Kennel Clefell's supports Finnish GP Club's project to develop a dna test for HC

The breeding committee of the Finnish German Pinscher Club has started a project to develop a dna test for the hereditary cataract (HC) in German Pinschers. As manifested by test results all over the world, HC is a very common disease in GP's worldwide. Luckily the form GP's have is not the most aggressive one, but nevertheless, our club has decided to take all actions possible to make the dna test available. To this end, close cooperation with a research group headed by PhD Cathryn Mellersh at the Animal Health Trust (UK) has been kicked off. In Finland, our specialist in the project is PhD Katariina Mäki, who has studied HC in German Pinchers already earlier.

A project plan has been outlined and based on the plan, the club intends to get valid eye test results and cheek swab samples of specific litters and their parents. By studying whole families with clinically both clear and affected members, the markers for HC will hopefully be found. From our kennel the G litter has been selected in the study, and we have decided to support this effort to the full.

So, on 21 April 2007, we headed to an ophtalmological eye testing and dna sample collecting event organised by the club. We were very pleased to find out that the dam of our G and J litters and our foundation bitch, Idaco's Filly Fiona, was tested clear at 9 years old, and so were her offspring Clefell's Great Gatsby and Globetrotter at six years old. Of the same litter, Gentleman and Golden Gilda have also been tested clear at six years old, but Grande Dame has unfortunately developed HC at five years old. Cheek swabs on all of these dogs will be sent to the research group. Many thanks for all of the owners of our G litter for participating in this important project!


Our foundation bitch Idaco's Filly Fiona (on the left) with her offspring: Clefell's Gentleman, Glefell's Grande Dame, Clefell's Jewel, Clefell's Globetrotter and Clefell's Great Gatsby.