Health Testing
Awfyn English Shepherds promise to always health test breeding dogs.
The tests I will do are
- Hip Scoring for every dog.
- prcd-PRA and CEA testing for dogs who are not genetically clear
- MDR1 testing for dogs who are not genetically clear
As English Shepherds were only reintroduced to the UK in 2006 we as yet don't have a breed average for hip scoring. For perspective the average hip score of an Australian Shepherd is 10 and the average for Border Collies is 13. It is hoped that as the number of English Shepherds grow the BVA will be able to gather more results and eventually find an average score.
What is mdr1?
MDR1 stands for Multi Drug Resistance 1. This is a genetic mutation that affects collies and other breeds meaning they are sensitive to certain types of drugs.
The MDR1 gene is responsible for keeping certain chemicals from crossing the Blood Brain Barrier and therefore out of the organs and central nervous system, in MDR1 positive dogs the chemicals are able to cross this barrier allowing toxins to build up and cause neurological symptoms, even at times death. As Kumi and Stan are both negative their puppies will also be negative for this mutation.
The MDR1 gene is responsible for keeping certain chemicals from crossing the Blood Brain Barrier and therefore out of the organs and central nervous system, in MDR1 positive dogs the chemicals are able to cross this barrier allowing toxins to build up and cause neurological symptoms, even at times death. As Kumi and Stan are both negative their puppies will also be negative for this mutation.
What is prcd-pra?
prcd-PRA is a genetic eye condition that some breeds are prone to. The prcd part stands for Progressive Rod-Cone Degeneration and the PRA part stands for Progressive Retinal Atrophy. The condition means that the cells in the retina at the back of the eye degenerate and die. Rod cells help us to see in low light, these are the first cells to die meaning the first symptom is night blindness. Then the cone cells, which help us see in normal light, die leading to total blindness. Unfortunately there is no cure for this condition.
What is CEA?
CEA stands for Collie Eye Anomaly, it is most commonly seen in herding breeds. The technical name for the condition is Choroidal Hypoplasia. It causes abnormal development in the choroid, a layer of tissue under the retina, there may be no symptoms until blindness occurs however it is visible during eye examinations from a very young age. Once again there is no treatment.