Silver Dilution Test

[targetsmom]

Thank you. That was very helpful. I can't believe I am the only one who wouldn't have known that though. I still think it might help to have a place to find that kind of info, not just the genetics, but WHY you might want to test. Now I can see that it might be fun to know if he carries the silver gene. He is only a yearling so he has no babies.

 

[chandab]

Sorry, what I meant was samples of horses with color pattern representative of the different silver dilution patterns. Sending samples with picture of the horse would be great.

Thanks

Arne

If I could get my mare tested for no charge, I'd happily send in hair sample and pictures of her... I thought she was palomino, so had her tested (before silver test was available) for Black, Agouti and cream. She is EEAa and no cream; as she looks like a dark palomino to the untrained eye, we can then surmise that she is silver bay (she can't be palomino with black base and no cream), so no real point in testing for silver, except to satisfy curiosity. [Although, when the dun test becomes available, I may test her for that; she looks to have some dun characteristics, but it's hard to be sure with her coloring.]

 

[Mona]

I could be wrong, but with the silver testing, I think it would be helpful, not only for curiosity sake, but don't silvers when bred to each other have the chance of producing moon blindness or something? I know there is a certain name for it but I can't think of it. So it would be beneficial for those wanting to avoid that??

 

[^T-bird89^]

When do you think the dun test will be available? I want to have my grulla tested to see if he is heterozygous or homozygous

:

 

[CheyAut]

I could be wrong, but with the silver testing, I think it would be helpful, not only for curiosity sake, but don't silvers when bred to each other have the chance of producing moon blindness or something? I know there is a certain name for it but I can't think of it. So it would be beneficial for those wanting to avoid that??

I believe you are talking about ASD (anterior segment dysgensis), usually associated with the mountain horse breeds, which you can read about here: http://www.gaitedhorses.net/ASD.html

I THINK I had heard this is not common in the miniature, and so some believe it is NOT associated with silver, that's it's a coincidence, or that it is but also has other factors in it.

Jessi

 

[rabbitsfizz]

ASD has always been associated with H/Z Silvers in the same way that "moon blindness" is associated with Appies.

I would be wary of breeding Silver to Silver but would do it- with caution.

I doubt I would do it with H/Z Silvers.

Hopefully some more positive tests will be available for this soon, especially as we now have the Silver test and appear to be on the verge of a Dun test too.

 

[Lewella]

The researchers who isolated the silver gene and developed the test found NO LINK BETWEEN SILVER AND ASD. It is printed quite plainly in their peer reviewed paper. These independant researchers concluded that ASD in the Rocky Mountain Horse breed is a RMH problem and likely due to a common ancestor (similar to the HYPP problem in the AQHA and APHA).

ASD can happen in any breed and there likely isn't a breed in the world that doesn't have the occassional case of it. Many of these breeds DO NOT have the silver dilution. The Rocky Mountain Horse assn. funded research that "determined" (and I use that term rather loosely) that silver and ASD were caused by the same gene was extremely flawed. The doctor who published the RMH funded research made some blatently false claims including that he had examined an exstict breed of pacer and found it to have ASD (the breed had been exstinct for nearly 100 years.....), that he had examined silver Morgans (this was years prior to silver being documented in Morgans and most of the known silver Morgans have been examined for ASD and found to not have it), and he claimed to have examined Icelandic horses and found silver Icey's with ASD which nearly resulted in an international lawsuit and was a strong motivating factor behind the research that isolated silver.

There were several other procedural flaws in the RMH funded research also. It was in the best interest of the RMH industry to make the public believe that their problem was a problem in other breeds. They are still trying to do this by blatently ignoring the independent research and claiming testing for silver can determine ASD status.

:

: Testing for silver is not a test for ASD - the only test for ASD is an eye exam done by a qualified equine eye specialist.

The simple fact is - there are hundreds of homozygous silver miniatures and hundreds of homozygous silver Shetlands in the US today but only a handful of documented cases of ASD in minis and none in Shetlands. There are also many silver horses in other breeds that have been examined for ASD and found to be ASD free including Morgans, Quarter Horses, Tennessee Walking Horses, Missouri Foxtrotters, American Saddlebreds, Icelandic, and American Mustangs.

 

[horsehug]

Lewella,

Thanks so much for posting that!

It is really good to know all the scares about ASD were unfounded.

Susan O.

 

[Becky]

The researchers who isolated the silver gene and developed the test found NO LINK BETWEEN SILVER AND ASD.

That's really interesting to know, Lewella. I have always heard that there is a link between silver and ASD. Especially in homozygous form. I'm glad to know it's not true as I love silvers and now wouldn't hesitate to breed two together!

 

[gatorbait4sure]

I have a mare who has never been tested for anything. She appears all white with a few appy spots, mostly on her skin..

1. She had a foal who is dapple gray pinto, sired by a black pinto.

2.Her next foal was born LIGHT cocoa colored with 4 high whites, a star and a belly spot that was about 6-8 inches round. Her sire was a silver pinto. This foal shed out completely white with her first shed.

I know the mare carries the gray gene. She is registered as a white appy. WHAT besides LWO , do I test her for????

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I would guess there is more then a handfull of minis with ASD only cause I had 1 and at the time my vet (this was about 8-9 yrs ago) had no clue what it was did some research and found a few others in our area that had the same issue as well that along with those that have mentioned they have horses with it here would make me guess it isnt rare but I agree with you Lewella also not anywhere near as prevelant either

 

[Humhill]

Arne - You have a PM.

 

[ANDROMEDA FARM]

Arne - you have a PM.

 

[Arne]

Arne - You have a PM.

Sorry but what is a PM

 

[Mona]

Arne, a PM is a "private message". To retrieve yours, scroll up to the light blue/grey bar where it says who you are logged in as.(your username) Then in the far right side of that bar, is "_ New Messages". Click on that to take you to yous PMs.