embarkvet.com
Test Date: July 7th, 2017
These clinical genetic tools can inform clinical decisions and diagnoses. These tools do not predict increased risk for disease.
Tempest has one copy of a variant associated with reduced ALT activity as measured on veterinary blood chemistry panels. Please inform your veterinarian that Tempest has this genotype, as ALT is often used as an indicator of liver health and Tempest is likely to have a lower than average resting ALT activity. As such, an increase in Tempest’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.
If Tempest 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 Tempest 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.
Tempest is at increased risk for two genetic health conditions.
Tempest has one copy of a variant in the PDK4 gene associated with increased risk for DCM in the American Doberman Pinscher. This variant, also referred to as DCM1, is inherited in a dominant manner, meaning having one or two copies of this variant is thought to confer the same amount of risk. However, the variant is thought to have incomplete penetrance: That is, not all dogs with this variant will ultimately show signs of DCM. Moreover, the impact of this variant in other breeds of dog besides the Doberman has yet to be fully understood. However, if your veterinarian thinks Tempest shows signs of having DCM based on their diagnostic testing, you now have the opportunity to discuss early treatment. Please consult with your veterinarian regarding a diagnostic and treatment plan for Tempest.
DCM is the most common acquired heart disease of adult dogs. The heart has two heavily muscled ventricles that pump blood away from the heart. This disease causes progressive weakening of the ventricles by reducing the muscle mass, which causes the ventricles to dilate. Dilated ventricles do not contract and circulate oxygenated blood well, which eventually leads to heart failure.
This disease can rarely be seen in puppies and young adults. It is typically seen in middle aged to older dogs.
In the early stages of DCM, you will likely not notice any changes in your dog. DCM typically presents at the end stages of the disease, when the heart is failing. Signs include weakness, cold toes and ears, blue-grey gums and tongue, and respiratory distress. If you see these signs, take your dog immediately to an emergency veterinarian!
The earlier a diagnosis can be reached, the better the outcome. If you are concerned about your dog’s heart, discuss it with your veterinarian who can run basic preliminary tests. They may recommend a visit to a veterinary cardiologist for a complete evaluation, including an ultrasound of the heart (echocardiogram).
Treatment is completely dependent on how advanced the disease is at the time of diagnosis. It can range from monitoring the patient periodically to intensive hospitalization at specialty veterinary practices.
Tempest has one copy of a variant in the TTN gene associated with increased risk for DCM in the American Doberman Pinscher. This variant, also referred to as DCM2, is inherited in a dominant manner, meaning having one or two copies of this variant is thought to confer the same amount of risk. However, the variant is thought to have incomplete penetrance: That is, not all dogs with this variant will ultimately show signs of DCM. Moreover, the impact of this variant in other breeds of dog besides the Doberman has yet to be fully understood. However, if your veterinarian thinks Tempest shows signs of having DCM based on their diagnostic testing, you now have the opportunity to discuss early treatment. Please consult with your veterinarian regarding a diagnostic and treatment plan for Tempest. We measure this result using a linkage test.
DCM is the most common acquired heart disease of adult dogs. The heart has two heavily muscled ventricles that pump blood away from the heart. This disease causes progressive weakening of the ventricles by reducing the muscle mass, which causes the ventricles to dilate. Dilated ventricles do not contract and circulate oxygenated blood well, which eventually leads to heart failure.
This disease can rarely be seen in puppies and young adults. It is typically seen in middle aged to older dogs.
In the early stages of DCM, you will likely not notice any changes in your dog. DCM typically presents at the end stages of the disease, when the heart is failing. Signs include weakness, cold toes and ears, blue-grey gums and tongue, and respiratory distress. If you see these signs, take your dog immediately to an emergency veterinarian!
The earlier a diagnosis can be reached, the better the outcome. If you are concerned about your dog’s heart, discuss it with your veterinarian who can run basic preliminary tests. They may recommend a visit to a veterinary cardiologist for a complete evaluation, including an ultrasound of the heart (echocardiogram).
Treatment is completely dependent on how advanced the disease is at the time of diagnosis. It can range from monitoring the patient periodically to intensive hospitalization at specialty veterinary practices.
Tempest did not have the variants that we tested for, that are relevant to her breed:
Tempest did not have the variants that we tested for, in the following conditions that the potential effect on dogs with Tempest’s breed may not yet be known.
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.
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 yellow dotted line) and all purebred dogs (the grey line).
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.
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 170 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.