MRI-based Screening and Syringomyelia in Dutch and Danish CKCS

In this webinar, Drs Citlalli Limpens and Paul Mandigers discuss their study on the effect of MRI screening and selection programs on the prevalence of syringomyelia in Dutch and Danish Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Syringomyelia (SM) is highly heritable indicating that selection to decrease the prevalence of the disorder is possible. A candidate genetic locus associated with syrinx transverse diameter has been identified, but the causal mutations have not been identified yet, and selection based on this locus has not been used for selective breeding strategies. Breeders who want to reduce the number of SM-affected Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS) without an MRI cannot rely on the clinical signs. The only current reliable tool for breed selection against SM in CKCS is MRI. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of MRI-based selection in breeding on the prevalence of SM in the screened population of CKCS in Denmark and the Netherlands.

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