Dr. George Padgett was a veterinary pathologist at Michigan State University with special interest in canine genetics and what role breed clubs play in the control of the genetic diseases in their particular breed. He cites the need for open record keeping which will report all evaluations (abnormal as well as normal) as being essential to health improvement in a colony of dogs or a breed as a whole. Dr. Padgett was one of the founders of the GDC which is this kind of registry.
Dogs and the people who breed them lost George Padgett, DVM, one of their best friends and champions, shortly before Christmas, 2004. George was a tireless advocate for breeders and breed clubs in the struggle to control genetic disease. He was one of the people whose energy and ideas helped establish GDC in the late 1980s, and for nearly two decades he counseled breeders and breed clubs on genetic disease issues. His ideas have permanently changed the way many people think, and what's more, talk, about genetic disease in dogs.
As a breed club with a small gene pool, the SM club officers discussed ways to keep genetic diseases in the Small Munsterlander breed to a minimum. Research into the best speaker to bring to the 2002 SMCNA conference brought us to George Padgett, DMV.
Dr Padgett began with the fact that no dog owner or breeder wants to admit that their dog has any defects, they say MY dog has no genetic diseases! But the truth is that most purebred dogs are carriers for four to five genetic defects. It isn't until dog owners and breeders can talk openly and honestly about genetic diseases that genetic diseases will be controlled in any specific dog breed and we are committed to control genetic diseases in our SM breed.
The SMCNA collected information from a survey we distributed to all known SM owners to generate a list of genetic defects and diseases occuring in our SM breed. The Breed Council and GHP committee assesses the impact of each trait on the breed, determine which defects should be attacked on a breed-wide basis, and report to the SMCNA members. We then begin a registration of dogs and bitches affected with genetic defects and those known to carry genes for these traits in an Open Registry. SM dogs suspected to be free of the undesirable traits will be known and noted.
Dr Padget’s book, "Control of Canine Genetic Diseases," (Howell Book House) is still the best single source of information available. The final paragraph of his introduction to the book captures the essence of his thinking: "If we want to make any impact in controlling genetic disease in dogs, we must agree that an ethical approach is based on fairness, openness, and honesty. While traditions are important to us and should remain important, they should be changed if they conflict with the exercise of our ethics as dog breeders."
