The Beagle Bugler
February 2007
Genetic Marker Breakthrough!
On January 18 Dr. Mark Neff of U.C. Davis called CWBC President Claudia Anderson to tell her that the previous day he had a significant breakthrough in identifying the genetic marker for chondrodystrophy.* Dr. Neff told Claudia that they have narrowed the location of the mutation that causes chondrodystrophy to 30 genes in the same region on chromosome 6. While more research will need to be done to further determine the exact genes involved, Dr. Neff stated that with the information they have, they can begin to say that a specific Beagle does or does not carry the gene that causes the dwarfing condition.
This phone call is a high point in an 11-year quest that started when former CWBC president and member Margie Dykstra (then Douma) e-mailed the Canine Genome Project at U.C. Berkeley asking if there was interest in working on finding a genetic marker for chondrodystrohpy. A year passed without reply. But then in the fall of 1997, Dr. Neff contacted Margie to say he would be interested in working on such a project. Margie and Claudia then began working on collecting the information Dr. Neff needed for his research. There was concern among breeders about being stigmatized if it was known that they’d had puppies affected with chondrodystrophy. So Margie collected pedigrees of Beagles affected with chondrodystrophy, coded them for confidentiality, and sent them to Dr. Neff. Claudia coordinated the collection of blood samples from the affected Beagles and their families. With the help of Ada Lueke and the late Dr. Judy Musladin, they began to get the word out to breeders in other parts of the country who began sending pedigrees and providing blood samples. Dr. Neff stated in his January 18th phone call to Claudia that the genetic information used in the study came primarily from the states of Oregon, Washington, Texas, and California.
After a few months of discussion, the Columbia-Willamette Beagle Club voted unanimously in December 1997 to “…endorse the Chondrodystrophy study associated with the Dog Genome project” and to earmark $100 to cover expenses that might occur such as postage, photocopying, and assisting in collecting necessary blood samples. Thus the Chondrodystrophy Project became an official pursuit of the Columbia-Willamette Beagle Club. In February 1998, Dr. Neff was quoted in the CWBC “Bugler” as indicating that if the defective gene for chondrodystrophy is in a well-characterized part of the already mapped genome, identifying the gene may take as little as six months. If, however, the defective gene is in part of the as yet undocumented genome, the process could take two years or longer. However, Dr. Neff cautioned, “Science is very unpredictable, so these timeframe estimates must be treated skeptically.” How right he was!
Over the next several months, word spread, and pedigrees and blood samples continued to come into the project. Former CWBC member and president Jeannie Wright took over collecting and coding pedigrees, and in March 1999 reported there were between 400 and 500 pedigrees that had been submitted to the study. In October 2000, Dr. Neff reported that they had obtained 190 biological samples (157 blood, 33 dew claws) and that they had scored more than 16,000 genotypes, but “linkage to the disease locus was not found with this data set.” Then at the CWBC meeting on February 21, 2001, Jean Applegate, chair of CWBC’s Health & Welfare of the Breed Committee, stated that she’d received notification that the Chondrodystrophy research had run out of money and so the project had ceased. It appeared that all our efforts had been for naught.
Several years passed. Then in the June 2006 issue of the Show Beagle Quarterly, an article reported that Dr. Neff was now working at UC-Davis and was reopening his study of dwarfism. He was also expanding his study to look at behavior traits and other health issues in Beagles. He put out a call for more Beagle DNA samples, but now these samples could be gathered using a more user-friendly cheek swab, and Dr. Neff was interested in obtaining samples from all Beagles, not just those affected by chondrodystrophy. Debbie Tissot editor of the Show Beagle Quarterly obtained 200 kits to hand out at the National Beagle Club Specialty Show. In Texas CWBC member JK Marten had 100 kits to distribute to Beagle owners, and in the Pacific Northwest, Claudia once again took up the cause and provided cheek swab kits and questionnaires to people. With these additional samples and continued work, Dr. Neff was finally able to make the breakthrough that we had all hoped for.
It really is an extraordinary story of Beagle people working together over several years to provide the data that enabled this dedicated researcher, Dr. Neff, to make this truly significant finding. We have hope that in the near future we will be able to screen Beagles and eliminate carriers of chondrodystrophy from breeding programs. And to think – it all started with a little Beagle club in the Pacific Northwest.
* Chondrodystrophy, also known as Chondrodysplasia and "the Funnies," is a kind of dwarfism caused by abnormal growth in the leg bones and vertebrae of dogs. The effects of the disorder range from mild to severe. In mild cases the dog may have periodic bouts of pain while growing, but these can be managed with pain medication and the dog can live a fairly normal life. In severe cases, the dog is crippled to the point that euthanasia is the most humane choice.
Beagles in Need
Columbia-Willamette Beagle Rescue has three dogs in rescue right now: Ollie, Ruby, and Lamar. All of these Beagles were previously placed by CWBR and have been returned. If you or someone you know is interested in adopting one of these Beagles, please contact Judy Eckhart at brescue@cwbcrescue.com.
LOVABLE TEDDY BEAR BEAGLE SEEKS HOME!
Ollie is a too-cute-for-words beagle. He is playful and loving and very mischievous. Ollie loves to be with people, gets along great with other dogs, loves to go for walks and does the cutest "sit-up-and-beg" trick we have ever seen. Ollie is a typical beagle in that his nose gets him into trouble. Ollie needs a home where he can have lots of love and attention and a Fort Knox Security yard. Ollie has a little devilish side to him and he loves to challenge his people to keep him in the yard. Ollie is a very sweet boy who loves children and loves to be hugged and petted. Ollie came to rescue because his former owners could not keep him in the yard. However, Ollie is in a foster home now with a "beagle proof" fence that he cannot escape from. So it is possible to keep the devilish little Ollie in his yard. Ollie is up to date on his vaccinations and is micro-chipped. Sweet Ollie needs a good home and people who will love him and commit to him. The adoption donation for Ollie is $100. CWBR is also offering to assist Ollie's new owners in making their yard "beagle proof." Ollie is already house trained, and has been altered.
Ruby
is a 4-year-old red and white beagle with tons of personality and plenty of love to give. Ruby was seized by the authorities when it was found that her previous owners were not taking good care of her. In spite of that, Ruby loves to be with people and loves to be loved. She also gets along well with other dogs. Ruby knows sit, come, and she does a darling "sit up and beg" for a treat. Ruby is up to date on all her vaccinations, is house trained and spayed. All Ruby needs is a family to love! If your household could use a loving, sweet, gentle, family dog to love, please contact CWBR. Ruby is waiting! We are asking for a $200.00 adoption donation for Ruby. CWBR is a non-profit organization. All adoption donations go directly to a fund for medical care for rescued beagles.
Lamar is a pure-bred Beagle, one of Brittany's puppies, and is 6 months old. If he’s still available next month, we will print more information about him.
Rescue has also arranged for a family to take in a 13-year-old female named Shelby from an owner. At this time CWBR has lined up a new home for Shelby.
Winter Field Trials -- One Down, One to Go
(click here for the complete story & pictures).
Specialty Meeting
All Specialty Committee Members and anyone else interested in helping with the July Specialty are asked to attend a meeting on Saturday, March 17 at the Albany dog show. The meeting will start half hour after the Beagles finish showing.
Board Appoints New Membership Chair
At the Special Board Meeting on January 20, the Board appointed Sherry Hinkel as the club’s new membership chair. Ken Jorgensen who has served in the position for 41/2 years, resigned to focus on other club activities, including chairing the Specialty this summer.
Sherry joined the club in October 2005. A former collie breeder and exhibiter, Sherry has one pet Beagle, Morgan, and co-owns two show Beagles with Claudia Anderson. Sherry says she really enjoys interacting with CWBC members and appreciates how accepting they have been of her.
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