Cea In Australian Working Border Collies

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CEA in Australian working border collies – can you help?

Results coming from recent testing for Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA) in Australian working Border Collies by a small group of people in NSW have suggested there may be a higher incidence of carriers for this gene than the expected. As the sample size is relatively small across only three lines with some common ancestors we are now trying to extend our range of tested dogs to establish which lines may benefit from further testing with a view to mapping the incidence of CEA in the Australian Working Border Collie.

As testing has only fairly recently become available and, it is relatively expensive, it is unlikely that there will have been extensive testing done In view of this I would like to collaborate with others who have tested their working BCs (with known parentage; preferably registered with their state working sheep dog body but not necessary) to include their test results on a data base of CEA test results in Australia that we are developing so that we can all benefit from this in making breeding decisions and selecting pups from breeders.

If you would like to help I would welcome being provided a copy of your results showing the status of your dogs and their pedigree if you have one, to build up a database. While I would prefer DNA results, results of eye tests by a canine opthalmologist would be welcome too.

My own experience is that from three dogs of mine I have one carrier (DNA tested), one carrier by parentage, and one that could be either a carrier or affected based on parent’s results. These are from two quite different lines. So from three dogs, I have no clears which makes selecting mates challenging, if not impossible for me, as I will not risk having pups affected with CEA.

Testing by others in NSW has identified only one clear dog from ten dogs tested by DNA screening, 3 of which are affected, and from a litter of 6 pups tested by physical eye tests four have normal eyes but would be carriers by parentage and the other two are affected.

Please contact me privately if you would like to contribute either to email below or PM DOL acct.

Permission to distribute email in it’s entirety to other lists or groups of interest.

I will post results of the 10 dogs listed soon.

Regards

Karen

[email protected]

[dancinbcs]

Sorry but I don't see the point in this research when the DNA test is available and has been for about 6 years. Approx 20% of the show lines and working lines in the UK are CEA carriers so it goes right back to the origins of the breed. You don't need to know what lines it is in, you just need to test your breeding stock.

DNA testing allows all breeding stock to be tested and then future matings should always have one DNA normal/clear parent to avoid breeding any affected offspring. You can still breed from carriers and can even breed existing affected dogs so long as they are always put to a DNA normal. This is what the show breeders have been doing to 6 years. There is no need to try to eliminate the gene from the breed, you just ensure no affected puppies are born in future.

Puppies from a DNA affected to a DNA normal are all carriers, so do not need testing. Puppies from a DNA carrier to a DNA normal have a 50% chance of being a carrier and only need to be tested before they are bred. You don't need to test anything that is being desexed.

Working line breeders should also be testing for TNS which also goes back to the origins of the breed in the UK, with about 10% of dogs being carriers and CL which is rarer but came from the one of the first working imports into Aust, from the UK, via NZ.

Edited to add that what you are asking is about 20 years behind where we started investigating CEA in the show Borders. If you want any more info just PM me. Happy to help out as I have been working on research into hereditary problems in the breed for over 25 years.

Edited November 26, 2011 by dancinbcs