Health Testing
DNA Health testing
It is important to know the DNA health of any dog, Cocker Spaniels, Border Terriers and Golden retrievers, all have DNA health tests available, some are breed specific and other general to canine genotype.
DNA testing means a test performed on the dogs actual DNA from blood or saliva samples. These tests are the only true way to know of any inherited health conditions.
DNA Health-testing isn't carried out on the puppies themselves (with very few exceptions). It is carried out on a puppy's parents - before breeding.
A vet-check can reassure you that a puppy is healthy at point-of-sale, but it can't tell you about genetic conditions which might occur, later in that puppy's life.
'DNA Health-testing' refers to recommended breed-specific tests which are carried out on both parents - before breeding - to minimize the risk of your puppy suffering from these conditions, it is advisable that at least one parent is DNA health tested with Clear results.
There are screening tests available, but these are similar to us having an eye test at the opticians or a check up at the doctors, where they may find something wrong at the time of the exam, but until it goes wrong, you don't actually know if it is within the DNA and inheritable.
The benefits of DNA testing is knowing the actual status of each dogs genetic health, it helps breeders produce healthy puppies that will not be affected by these breed specific health conditions.
Dogs that are carriers for genetic diseases, should only ever be bred to DNA health tested clear dogs, to ensure you are breeding out the genetic condition.
Applejacks Cocker Spaniel DNA Health Testing
At Applejacks Cockers, DNA health testing is an important part of how we plan our breeding programme.
Our Cocker Spaniels are DNA tested through Pet Genetics, and we choose to test for a broad range of inherited conditions for which genetic testing is available and relevant to our breeding programme.
We don't believe health testing should simply be about ticking the minimum number of boxes required to breed a dog.
Where reliable genetic information is available to us, we would rather have that information before planning a mating.
What Does DNA Testing Tell Us?
DNA testing looks for specific genetic variants associated with inherited diseases.
For the autosomal-recessive conditions within our testing programme, results will generally identify a dog as:
CLEAR
The dog does not carry the particular disease-associated variant tested for and cannot pass that variant to its offspring.
CARRIER
The dog carries one copy of the tested recessive variant. A carrier will generally not develop the associated recessive condition but can pass the variant to its offspring.
AFFECTED / AT RISK
The dog has inherited two copies of the tested recessive variant and is genetically at risk of developing the associated condition.
Knowing this information before breeding allows us to select mating partners appropriately.
The Conditions We DNA Test For
PRA-prcd
Progressive Retinal Atrophy – Progressive Rod-Cone Degeneration
PRA-prcd is an inherited degenerative eye condition.
It causes progressive deterioration of the retina, initially commonly affecting vision in reduced light and eventually potentially resulting in significant visual impairment or blindness.
Because PRA is inherited, a dog can carry the tested mutation without an owner being able to tell simply by looking at the dog.
DNA testing allows us to establish the genetic status of our breeding dogs before planning a mating.
FN
Familial Nephropathy
Familial Nephropathy is a serious inherited kidney disorder recognised in Cocker Spaniels.
The condition causes progressive damage to the kidneys and can ultimately result in renal failure.
This is particularly important to us because DNA testing gives breeders an opportunity to identify the relevant inherited variant before producing the next generation.
Knowing the FN status of our dogs allows us to select breeding combinations designed to prevent genetically affected puppies from being produced.
AON
Adult-Onset Neuropathy
Adult-Onset Neuropathy is an inherited neurological condition recognised within Cocker Spaniels.
Affected dogs can develop progressive neurological problems including weakness, an unsteady gait and difficulties involving their limbs.
One of the reasons we consider this DNA test particularly valuable is the adult-onset nature of the disease.
A genetically affected dog could potentially appear perfectly healthy during its younger years and may even have been bred from before symptoms become apparent.
DNA testing allows us to obtain information about that inherited risk before clinical signs would otherwise tell us there was a problem.
AMS
Acral Mutilation Syndrome
Acral Mutilation Syndrome is an inherited sensory neurological disorder.
Affected dogs can have reduced pain sensation, particularly affecting their extremities.
Because normal pain sensation is reduced, affected dogs can lick, bite or damage their paws and limbs without responding to the discomfort in the way a normally sensitive dog would.
DNA testing enables us to identify the tested genetic variant and take this information into consideration before breeding.
DM
Degenerative Myelopathy
Degenerative Myelopathy is a progressive neurological disorder involving degeneration of the spinal cord.
The condition can cause progressive weakness and loss of coordination, particularly affecting the hind limbs.
The genetics and clinical expression of DM are more complicated than simply saying that every dog with a particular DNA result will develop the disease.
For this reason, we regard the DNA result as additional genetic information to consider within our breeding programme rather than a prediction of whether an individual dog will definitely develop DM.
EIC
Exercise-Induced Collapse
Exercise-Induced Collapse is an inherited disorder associated with episodes of weakness or collapse following intense physical activity in susceptible dogs.
DNA testing can identify the tested genetic variant associated with EIC and therefore gives us additional information when assessing potential breeding combinations.
As with all genetic testing, the significance of a result is considered alongside the breed, the individual dog and the available scientific evidence.
PFKD
Phosphofructokinase Deficiency
PFKD is an inherited metabolic disorder affecting the way the body processes energy within red blood cells and muscle cells.
Affected dogs can experience problems including exercise intolerance, weakness and episodes involving destruction of red blood cells.
Testing allows us to establish whether our dogs carry the particular inherited variant being tested for and use that information when making breeding decisions.
Why Do We Test For More Than the Core Cocker Spaniel Tests?
Our philosophy is straightforward:
If useful genetic information is available to us, we would rather know about it than not know about it.
Not every DNA test within an extended genetic panel necessarily has the same prevalence within Cocker Spaniels, nor does every test have the same status within the Royal Kennel Club's breed-specific health recommendations.
We believe it is important to be transparent about that.
Some tests are particularly well established and specifically recognised for the Cocker Spaniel, while additional tests within our Pet Genetics testing programme provide us with further genetic information.
We do not present every test as being equally common or equally important within the breed.
Instead, we use the information available to us as part of the overall picture when making breeding decisions.
Why We May Breed From a Carrier
A Carrier result does not automatically mean an unhealthy dog and does not necessarily mean that the dog should be removed from breeding.
For an autosomal-recessive condition, breeding:
CLEAR × CLEAR
means puppies will not be genetically affected by that particular tested recessive mutation.
CLEAR × CARRIER
also means puppies will not be genetically affected by that particular tested recessive mutation, although some puppies may inherit carrier status.
What should generally be avoided is:
CARRIER × CARRIER
because this creates a risk of producing genetically affected puppies.
Responsible use of carrier dogs can therefore allow breeders to retain excellent dogs and valuable bloodlines without producing affected puppies from the particular recessive condition being managed.
This is important for maintaining genetic diversity.
If every carrier of every known recessive mutation were immediately removed from breeding, the available gene pool could become unnecessarily restricted.
Responsible breeding is therefore about understanding genetics and choosing the right combination, rather than assuming that every breeding dog must be clear for absolutely everything.
Why DNA Testing Is So Valuable to Our Breeding Programme
The particular value of DNA testing to us is that it provides information about inheritance.
A dog can look healthy.
It can move beautifully.
It can have an excellent temperament.
It can pass a veterinary examination.
But none of those things necessarily tells us whether it carries a particular recessive disease-associated genetic variant.
DNA testing can.
For a validated test, the result tells us whether the dog possesses the specific genetic variant being tested for.
That information allows us to make breeding decisions before puppies are conceived.
DNA Clear Does Not Mean "Clear of Every Disease"
We are also careful not to misuse the term DNA clear.
A dog being clear for the conditions we test does not mean that it is genetically guaranteed never to develop an illness.
It means that the dog has tested clear of the specific disease-associated variants included within those DNA tests.
There are many conditions for which no DNA test currently exists, and new genetic discoveries continue to be made.
No breeder and no laboratory can offer a DNA test that guarantees a dog will remain completely healthy throughout its lifetime.
The Whole Dog Still Matters
DNA testing is an extremely useful tool, but breeding decisions at Applejacks are not made from a laboratory report alone.
We also consider:
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Health and longevity within our bloodlines
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Health information from parents and previous generations
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Previous offspring where information is available
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The individual dog's general health and soundness
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Temperament
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Conformation and movement
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Genetic diversity and coefficient of inbreeding
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Breed type
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The strengths and weaknesses of the proposed sire and dam
Our objective is to use genetic science alongside our knowledge of our dogs and bloodlines.
Our Commitment
We cannot promise that an Applejacks puppy will never develop a medical condition during its lifetime.
No responsible breeder can make that guarantee.
What we can do is use the genetic information available to us to make informed breeding decisions and reduce the risk of producing puppies affected by the inherited conditions for which reliable DNA testing is available.
This is why we have chosen to invest in broad DNA health testing through Pet Genetics as an important part of the Applejacks breeding programme.
Where additional reliable DNA tests become available for the Cocker Spaniel in the future, we will continue to review our testing programme and incorporate new information where we believe it can help us make better breeding decisions.
Applejacks Golden Retriever DNA Health Testing
DNA Health Testing – Why It Is Important to Us
At Applejacks, we take a considered approach to health testing our Golden Retrievers. An important part of our breeding programme is DNA health testing, which we carry out through Pet Genetics.
DNA testing is different from a physical screening examination. Rather than looking at how a dog appears on a particular day, DNA testing examines the dog's genetic status for specific known inherited conditions.
A dog's DNA does not change as it gets older. Therefore, where a validated DNA test identifies a particular disease-associated genetic variant, the result gives us valuable information that can be used throughout that dog's lifetime and, importantly for us as breeders, when planning future generations.
Why We Place Significant Importance on DNA Testing
As breeders, one of our main concerns is not simply whether a parent appears healthy today, but what that dog could genetically pass on to its puppies.
DNA testing can identify whether a dog is:
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Clear – it does not carry the tested disease-associated variant.
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Carrier – it carries one copy of a recessive disease-associated variant and could pass that copy to its offspring.
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Affected / genetically at risk – it has inherited two copies of a recessive disease-associated variant.
This information allows us to select breeding partners appropriately and, for conditions with well-established autosomal-recessive DNA tests, avoid matings that could produce genetically affected puppies.
Importantly, being a carrier does not automatically make a dog unsuitable for breeding. When a carrier is appropriately paired with a DNA-clear dog, affected puppies from that particular recessive mutation can be avoided while valuable bloodlines and genetic diversity can be retained.
Golden Retriever DNA Conditions
Golden Retrievers have several recognised inherited conditions for which DNA testing is available.
These include important breed-associated conditions such as:
GR-PRA1 – Golden Retriever Progressive Retinal Atrophy 1
An inherited form of progressive retinal atrophy affecting the retina and ultimately causing deterioration of vision.
GR-PRA2 – Golden Retriever Progressive Retinal Atrophy 2
Another genetically distinct form of PRA found in Golden Retrievers. Although GR-PRA1 and GR-PRA2 can result in similar disease, they are caused by different genetic variants and therefore require separate DNA tests.
ICT-A – Ichthyosis
An inherited skin disorder found in Golden Retrievers that can cause abnormal scaling and flaking of the skin.
Where additional validated DNA tests relevant to Golden Retrievers are available through our laboratory, we may test beyond the minimum tests recommended for the breed.
DNA Testing Compared With Hip & Elbow Screening
We believe it is important that puppy owners understand that these are different types of health information.
Hip and elbow scoring uses X-rays to assess the physical appearance of a dog's joints at the time the radiographs are taken. Hip and elbow dysplasia are complex conditions influenced by multiple genetic and environmental factors, and there is currently no simple DNA test that can classify a Golden Retriever as genetically "clear" of hip or elbow dysplasia.
Consequently, a good hip or elbow result cannot guarantee that the dog will never develop joint disease, nor can it guarantee that the dog will never produce a puppy that develops hip or elbow dysplasia.
DNA testing for a known inherited mutation provides a different type of information. It allows us to establish whether the dog carries the specific genetic variant being tested for and therefore whether that variant can be passed to its offspring.
For this reason, DNA health testing carries particular importance within our breeding programme.
It enables us to make breeding decisions based upon information about what each parent can genetically pass to the next generation, rather than relying solely upon the physical appearance of an individual dog at one point in its life.
We Look at the Whole Dog and the Whole Bloodline
DNA testing is not the only consideration when we plan a litter.
Our breeding decisions also consider:
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DNA health-test results
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Health and longevity within the pedigree
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Health information from parents, siblings and previous generations
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The health of previous offspring where available
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The individual dog's physical health and soundness
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Movement and conformation
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Temperament
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Genetic diversity and coefficient of inbreeding
-
The strengths and weaknesses of both dogs within the proposed mating
No health test can guarantee that a puppy will remain completely free from illness throughout its lifetime.
Our aim is therefore not to make unrealistic guarantees. It is to understand as much as reasonably possible about the genetics behind our dogs and use that information responsibly when planning each generation.
We believe DNA testing is particularly valuable because, where a condition has a validated disease-associated genetic variant, it gives us information directly relevant to inheritance and allows us to make mating decisions specifically designed to reduce or prevent affected puppies from being produced.
We are always transparent about which DNA tests and other health-screening procedures have been completed on the parents of each litter.