|
|
|
|
|
With recessive conditions like PRA, there are 3 genetic categories, affected, normal and carriers. Affected animals have two copies of the faulty PRA gene, one inherited from each parent. Carrier animals have one faulty copy of the PRA gene but appear perfectly healthy and cannot be distinguished from normal dogs by eye screening. Normal animals are entirely free of the faulty gene. The difficulty is that breeders have no way of identifying which category their breeding stock falls into as the only screening test available in the UK (eye testing by a BVA Panellist) can only determine if a dog is clinically clear of the disease at the time of testing. It cannot determine whether the dog is a carrier or whether the dog will go on to develop the disease at some time in the future.
In early 2004 a new DNA test for prcd-PRA
was made available by OptiGen in the United States. Powerscourt Higher
Echelon was the third UK resident cocker to be tested. Since then we
have tested all our dogs (apart from the ones that have two Normal/Clear
tested parents.) Although we have tested all our dogs, only the dogs forming part of our breeding programme
are listed on this page, for our other dogs results please see their own
pages. All our dogs are tested & we are pleased to say that we have no affected
dogs. Clear/Normal (A1) dogs will never develop the disease and
are not carriers of prcd PRA & can't pass this disease onto their offspring.
Carrier (B1) dogs will also never develop this disease & provided they are mated
to Normal/Clear dogs, none of their offspring will develop the disease either. To date,
no Powerscourt dog has
sired PRA or any bitch produced puppies affected with PRA. Breeding with "carrier" dogs has been only undertaken with
"normal/clear" partners, this has ensured that no "affected"
offspring have been produced. Puppies resulting from this
combination have been OptiGen tested.
With the WISE use of this test, mating "carriers" to "normal/clear" is
not a problem.
Every breed needs genetic diversity, restricting
breeding's to "normal/clear" x "normal/clear" will result in the
loss of many otherwise beneficial bloodlines. The OptiGen
test enables breeders to rid their lines of the possibility of
producing affected animals without losing other desirable
attributes, it is vitally important not to lose
quality within the gene pool whilst eradicating any disease. Offspring resulting from the mating of two "normal/clear"
parents will automatically be "homozygous normal" for prcd-PRA. For more information about OptiGen, please click
here!
Results
using the OptiGen prcd test
The information contained on this page is copyright to Powerscourt Cocker Spaniels. It must not be reproduced in any shape or form. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Enter Main Powerscourt Site | Home | Links| Breed Information | Questions To Ask | Choosing A Puppy | Are You Ready For A Dog | Puppy Farmers | Good Breeders| PRA | FAQ |
© Powerscourt Cockers 2000 -
2008.
