4th litter of the year!

[infernalis]

I am no genetics expert, very novice

Just figured that the genetics could crumble without diversity.

Certain recessive genes are more likely to surface in an inbreeding environment. (One would assume)

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

very sorry to hear that.. my last litter was the same way. 10 dead, 10 alive... all thin and some with slightly smallish, oddly shaped heads. I had to put a few out before i left for my trip because they were refusing to eat AND drink, and were grotesquely skinny and weak. I hope the rest comes better for you!

[infernalis]

I had to put a few out before i left for my trip because they were refusing to eat AND drink, and were grotesquely skinny and weak.

Shanon, did you mean "down"

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

actually, I meant put a few out of their misery... which I somehow failed to type... but yes, down works as well...

[Stefan-A]

How about "kill"?

[KITKAT]

The dangers of inbreeding are not just the inheritance of deformities or genetic diseases.

A friend of mine wrote this for her students (to fully understand you must read all of the pages):

What are the general effects of inbreeding

Inbreeding as a way to select against genetic diseases:

http://cc.ysu.edu/~helorime/inbrimmune.html

Note that the immune system weakening and the reproductive depression are not the actions of recessive genes, but rather, the lack of diversity from genetically same parents.

[Stefan-A]

Thanks.

[GartersRock]

Stefan. I hate it when people say they "put their dog/cat/whatever down"... Hate it. Esp when they killed them for selfish reasons. Like they are moving. Grrr.... Just say you killed your dog for goodness sake!

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Stefan. I hate it when people say they "put their dog/cat/whatever down"... Hate it. Esp when they killed them for selfish reasons. Like they are moving. Grrr.... Just say you killed your dog for goodness sake!

now people who do that are no good.

[GartersRock]

Oh I see it all the time... I actually witnessed someone bring in their gorgeous white Samoyed into the shelter and ask us to immediatly kill the dog (they said "put down" of course). Why? Because her white hair was getting on their new black furniture. Grrr....