How common is PRA in cocker spaniels?

[jennyspin]

Oooh, this makes me sooooo mad! How can they know that their lines don't have it if they never blooming test for it? I would walk as well but well done on you for at least asking the breeder the question. I make sure that copies of all my health tests are included in the puppy packs and passed onto my new owners! 

[Sharon]

You can check the clears, carriers and affected that HAVE been tested here:

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/download/4741/cockerspanielpraaffecteds.pdf     affected
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/download/4740/cockerspanielpracarriers.pdf        carriers
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/download/4739/cockerspanielpraclears.pdf          clear

[lindseyp]

Can I just ask if you know why some wouldn't be on the list Sharon? Purdey isn't & I had her tested in July 2006 & she is clear - not that it matters as she is spayed now but just wondered 

[Sharon]

Because when the test first came out results weren't sent direct to the KC, it was up to the owner to send the results to them,  you can send them a copy of your certificate and they will add the results

[lindseyp]

Ah, I see - thankyou for that Sharon 

(sorry to of gone off topic    )

[Rubenkhan]

Thanks for all your advise on pra. I guess people still need educating about this condition,I for one knew nothing about dogs let alone cockers and pra ! But, I have now found my pup from the 4 different breeders I have been pestering with a million questions{sure they were glad to see the back of me! }
I've named him Ruben and he is the cutest little thing,He had his shots today,bless him ♥

[Helen]

Thanks for all your advise on pra. I guess people still need educating about this condition,I for one knew nothing about dogs let alone cockers and pra ! But, I have now found my pup from the 4 different breeders I have been pestering with a million questions{sure they were glad to see the back of me! }
I've named him Ruben and he is the cutest little thing,He had his shots today,bless him ♥

And were his parents tested?

[Rubenkhan]

Yes,but only the mum was clear. I know you may think they still shouldn't be using the dog but I have been searching for a responsible breeder for over a year here in belfast. Hopefully if more people are asking and willing to wait,then the tests will become more common place. Although my vet has told me I should be prepared for all kinds of ailments with him being pedigree 
Here's praying for a happy health life for my wee Ruben

[Helen]

Not making judgements there...I'm glad you managed to find a tested litter 

[lindseyp]

Yes,but only the mum was clear. I know you may think they still shouldn't be using the dog but I have been searching for a responsible breeder for over a year here in belfast. Hopefully if more people are asking and willing to wait,then the tests will become more common place. Although my vet has told me I should be prepared for all kinds of ailments with him being pedigree  Here's praying for a happy health life for my wee Ruben

Not sure if you can get it Rubenkhan but there is a very good article in the October issue of Dogs Today - discussing whether mongrels are healthier than pedigree dogs........ a very interesting read if you could get hold of it. 

[Rubenkhan]

Thanks ,i'll have a look for that.

[KellyT]

Millie has been diagnosed with GPRA and cataracts .. annoying thing .. her father and mother were tested and said clear on her KC certificate. 

Jennie has the same father, and her dam was never tested, so chances are we'll end up with 2 dogs with this condition. 

They've said that Millie will probably be blind within the next year, if not sooner, and since she has both cataracts and PRA there's no point to any operations.. as the specialist said to us 'cleaning the lense on the camera won't make a difference if there's no film in it' .. which we thought was quite a good and understandable simile... 

Anyway, glad you've found a pup, fingers crossed he is clear

[lindseyp]

Millie has been diagnosed with GPRA and cataracts .. annoying thing .. her father and mother were tested and said clear on her KC certificate. 

     So sorry to read this Kelly & that the prognosis for Jennie might be the same 
I understand that even mating clear to clear dogs is not a 100% guarantee that they'll be disease free, with Optigen say there is an 'extremely low risk' to producing affected pups but don't know what stats there are for this info. Hope someone more knowledgable comes along who can maybe explain for you & help you understand   

[*Jay*]

Was the 'clear' result for the Optigen test or the BVA one? The BVA test checks for changes in the eye so can only go on how they look at that point in time - my boy was diagnosed as 'affected' via Optigen when he was 16 months old but continued to pass the BVA tests for a few years after that.

[KellyT]

thanks Lindsey

/off topic
Jay ... hmm I think you've changed your username .. I recognise the names of your cockers; I think you'd not long got Disney when I joined originally

/on topic

in fact it's a BVA clear; not heard of the Optigen one.. and 'back in the day' when we bought them I wasn't aware either, so thought that it was all good. Seemingly not though
We've told the KC that she's affected, haven't 'plucked up' the courage to tell her breeder.. the last time I rang to say that Jennie had an autoimmune eye problem she wasn't all that bothered really