Kits ordered will be included in your registration packet. If you have any questions, please contact Samantha Judge, Health Clinic Chair at [email protected]

Type I von Willebrand's disease (vWD) in Bernese Mountain Dogs occurs as the mild form, as distinguished from the severe form, which occurs in Scottish Terriers and Shetland Sheep Dogs. It is characterized by the abnormally low production of a protein found in the blood called von Willebrand's factor which plays a key role in the complex process of clotting a damaged blood vessel.

Degenerative myelopathy (DM) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that occurs in many breeds of dog. The test being offered is based on the research done at the University of Missouri which identified mutations in the DM SOD1(A) gene. To date, the major mutation associated with this disease has been detected in 124 breeds, with a second mutation, SOD1(B) limited to the Bernese Mountain Dog

Both the DM SOD1(A) and SOD1(B) tests are necessary to determine the risk category for your dog: Clear, Carrier, At Risk. DM tests for the common gene mutation found in several breeds. If you have had only one test done previously for your Berner, it is likely the test you used was SOD1(A), and it does not need to be repeated. SOD1(B) tests for the second mutation that seems to affect ONLY Bernese Mountain Dogs. (If that is the case, you should contact GenSol to order a single test kit.)