Health & Genetics Reports
January 4, 2021
How to Successfully Schedule a Planned C- Section
There are times when you may want to pre-schedule a c-section on a bitch. There are some
breeders of Pomeranians that do only planned c-sections in order to limit puppy mortality.
Timing on a planned section is tricky and yet imperative. Puppies born too early or late even by
a few days tend to have a failure to thrive. There are many things to consider in the attempt to
get the most successful outcomes.
The first consideration is to try to pin point the exact timing of conception in order to pin point
the exact gestation timing. Breedings spread over too many days inhibit the ability to determine
the exact puppy gestation timing. In a planned c-section it is best to use only a limited number
of breedings dictated by the use of progesterone testing.
Progesterone testing is only as useful as the quick result turn around time available. Results
that take two to three days for results are useless. It is best to find a veterinary clinic that can
do same day, in-house progesterone evaluations for quick and accurate decisions on breeding
and c-section timings. When progesterone decides to rise it can do so quickly and plateaued
progesterone can do a sudden dive or spike within a 24-hour period.
It is necessary to have a full understanding of your dog’s reproductive calendar. The viability of
young puppies has a very narrow window. If compared to human gestation of 9 months, a
canine gestation of 9 weeks is 4.4% faster in terms of growth rate. That translates into that of
days of development in a 4-ounce puppy which relates to weeks of development in a 7-pound
baby. In short, miscalculation of the actual due date can result in an entire litter being lost.
Proper Tools for Determining Accurate Whelp Timing:
• Contact vet well in advance offering targeted limited breedings that have occurred.
• Set up tentative schedule date so that hospital staff and scheduling can accommodate.
• 1 week prior schedule x-ray to determine number of puppies, positioning and fetal
condition. Size can be determined only vaguely, and not necessarily accurately.
• 4 days ahead of estimated delivery date, get progesterone baseline.
• Daily progesterone testing, thereafter to watch for a dip in readings. Also, monitor
bitch’s body temp 2 times per day and keep a log.
• 3 days ahead of estimated delivery watch bitch for signs of nesting, crate next to your
bed at night for sounds of nesting.
• 24 hours ahead of estimated due date have sonogram done to determine fetal heart
rates. Fetal heart rates over 220 bpm determine non-distressed puppies and represent
puppies are viable for delivery. Lower readings suggest puppies are still under
developed and perinatal viability is more difficult. The extra testing involved to ascertain
correct C-Section dates can add extra costs for the litter but the losing of puppies due to
inaccuracy in your time line makes no sense.
Once again, to the responsible breeder every litter is precious, every dam is valuable,
every puppy is a gift. As a responsible breeder every litter takes careful and deliberate
planning. Each litter has special circumstances. There are many options to take to
ascertain optimal dam and puppy survival. This is why we do what we do and this is how
we earn the title of responsible, respected, pure bred dog breeders.
This is the recent report for Dr. Katherine Meurs on our Tracheal Collapse study at the North Carolina State University. It sounds very encouraging, fingers crossed!
November 2020
RESEARCH PROGRESS REPORT SUMMARY Grant 02788-MOU: Approach to Identification of a Genetic Risk Allele(s) Associated with the Development of Tracheal Collapse in the Pomeranian Principal Investigator: Research Institution: Grant Amount:Start Date: 12/1/2019 Progress Report:Report Due: 5/31/2020 Kathryn Meurs, DVM, PhD North Carolina State University $19,440 End Date: 11/30/2020 Mid-Year 1Report Received: 5/31/2020 (The content of this report is not confidential and may be used in communications with your organization.) Original Project Description:Tracheal collapse is a debilitating disease of the trachea and bronchi observed most commonly in small dogs. The Pomeranian is one of the more commonly affected breeds of dogs. Although some dogs can be managed with medical therapy, severely affected patients develop respiratory distress and some dogs do not survive. The frequency of tracheal collapse in small dogs, including the Pomeranian, suggests a genetic component to the disease. Investigation of the genetic basis of tracheal collapse could lead to development of improved diagnostic testing and alteration of breeding practices to reduce disease prevalence. Additionally, an improved understanding of the underlying cause of tracheal collapse could lead to improved development of medical management plans for affected dogs.Funding for the research is provided through the collaborative efforts and generosity of the American Pomeranian Club, Inc. The AKC Canine Health Foundation supports the funding of this effort and will oversee grant administration and scientific progress.Publications: None at this time.Presentations:We provided a Zoom meeting update for interested individuals on May 21st 2020. We also have set up a twitter account for updates on our research @CVgeneticsMeursAKC Canine Health Foundation, Inc. • 8051 Arco Corporate Drive, Suite 300 • Raleigh, NC 27617 • 888-682-9696 • www.akcchf.org Page 1 of 2 Report to Grant Sponsor from Investigator: After performing genetic analysis on the sequencing of the initial 10 affected Pomeranians we identified 138 variants found in all 10 affected Pomeranians and not in unaffected controls dogs. When these were filtered for DNA variants likely to have a high impact on a tracheal protein, only one was identified. This is a protein found within the tracheal membrane and is likely associated with mucus management in the trachea. Our analysis has found this to be significantly associated with tracheal collapse in the Pomeranian and has been found in all but one affected Pomeranian.We now need to do some additional evaluation to prove the functional implication of this variant on the trachea in affected dogs and if this process can be altered by early intervention.
Sept 2019
Victoria Oelerich
Health and Genetics Chair
In order to better understand the origin and manifestation of the diseases that affect Pomeranians it currently can only take the form of purposeful breeding programs, and dedication and due diligence in trying to avoid breeding pairs and pedigrees where such diseases have been apparent. That is the technique of today. In my opinion that tactic is not good enough. It is sloppy and not at all efficient. Just because a breeding pair are not demonstrating a disease you would like to avoid does not at all mean they are not carriers of the disease or even worse that the disease has just not manifested itself yet at the time of breeding. With the use of genetic testing many diseases are becoming identifiable and therefore avoidable prior to the selection of breeding pairs making it a far more effective tool in disease control.
DNA study and genetic testing are the direction science is now taking health care in humans as well as canines. It has brought health care and disease management into a whole new level of effectiveness. As breeders we are caretakers of our breeds. With that comes the responsibility of safeguarding the quality of their lives using whatever tools help us provide that. Learning more about the genetics and hereditability of diseases are the avenues now available to us and I feel we MUST make use of them.
The Pomeranian is now being studied genetically by Dr. Gary Johnson at the University of Missouri in the attempt to understand the genetic responsibility in the cause of Alopecia-x. This is an exciting first step in gaining important information to try to eradicate this condition in Poms. . Dr. Gary Johnson at the University of Missouri had submitted a “Letter of Intent” regarding his study of Alopecia-X in Pomeranians to the AKC Canine Health Foundation for review. The Letter of Intent detailed the direction he wants to take in his investigation into the possibility of finding a genetic mutation or marker corresponding to this disease. The APC has already given him funding of $10,000 to genome map the Pomeranian as a breed. In so doing Dr. Johnson did see an area of mutation in a genetic area usually associated with hair growth. . He then applied for an Acorn Grant of another $10,000 from our club’s donor advised funds at AKCCHF to take this investigation further. His Letter of Intent was indeed accepted by AKCCHF. The next step in the process was for Dr. Johnson to provide a detailed step by step scientific outline as to the path he would take to try to validate or refute his theory. This formal presentation was sent for peer review to the AKCCHF panel. I received a phone call on Friday August 16,2019 from the assistant to Dr. Diane Brown CEO of AKCCHF stating that the peer review process had been completed and has been accepted by their researchers. The next step was that APC was provided a Research Sponsorship Agreement form to sign stating that we agree to release these funds incrementally to Dr. Johnson as he provides quarterly updates on his research progress. All parties have now signed and agreed to move forward on the “MOU # 02637: Searching for the Cause of Alopecia-x by Whole Genome Sequencing”. The study will begin sometime in October.
This is not where genetic research should end. We do have diseases in our breed that are even more debilitating and even deadly. Dr. Kate Meurs at the University of North Carolina has been extremely interested in studying tracheobroncomalacia ( our dreaded tracheal collapse) in the Pomeranian. Her goal is to gain insight into a genetic cause for this problem in order to reduce it’s prevalence. Dr. Meurs has outlined a 2 step plan for The American Pomeranian Club to consider funding. I have attached both step 1 and step 2 below. We currently have enough money in our CHF Donor advised funds to cover the First Stage of the research.
The American Pomeranian Club Board of Directors has voted to approve the release the donor advised funds to cover Stage one of this Tracheal Collapse in the Pomeranian research project. The MOU document created by Dr. Kate Meurs DVM PhD has been approved by AKCCHF and signed into effect by the APC. Below you will see the entire project outlined. There is never a guarantee that a hypothesis will reveal a result but the great hope is that Stage 1 will reveal some type of interesting mutation in the genetic material to warrant moving forward on Stage 2. That being said as a club we will be needing to heavily fund raise to support the Stage 2 portion of this project. It is my belief that if there is a health need in the Pomeranian we will work together to take care of it.
Please feel free to contact me with any suggestions, questions, information or concerns.
Respectfully submitted,
Vikki Oelerich H+G Chair
