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. 2015 Feb 11:2:3.
doi: 10.1186/s40575-015-0014-9. eCollection 2015.

The challenges of pedigree dog health: approaches to combating inherited disease

Lindsay L Farrell  1 , Jeffrey J Schoenebeck  1 , Pamela Wiener  1 , Dylan N Clements  1 , Kim M Summers  1
Affiliations

The challenges of pedigree dog health: approaches to combating inherited disease

Lindsay L Farrell et al. Canine Genet Epidemiol. .

Abstract

The issue of inherited disorders and poor health in pedigree dogs has been widely discussed in recent years. With the advent of genome-wide sequencing technologies and the increasing development of new diagnostic DNA disease tests, the full extent and prevalence of inherited disorders in pedigree dogs is now being realized. In this review we discuss the challenges facing pedigree dog breeds: the common pitfalls and problems associated with combating single gene mediated disorders, phenotypic selection on complex disorders, and ways of managing genetic diversity. Breeding strategies incorporating screening schemes have been shown to be successful in significantly reducing the prevalence of an inherited disorder and improving the overall health in certain breeds. However, with 215 breeds officially recognized by the Kennel Club in the United Kingdom and 396 inherited disorders currently identified, many breeds have reached the point at which successfully breeding away from susceptible individuals at a population-wide scale will require new genomic selection strategies in combination with currently available breeding schemes. Whilst DNA-based tests identifying disease causing mutation(s) remain the most informative and effective approach for single gene disorder disease management, they must be used along with current screening schemes, genomic selection, and pedigree information in breeding programs in the effort to maintain genetic diversity while also significantly reducing the number of inherited disorders in pedigree dogs.

Keywords: Dog; Health; Inherited disorders.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Grouping of purebred dog breeds. The 215 breeds recognized by the UK Kennel Club are classified into 7 groups, designated by the original function of the breed. The sizes of the sectors of the pie chart represent the number of breeds within each group category. The Hound Group includes dogs used for hunting. The Gundog Group includes dogs used for hunting game birds, scent tracking and retrieving game. The Terrier Group are dogs used to catch vermin or foxes. The Utility Group are dogs that were traditionally used for working or guarding, but today they are largely companion animals. The Working Group are dogs used for both hunting, drafting and guarding. The Pastoral Group includes dogs used for herding and guarding. The Toy Group are companion animal dogs due to their small size.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Proportion of purebred UK Kennel Club registered dogs (2003-2013). The top 20 most popular breeds account for 72% of total registrations, with the 100 rarest breeds accounting for 2%. Sixteen native UK breeds included in the rarest 100 are currently designated as vulnerable breed status in the UK.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Replacing a detrimental allele. (A) A purebred dog from a breed carrying the dominant functional allele is crossed to a purebred dog from a breed homozygous for an inactivating mutation (P1 cross). Progeny of this cross carrying the normal allele are selected and crossed to purebred animals from the breed of interest. In each generation, those carrying the normal allele are chosen for breeding to purebred animals. Eventually it would be possible to mate two animals that are both heterozygous for the desired allele and produce homozygous progeny, with very little change in genetic composition (B) After five generations of backcrossing to the desired breed, the proportion of the genotype contributed by this breed is 96.9%, while by ten generations it is 99.9%.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Rarest 100 dog breeds in the UK. Average number of UK Kennel Club registered purebred dogs amongst the 100 rarest dog breeds in the UK over the past 10 years (2004-2013). More than 30 rare breeds are registering less than 20 dogs per year. Sixteen native UK breeds are recognized as being vulnerable in the UK by the Kennel Club and are registering on average between 40 and 136 dogs per year (denoted by *asterisk).
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