Fast Whippets

[sue greenwood]

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechn...he-whippet.html

After a conversation I had today about the Myostatin Gene and fast whippets.The thought was it only appeared in non pedigree dogs.However it seems this is not true it appears in all whippets and is brought about by selective breeding. So the more we choose the faster dogs we could end up with an undesired effect giving the bully whippet where it gets double muscles.This is not a pleasant thought just come across a picture on the mail online of a whippet in Canada that will die early because of it. It weighs four stone :blink: Anyway thought it may be of interest to the avid racer.

 

[sue greenwood]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-46...ulk-Hounds.html

Not too nice

 

[conway]

not nice at all (w00t) some more on wendy the whippet.

http://www.cocothebloggingdog.com/2008/08/...ly-whippet.html

 

[jazad]

There are a couple of threads about this in the FAQ section of this site (K9) - but don't know how to post the link - it's the last topic on the first page.

 

[Mark Roberts]

has anyone ever seen one of these from pedigree racing lines?.

 

[Judy]

It isn't in all whippet and isn't bought about by selective breeding for speed. That can only happen if the gene is in the population in the first place and the gene has not yet been found in pedigree whippets in this country. Neither racing or show lines. Its only appeared in non-ped whippets here and also in pedigrees in America and Canada (draw your own conclusions) Not sure about other countries.

A double copy of the gene produces dogs like Wendy but a single copy can produce very fast well muscled non-peds. If it were to suddenly appear in pedigree whippets here I think I would strongly suspect the breeding of said whippets.

Link to FAQ

 

[Mark Roberts]

Thats what I thought Judy :thumbsup:

 

[moonlake]

Thats what I thought Judy :thumbsup:

I thought so too but because the Kennel Club has put it on its "watch out for" health problems to breed clubs, I asked my vet if he had ever seen it in a pedigree whippet. To my horror, he said he had and my attempts to get through his professional discretion could only elicit that it was partly American bred so might not have been what I would call pedigree! I thought that was an interesting comment but I am alarmed that it definitely passes for pedigree in this country. Perhaps more people should ask their vets if they have seen it.

Gay

www.moonlake.co.uk

 

[bertha]

Sadly people will do anything for speed, and you cannot trust pedigrees any more, mind you, were all pedigrees correct ever? When you think of it, KC registrations are taken on trust that the breeder is being honest.

:unsure:

 

[Vicky]

I'm with Judy on this one, always thought it suspect that it appears in pedigrees in other countries and not YET in KC whippets in this country.

 

[sue greenwood]

http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/info%3...al.pgen.0030079

According to this some K9 member sent swabs were they only american owners?

 

[sue greenwood]

http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/info%3...al.pgen.0030079

According to this some K9 member sent swabs were they only american owners?

http://www.k9community.co.uk/forums/index....=25995&st=0

found this on here

 

[Joanna]

http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/info%3...al.pgen.0030079

According to this some K9 member sent swabs were they only american owners?

No, we sent swabs :thumbsup:

 

[Judy]

Samples were sent from KC registered whippets from this country but none of them had the gene.

 

[Judy]

Thats what I thought Judy :thumbsup:

I thought so too but because the Kennel Club has put it on its "watch out for" health problems to breed clubs, I asked my vet if he had ever seen it in a pedigree whippet. To my horror, he said he had and my attempts to get through his professional discretion could only elicit that it was partly American bred so might not have been what I would call pedigree! I thought that was an interesting comment but I am alarmed that it definitely passes for pedigree in this country. Perhaps more people should ask their vets if they have seen it.

Gay

www.moonlake.co.uk

Good point Gay - that's another way it could enter our gene pool - through imports. At least it can be tested for.