Eye Testing

[Jenny_930]

I have just had news the one of my friends dogs relatives has PRA  :shock:   I would like to get Paddy's eyes checked, I don't intend using him for breeding, but would like peace of mind.

Does anybody know where I can get them checked Bristol/Somerset/Wiltshire area.  We tried the Langford animal hospital but the lady that does them doesn't make appointments, she just rings when she has a spare hour - as it's a teaching hospital - which isn't any good to me as my hubby works shifts and I don't drive!

Thanks                    

[Gilly]

Thats really sad news Jenny  :cry:

I am relativley inexperienced when it comes to these matters so Jane will be able to advise you better  :wink: I am taking Butty to get eye tested in May but from what I believe the only way you can check to see if a dog does not carry the PRA gene is to get a DNA test  :? The other test available checks to see if the dog in question is clinically clear, which is why most reputable breeders eye test any dogs used in breeding and this should be carried out annually or prior to breeding.
I know that the BVA carries out the eye test heres the link to the BVA and the eye testing scheme  
http://www.bva.co.uk/about/eyeScheme.htm                    

[Jane S]

Hi Jenny

The BVA site Gilly gave you has a downloadable list of eye panellists (vets who eye-test under the scheme). There is one in Chippenham, another in Devon and also one in Herefordshire. Sheila Crispin is very good (she's the one that visits Langford) but it's not much use if you can't make an appointment :wink:  The eye test needs to be done annually from 12 months old - it's not a one-off test. A Cocker could be perfectly clear one year and come back as affected the next - this is because GPRA in Cockers has such a variable age of onset

Jane                    

[Jenny_930]

Have been intouch with Vale vet surgery quite local who has a man come visit once every two weeks, unfortunately it was today so he was fully booked, but he is due again on 18th March, so we've booked in to see him then.  Shelia Crispin we have seen before when we had our previous cocker, but it  seems she is due to retire soon  :?

Thanks for your help, will let you know the outcome                    

[KellyP]

How much does it cost to get their eyes checked for GPRA?                    

[Jenny_930]

How much does it cost to get their eyes checked for GPRA?

I've had a few prices ranging from £27 - £32                    

[Kim]

Had 3 of mine done at the N.Mids & E.Cos show, at the weekend & it cost £18 each.
You usually find that it is cheaper if you can find a show that is holding an eye testing clinic.
The specialist who was testing, said that he usually charges £31 each dog.

PS My 3 all passed                      

[Jenny_930]

Not wishing to start a major debate on eye testing, but as Jane S says it is a test that needs to be done annually as they can be clear one year, but not the next, if you bred a litter then a few years later found out the mother had PRA  how would you stand re. pups that had already been sold on...............this doesn't apply to me as I am not breeding, just interested really and is there really any point in having eyes tested, surely it's like a false sense of security, I just find it hard to understand..............sorry to be a pain  



Still getting Paddy checked though                      

[Jane S]

Eye testing is useful because it will remove affected dogs from the gene pool usually before any clinical signs are noticed by the owner. As an example, say you have a Cocker stud dog and you do the responsible thing & have him eye-testing annually and then one year your dog fails the eye-test, making all his puppies at the very least carriers (any progeny born to an affected dog is automatically a carrier of the PRA gene). You then withdraw him at stud to prevent any more carrier puppies being born. If you were not responsible & did not eye test, that dog could go on siring litters for very many years before you might notice there was something amiss with his eye sight. So while eye-testing is limited in that it can't detect carriers, it still has some use. There is a DNA test now available which does identify carriers with reasonable accuracy - the disadvantage is that the test involves samples being sent to the US and is relatively expensive but it is growing in popularity in Europe & Scandinavia and some UK breeders are also starting to use it. If you want to read more about how PRA is inherited & passed on,  the new KC website on dog health genetics is well worth a look:http://www.doggenetichealth.org/                    

[Jenny_930]

No chance of Paddy being used for Stud, he was chipped and snipped a couple of months ago  

I will have a good read through though, it's good to know the way things 'should' be done, had lots of excuses when we were looking for Paddy as to why breeders didn't have their girls tested, some of them most unbelievable.........like too expensive, no signs of problems etc.                    

[Jane S]

I will have a good read through though, it's good to know the way things 'should' be done, had lots of excuses when we were looking for Paddy as to why breeders didn't have their girls tested, some of them most unbelievable.........like too expensive, no signs of problems etc.

I think I've heard most of those too Another good one is you don't need to eye test if you're breeding pets - eye-testing is just for show dogs :roll: I've had this from several pet bitch owners who have contacted me looking for a stud dog!                    

[NinaW]

Hi

When eye testing in the UK, do you get comment about ectropion, entropion and distichiasis? And if you do, will you still be OK to breed from an affected dog?  In Norway the two first is not very commond, and we are also told not to breed from a dog with the diagnose.  
As much as over 20% of all the tested cockers over her got the diagnoses with distichiasis the last 3 year  :shock:   So fare there have not been made any restriction about breeding from them, but most vets will suggest that we don't breed one affected dog to another.

Nina                    

[Jane S]

Hi

When eye testing in the UK, do you get comment about ectropion, entropion and distichiasis? And if you do, will you still be OK to breed from an affected dog?  In Norway the two first is not very commond, and we are also told not to breed from a dog with the diagnose.  
As much as over 20% of all the tested cockers over her got the diagnoses with distichiasis the last 3 year  :shock:   So fare there have not been made any restriction about breeding from them, but most vets will suggest that we don't breed one affected dog to another.

Nina

Yes the examiner will note any other abnormalities on the certificate but only those conditions covered by the eye scheme at the moment (Glaucoma, GPRA & CPRA) will result in a "fail" or "affected". Entropion is not that common but I would hope no-one would knowingly breed from an affected dog. Distichiasis is much more common - many Cockers have a small number of extra lashes and there is no restriction on breeding from them (we would have a very small gene pool if there was!). I would think it is a much higher percentage than 20% in the UK but it is a question of degree - some may only have 1 or 2 extra lashes, others might have a lot more. Other conditions that might be noted on the eye certificate are catatacts, persistent pupillary membrane etc.                    

[NinaW]

Thanks for the explanation Jane, seems that the eye testing in UK is very similar to the way we do it over here.

My "oldie" has LOTS of extra lashes, but so far she has had no trouble with them, to my vets big surprise  
In her first and only litter, she was mated to an UK import, who again was tested free, and the girl I keep (Kira) is also diagnosed free.                    

[Michele]

 Distichiasis is much more common - many Cockers have a small number of extra lashes and there is no restriction on breeding from them (we would have a very small gene pool if there was!).

I can remember Peter Bedford telling me the first time I came across this, that "a cocker wouldn't be a cocker without an extra lash or two"  :?