https://www.facebook.com/chester.bernese/videos/10204808031920997/

I hope admin are happy for me to post this. I have the permission from the very brave owners. One simple cheek swab before mating  can stop this in its tracks. Never breed a Bernese without testing for DM This is health testing, not a check from the vet but proper breed specific health testing.
Aileen

Permission granted.

What is DM? - Degenerative Myelopathy

Also previously refered to as CDRM

It's simple to do and it's not expensive. I used a company in America, their usual price is only $58 but they were doing a special offer of only $38 so I had all of mine done.

I have found out that two of mine are carriers (not Bernese). Armed with this information I know only to mate them to clears, so no affected pups will be born.

It's so sad. Any breed can be tested for it through a DNA test and Bernese is it exon 1 and 2 need to be done?
I plan to get my dogs tested for it as well.
Maybe the breed club could make it mandatory testing along with the hips and Elbows?

I hate it when there IS a proper test and people don't use it. In my breed we have some nasty diseases which the current testing doesn't guarantee they won't develop problems later, but the guidelines still say to test. BUT we also have a couple of diseases - Episodic Falling and Curly Coat/Dry Eye - for which there has been a DNA test for a few years now, and yet STILL the unscrupulous uncaring backyard breeders are producing affected puppies because they can't be bothered to shell out £75 or thereabout for the test. :-(

Having had two GSDs suffer from this condition I feel for these people. The younger died aged eleven about fifteen years ago so as far as I know before there was any testing done. How can people not test it is a horrible thing to go through. The first dog couldn't cope and was very distressed so was pts fairly early. The younger died of cancer before severe paralysis of her hind legs set in but watching her trying to run and end up falling over was heart breaking.

How times have changed - just a couple of years ago I asked about bernese breeders who screened for DM following our beautiful Charlie boy having it and having died and was told that I was worrying far too much as it wasn't prevalent in the breed by many of the same people who advocate it now.  

It is a deeply upsetting illness to live with both for dog and owner and all breeders of bernese in my opinion should screen for it

Another one who has been there done that with a dog. My 1st GSD - well before testing was available - started off being 'not quite sound' about 7ish years, gradually got less sound and was finally diagnosed with the hideous condition. he was still on his feet and walking - after a fashion but lost bowel control and after about 2- 3 days when he was SO upset that he was doing the unacceptable - in HIS mind - he was really depressed.
He was never going to improve only just get worse so we made THE decision and said goodbye to him aged 8 ¾.
I'm blubbing just writing this after 18 yrs.

Is DM caused by the same gene in all breeds though?  Sadly in most problems the same/similar condition is caused by different genes.

So a dog may well be clear for the form of DM there is a test for, but that is not the gene causing the problem in that breed????

For example the Glaucoma we now have a test for in Norwegian Elkhounds is so far unique to our breed an not the same form as found in Beagles or PBGV's

Is DM caused by the same gene in all breeds though ?

Don't know but there is a test for GSDs - whether its the same as the one for Bernese ???

Bernese have 2 tests Exon 1 and 2 They can be affected by one and not the other or both or neither. Both need doing to be sure.

Exon 1 for other breeds.