-Familial Nephropathy (FN)-

Familial nephropathy is a hereditary kidney disease that can affect English Cocker Spaniels. It causes progressive damage to the kidney tissue, which if left untreated, can lead to kidney failure.
This condition is inherited and often manifests at a young age. Common symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, lethargy, and weight loss.
Thanks to modern genetic testing, breeders can identify carriers and responsibly plan matings to significantly reduce or eliminate the risk of passing this disease to offspring.

• Markedly Increased Water Consumption
• Excessive Urination
• Delayed Growth or Weight Loss
• Poor Coat Quality
• Reduced Appetite and Vomiting
• High Protein Levels in Urine

There is no cure for familial nephropathy, which makes early diagnosis and the prevention of breeding affected animals essential.

Inheritance and Importance of Genetic Testing
Familial nephropathy is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. This means:

• A dog develops the disease only if it inherits the defective gene from both parents.
• Dogs with only one mutated gene (carriers) show no symptoms but can pass the mutation on to approximately half of their offspring.

If two carriers are bred together, there is a risk that puppies will develop the disease.
For this reason, it is important never to breed two carriers together.
Genotypes and Their Significance for Breeding

• N/N (homozygous healthy)
  This dog carries no mutation, is healthy, and cannot pass the disease on to offspring.
• N/FN (heterozygous carrier)
  Carriers have one mutated gene – they are healthy but can pass the mutation to about 50% of their puppies. Such dogs should only be bred with genetically healthy partners.
• FN/FN (homozygous affected)
  These dogs carry two mutated genes and are very likely to develop familial nephropathy. They will pass the mutation on to 100% of their offspring and must never be used for breeding.