The Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine offers a Canine and Feline Breeding and Genetics Conference for veterinarians, breeders and researchers every two years in Sturbridge, MA. This year, we were fortunate to attend along with fellow breeder, Noa Safra, who is a veterinarian and geneticist. The focus of this year’s program was practical applications for management based on the new tools from genome research, and it included a focus on epilepsy.

The Conference director was Dr. Jerold S. Bell, with whom many of you are familiar. Dr. Bell is a breeder and operates the kind of veterinary practice we would all die for! He is personable, humorous and an eloquent speaker. His passion for his work is clear to see. The conference was structured with two days of speakers, each of whom lectured for 45 minutes. The speakers were the top VMD/PhD from Tufts, Michigan State, U.C. Davis, Cornell, etc. who are actively involved in the research at hand. Non-affiliate, Dr. Carmen Battaglia, lectured on pedigree analysis.

Much if the material was technical, but there was a lot we could learn, even with just a rudimentary understanding of genetics.

The lecture notes, poster abstracts and articles are all available on-line at: http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=TUFTSBG2007&O =Generic

The host hotel was the Sturbridge Inn, and they do know how to take care of their guests! We were served breakfast and lunch, along with midday and mid-afternoon snacks. Beverages were always available, as were the speakers for further questions and discussion.

The conference brought together scientists, veterinarians and breeders that share an interest in genetics, with the hope that this event will spark an expanded commitment and lead to new collaborative efforts. The researchers reiterated the importance of the co-operation of breeders to bring to their attention animals apparently affected with a genetic disease, and then to supply to the researchers the material with which the research is based. Cheek swabs, tissue or blood are among the materials from which DNA is collected. Even if there is no on-going grant for research for a particular disease, the genetic material can be stored until a grant is available.

Although most researchers would prefer working with an open registry, many are willing to keep information confidential if the breeder desires.

The importance of all breeds to participate in the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) could not be stressed enough. CHIC is about health consciousness, not health perfection. As more tests for defective genes are developed, every individual is likely to carry some deleterious genes. The benefit of the CHIC system is that dogs gain CHIC certification by completing their health testing, regardless of the results.

In this issue of the magazine, we have reprinted “Breed Health Initiative,” by Dr. Bell. Please read this piece and consider your own standpoint on research and willingness to contribute.

The next seminar is in 2009, and the subject will be one that should be of intense interest to all Weimaraner breeders: Immune Mediated Conditions

See you there!