Health Testing

Benefits of having your dogs DNA profiled, DNA profiling provides an owner with their dog’s indisputable verification from the DNA profile.

DNA profiling establishes a blue print of the individuality of that dog.

It can confirm that pedigrees are correct and guarantees puppy buyers that pedigrees are precise.

It can be used in cases of multiple sires and can determine and verify the sire in any litter.

It can defuse any issues of breeding (stud owner/bitch owner) of any disputes over parentage.

Hereditary disease tests allow for accurate diagnosis of disease status of your dog (clear, carrier or affected).

We test BEFORE any breeding takes place.

DNA

MDR1

DM

Haemophilia - Imported MALES ONLY - male 'descendents' of imported bitches.

Owners/breeders can have 100% conviction that results are accurate.

Once HEALTH tests are complete and have been given the ALL CLEAR from BOTH parents - lines can then be "CLEAR BY PARENTAGE"

MDR1 is the abbreviated term for the gene "Multi-Drug Resistance 1". The harmful mutation of this gene is an inheritable condition that causes sensitivity to certain medications.

This includes many different drugs, including commonly used drugs such as Ivermectin, which is used in canine worming products. Intolerances to different drugs caused as a result of the MDR1 mutation varies from case to case.

Some dogs are highly sensitive at any dose to many drugs while other dogs are sensitive to only certain drugs at high doses.

MDR1 Breeding Pair Combinations and Outcomes with percentages %

MDR1 is detected by a swab from inside of the mouth, and can be performed at any age.

Definition of the commonly used terms for MDR1 are;

MDR1 +/+ : Clear for the disease or genetic mutation.

MDR1 -/+ : Carrier for the disease/ genetic mutation.

Carrier means the disease is not expressed in the dog however it can pass this mutation onto its progeny. Some carriers can still express a mild form of sensitivity to some drugs.

MDR1 -/- : Affected by the disease/genetic mutation. These dogs are affected by the condition and therefore are sensitive to certain drugs including Ivermectin. These dogs should not be bred with.

Progressive disease of the spinal cord in older dogs

Canine degenerative myelopathy (also known as chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy) is a progressive disease of the spinal cord in older dogs. The disease has an gradual onset typically between 7 and 14 years of age. It begins with a loss of coordination (ataxia) in the hind limbs. The disease is chronic and progressive, and resulting in paralysis.

This disease results in slowly progressive neurological disease that that is not painful and non-reversible.

Dogs affected with degenerative myelopathy ultimately lose muscle mass from the disuse of their back legs and have difficulty getting up to go outside to urinate and defecate.

The disease causes a failure of blood to clot after an accident or knock. Imported stud dogs, and sons of imported bitches should be tested to prevent any affected new dog or carrier bitch from entering our bloodlines.

Haemophilia is a bleeding disorder of varying severity that is due to a deficiency in specific clotting factors. Normally the body responds to an injury that causes bleeding through a complex defence system, whereby the blood clots to prevent excessive bleeding, however dogs affected by VWD don’t have this defence system and can ultimately bleed to death from a relatively minor cut.

Haemophilia is an X linked, recessive disorder. It is one of the few sex-linked traits in dogs. Because males have only 1 X chromosome, a male dog is either affected or clear of the defect. Females, with 2 X chromosomes, may be affected (abnormal gene on both chromosomes), clear, or a carrier with no clinical signs (one gene affected). In effect, the disease is carried by females but affects mostly males.

Dogs with mild forms of haemophilia may experience few or no signs, and may never require treatment until/unless surgery or trauma is followed by excessive bleeding.

Where haemophilia is more severe, you may see signs of a problem at a fairly early age. Your pup may have prolonged bleeding associated with the loss of baby teeth, or unexplained areas of bleeding/bruising under the skin. Bleeding into muscles or joints will often cause lameness.