AHI Website

DNA STORAGE

Sample DNA Submission Form

Afghan Hound DNA storage Animal Health Trust UK (Worldwide samples accepted)
 for future research, swab kits available at AHCW & SAC or by post

Details provided by Cathryn Mellersh Phd AHT

We do store DNA from various breeds now, for future research purposes, and we would be happy to do that for the Afghan Hound.

We can store DNA collected either as blood samples (collected from UK dogs only when the dog is having blood drawn for a veterinary purpose) or from cheek swabs.  The amount of DNA we can extract from cheek swabs is usually sufficient for our purposes, providing owners follow the instructions we provide.

We can provide cheek swab kits - these include 4 cheek swabs, full instructions an a submission form that each owner must sign giving the AHT permission to use the sample in future research.  The submission form details the information we need to collect for each dog sampled.  Brief details will be asked on the form or any current conditions

Because we currently do not have any funds in place to cover our costs we would ask for a donation of 5 UK Pounds per swab kit.  We can supply swab kits to individuals, or (our preference) to a willing volunteer from the Afghan community who would be happy to give out the kits.  The AHI have volunteered and been accepted as the point of contact for co-ordinating the supply and return of the supply kits to the AHT

Upon receipt of each sample we will log the details of each dog into our database, and will store the DNA in our freezers.

Each quarter, upon request, I will provide a brief progress report, in terms of the number of samples we have received and any research being carried, to anybody who requests a copy.

If, at any time in the future, we were in a position to initiate a research project using the samples we had collected we would need to seek additional funds to cover that research - the £5 donation requested for each swab kit covers only the logging of sample details and the sample storage

Why your dogs DNA is needed

Until the Animal Heath Trust have a LARGE supply of DNA from Afghan Hounds, NO research can be made into developing any DNA tests for our breed

The more DNA samples submitted to the AHT, the sooner they will be able to undertake research into any health conditions in the breed,
By obtaining or ordering a swab kit does NOT mean you have a sick dog, samples for ALL dogs healthy & ill are needed for research
Particularly important is obtaining samples from relatives.  The amount of samples is the crucial factor for future research

To give you an idea of the amount of samples required, the AHT informed us that they have been collecting samples for storage for another breed and now have about 14,000 samples, sometimes batches of 200 arriving in one day!

Discussions with the AHT about Afghan DNA storage were well under way before 'that' TV program and with UK Kennel Club now clamping down on breeders to safeguard the health of pedigree dogs therefore its even more important that we should all be doing something about dogs health

The AHT is a non-profit making organisation, and tests are priced competitively to cover costs - any surplus is re-invested in their research programme into animal disease and welfare.  An example of costs for PRA tests in dachshunds recently developed by the AHT, initially the charge was 120 UK pounds but the more samples tested the more the cost reduces at the present time it is now 50 UK pounds
 

"The success of any research will largely depend on the successful collection of DNA from dogs that can contribute to our research.
All research is carried out in the strictest confidence and we do not share genetic information about any dog with anybody except that dog's owner"

You will find details about the AHT Genetics research program on their website Animal Health Trust

NOTE: Any samples that you send will be handled in strictest confidence by the AHT

Email ahi@sky.com