BRISTOL UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PROJECT INTO

Congenital Porto systemic Shunts

According researchers there is anecdotal evidence that Porto systemic shunt occurs in some Birmans. On October 5th 2008, eminent researchers Angie Hibbert and Prof Tim Gruffydd-Jones both from Bristol University gave a talk regarding the problem. After the talk research was set up to try to find the cause. At present shunts are thought to be caused by a recessive gene but with polygenic influence so this is not going to be an easy task for the researchers so they really need our help. Only by people being prepared to send or allowing their vets to send swab samples of affected kittens and cats can they carry out the research into this life threatening condition.

If you have a Birman that has been diagnosed with a shunt please can you send a simple mouth swab to either Angie Hibbert in the UK or Dr Leslie Lyons in the USA. Swab samples from siblings and parents and also non related Birmans are also needed for this research.

Here is a link showing how to take a mouth swab

 http://www.langfordvets.co.uk/lab_pkdsampling.htm

The aim of the study is to eventually produce a DNA test breeders can use stop shunts occuring

Dr Leslie Lyons, Geneticist at the University of California, Davis  is also involved in this research so samples can be sent to UC Davis too.

 Here you can read Angie's notes about liver shunts

ANGIE HIBBERT  PORTOSYSTEMIC SHUNT LECTURE NOTES

Swab sample for Bristol

Swab sample for UC Davis