Joan's web page on this gives realistic ways to fulfill the requirements of the seizure study, and tips for dealing with the busy researchers. Joan's web links for the seizure study are on her page below. Click on the Website link below or type it in:
Note that Joan gives the researcher's phone contact information if a vet, breeder or client has questions.
Let's hope that someday soon, this is something we can test for, keeping certain lines in the gene pool, while still breeding around epilepsy.
Bless you for remembering this and having your client help the breed, and all dogs, maybe people, too!
You may want to talk to Liz Hansen or Jessica DeVore. The number to call is (573) 884-3712 Just be warned, they don't usually listen to their messages. If they don't pick up, call again later. Thanks for your help!!!!!
Thank you Joan and Charlotte. I spoke with Liz yesterday, and I will be sending samples from about 10-11 members of one family of labs. Maybe this will be what they need to complete the study. I certainly hope so. Now if everyone with seizuring labs would this, can you imagine the possibilities?
I have talked to a lot of people since this went up on the Forum in April, 2009. I have not ever breathed one single word about any of the people I talked to, or any of the dogs they told me about. But I can tell you this. Breeders told me they personally knew of many, many other breeders who had seizing dogs. There are literally hundreds and hundreds of dogs/breeders that could contribute blood for the research. If people got behind this research, it would not be long before we would have an answer and a test. I think it is a tragedy that people have not gotten behind this research. I would bet the ranch that we would have an answer by now if the lab community as a whole had participated.
Joan, DVM and others,
Thank you so much for your support and for making this study more public! Having dealt with epi in 2 other breeds, this is so important. I would so much rather be part of the solution and not part of the problem!
Julia