Anna
Veterinary Report by Embark
embarkvet.com
Test Date: February 15th, 2021
Customer-supplied information
Owner Name: Brin Turpin
Dog Name: Anna
Sex:
Female
(intact)
Date of birth:
06/15/20
Breed type: N/A
Breed: Cavapoo
Breed registration: N/A
Microchip: N/A
Genetic summary
Genetic breed identification:
Cavapoo
Breed ancestry:
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: 50.0%Poodle (Small): 27.8%
Poodle (Standard): 22.2%
Predicted adult weight: 22 lbs
Calculated from 17 size genes.
Life stage: Young adult
Based on date of birth provided.
Karyogram (Chromosome painting)
Clinical Tools
These clinical genetic tools can inform clinical decisions and diagnoses. These tools do not predict increased risk for disease.
Alanine Aminotransferase Activity (GPT)
Anna's baseline ALT level may be Low Normal
Anna has one copy of a variant associated with reduced ALT activity as measured on veterinary blood chemistry panels. Please inform your veterinarian that Anna has this genotype, as ALT is often used as an indicator of liver health and Anna is likely to have a lower than average resting ALT activity. As such, an increase in Anna’s ALT activity could be evidence of liver damage, even if it is within normal limits by standard ALT reference ranges.
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.
Genetic testing is the only way to provide your veterinarian with this clinical tool.
Veterinarians may recommend blood work to establish a baseline ALT value for healthy dogs with one or two copies of this variant.
Health Report
If Anna inherited any of the variants that we tested, they will be listed at the top of the Health Report section, along with a description of how to interpret this result. We also include all of the variants that we tested Anna for that we did not detect the risk variant for.
A genetic test is not a diagnosisThis genetic test does not diagnose a disease. Please talk to your vet about your dog’s genetic results, or if you think that your pet may have a health condition or disease.
Anna is at increased risk for one genetic health condition.
And inherited one variant that you should learn more about.
Chondrodystrophy and Intervertebral Disc Disease, CDDY/IVDD, Type I IVDD
Degenerative Myelopathy, DM
Breed-Relevant Genetic Conditions 8 variants not detected
Additional Genetic Conditions 197 variants not detected
Health Report
Chondrodystrophy and Intervertebral Disc Disease, CDDY/IVDD, Type I IVDD (FGF4 retrogene - CFA12)
Rocky Desert's Anna inherited one copy of the variant we tested
Anna is at increased risk for Type I IVDD
Anna 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.
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.
Signs of CDDY are recognized in puppies as it affects body shape. IVDD is usually first recognized in adult dogs, with breed specific differences in age of onset.
Research indicates that dogs with one or two copies of this variant have a similar risk of developing IVDD. However, there are some breeds (e.g. Beagles and Cocker Spaniels, among others) where this variant has been passed down to nearly all dogs of the breed and most do not show overt clinical signs of the disorder. This suggests that there are other genetic and environmental factors (such as weight, mobility, and family history) that contribute to an individual dog’s risk of developing clinical IVDD. Signs of IVDD include neck or back pain, a change in your dog's walking pattern (including dragging of the hind limbs), and paralysis. These signs can be mild to severe, and if your dog starts exhibiting these signs, you should schedule an appointment with your veterinarian for a diagnosis.
For CDDY, dogs with one copy of this variant may have mild proportional differences in their leg length. Dogs with two copies of this variant will often have visually longer bodies and shorter legs. For IVDD, a neurological exam will be performed on any dog showing suspicious signs. Based on the result of this exam, radiographs to detect the presence of calcified discs or advanced imaging (MRI/CT) to detect a disc rupture may be recommended.
IVDD is treated differently based on the severity of the disease. Mild cases often respond to medical management which includes cage rest and pain management, while severe cases are often treated with surgical intervention. Both conservative and surgical treatment should be followed up with rehabilitation and physical therapy.
- Follow veterinary advice for diet, weight management, and daily exercise. Overweight dogs and those with insufficient exercise are thought to be at higher risk of developing clinical disease.
- Ramps up to furniture, avoiding flights of stairs, and using a harness on walks will also help minimize some of the risk of an IVDD event by reducing stress on the back.
- In breeds where this variant is extremely common, this genetic health result should not be a deciding factor when evaluating a dog for breeding or adoption purposes.
Health Report
Degenerative Myelopathy, DM (SOD1A)
Rocky Desert's Anna inherited one copy of the variant we tested
This result should not impact Anna’s health but it could have consequences for siblings or other related dogs if they inherited two copies of the variant. We recommend discussing this result with their owners or breeders if you are in contact.
Your dog carries this variant and will pass it on to ~50% of her offspring.
The dog equivalent of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, DM is a progressive degenerative disorder of the spinal cord. Because the nerves that control the hind limbs are the first to degenerate, the most common clinical signs are back muscle wasting and gait abnormalities.
Affected dogs do not usually show signs of DM until they are at least 8 years old.
Definitive diagnosis requires microscopic analysis of the spinal cord after death. However, veterinarians use clues such as genetic testing, breed, age, and other diagnostics to determine if DM is the most likely cause of your dog’s clinical signs.
As dogs are seniors at the time of onset, the treatment for DM is aimed towards increasing their comfort through a combination of lifestyle changes, medication, and physical therapy.
- Giving your dog the best quality of life for as long as possible is all you can do after receiving this diagnosis.
Breed-Relevant Conditions Tested
Anna did not have the variants that we tested for, that are relevant to her breeds:
Additional Conditions Tested
Anna did not have the variants that we tested for, in the following conditions that the potential effect on dogs with Anna’s breeds may not yet be known.
Additional Conditions Tested
Additional Conditions Tested
Additional Conditions Tested
Additional Conditions Tested
Additional Conditions Tested
Additional Conditions Tested
Additional Conditions Tested
Additional Conditions Tested
Additional Conditions Tested
Genetic Diversity and Inbreeding
Coefficient of Inbreeding (COI)
- Genetic Result:
- 1%
Our genetic COI measures the proportion of your dog’s genome (her genes) where the genes on the mother’s side are identical by descent to those on the father’s side. The higher your dog’s coefficient of inbreeding (the percentage), the more inbred your dog is.
Your Dog’s COI
This graph represents where your dog’s inbreeding levels fall on a scale compared to both dogs with a similar breed makeup to her (the blue bars) and all purebred dogs (the grey line).
Genetic Diversity and Inbreeding
More on the Science
Embark scientists, along with our research partners at Cornell University, have shown the impact of inbreeding on longevity and fertility and developed a state-of-the-art, peer-reviewed method for accurately measuring COI and predicting average COI in litters.
- Sams & Boyko 2019 "Fine-Scale Resolution of Runs of Homozygosity Reveal Patterns of Inbreeding and Substantial Overlap with Recessive Disease Genotypes in Domestic Dogs"
- Chu et al 2019 "Inbreeding depression causes reduced fecundity in Golden Retrievers"
- Yordy et al 2019 "Body size, inbreeding, and lifespan in domestic dogs"
About Embark
Embark Veterinary is a canine genetics company offering research-grade genetic tests to pet owners and breeders. Every Embark test examines over 200,000 genetic markers, and provides results for over 230 genetic health conditions, breed identification, clinical tools, and more.
Embark is a research partner of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and collaborates with scientists and registries to accelerate genetic research in canine health. We make it easy for customers and vets to understand, share and make use of their dog’s unique genetic profile to improve canine health and happiness.
Learn more at embarkvet.com
Veterinarians and hospitals can send inquiries to veterinarians@embarkvet.com.