Subject: Epilepsy in Poodles: Part 2A: Update on Research; Phase I; Collection of data

Date: Tue, 11 Nov 1997 14:43:37 -0500

From: Barbara Licht

I promised an update of our research on the mode(s) of inheritance for primary epilepsy in Poodles. I will begin with a fairly standard line that you have heard from many other researchers. That is, on a general level, we have made considerable progress, but we have a long way to go. Below, I will be more specific. Because this is long, I have divided it into 3 separate posts: 2A, 2B, and 2C. I have joked before that I am not capable of giving a short answer to any question. However, I think it is important to explain the reasons for our procedures as well as our findings. Because some of the explanations may be longer than some of you want, I labeled each section to make it easy to skip the long explanations without missing our main goals and our progress. The sections on the "importance" of our goals present detailed explanations.

I want to begin on a non-scientific note. I am pleased to report that a couple weeks ago (October, 1997), we received our first check from the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation (AKC/CHF). The grant is administered by the AKC/CHF, and the AKC/CHF is responsible for the scientific review of grants. However, the research is jointly funded and sponsored by the Poodle Club of America Foundation, Inc. and the AKC/CHF.

For each phase of our research, I will describe our goals, the importance of these goals, and the degree to which we have reached our goals. This report will include Standard Poodles (SPs) only because we are focusing on Standards first. Later, we also will focus on Miniatures and Toys. Importantly, we welcome new participants who own any variety. The data we collect on Miniatures and Toys at this time will give us a "head start" for when we focus on those varieties.

During Phase #1, our goal was to collect short "preliminary" questionnaires from ALL owners and breeders of Poodles (all varieties), even if they never had problems with seizures. The purposes of the preliminary questionnaire are: 1) to identify SPs with seizures and non-seizing SPs who are related to those with seizures, 2) to obtain a rough estimate of the prevalence of primary epilepsy in the breed, and 3) to identify potential participants for later research which will focus on environmental determinants of seizures.

It should be pretty clear why we want to identify Poodles with seizures. After all, how can we study seizures in Poodles without a large and representative sample of Poodles that have had seizures? Many of you also understand why we need to identify NON-seizing SPs who are related to SPs with seizures. (This is explained in Part 2B.) However, it is least obvious why we wish to receive questionnaires from those who own Poodles that are unrelated to ones with seizures. First, in order to obtain a more accurate estimate of the prevalence of primary epilepsy in Poodles, we also need responses from those who have not had problems with seizures. Otherwise, we might overestimate the prevalence of epilepsy. Although it is impossible to avoid this problem entirely, we are making a strong effort to minimize it by repeatedly encouraging broad participation.

It also is important to obtain questionnaires from those who have not have problems with seizures because for our later research on the environmental determinants of seizures (e.g., injuries, pesticides, etc.), we will need to compare the environments of Poodles with and without seizures to see if their environments differ. Last, and importantly, some individuals who own Poodles who are related to those with seizures may not realize it. Thus, if those owners are already in our database, we will not have to spend time and money tracking down their address and phone.

Phase #1 has been successful. However, as mentioned, it is NOT too late to become a participant. As of November, 1998 (one year after this post was originally written), we are pleased to report that more than 300 owners/breeders of SPs have filled out our preliminary questionnaire and have indicated a willingness to provide further information. Our respondents own an average (mean) of approximately 4 SPs, with a range of 1 SP to 25 SPs. The most common number owned was 1; and the higher numbers reflect breeders who had a litter on the ground at the time they filled out the questionnaire. Our Phase #1 findings include information on about 1,125 SPs that are spread across a wide range of ages.

As of November, 1998, we have identified owners of 99 SPs with seizures. Additionally, 29 respondents reported that a current SP has produced at least one offspring that has had seizures, and 35 reported that they know of a parent or grandparent of a current SP that has had seizures. Thus, Phase #1 data helped us identify a significant number of SPs with seizures and a significant number of relatives.

As an aside, conducting research on a disease puts one in a strange psychological position. Every time I receive information on a new Poodle with seizures, I am deeply saddened by the suffering of both the owner and Poodle. Because one of our own SPs has epilepsy, I know exactly what the owner is feeling, and it is heartbreaking. However, at the same time, I know that every time we identify another potential participant, we get one step closer to our goal of determining the mode(s) of inheritance for primary epilepsy in SPs. This, in turn, can bring us closer to our long-term goal of identifying the gene(s) that influence primary epilepsy in all varieties of Poodles and other affected breeds. CONTINUED IN PART 2B

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Barbara G. Licht, Ph.D. Voice: (850) 644-6272

Department of Psychology EMAIL: blicht@psy.fsu.edu

Florida State University FAX: (850) 644-7739

Tallahassee, FL 32306-1051

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© 1998 Barbara Licht