IGS question

[ShellyF]

Some regulars will know that our lovely Mr Merlin has had IMHO stamina issues since puppyhood and since his neutering this has increased plus he has lost weight. His stools had also got very loose. We have of course been working with our broad minded vet and holistic pet food store owner. We’ve sorted out hisnvery loose stools with rice and I am adding in other foods slowly to get variety back into his diet  

He is just over one year now. A 20 minute walk wipes him out. When we go play ball (which is his favourite game) he does his sheepdog lying down thing but once he has the ball he prefers to go off and eat dirt. He loves the dog park (we have a good one) but after 15 mins playing with his friends he prefers to just go sniff and is always happy to come with us when we head for the gate. He’s started to display the kind of ‘over tired’ behaviours (like licking baseboards) that he did when he was a young pup. I know something isn’t right. 

Someone on this board suggested IGS and we did check with the breeder who said all was good. I have asked her again if his siblings have stamina issues and she now tells me that his sire has Cobalamin Malabsorption (CM) - apparently she was told everything was ok when she bred from him but didn’t have the paperwork to prove it! She says that as the Dame is clear he shouldn’t have it. But he certainly has all the symptoms of this. 

His stool, urine and bloodwork have all been cleared for the usual suspects and I shall be discussing the options for additional bloodwork with the vet tomorrow. But is it correct that he can’t have CM or IGS If the dame doesn’t have it? 

[NCStarkey]

Hello Sherry, 

IGS and Cobalamin Malabsorption are the same disorder, and like most heritable disorders, dogs are either normal, carrier, or affected. So, if your dog's sire "has" CM, it would mean that he is affected (and hopefully being treated).  The chart below will show the approximate heritability  of mating of dogs that are either normals, carriers, or affecteds.   If your dog's dam is "clear" (normal), you pup could only be a carrier (not affected).   However, if his dam is a carrier (and wouldn't be symptomatic), your pup could definitely be affected by IGS.  There is a simple DNA test that will confirm if your pup is normal, a carrier, or affected through Paw Print Genetics (and a few other labs).  If your pup is affected, he will need to be supplemented with vitamin B-12 monthly for life.  I suggest that you submit your dog's DNA (via cheek swab) to be tested.  It is well worth the peace of mind to know if he is or isn't affected, and if he is affected, he needs to receive B- 12 supplements before he becomes really ill.  

nancy

[GentleLake]

I don't know as much about this as I would like to, but I'm not convinced that IGS is the only type of cobalamin malabsorption. One reason I'm skeptical of this is that references to IGS often mention that symptoms start showing up in puppies.

I had what I'm pretty sure was a border collie mix who I adopted at about 6 years old. She was with me for at least a couple of years before she started having symptoms of cobalamin malabsorption and they were intermittent and definitely not constant. It took a couple more years to get her properly diagnosed and during that time she'd have increasingly severe bouts of diarrhea on vomiting. When she was correctly diagnosed it was a simple blood test that the vet was able to do in the office that showed she wasn't absorbing B 12 or folate, and he was able to give me n answer while we were still there. Simple, inexpensive B 12 injections that I have her at home for the rest of her life kept the symptoms from returning.

There are some conditions where dogs can be affected to a lesser degree if they have one copy of the gene. I don't know if IGS is one of them but it might be worth asking your vet if s/he knows the answer or would be willing to look into it. If it were me I'd also be asking for the more simple blood test for cobalamin malabsorption. Again, I don't know the answer for this, but if the treatment is the same whether it's IGS or another form of CM then it seems that you may be able to begin treatment tomorrow.

I'd be every interested in knowing what your vet has to say about the possibility that there's a for of CM that's not IGS, and if the treatment's the same or not.

Whatever the answer is, I wish you the best and hope something as simple as B 12 shots is all you need to help Merlin.

Please keep us posted.

 

Note: I have absolutely no medial qualifications and I'm well aware the experience w/ my dog is anecdotal, so take that into consideration.

 

 

 

[Journey]

I'd save your time and your vets time and get the DNA test done on him. No point in guessing and having him feel miserable if you don't know for *fact* what you are or are not dealing with.

[ShellyF]

We are getting a priority B12 check done as that will be quicker than the genetic one which would have to be sent off to the US (we are in Canada). That way if he needs B12 it can be dealt with quickly. Even so we won’t know until mid next week what his B12 levels are. I was hoping to get his blood sent off today but he has to fast first and it’s now the weekend so we can’t send off bloodwork until Monday