Our dogs are ... HIP SCORED, ELBOW SCORED, BVA CLEAR EYE TESTED AND OPTIGEN PRA TESTED.
Hip and Elbow Testing
Hereditary joint related conditions as a result of indiscriminate breeding. Our breeding dogs have low hip and elbow scores. That are under the BVA recommendations for breeding. Many of these risks can be removed through ensuring you buy your puppy from a breeder where both parents have undergone the BVA Health Test Schemes, as ours do. There are several different types of screening schemes that can aid breeders in the detection of some inherited diseases or, in the case of DNA testing schemes, the presence or absence of disease genes.
BVA Eye Test
Our dogs also under go an eye examination, our breeding dogs have to have clear BVA Eye Tests.
Visit the BVA website to find out more about the Canine Hip/ ElbowSchemes and BVA eye Tests
The OptiGen prcd -PRA Test
The OptiGen prcd -PRA test is a DNA-based test that helps you avoid one form of Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). PRA refers to a group of diseases that cause the retina of the eye to degenerate slowly over time. The result is declining vision and eventual blindness. “ prcd ” stands for “progressive rod-cone degeneration” which is the type of PRA known in several breeds.
All our dogs have had the OptiGen prcd-PRA Test and have a Homozygous Normal Genotype and are classed normal/clear
The Genetic Test
The OptiGen prcd test is done on a small sample of blood from the dog. The test analyzes the specific DNA mutation causing prcd-PRA. The OptiGen test detects the mutant, abnormal gene copy and the normal gene copy. The result of the test is a genotype and allows separation of dogs into three groups: Normal/Clear (homozygous normal), Carrier (heterozygous) and Affected (homozygous mutant).
|
Possible results using the OptiGen prcd test |
|
Genotype |
Risk Group |
Significance For Breeding |
Risk of prcd Disease |
|
Homozygous Normal |
Normal/Clear |
Can be bred to any dog, extremely
low risk of producing affecteds |
Extremely low |
|
Heterozygous |
Carrier |
Should be bred only to Normal/
Clear to remove risk of producing
affecteds |
Extremely low |
|
Homozygous Mutant |
Affected |
Should be bred only to Normal/
Clear to remove risk of producing
affecteds |
Very high |
Once our dogs have been Hip Scored, Elbow Scored, BVA Eye Tested and PRA Tested we can use these screening tests to enable us to have a responsible breeding programme that priorities the health and soundness of our puppies.
