 18, 673-678 (2004)

"Seizures" (Podell, M.) in: Manual of Small Animal Neurology, 3d ed. Editors Olby N., Platt S., British Small Animal Vety Assn(2004). pp 97-112.

Neurological diseases of the Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Rusbridge, C. J Small Animal Practice, June 2005, 46(6): 265-272(8).

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