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Libby

Mixed Ancestry

“Libby was an owner surrender to a shelter in West Virginia USA in 2012. She was then transported to the Erie County SPCA in Buffalo, NY where I adopted her in May 2012. We lived in Buffalo until we moved to Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) in July 2016. She’s is a great dog, likes to sleep and sniff for food. She has separation anxiety and we cannot leave her alone for long periods of time (we tried medication, dog behavioralist, various “calming” products).”

Place of Birth

Elkins, WV, USA

Current Location

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

From

Buffalo, NY, USA

This dog has been viewed and been given 1 wag

Genetic Breed Result

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Embark Supermutt analysis

What’s in that Supermutt? There may be small amounts of DNA from this distant ancestor:

Beagle

The Beagle is a scent hound and a great family pet. They are known for being affectionate and having loud voices.

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Australian Shepherd

Australian Shepherds are an energetic mid-sized breed that make the perfect companion.

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English Springer Spaniel

English Springer Spaniels are an energetic and loyal companion dog, bred for hunting but also popular among families.

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Siberian Husky

Bred initially in Northern Siberia, the Siberian Husky is a medium-sized working dog who is quick and light on their feet. Their moderately compact and well furred body, erect ears and brush tail suggest their Northern heritage. Huskies are very active and energetic and are known for being long distance sled dogs.

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Akita

The Akita is a large breed of dog originating from the mountainous northern regions of Japan.

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Rottweiler

Originally used for driving cattle and protecting valuable convoys, Rottweilers are now popular family pets as well as guard, police and military dogs.

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Dogs Like Libby

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Discover dogs who share a similar breed mix to Libby. A higher score means the two dogs have more of their breed mix in common. A score of 100% means they share the exact same breed mix!

Click or tap on a pic to learn more about each dog and see an in-depth comparison of their DNA, breeds, and more.

DNA Breed Origins

Breed colors:
Beagle
Australian Shepherd
English Springer Spaniel
Siberian Husky
Akita
Rottweiler
Supermutt

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Here’s what Libby’s family tree may have looked like.
Libby
Family Tree From Embark PARENTS GRANDPARENTS GREAT GRANDPARENTS Mixed Beagle Australian Shepherd / English Springer Spaniel mix Siberian Husky mix Beagle Beagle Australian Shepherd English Springer Spaniel Siberian Husky mix Mixed Beagle Beagle Beagle Beagle
While there may be other possible configurations of her family’s relationships, this is the most likely family tree to explain Libby’s breed mix.
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Health Summary

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Libby is at increased risk for two genetic health conditions.

And inherited two variants that you should learn more about.

Intervertebral Disc Disease (Type I)

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Libby inherited one copy of the variant we tested

How to interpret this result

Libby has one copy of an FGF4 retrogene on chromosome 12. In some breeds such as Beagles, Cocker Spaniels, and Dachshunds (among others) this variant is found in nearly all dogs. While those breeds are known to have an elevated risk of IVDD, many dogs in those breeds never develop IVDD. For mixed breed dogs and purebreds of other breeds where this variant is not as common, risk for Type I IVDD is greater for individuals with this variant than for similar dogs.

What is Intervertebral Disc Disease (Type I)?

Type I Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) is a back/spine issue that refers to a health condition affecting the discs that act as cushions between vertebrae. With Type I IVDD, affected dogs can have a disc event where it ruptures or herniates towards the spinal cord. This pressure on the spinal cord causes neurologic signs which can range from a wobbly gait to impairment of movement. Chondrodystrophy (CDDY) refers to the relative proportion between a dog’s legs and body, wherein the legs are shorter and the body longer. There are multiple different variants that can cause a markedly chondrodystrophic appearance as observed in Dachshunds and Corgis. However, this particular variant is the only one known to also increase the risk for IVDD.

Primary Lens Luxation

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Libby inherited one copy of the variant we tested

What does this result mean?

Our research indicates that this genetic variant is likely to increase the risk that Libby will develop this disease.

Scientific Basis

Research studies for this variant have been based on dogs of other breeds. While dogs with similar breeds to Libby have not yet been the focus of research studies, our data indicates that Libby is likely to be at increased risk.

What is Primary Lens Luxation?

PLL occurs when the lens spontaneously detaches from its normal residence within the pupil, leading to reduced visual acuity. Anterior lens luxation is when the lens falls forward and posterior lens luxation is when the lens falls backwards in the eye.

Hypocatalasia, Acatalasemia

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Libby inherited one copy of the variant we tested

What does this result mean?

This variant should not impact Libby’s health. This variant is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, meaning that a dog needs two copies of the variant to show signs of this condition. Libby is unlikely to develop this condition due to this variant because she only has one copy of the variant.

What is Hypocatalasia, Acatalasemia?

Catalase is important in fighting reactive oxygen species, which can cause cellular damage. Fortunately, many enzymes can break down reactive oxygen species; as such acatalasemia is usually a benign disease: however, some acatalasemic dogs suffer from what is known as Takahara’s disease, where patients have progressive mouth ulcers.

ALT Activity

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Libby inherited one copy of the variant we tested

Why is this important to your vet?

Libby has one copy of a variant associated with reduced ALT activity as measured on veterinary blood chemistry panels. Please inform your veterinarian that Libby has this genotype, as ALT is often used as an indicator of liver health and Libby is likely to have a lower than average resting ALT activity. As such, an increase in Libby’s ALT activity could be evidence of liver damage, even if it is within normal limits by standard ALT reference ranges.

What is ALT Activity?

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is a clinical tool that can be used by veterinarians to better monitor liver health. This result is not associated with liver disease. ALT is one of several values veterinarians measure on routine blood work to evaluate the liver. It is a naturally occurring enzyme located in liver cells that helps break down protein. When the liver is damaged or inflamed, ALT is released into the bloodstream.

Breed-Relevant Genetic Conditions

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Multiple Drug Sensitivity

Identified in Australian Shepherds

Factor VII Deficiency

Identified in Beagles

Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency

Identified in Beagles

Progressive Retinal Atrophy, prcd

Identified in Australian Shepherds

Progressive Retinal Atrophy, crd4/cord1

Identified in Beagles and English Springer Spaniels

Collie Eye Anomaly

Identified in Australian Shepherds

Canine Multifocal Retinopathy, cmr1

Identified in Australian Shepherds

Primary Open Angle Glaucoma

Identified in Beagles

Hereditary Cataracts

Identified in Australian Shepherds

Urate Kidney & Bladder Stones

Identified in Australian Shepherds

Canine Fucosidosis

Identified in English Springer Spaniels

Glycogen storage disease Type VII, Phosphofructokinase Deficiency, PFK Deficiency

Identified in English Springer Spaniels

Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 6, NCL 6

Identified in Australian Shepherds

Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 8, NCL 8

Identified in Australian Shepherds

GM1 Gangliosidosis

Identified in Siberian Huskies

Neonatal Cerebellar Cortical Degeneration

Identified in Beagles

Degenerative Myelopathy, DM

Identified in Australian Shepherds, English Springer Spaniels, and more

Shaking Puppy Syndrome

Identified in English Springer Spaniels

Acral Mutilation Syndrome

Identified in English Springer Spaniels

Long QT Syndrome

Identified in English Springer Spaniels

Cobalamin Malabsorption

Identified in Beagles

Musladin-Lueke Syndrome, MLS

Identified in Beagles

Osteogenesis Imperfecta

Identified in Beagles

Craniomandibular Osteopathy, CMO

Identified in Australian Shepherds

Additional Genetic Conditions

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Traits

Explore the genetics behind your dog’s appearance and size.

Base Coat Color

Base Coat Color

Coat Color Modifiers

Coat Color Modifiers

Other Coat Traits

Other Coat Traits

Other Body Features

Other Body Features

Body Size

Body Size

Performance

Performance

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Through Libby’s mitochondrial DNA we can trace her mother’s ancestry back to where dogs and people first became friends. This map helps you visualize the routes that her ancestors took to your home. Their story is described below the map.

Haplogroup

A1e

Haplotype

A225

Map

A1e

Libby’s Haplogroup

This female lineage likely stems from some of the original Central Asian wolves that were domesticated into modern dogs starting about 15,000 years ago. It seemed to be a fairly rare dog line for most of dog history until the past 300 years, when the lineage seemed to “explode” out and spread quickly. What really separates this group from the pack is its presence in Alaskan village dogs and Samoyeds. It is possible that this was an indigenous lineage brought to the Americas from Siberia when people were first starting to make that trip themselves! We see this lineage pop up in overwhelming numbers of Irish Wolfhounds, and it also occurs frequently in popular large breeds like Bernese Mountain Dogs, Saint Bernards and Great Danes. Shetland Sheepdogs are also common members of this maternal line, and we see it a lot in Boxers, too. Though it may be all mixed up with European dogs thanks to recent breeding events, its origins in the Americas makes it a very exciting lineage for sure!

A225

Libby’s Haplotype

Part of the large A1e haplogroup, we have spotted this haplotype in village dogs in South America and Papua New Guinea. Among breeds, we see this haplotype most frequently in Border Collies, Australian Cattle Dogs, and Australian Shepherd Dogs.

Irish Wolfhounds are a consistent carrier of A1e.

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The Paternal Haplotype reveals a dog’s deep ancestral lineage, stretching back thousands of years to the original domestication of dogs.

Are you looking for information on the breeds that Libby inherited from her mom and dad? Check out her breed breakdown and family tree.

Paternal Haplotype is determined by looking at a dog’s Y-chromosome—but not all dogs have Y-chromosomes!

Why can’t we show Paternal Haplotype results for female dogs?

All dogs have two sex chromosomes. Female dogs have two X-chromosomes (XX) and male dogs have one X-chromosome and one Y-chromosome (XY). When having offspring, female (XX) dogs always pass an X-chromosome to their puppy. Male (XY) dogs can pass either an X or a Y-chromosome—if the puppy receives an X-chromosome from its father then it will be a female (XX) puppy and if it receives a Y-chromosome then it will be a male (XY) puppy. As you can see, Y-chromosomes are passed down from a male dog only to its male offspring.

Since Libby is a female (XX) dog, she has no Y-chromosome for us to analyze and determine a paternal haplotype.

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