After years of waiting, the results are in. The Havanese Genetics Project, which is ongoing at TAMU, under the direction of Dr Keith Murphy, has published their preliminary findings in the prestigious Journal of Heredity. One of over 200 papers presented at at the 3rd International Conference on the Advances in Canine and Feline Genomics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, August 3–5, 2006, it was one of only 5 papers selected to grace the cover of this noted scientific journal. This is a great honor and accomplishment for Dr Murphy's lab which is well known for great research (such as identifying the gene responsible for merle, a color pattern which is associated with other health issues.) The link to the paper abstract is:
Hereditary Evaluation of Multiple Developmental Abnormalities in the Havanese Dog BreedSo what does this have to do with our Silk Dogs? It was this research, and the studies leading up to it that started us down the Silk Road! With the publication of this paper, our premise that chondrodysplasia is associated with other serious health issues has been validated. One of the saddest parts of my veterinary profession is dealing with heartbroken owners of seriously ill dogs who have conditions that adversely affect quality of life and, in some cases, life itself. To find a path that has significant promise of reducing, or eliminating, serious health issues in our dogs is so exciting...the Silk Road appears to have a Sunny future indeed!
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