ALTON OCHSNER MEDICAL FOUNDATION

3503 PRYTANIA STREET

NEW ORLEANS

Dr. Joshua Lederberg September 27, 195),
Dept. of Genetics

College of Agriculture

University of Wisconsin

Madison, Wisconsin

Dear Dr, Lederberg:

A few days ago I discussed with Dr, I, F, Nord in New York an
apparently hereditary problem in dogs and he suggested that I write to you and
ask your expert advice,

This is the situation: German Shepherd Dogs show in an alarmingly
increasing number "hip dysplasia", commonly called "congenital subluxation", This
defect is seen by X-ray (usually at h-5 months of age) to be the result of a shallow
acetabulum, which leaves the head of the femur without a suitable socket. This leads
to lameness and painful arthritic developments when the head of the femur rubs
against the pelvic bone, cutting a grove and being itself gradually ground off and
flattened as a consequence of motion,

This defect is believed to be associated with a "complex recessive
gene", It occurs in varying degrees of severity in one or more puppies in a litter
from parents who seem to be free of this malformation, I myself had to have an
otherwise beautiful 8 months old dog put to sleep a short while ago when the diagnosis
was established and this kind of thing is, of course, emotionally upsetting, since

the owner usually has become quite attached to the dog by the time the defect becomes
obvious,

For the breeders of dogs and for those wanting to buy puppies, it
would, of course, be very desirable to know, whether the likelihood of the
occurrence of subluxation in a litter could be predicted from the pedigrees, and
whether recommendations could be made to avoid breeding certain individuals, in
order to avoid this congenital malformation,

I would be very much interested to know what your feeling is
concerning this problem and how you would suggest to attack it scientifically,
It would be possible to obtain a number of hegeneration pedigrees of afflicted
dogs. The specific question is, whether you believe it to be worthwhile to
examine such pedigrees for common ancestors and inbreeding and to compare such
pedigrees with those of animals of apparently sound phenotype? Or are there other
approaches :ou feel should be undertaken? Needless to say that I would be glad to
collect a number of pedigrees for examination, should you be interested in having a
closer look at this situation,

I would be very grateful for any help or suggestion you can give me,

Sincerely "Cok Les

Otto Schales, D, Sc,
Director of Chemical Research