WESTIE WALKERS - for Westies and Friends of Westies

Hello Westie lovers, I would just like to share with you our latest achievements regarding the UQ Research Project on Atopy in this breed. We have just excluded a gene previously implicated with similar disease in humans (Atopic Dermatitis) as the main cause for Atopy in Westies. I have attached a copy of the paper on that subject for your interest. Further investigation is being conducted by our team as I write. We expect to get more answers soon from a genome screen that is being used to analyse our samples. This will helps us to identify and exclude other possible genes associated with the disease. The main goal is to contribute to the future development of a diagnostic genetic test that may allows us to identify this stressful condition before it develops, and that could be used by breeders to decrease the birth of puppies with atopy. Of course, this investigation won't have been possible without the help of all westies (atopic and non-atopic) and their owners, who kindly volunteered to help us in our study. We are very grateful to this Forum as well, as it helped us to get in touch with many of these owners. We are currently looking for more westies (atopic and non-atopic) to contribute with a small amount of skin to our research, so we can study some of its characteristics. If you think you can help us (or you know someone who can), please contact me on j.barrosroque@uq.edu.au. Once again, thank you very much for all your help, it is much appreciated! Joana

Attachment	Size
FLG AG paper final proof.pdf	82.4 KB