Page 79 - Aussie Magazine - 2024 Issue 3
P. 79
Now back to the Mc means “hidden”, “ghost” or the Mc allele. Breeders
issue of genetic and “phantom” Merle. That based their information on
diversity. their Mc dog could possibly breeding results of litters
breed the same as a Merle and
produced. Now that we have
may produce impaired Double the technology available for
Merle offspring when bred to the accurate testing of Merle’s
There are currently 16 labs another visible Merle dog. poly-A tail we are aware of
offering Merle testing. A just how common a result of
full list is available at this The following information is Mc - 200 - 230 bp is at an
link - www.merle-sine- taken from Google search - average of approximately
insertion-from-mc-mh.com/ "Many solid dogs are actually 38%. What if 38% of all
labs-offering-merletesting cryptic or phantom merles and phenotypically solid dogs
Five of these labs are offering can produce both Merle and were removed from breeding
the new high resolution testing double merles. A cryptic ghost programs based exclusive on
method but only two of these or phantom Merle is a dog a result of Mc?
are offering base pair numbers, which phenotypically appears
mosaic results and up-to-date to be a non-merle or very faint Genetic diversity would be
information in regard to the patches of Merle that can go greatly impacted. I have
Mc allele. Eleven labs are still unnoticed. Animals that do not already seen dogs tested
using the old method of testing present the Merle phenotype as Mc spayed/neutered and
and only two are offering may possess the Merle removed from the genetic pool
correct genetic information genotype and subsequently either based on information
in regard to Mc. That leaves produce Merle offspring. These the owner found through an
us with 12 labs that have old dogs are known as cryptic internet search or following
outdated and inaccurate non Merles." Scary stuff indeed!! the advice of labs stating
genetic information on their not to breed Mc to M for the
websites. Along with literally Information such as this has fear of producing Double
hundreds of websites who not been overly detrimental Merle offspring and passing
repeat this information over in the past when there was this “unsafe” Mc allele to the
and over again, as well as old really no reliable test for Merle future generation.
information cited from old
Merle studies, some that were
based only on phenotype and
not on genetic testing. Any
Google search for “Cryptic
Merle” will result in pages
and pages of websites using
the old catch-all, convoluted
and non-genetic meaning of
the term. I have seen very
limited progress over the
past year from most labs and
breed websites to update
their Merle information. The
damage being done could be
disastrous to many breeds as
dogs testing as Mc - 230 bp
and under are neutered/spayed
and removed from breeding
programs due to the fear that
A Worldwide Magazine for the Aussie • Issue 3/2024 | 79
