SUPPORT CRITICAL GSDM RESEARCH!

We, the undersigned, wish to express our support for Dr. Clemmons' work pertaining to German Shepherd Degenerative Myelopathy (GSDM) and the DM Flash Test. GSDM is a devastating and traumatic disease, and no one individual or group has contributed more to the pool of knowledge about GSDM, or educated more people about DM, than Dr. Clemmons. The DM Flash Test has been instrumental in expanding our comprehension of GSDM, and without it, our knowledge base cannot expand. It is imperative that the DM Flash Test remain available to the German Shepherd Dog Community, for it is the only test created for German Shepherds, through GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG research! While other scientists are studying Degenerative Myelopathy in canines, that research is being conducted on other breeds of dogs, mainly Corgis and Boxers. Test results have clearly indicated that German Shepherd Dog Myelopathy is NOT the same disease as Corgi/Boxer Degenerative Myelopathy and as such, scientific discoveries pertaining to those breeds are not necessarily or automatically applicable to German Shepherd Dogs. If the DM Flash test were to be discontinued, it would be a tremendous blow to GSDM research and to the German Shepherd Dog community, as a whole. Additionally, this would leave owners of German Shepherd Dogs with no test other than the SOD1 gene test which has been developed as a part of Corgi/Boxer research and confirmed in no more than 4 German Shepherd dogs! Moreover, early data indicates that not all German Shepherd Dogs with Degenerative Myelopathy even possess the mutated SOD1 gene for which the other test is screening! We implore you to continue to offer the DM Flash Test to the German Shepherd Dog Community! Without this test, we will never find a cure for this horrific disease.

The Degenerative Myelopathy protocol, developed by Dr. Clemmons, has been instrumental in slowing the progression of DM and has given more time with better quality of life to a great many dogs suffering from DM. Anyone who has ever loved a special canine companion knows that more time with them means everything in the world. It is a priceless gift! Despite any and all advances made in DM research, Dr  Clemmons' protocol is still the ONLY treatment plan that has been developed for German Shepherd Dog Myelopathy that has consistently helped so many dogs. As such, those of us with German Shepherd Dogs who have developed this heart breaking disease (and for those who will sadly have to deal with it in the future) NEED Dr. Clemmons to be able to continue his research! We NEED the Flash Test to be able to support that effort! Without further research geared specifically towards the German Shepherd Dog, the German Shepherd community will be left to wonder what parts of the latest DM research is even applicable to their beloved dogs. Without the DM Flash test, there is no way to gain more knowledge about GSDM ! The only wish and the greatest hope of anyone who has ever owned a DM dog, is that a cure be found in time to save their beloved companion. Please do NOT add years to that time by allowing DM to claim even more victims. Dr Clemmons has always been our researcher of choice. Our faith is in him, the worldwide DM Support Group revolves around him, the Breed Club has shown its faith in him with their research support, and we did not come this far to suddenly find our ship without its Captain! Please do NOT do this to us! DM dog owners have enough heartache on their plate!

We respectfully request that you seriously reconsider your decision to defund the DM Flash Test lab and allow the DM Flash test to remain available to serve the breed for which it was created. Access to the DM Flash Test and Dr Clemmons' work is crucial in the minds of GSD owners to the ultimate resolution of GSDM. The program continues to provide the kind of direction and assistance to the German Shepherd Dog Breed that it has a history of doing. The loss of Dr Clemmons' program to the German Shepherd Dog Club of America and German Shepherd Dog owners everywhere would be a severe blow to our hope for a better future.

Thank you for your time and consideration, from the worldwide German Shepherd Dog Community.