Dr. Leslie Lyons has announced that the recently developed DNA test for Persians will be approved for testing of British Shorthairs.
Dr Lyons and co-researcher, Dr John Angles, have been working on investigating PKD in British Shorthair cats. Investigation of BSH pedigrees revealed segregation of the disease as an autosomal dominant. The cats have the DNA mutation and they also have consistent ultrasound results. BSH have been known to have Persian/exotic ancestry, although this is now not common, at least in the US.
Drs. Lyons & Angles also examined unrelated BSH cats with ultrasound and positive DNA mutation results.
Using the gathered information under these criteria, they believe the genetic test developed for Persian and related breeds can be used to test for PKD in BSH cats also.
Drs. Lyons and Angles will be submitting a manuscript to document the procedure used to validate the test in BSH with the hope it can be used as a template for other breeds. They are currently working with the Selkirk Rex and Scottish Folds breeds but have not yet identified sufficient samples that fit all the criteria necessary to confirm that the genetic test developed to identify PKD in Persians will also be appropriate for these breeds.
