Is your lab programmed to play til he drops?

I don't have any Labrador Retrievers myself, but I used to take care of a brother and sister team, Jessie and Remington (aka Remmy). I really enjoyed spending time with them, but like most labs, they had more energy than they knew what to do with, especially Remmy. I would take them out for a few hours at a time so they could get some exercise, but Remmy never knew when to stop. I'm quite certain that if I didn't impose mandatory time outs he would play to the point of collapse. As any lab owner knows though, that's not unusual.

Now, it seems, there is some science to back up that Labrador Retriever "keep going til I drop' trait, which is actually called exercise induced collapse (EIC). Scientists have found a mutant gene they believe is strongly associated with the condition.

Over the past two months, Labrador breeders from all over the United States and Europe have been sending blood samples to the University, where, for the first time, they can find out if their Labrador retrievers are among the 30 percent that carry a gene linked to Exercise Induced Collapse .

A University study released Sunday details the identification of a mutant gene in Labrador retrievers that is strongly associated with EIC, which affects an estimated 3 to 5 percent of Labradors .

It's the first time a naturally occurring mutation of this particular gene, known as dynamin 1 , has been identified in a mammal, lead author and University veterinarian Ned Patterson said.

The symptoms of EIC — wobbliness and eventual collapse of the rear legs — are generally brought on by intense exercise and excitement from activities like hunting. In some instances, loss of muscle control spreads to the front legs and, in rare cases, has caused death, though most dogs recover quickly.

The gene produces a protein involved in the chemical signaling between nerves that allows the brain to control muscle movement, Patterson said.

He and the study's co-authors think the mutant protein hinders the system's ability to send signals between nerves. This suggests that EIC occurs because the chemical communication system can’t keep up with rapid firing required during intense exercise, he added.

[…]

Now, a DNA blood test can confirm diagnosis for breeders and owners whose Labradors are exhibiting symptoms, Patterson said.

The cost of the test is $65 — within the range of other blood work done on dogs, he added.

Breeders can also find out if their dogs carry the mutant gene, he said.

"Almost always, they need two bad copies of the gene to be affected," he said, so breeders can make sure they don't produce an affected dog.

So now, rather than thinking your lab just doesn't have the sense to know when to stop, give some thought to the fact that he (or she) just may be programmed not to stop!

Transfered from The PetsitUSA.com Blog