What exactly is PK Deficiency?

[lukris]

I've just checked Vet Gen and they do test. Not entirely convinced if it is necessary though. There is some info in Elspet Ford's The Complete Basenji, Also known as Haemolytic Anaemia. She says the condition was prevalent in the sixties but that the disease has declined until at present time it is virtually unknown due to selected breeding/exclusion of carriers. Does anyone know of any recent cases? would be interesting to find out.

Theresa

[lvoss]

Here is a carrier in the OFA database. Unlike the Fanconi test, I don't think owners have to submit their results to OFA in order to recieve results for their tests.

http://www.offa.org/display.html?appnum=1148329#animal

[tanza]

@lukris:

I've just checked Vet Gen and they do test. Not entirely convinced if it is necessary though. There is some info in Elspet Ford's The Complete Basenji, Also known as Haemolytic Anaemia. She says the condition was prevalent in the sixties but that the disease has declined until at present time it is virtually unknown due to selected breeding/exclusion of carriers. Does anyone know of any recent cases? would be interesting to find out.

Theresa

This is not like the Fanconi test where the results are open and published. People had to submit the test to be posted on OFA, so there is no way really to know the status of a dog/bitch unless tested. Again, as with all testing, if you don't test, you don't know.. and while I believe it is pretty rare these days, I certainly would be testing if I didn't know what the background of the dogs in the pedigree were…. but that is just me.... remember Carrier genes can hide for generations... just look at the Fanconi results... entire kennels came back as carriers, yet the breeder said they didn't have one with Fanconi ever... playing the odds .... and till the test came out they really would not have cause to think otherwise... but in another two years and the entire breeding program would have imploded.

[lukris]

Have many of the forum members had their Basenjis tested for PK?

[tanza]

I have and mine are listed on the OFA site… but I only test the ones that I was breeding and since the sire's and dam's were clear, I didn't feel the need to test the off spring. Note too, if you search the OFA data base there is not many in there at all.. not like Fanconi were the results are automatically published.

[lukris]

I've seen the odd one or two, but there doesn't seem to be many.

[snorky998]

For those here, like me, who has no idea what this is…......

https://www.vetconnect.com.au/5min/data/10061006.htm

Thank you for this topic. Learn something new every day

[noodle]

Thanks for that link snorky998 and thanks to everyone else that has replied too.

[tanza]

@lukris:

I've seen the odd one or two, but there doesn't seem to be many.

My point exactly.. since it is not a required test that is listed on OFA site.. and it is the person option to send in the results… not many did... so unless they have tested and have the results (paper in hand) you don't know...

Think about it.. in 20 yrs will people still be sure to make sure that testing was done for Fanconi?... same as HA/PK testing... just because we have not seen it, doesn't mean it is not out there

[saba]

Yep I have had my 2 tested, and Vanda will be tested when she is a little older. I will be putting the results upon the OFA site, as soon as I build up my dog account :)… As I am only starting out in the breed, I want my dogs to be tested for all of whats available. I have been so badly burned by people with the ACD's, that I made the decision that I will be doing all the availale testing with the B's... Its been told t me, that in Aus there would be very little chance of HA affected dogs, but, at the same time, hardly anyone is testing their dogs, so as Tanza says, how do we know, if there is no testing being done ???

While reading through this thread I was thinking about us B breeders, talking about Fanconi, the same way we are talking about HA now... Wouldnt it be great to think that there may only be a few dogs world wide, that were only carriers of Fanconi :), No more affected dogs, only a few Carriers, and the greater majority of dogs being clear........SIGH........

[tanza]

Yes, it would be great..and I think you are doing a wonderful job making sure your pups are well testd, but we know that is not the case with all breeders… for years many breeders overseas in Europe and Aussie Land said "no in our dogs".. only to find Fanconi in many of their dogs...
And about HA.... no different then Fanconi... if you don't test you don't know..

This is not a slam to any breeder in any country.. just a fact... you can not say with any truth that dogs/bitches are not affected and/or carriers of Fanconi or HA if there has been no testing.

Of course all that said, when you look at the Fanconi DNA stats on the OFA site, considering that we were all breeding "blind"... we all did a pretty good job of limiting the affected pups...

[saba]

Thank you Tanza

As I said, I have been so 'done' by some ACD breeders, that I made the decision that I will be testing. I want to know what I have in my kennels, and then , and ONLY then, I can make informed decisions about where I am going with that info.

I find the 'bury your head in the sand' syndrome that so many breeders have, (not having a dig at anyone in particular…), so detrimental to any breed. We do have some affected dogs here in Aus, admittedly only a handful, but I am watching the numbers of Carriers on the increase, and it wouldnt take long for the disease, to explode here either... At the moment we are lucky, but Im not sure how long that will last .

I have no intention of slamming any breeders either, I just wish EVERYONE who has a B, (pet or breeding stock), would test so we can ALL make informed decisions about where we go as breeders... I constantly hear, or even read, of people saying things like "Ive been in the breed for too many years, and I know my lines so well, and I dont have any issues with Fanconi, HA, etc, etc...". How do you know ???

I completely agree, I think everyone has done well, when breeding 'blind', that there wasnt a hell of a lot more Affecteds...

Apologies to the OP for getting slightly OT here, I didnt mean to high-jack your thread o.

[lvoss]

Since the thread has been a little hi-jacked anyway, I thought I would also add that it is important that every basenji owner take the time to join the CPP and fill out the health survey. If you have already done so thanks and please remember to update it periodically as your dog ages.

The only way the Basenji Club of America's health committee can make decisions about how to spend our research dollars is if we have accurate information about the health of the whole basenji population not just the handful of dogs in any given litter that get bred from.

[saba]

Good point Ivoss

[noodle]

I have had my dogs tested for PPM and Fanconi.

What is HA? I have heard of it, but don't know what it is. Are there any other tests that you would recommend I do?

[tanza]

@noodle:

I have had my dogs tested for PPM and Fanconi.

What is HA? I have heard of it, but don't know what it is. Are there any other tests that you would recommend I do?

Hips and Thryoid should be done IMO… there is Hips problems in our breed, while low right now but that could be because owners do not have to permit the results if dogs are dyplastic to be on the open data base.

Hemolytic Anemia
Description

Pyruvate kinase-deficient hemolytic anemia was first diagnosed in Basenjis in the 1960s, although prior to that date Basenjis had died of a then-unknown form of anemia. Research began in the 1960s, with a carrier test available in 1972.

Testing and inheritance

The gene is a simple recessive. Affected dogs may faint, typically have very white gums and mucous membranes, are likely to have low energy levels, and have light, "golden" colored stools. Affecteds typically die by age 2, with age 4 being the outside limit of survival.

Most Basenjis are now descended from tested clear stock. A few carriers still exist in the gene pool, so it is a good idea to use only dogs descended from tested clear stock or dogs that have themselves been tested. A DNA test, available by cheek swab, is available from VetGen and the University of Pennsylvania. A blood-based test is available from Dr. Johnson at the University of Missouri. OFA has an open registry for hemolytic anemia DNA status.

DNA testing gives an actual reading of the dog's status as a clear, carrier, or affected, so the testing does not have to be repeated.