Comparative Genetics and Orthopaedic Laboratory at UW Veterinary Medicine

08/27/2025

Our very own Dr. Muir is featured in a blog by the AKC Canine Health Foundation! He discusses the growing role that genetics plays in understanding and preventing torn cruciate ligaments in dogs. Our research is an exciting step forward in improving canine health and helping our furry companions live longer, more active lives. 🐾

Read the full blog here:

A Familiar Injury with Surprising Roots If you are a sports fan, or one of the thousands of people who will tear an ACL in your lifetime, you understand how devastating a knee injury can be. A single wrong step can lead to painful surgery, costly treatment, and a long road to recovery. Dogs face [.....

08/26/2025

Exciting news in veterinary science! 🐾 A new study from the University of Wisconsin–Madison shows that genome-enabled polygenic risk scores (PRS) can predict cruciate ligament rupture in Labrador Retrievers with up to 88.5% accuracy when clinical factors like age, weight, s*x, and neuter status are included, and still an impressive 77% accuracy using genetic data alone. This innovative tool could help breeders and vets identify high-risk dogs early for personalized care or selective breeding decisions. By combining genetics with simple health data, we can work toward smarter prevention and better outcomes for our canine companions. Truly a game-changer in how we approach orthopedic health in dogs, thank you to everyone who participated!

Click the article below to learn more! https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1625953

08/25/2025

Adam is a long-time student and current veterinary summer scholar who presented at the Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Symposium on his work investigating the genetic basis of fibrotic myopathy in the German Shepard Dog. Adam had CROWDS at his poster with lots of questions and engagement! Adam has moved this project forward substantially over the summer months. We are excited to see such positive movement forward with our goal of finding the genetic basis of this disease. Brilliant job Adam!

06/05/2025

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Calling all Irish Wolfhound owners!
We are looking for purebred Irish Wolfhounds that are over the age of 10 and have no history of osteosarcoma.
If you or someone you know has a dog that qualifies please email us at [email protected]
Currently we only have funding to recruit dogs located within the US.

06/03/2025

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Calling all Wisconsin Labrador Retriever owners!

Would you be willing to participate in a research study investigating laryngeal paralysis in dogs?

Do you live near Madison, Wisconsin? We would love to talk with you about potentially enrolling your dog in our study!

We are currently looking for pure-bred Labrador Retrievers, age 9+, who have a confirmed case of laryngeal paralysis. We are also looking for pure-bred Labradors that are 13.5 years or older who have not been diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis.

Please reach out to us by email ([email protected]) or phone (608-265-5828) to discuss enrollment of your dog in our study!

05/30/2025

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We are currently recruiting for our study on the genetic basis of ocular melanosis in Cairn Terriers!
Our criteria for participation:
Purebred Cairn Terriers of any age diagnosed with ocular melanosis
Purebred Cairn Terriers aged 12 years or older with no diagnosis of ocular melanosis
If you or someone you know has a Cairn Terrier in the US that fits the above criteria, we can work with you to enroll them in our study! We can recruit both local and non-local dogs at this time, so coming to UW Madison is not necessary. If non-local, we can confirm disease status from owner- or veterinarian- submitted photographs.
Thank you to all who are considering! We are grateful for your support.
Please contact us by email at [email protected] if you are interested in participating. We look forward to hearing from you!

05/28/2025

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Calling all Peruvian owners!
Our genetic screening test for the risk of DSLD is still available for Peruvians! We are actively recruiting for another round of screening, and are looking for interested clients!
The genetic risk testing is ~90% accurate using current data. The genetic risk test can predict the phenotype of the Peruvian Horse as having the genetic risk of a DSLD case or phenotype-negative control.
If you have a Peruvian Paso that you would like to submit, please fill out the google form linked here: https://forms.gle/XPJEqCKvGpnVqwCs9
The cost is $350 per horse, which would only be billed to you upon receiving results.
Disclaimer: The turnaround time on the genetic screening test can be quite long, as we require 96 samples before we are able to genotype the horses because the testing format for the genetic markers consists of a 96 sample array. The more samples we have for testing, the faster the turnaround will be.
If you have any questions, or want to learn more about this service, please email us at [email protected]

05/27/2025

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Calling all American Labrador owners!
Our genetic screening test for the risk of cruciate rupture is still available for Labrador Retrievers! We are actively recruiting for another round of screening, and are looking for interested clients!
If you have a purebred Labrador Retriever that you would like to submit, please fill out the google form linked here: https://forms.gle/mfxZKEyJFmk77C9q6
The cost is $250 per dog, which would only be billed to you upon receiving results.
Disclaimer: This test is predicting the risk of cruciate rupture in Labrador retrievers. The UW Comparative Genetics Laboratory is not responsible for any breeding decision made in light of results.
If you have any questions, or want to learn more about this service, please email us at [email protected]

05/26/2025

Happy Memorial Day!! We hope you and your furry friends are staying cool!

05/22/2025

***Please Share**
Calling all Irish Wolfhound owners!
We are looking for purebred Irish Wolfhounds that are over the age of 10 and have no history of osteosarcoma. Or Purebred Irish Wolfhounds that are under the age of 5 and have been diagnosed with osteosarcoma.
If you or someone you know has a dog that qualifies please email us at [email protected]
Currently we only have funding to recruit dogs located within the US.

05/20/2025

READ FIRST: This post contains discussion regarding end-of-life decisions. Please do not read further on if this could cause any distress.
To owners of senior dogs near Madison, Wisconsin:
We are starting a body donation program for medium and large breed dogs who are nearing the end of their life journey. We are reaching out to: 1) owners whose dogs are either nearing this end point and 2) owners whose dogs are doing well but may potentially reach this point within the next year. Our goal is to provide information to individuals who feel the following opportunity may be a good fit for them and their families. We respect that end-of-life decisions can be extremely hard and hope to provide a supportive and respectful option for owners of dogs who may qualify.
We are studying the pathologic, genetic, and molecular features of laryngeal paralysis (AKA GOLPP). This study has the potential to have a substantial impact on our understanding of laryngeal paralysis. We are looking to collect post-mortem tissue samples from pure-bred Labrador Retrievers or medium-large breed dogs over 8 years of age with or without GOLPP. If you feel your dog may qualify and are interested in learning more, please send us an email ([email protected]) or give us a call (608-265-5828).
Please note: We will cover the costs of humane euthanasia and post mortem group cremation for participation in this study.

05/16/2025

In humans, peripheral nerve degeneration can cause progressive muscle weakness, foot deformities, and sensory deficits. One way to learn about human hereditary peripheral neuropathy (HPN) is to study domestic dogs with neurodegenerative diseases. For example, …