La Tribu des Airaudes · Vendée, France
From breeding to research: Cavalier heart health
La Tribu des Airaudes' contribution to validation research on MMVD and LMOD2 with the University of Copenhagen: clinical records, pedigrees and volunteers.
French samples for validation
Update of 16 October 2026: following our proposal, Peter Karlskov-Mortensen at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark confirmed his team's interest in samples from French Cavaliers, accompanied by clinical and pedigree data.
The team is studying whether the findings can be validated in another dog population. We are preparing a possible contribution with owners, breeders and their veterinarians. The team has told us it does not yet offer a commercial test: validation is ongoing.
Dogs followed over time
We can offer information on more than fifteen dogs from several lines. Five other breeding homes and private owners have also expressed interest in participating.
- Doppler echocardiography reports, with the veterinarian, equipment and technique documented
- Age at each examination, first signs and changes between years
- Pedigrees, family relationships and known health history
- Diet, lifestyle and other available follow-up information
- Biological samples collected under the team's instructions and with the owner's consent
LMOD2 and mitral valve disease
The study described on our French site found an association between MMVD and variants in LMOD2 and a long non-coding RNA. It involved 250 Cavaliers: 117 cases and 133 controls.
Some genotype combinations had a strong association in that group, with wide uncertainty. Independent validation is needed before this could become a reliable selection tool. An odds ratio is not an individual dog's percentage risk.
These results alone do not predict a dog's future or justify excluding it from breeding. Cardiac monitoring and genetic diversity remain central.
How to participate
Dogs may be young or old, affected or without known signs. Older dogs with absent or mild disease, early-onset cases, dogs with repeated echocardiograms and documented related families are particularly useful profiles. The research team decides which records fit its protocol.
First contact us, then gather the pedigree and dated examinations. We will pass on the team's instructions before any sampling or shipment. EDTA blood is preferred; the team has also mentioned FTA cards and buccal samples. Samples and data must be reliably linked to the correct dog.
No data or sample will be passed to a third party without the owner's prior agreement. Expressing interest does not guarantee inclusion in a study.