Why should veterinarians, breeders and showers of halter type horses be concerned about HYPP?
Veterinarians are likely to encounter the problems in pre-purchase examinations of Quarter horses, Paint and Appaloosa horses. Affected horses usually appear clinically normal and yet the presence of HYPP has major adverse implications for breeding, insurance, and, possibly, for strenuous performance. This HYPP DNA test offers veterinarians and breeders a tool which can be applied as a safer and more reliable diagnostic test for this disease, and thus allow to direct their breeding programs. To eliminate this trait from certain lines, stallion and mare, owners should have their horses tested prior to breeding and select normal horses for their breeding stock. If only unaffected horses are used for breeding, no HYPP-affected offspring wil1 be produced. Without prompt action, inbreeding will produce more homozygous affected individuals and the indications are that this may greatly increase the expression of serious clinical disease. Veterinarians can play an important role in testing sus
