Frequently Asked Questions
Both of our Dams are "carriers" for Degenerative Myelopathy (DM). In order for a dog to have DM they must have two copies of the DM gene. Our girls have only one copy so they are fine. However they are considered "carriers" because they have a %50 chance of passing this single gene to their offspring.
Their puppies who receive this single gene are also only carriers like their mom unless they receive a second copy of the gene from their dad. Since our stud dog is DNA tested as well, we know that he has no copies of this gene to pass on so our puppies will be fine.
However, given that the puppies have a 50% chance of being carriers from their mom, if you are purchasing your puppy with breeding rights you will need to be willing to do your own DNA testing to make sure you don't end up with a sire and dam who are both carriers.
The ALT results are not something to be concerned about but rather important information for our/your vet since these results may read lower than the normal range if the vet tests them but are only normal for these dogs and not a sign of liver issues.