Info: Optigen Testing - An Explanation and Overview

Diana · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:24 pm Post subject:

Dear Confused Wink

" When you have the test done do you still need to do an annual test of the eyes "

...Indeed you do... for the good reason that the annual eye certificate looks for MORE than just GPRA, it also looks, in our breed for Hereditary cataracts and MRD, two other conditions relatively common to our breed. Not as nasty in what they develop into as GPRA, but nasty and with some element of heridtary inheritence. So you Optigen test once, but yes you do need to still do you basic eye certificate. Of course when you go and have your eye certificate done annually, you will KNOW, having Optigen tested, if you dog has come back genetically clear by Optigen that you will never fail on *that* at your eye certificate. Its some comfort when sitting there in the dark Wink

" My girl will be being mated (when she decides to come into season) this month she as been eye tested at the vets "

.... Can I just check, having just run into an exact case of this - you mean by a specilialist eye panelist under the BVA/KC scheme, not just a eye check at your normal vets? Just to make sure. Just had a lady who did just that and even her VET thought it was all she needed to do, have a once over with her normal guy....????

" Will I need to test the puppy/puppies I keep back or will they be OK by parentage or is that only when both parents have been Optigen tested Normal/Clear? "

Exactly. You cannot know the eye status of your girl for GPRA without Optigen testing her. So using a Clear Optigen Sire ensures you know whatever the eye status of your girl you will NOT produce ANY pups with GPRA, BUT you can't know, if your girl was a Carrier. If she is, then half the litter will be too. If she is Affected (and remember you can pass your eye certificates for a number of years THEN the dog go and fail having had two or three litters so clearing an eye certificate doesn't mean she won't come back Affected in the future or if you Optigen tested her) then all the pups when mated to a CLEAR dog will be Carriers.

So if every pup you produced to your Clear dog are definately only going to pet homes never to be bred, then no, you can know that the only important thing is you are not going to produce GPRA, BUT if any might be bred from, yes you need to litter test or test THOSE pups to check if they are Carriers.

Best thing really is to test your girl. It only takes a couple of weeks for the results to come back, you could have the result by the time you mate her and save yourself having to check any puppies.

Di

Schiplab · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:56 pm Post subject:

Thank you for your replies soooooooo glad I asked the Q's I did have it wrong Smile

Yes she is eye tested by a BVA/KC scheme I saw the post you mention and no she is tested correctly Wink

EvelynH · Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 1:57 pm Post subject:

We have set the first discount period for January 28 - February 8, 2008 & we
will be posting information on it real soon. It will be much like the
satellite clinics that we currently have, but it won't be tied to any event.

Sincerely,
Becky Iddings
Administrative Support Associate

------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------

We will still use a code, but it will be posted right on the website with
the details for participation (i.e. when code is available & when samples
should arrive.)

Sincerely,
Becky Iddings
Administrative Support Associate

http://www.optigen.com/opt11_calendar.taf

lg evelyn

EvelynH · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:29 am Post subject:

http://www.optigen.com/opt9_endofsatellites.html

catandmatt · Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:31 pm Post subject:

hi was wondering on this one, our pups dad naiken suede is apparently clear by parentage on both sides brigburn sedge and naiken perpeshua(correct spelling i think)
not sure about mum buckholt orchid so was wondering am i right to think that our pup is clear by parentage? or carrier or something else? and if she was ever mated to a clear by parentage dog could the genes still come together and produce affected or carrier or not.
sorry just a bit confused
thanks cat

Helen-S · Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:24 pm Post subject:

catandmatt · Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:45 pm Post subject:

so does that mean that because we know naiken suede to be clear on both sides mum and dad she couldn't be affected only carrier? sorry if i'm being thick or would that depend on whether orchid was affected or not? thanks cat

JohnW · Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:10 pm Post subject:

To my knowledge Orchid has not been tested. But dont take that as read, because if her owner tested but did not send the results to the KC then I would not know.

But, what I will say is that I do not know of a carrier behind her. I only know of one carrier behind your pup and that is on the dog side. But because both the sire and dam of your pup's sire have been tested clear then you can forget about that carrier because it's affected gene has been bred out.

So down to details. If Orchid is actually affected, then your pup would be no worst than a carrier. It would never go blind, but if you bred from it then your pup could pass on the affected gene.

If Orchid is a carrier then there is a 50% chance your pup would be a carrier and 50% chance it would be clear.

Of course, if Orchid is clear then so must be your pup.

So you are in the position where your pup can never go blind from PRA whatever the state of Orchid. So if you do not intend to breed, no problem at all. If you do at sometime intend to breed then I would recommend either Optigen test to find the status, or only use an Optigen clear stud dog.

Regards, John

catandmatt · Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 2:37 pm Post subject:

thankyou John that puts my mind at rest was getting confused, all that really matters to us at this time is that she can never become affected i guess if in the future we do decide to breed and it's a big IF then we would definately optigen test as it sounds like that is the only way to eliminate this condition from the breed altogether
thankyou cat

ChrisH · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:11 am Post subject:

here are two very interesting schemes I have foud on the optigen website...

Possible results using the OptiGen FN test
N = Normal (Clear) Homozygous for normal gene, so will never develop the disease
C = Carrier Carries one disease gene, but will never develop the disease
A = Affected Homozygous for disease gene and will develop the disease

The OptiGen FN test can be done reliably at any age – even in young pups, and the result will be the same at any age, and will be the same whenever it is repeated.
The exact frequency of this disease, and of the gene mutation causing it, are not known as yet. Data accumulated through genetic testing will help to provide that information.
Tallies of test results are updated and provided quarterly to national breed clubs.

Breeding Strategies using the FN Test:

This table highlights all the desirable breedings that include at least one Normal/Clear parent. All other breedings are at high risk of producing Affected pups. However, all Normal and Carrier dogs can be bred safely. It isn't necessary - or even desirable - to remove clinically healthy dogs from the breeding population. But when choosing pups to retain as potential future breeding stock, it is important to select for Normal/Clear dogs and select against Carrier dogs.

Expected results for breeding strategies using the OptiGen FN test
Parent 1
Status Parent 2 Status
Normal/Clear Carrier Affected
Normal/Clear All = Normal/Clear 1/2 = Normal/Clear
1/2 = Carrier All = Carrier
Carrier 1/2 = Normal/Clear
1/2 = Carrier 1/4 = Normal/Clear
1/2 = Carrier
1/4 = Affected 1/2 = Carrier
1/2 = Affected
Affected All = Carrier 1/2 = Carrier
1/2 = Affected All = Affected

here is the link:

http://www.optigen.com/opt9_ecsfn1215ann.html

hth
Chris