Abstract: A method for identifying one or more MHC alleles present in a dog, the method comprising: (a) determining the nucleotide present at the or each polymorphic position specified for the one or more MHC alleles in any one of Tables 4 to 6 or determining the nucleotide(s) present at a polymorphic position(s) in linkage disequilibrium with one or more polymorphic positions specified in Tables 4 to 6; and (b) identifying therefrom the presence or absence of one or more MHC alleles in the dog. Based on the comparison between alleles, it was possible to specify a minimum number of SMP positions that need to be determined in order to identify a particular allele (Table 4 to 6).

Abstract: A method a method for diagnosing susceptibility to diabetes in a non-human animal, the method comprising: a) identifying whether or not a polymorphism as defined in Table 4 or a polymorphism which is in linkage disequilibrium with such a polymorphism is present in the genome of the animal; and b) thereby diagnosing whether the animal is susceptible to diabetes, wherein optionally the said identifying is carried out on a sample from the animal.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing susceptibility to diabetes in a dog, the method comprising: (a) (i) detecting in a sample from the dog the presence or absence of a genotype in any one of the following immune system genes: CTLA-4, IGF-2, IL-1?, IL-4, IL-6, IL-1O, IL-12?, IFN?, PTPN3, PTPN15, PTPN22, TNF, or RANTES; and/or (ii) determining in a sample from the dog whether a genotype identified in Table 1 or 3A, or a genotype in linkage disequilibrium with said genotype identified in Table 1 or 3 A, is present in an insulin or IGF gene of the dog; and/or (iii) determining in a sample from the dog whether a genotype identified in Table 2 or 3B, or a genotype in linkage disequilibrium with said genotype identified in Table 2 or 3B, is absent in an insulin or IGF gene of the dog; and (b) thereby diagnosing whether the dog is susceptible to diabetes.