Wendy Lua Dalmatian

Veterinarian, charmed by the intelligence and the good temperament of the Dalmatians, mediators in Walt Disney's film, I acquired my first Dalmatian( Ivan de l'Echo des Mauges) in 1973 when beginning my studies at the Ecole Vétérinaire de Toulouse . I have remained faithful to the breed ever since in a way to research these traits of character.

Convinced of the value of the Backcross Project ( on Google, american website: "luadalmatians" or european website: "nuadalseurope.co.uk ") , I have in May 2009 acquired Stocklore Forrest Windsong Wendy ( Uu) , born the 14/01/2008 ( CH Stocklore Top Spot x CH Stocklore Vilia de Forrest, bred in the USA by Dr Robert Schaible.
Since January19th Wendy is AKC registred and LOF (French Kennel Club) registered " à titre importé", as any imported dog.
Link for the pedigree in the bottom of the text.

Wendy is bilaterally hearing, doesn't carry lemon ( BB : Black dominant).No missing teeth.
Her official hip score is "A" (FCI) = "Excellent"( OFA).

Wendy mated with ODRAZ OD MOTOVUNA ( "Harry") gave birth to 8 puppies (4M and 4F) the 11th September.
Breeder: www.arabiansstud-esteves.de

Harry is a charming dog , friendly and very quiet.

VDH Europasieger-Zuchtschau 2006, Deuscher Jugend Champion Club 2006, Deutscher Champion 2007.

His pedigree is very interesting.

His construction, spotting are excellent. His size is 60 cm.He is A2 for hipdysplasia.

His puppies (90 ) are very homogeneous and the results for BAER -test is extraordinary : only one Unilateral!
(See his pedigree on the bottom )

Wendy is now AKC registered so that she is definitively entered in the Livre d'Origines Français ( French Kennel Club register which complies with the FCI)) "à titre importé".Her puppies have a classical complete pedigree. and can be exported.
Her PEA ( BAER) is also mentioned on the pedigree.

Her offspring will receive a birth certificate ( Certificat de naissance) from the Société Centrale Canine provided that the formalities are completed in the usual way.
They can receive a full pedigree after confirmation of the birth certificate.That is, the dog is examined by a specially qualified judge who certifies that it complies with the breed standard. ALL PEDIGREE DOGS IN FRANCE ARE SUBJECTED TO THIS EXAMINATION, which in Dalmatians cannot take place before 12 months of age.
Wendy's offspring will carry my affix "du Relais des Mauges ( Mauges is a French country )
There are no restrictions on showing and Wendy's descendants are eligible to qualify for the French National Championship title

Offspring which remain in france will continue to be tested for hearing and Hip dysplasia.

It's important to know that 98% of the lua line is AKC-registred.
The Backcross project is supported by Dr Danika Bannasch who discovered the mutation on the gene SLC2A9 .

To defend a breed is an ethical challenge!
To defend a breed implies to correct defects within the breed with priority given to any invalidating genetic problems.
During the foundation of a breed, overselection for certain criteria can lead to acquiring unwanted defects.
In the Dalmatian, deafness, associated with sw gene (Dr Strain 1994) and uric acid stone formation ( mutation on gene SLC2A9), are there as reminders of this fact.
Surely it is our duty to correct these "errors"?

According to Dr Bartges(2006) and other researchers it would appear that approximately 25% of male dalmatians are affected.Surgical intervention is not rare and in some cases euthanasia is chosen, usually by owners who cannot afford the ongoing expense of management.
Urolithiasis is accentuated by an inappropriate life style.The prevention of stones can impose a way of life which many owners cannot or do not want to follow, and as a result the dog suffers.

The genotype of the one Pointer used in 1973 is now less than 0,05% at the 13th generation.
This prompted Dr Bannasch to remark: "This is a small price to pay for the battle against stone disease".
Pursuing the project by outbreeding will result in an ever increasing diminuation in the amount of residual Pointer DNA.
According to the President of the Pointer Club of France, the Pointer has been successfully used for backcross in other breeds.
Recent genetic studies based on molecular markers( Parker 2007 & Leroy 2008) have been able to group breeds according to their common origins.These studies show that the Dalmatian and the Pointer belong to the same group.
We now know that gene therapy, which is a way of introducing a gene by molecular manipulation, is not a successful route and so it is logical to use a proven and tested method- i.e. that of re-introducing a gene by cross-breeding followed by backcrossing to the breed needing improvement.

Arguments against the Backcross Project can be negated

1-The formation of stones is dependant on absence or diminuation of inhibiting factors as well as the presence of promoting factors.
The many books and articles of Dr Carl Osborne on this subject are of enormous value.

The basis of the problem is the oversaturation of the urine by urate crystals

Factors which favour the formation of stones:
An inappropriate diet.
Inadequate water intake.
Lack of opportunity to empty the bladder.Urinary stasis.

How stones are formed: 3 theories:
a- Spontaneous precipitation due to oversturation.
b-Nucleation of cristals around a protein matrix.
Certains proteins, such as uromucoides, (Tamm Horsfall protein) can be the first link in stone formring but this is not always found and it could be cell debris which performs the same role.
c- A failure of the inhibiting factors
Certain substances such as nephrocalcine, pyro phosphates, citrates etc which inhibit the nucleation, can be absent but they are numerous and it is difficult to discern which is the real culprit.
In addition some glycosaminoglycanes prevent the adhesion of crystals to the mucosa and these are present in insufficient quantities in some stone-forming Dalmatians( Carvalho, Urology 2003).

In conclusion, the primary factor is the oversaturation of the urine which urates and THIS is what we have to combat. First things first!

2- It is impossible to eradicate the problem using the single Lua line.
There is no question of eradicating the ailment immediately.We should introduce the nua-gene with moderation and rest vigilant.
It is time now, in my opinion, to mate the nua's with European Dalmatians and restablish a good genetic variability.
To continue the project with line-breeding, especially with the nua UU has limits.
We now, need to work at an international level ti give substance to the courageous initiative of Dr R. Schaible.

3- The risk of introducingnew hereditary diseases.

The consanguinity of the nua line is so high that is seems probable that any recessive genes would have been expressed during the 13 generations bred since 1973 in the USA.
As in France, the Pointer has an excellent status with regard to genetic diseases.
Pointers do not suffer from hip dysplasia( 90% are free).Hypothyroidism and retinal atrophy are very rare.There is no deafness or cardiomyopathy.

4- One opponent said" : Do we abandon the characteristic spotting of the dalmatian to resolve a problem which affects only a minority of the breed"?

Are not construction, movement and CHARACTER the main qualities of the breed?

The spots of nua's are sometimes smaller than the hua's but they remain within the standard.

Some LuaDalmatians have "frosty" spotting that is there is a "halo-effect" caused by an undefined edge to the spots but this can diminishe with age.We have seen this type of spotting in the past and we know it can be improved by selection.

A few nua ( as Wendy) have white hairs in the spots on the head; again selection will reduce this in time.

According to Dr Bannasch, there could be a relationship between the gene SLC2A9 and the search in the past for more distinct spotting and the control of the speed with which the pigment cells migrate is likely due to one or more genes which are in a different locus but close to the SLC2A9 gene.

5- Nua Dalmatians will have upright shoulders.
The Pointer standard states " the shoulder is long and oblique".b[

CONCLUSION:



The production of Lua Dalmatians out of or by "foreign" Dalmatians will allow diffusion of the wild gene without the risks associated with consanguinity.