Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency III (LAD3 Dog)
Leukocyte adhesion deficiency III (LAD3) is a blood disorder that leads to an increased rate of infections, fever, lameness and abnormal bleeding.
The disease occurs in the German Shepherd Dog and is inherited autosomal recessively.
Symptoms
- Increased rate of infections
- Abnormal bleeding
- Fever
- Lameness
General Information
- Leukocyte adhesion deficiency III (LAD3) is a blood disorder.
- There are defects in the cascade of leukocyte adhesion (part of the immune response), which leads to increased infections and bleeding.
- Affected animals are severely impaired in their health, so that they usually have to be euthanised.
Breeds affected
German Shepherd Dog
Test Information
This mutation test detects an insertion of 12 base pairs in the FERMT3 gene (originally the Kindlin-3 gene).
Genotype and Lab Report
Inheritance: autosomal recessive
→ The disease only occurs if both copies of the gene (lad3/lad3) are affected by the mutation. Dogs that have only one copy of the causative mutation (N/lad3) are clinically healthy carriers.
Genotypes:
N/N = genetically normal
The dog has no predisposition for LAD3 and therefore cannot pass it on to its offspring.
N/lad3 = a carrier
The dog is a clinically healthy carrier. The variation is passed on 50% to the offspring, which are also carriers.
lad3/lad3 = affected
The variation is passed on 100% to the offspring (if the animal is able to reproduce at all). The offspring are carriers or affected.
Recommendations
- Carrier animals can be bred to healthy animals (N/lad3 x N/N) and produce healthy offspring. Before the offspring are used for breeding, however, it should be tested whether they are healthy or carriers.
- Mating two carrier animals (N/lad3 x N/lad3) is not recommended, because there is a 25% chance that the offspring will be affected.
- Affected animals (lad3/lad3) should not be used for breeding.
Literature
Boudreaux, MK., Wardrop, KJ., Kiklevich, V., Felsburg, P., Snekvik, K.: A mutation in the canine Kindlin-3 gene associated with increased bleeding risk and susceptibility to infections.Thromb Haemost 103:475-7, 2010. Pubmed reference: 20126836. DOI: 10.1160/TH09-09-0571.
Further information is available at Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals.