vWD – Type 1 - Dobermann

1. LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 sets out offences for intentionally or recklessly breeding an animal with a heritable defect that causes disease as listed in the Schedule (‘the Schedule’) of the Act.

It is a cruelty offence to permit an animal to suffer from a heritable disease. The code requires that animals with disease caused by a heritable defect must not be disposed of to another person without advice of the animal’s heritable defect status.

The advice provided by the breeder must include:–

a. Permanent identification details e.g. number of microchip implant, brand or ear tag or tattoo, depending on the accepted method of permanent identification for the species of animal; and

b. Veterinary certificate with details of the diagnosis linked to that permanent identification.

2. PURPOSE OF THE CODE

The purpose of the Code is to set standards for the prevention and spread of heritable defects and the expression of disease caused by them.

The Code aims to educate animal breeders how to best minimize or avoid the development of heritable disease in progeny caused by inappropriate selection and mating of animals with heritable (genetic) defects. It also outlines breeding practices that will assist the reduction of the prevalence of the heritable defect in the animal population.

The standards set by the Code should be practiced by owners and custodians of animals used for breeding that are affected by any heritable defect that causes disease and must be observed for breeding of animals with heritable (genetic) defects causing the diseases listed the Schedule of the Act.

A person breeding animals in a program that conforms at least to the principles in this code is not considered to be breeding animals recklessly or intentionally as defined as an offence in Section 15C(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986.

5.5 Heritable disease caused by a simple recessive defective gene that is dependant on over-riding or modifying genetic effects for full expression of disease.

This includes conditions where the vast majority of genetically affected individuals do not exhibit the full range of clinical signs of the disease unless modifying factors are present i.e. factors that directly influence the degree to which the disease is ultimately expressed. All progeny may initially appear to be unaffected by the disease.

• Dogs
Collie Eye Anomaly.
Von Willebrand’s Disease type 1 and 2.

Parent Combination	Theoretical Status of Progeny	Heritable disease requirements
Carrier x Carrier	** 25% Clear 50% Carrier 25% Affected (may develop disease)	1. Not recommended. Should only occur as part of an approved breeding program. 2. All progeny should be tested for the heritable defect. 3. Affected (may develop disease) animals must not be disposed of to another person without advise of the animal’s heritable defect status. 4. Carrier animals should be de-sexed if not to be used for breeding. 5. Affected (may develop disease) should be de-sexed if not to be used for breeding, must not be permitted to suffer from their condition by their owner if it develops and must be under the supervision, advice and monitoring of a veterinary practitioner if it does
Affected x Clear	100% Carrier	1. Must only occur as part of an approved breeding program. 2. Carrier animals should be de-sexed if not to be used in a breeding program.
Affected x Carrier And Affected x Affected	50% Carrier 50% Affected (may develop disease) 100% Affected (may develop disease)	1. Prohibited (see exeption) 2. Intentional or reckless use of these combinations outside an approved breeding program is an offence under the Act. 3. The Affected x Carrier combination may occur but only as part of an approved breeding program and only with the purpose of establishing sufficient breeding stock for the breeding program to develop Clear animals. Affected progeny must not be disposed of to the another person without advice of the animal’s heritable defect status.
**Testing is required as in practice the unpredictable nature of the process of gene inheritance in these combinations may cause variation in the actual % outcomes per generation.