Can someone help me with this

[JacobScollies]

Can someone give me a rundown on the difference between Health Testing and DNA testing (such as with orivet)? Is it the same, or if they're different are they both necessary to ensuring healthy pups?

 

TIA

[Rebanne]

Depends on the test. DNA testing can be for some health conditions as well as parentage/colour. I do use Orivet and if you go to their website and look up your breed then you will see all the tests they have. Then there are eye tests, heart tests, hip and elbow xray's and others that need physical examination, though I know some inherited eye conditions can be tested for via blood sample.

 

My Greyhounds have a lethal disease that needs DNA testing for so as not to produce infected pups. They are fairly sound for other things but I have hip and elbow scored them in the past. I haven't heart or eye tested them though that is more common overseas. I consider doing as much health testing as possible if there is a reasonable chance it could affect your dogs/pups particularly if you are /giving away your pups.

[JacobScollies]

Thanks for that. I will have a deeper look into Orivet and the testings they offer. 

 

I am looking to buy a pup, and the breeder has stated that parents are clear from all DNA testings (only through Orivet), should I be concerned that the breeder has not completed any physical examinations?

 

Also, do breeders health test/dna test their puppies/litters when they are born or is it just the parents?

Edited June 15, 2020 by JacobScollies

[sandgrubber]

3 hours ago, JacobScollies said:

Thanks for that. I will have a deeper look into Orivet and the testings they offer. 

 

I am looking to buy a pup, and the breeder has stated that parents are clear from all DNA testings (only through Orivet), should I be concerned that the breeder has not completed any physical examinations?

 

Also, do breeders health test/dna test their puppies/litters when they are born or is it just the parents?

Depends.  Hips and elbows can't be scored on babies and most people don't score them until 1 or 2 years.  DNA tests on both parents may clear the whole litter of being affected by a recessive gene, but if one parent is a carrier, the he pup should be tested if to be used for breeding.... It goes on and on.  Name the breed and condition and you will get a clear answer. 

[Tassie]

Yes . as others have said, it depends on the breed … each one will have a range of conditions with a range of inheritance.  Some can be completely ruled out - by breeding 2 genetically clear dogs, while breeding a genetically clear to a carrier will produce a mixture of completely clear or carriers..    Carrier status for conditions like Collie Eye Anomaly in my breed… Border Collies .. means the pups will not be affected, but if they are to be used for breeding as adults, the person breeding them will need to find appropriate and genetically (DNA tested) partners.

In answer to your questions .. yes, indeed .. any good breeders will have their litters health checked by a vet .. if necessary, at birth or soon after, but at the very least, at about 6 weeks when they are taken for microchipping and their first core vaccinations.  In several breeds, pups will be tested for any hearing deficiencies too.

Hope that helps.

[persephone]

4 hours ago, JacobScollies said:

should I be concerned that the breeder has not completed any physical examinations?

It depends on which conditions ...
Xrays are needed for hip/elbow scores , for example. 

[Rebanne]

ask the breeder for copies of the parents results. If parents are clear then pups will be clear. If one parent is a carrier then some, or all pups could be carriers. I used a carrier for one of my breedings. 6 pups, 2 clear, 4 carriers. All pups sold with full disclosure of status. Not a problem as long as owners of carriers seek a clear dog to breed to ( if they are going to be bred ). I know of a litter where all 9 pups were DNA tested as clear even with a carrier parent. In theory it's 50:50 but doesn't always happen that way.

 

As for physical exam, as Perse said depends on the breed and tests. Can't check for dysplasia on babies but adults can be xrayed but even if they are good doesn't mean the pups will be and there is a large contribution of how pups are raised as well. Some eye problems only show up well into adulthood as do some heart problems.

 

Ask your breeder why they haven't done some tests if you are concerned but remember not everything can be tested for and just because there is a test doesn't mean it's in the breed. My breed can be tested for black skin disease but have never know a Greyhound to have it but some toy breeds get it.

 

And remember, Mother Nature rules the roost and sometimes all the health testing in the world won't prevent a problem from occurring. That's life.

[Dogsfevr]

9 hours ago, JacobScollies said:

Thanks for that. I will have a deeper look into Orivet and the testings they offer. 

 

I am looking to buy a pup, and the breeder has stated that parents are clear from all DNA testings (only through Orivet), should I be concerned that the breeder has not completed any physical examinations?

 

Also, do breeders health test/dna test their puppies/litters when they are born or is it just the parents?

Truly depends on the breed and what that breed has for DNA health testing and what it doesn’t .

Not all breeds are the same .

 

For eyes in some breeds you can DNA for PRA and be clear by parentage ,carrier affected .

It also depends on what stage that breed is at for eye DNA.

For example our breed far too many are advertising clear of Eye issues .

This is not true we can only DNA for sector 1 PRA but without the other parts we can not say clear of PRA so yearly /biyearly eye checks must still be done .

Most will still do eye checks for cataracts or any other breed specific eye issue not fully covered by DNA tests .

 

if parents are both clear pups are clear by parentage .

Health testing of all puppies will occur in breeders where juvenile issues happen so in some breeds and crosses 6 week eye exams happen.

 

Qld requires DNA for parentage ,I can’t tell you the current status on that as it changes a bit .

 

Orivet is one of the providers but not the only one .

 

 

My dogs where done by AHT in the UK ,others use a Swedish option,Massey in NZ 

 

Talk to the breeder 

[JacobScollies]

You guys are wonderful! thank you so much - this clears up a lot!