DM, Canine degenerative myelopathy (also known as chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy) is a progressive disease of the spinal cord in older dogs.
No Silken Windhound has ever been diagnosed with DM but since we knew it is present in Borzoi, one of the breeds used to create the Silken Windhound, we felt we had to make sure.
In May 2011 a large number of Silken Windhounds were tested, looking for the genetic markers for DM. Dogs from all blood lines were tested, from USA and Europe. There were in fact so many dogs tested that it about equals 5% of all Silken Windhounds that ever lived!
To our relief we did not find a single carrier. Every test came back clear!
If a Silken Windhound one day proves to be a carrier, or worse, affected, we will have to reevaluate this matter but for now we are content to say that there is presently no evidence of DM in the breed and the DM test will not be regularly performed by breeders.
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