Free to read, free to share
The two mutations we are working to reduce
We built these guides because most of what is written about DVL2 and CDDY is either behind a journal paywall or wrong. They are written for breeders and for owners, with the research cited so you can check it yourself.
Screwtail and hemivertebrae
DVL2, the screwtail gene
What DVL2 is, why it produces malformed vertebrae, how it affects skull shape and breathing, and what each genotype means for your dog. Includes the parallel with Robinow Syndrome in humans, which works through the same pathway.
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Disc disease
CDDY and CDPA, and what they do to the spine
The difference between the two FGF4 retrogenes, why only one of them causes back disease, what happens inside a disc when it herniates, and how to read the CFA12 and CFA18 results on a DNA report. Also covers the signs of an IVDD episode and what to do about them.
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Please share these
Both guides are free to use. Breeders, vets, puppy owners and breed clubs are all welcome to download them, print them and pass them on. We only ask that they are not altered and that the Chaleureux credit stays on them.
If something in them is wrong, or new research supersedes them, tell us and we will correct them. Get in touch.