How common is PRA in cocker spaniels?

[Jessie_Pup]

Sorry to hear  that Millie has PRA..    Our Dylan started last year with cataracts and by Christmas both eyes had developed cataracts. I know how you feel I was devastated when I knew.  BUT he has coped very well his life has not changed much, he still has off lead walks only on a long lead where their are woods, don't want him to have an injury.   He still attends a training class, and fun dog shows

He like Millie is unsuitable candidate for the operation. We were told the same thing as yourselves.   Dogs are very good and they do adapt, and there is a lot of things you can do to help them.



Erica Dylan & Jessie.

[MrsNicklin]

I am doing a lot of research about DNA testing for the PRA eye gene problem before committing to a puppy who's parents haven't been tested.

What I can't work out is if I am worrying for nothing, or whether there is a scary number of breeders who don't realise how much of a problem this is these days!! I've spoken to 3 who have no idea what it even is and are confusing it with DNA profiling (testing to see who the parents are.

I've found gorgeous working cocker puppy with all the other boxes ticked.

What are people's thoughts? Hold off and find a breeder who has done this?

Thanks All!

[Jane S]

What I can't work out is if I am worrying for nothing, or whether there is a scary number of breeders who don't realise how much of a problem this is these days!! I've spoken to 3 who have no idea what it even is and are confusing it with DNA profiling (testing to see who the parents are.

I'm afraid that's the problem - not all breeders are well informed and not all breeders are responsible. Only you can really decide whether you are willing to take the risk of buying from a breeder who does not test. I'm afraid nobody can give you accurate facts and figures about how common PRA is because most clinical cases are diagnosed after a vet referral to an opthalmologist and the results are never published anywhere. Only dogs which have been DNA tested or have failed a clinical eye test will have their results published and while there are now an increasing number of breeders doing these tests, there are still many, many breeding dogs which have never been tested and so no-one knows what their eye status is.

[MrsNicklin]

Hmmm... what a pity. Thank you for this. it's really good to get your opinion. I was driving myself mad with 'research'!

Thanks

Helena

[JeffandAnnie]

Good to see Jeff's dad isn't affected - shame they didn't test for deafness/HD/hernia while they were about it 

[Pip895]

I've found gorgeous working cocker puppy with all the other boxes ticked.

What are people's thoughts? Hold off and find a breeder who has done this?

Thanks All!

I was in a similar dilemma - I had all good intentions to go for a pup from tested stock but so few working cocker breeders test - I had to compromise in the end. 
I think you might be waiting a long time to find a tested worker - unless things have changed in the last year? 
When I asked, I got a lot of - "O that's just a Show cocker problem" - I know this isn't strictly true, but it would be really interesting to know the facts - i.e if Show cockers are ~10% positive how much lower is it in working lines?

[Jane S]

When I asked, I got a lot of - "O that's just a Show cocker problem" - I know this isn't strictly true, but it would be really interesting to know the facts - i.e if Show cockers are ~10% positive how much lower is it in working lines?

As explained above, there is no way of knowing the "facts" as such until many more working type dogs are tested. It may appear that show type dogs are more prone to PRA but many more have been tested than working type dogs so it's not a fair comparison at all.

[Pip895]

As explained above, there is no way of knowing the "facts" as such until many more working type dogs are tested. It may appear that show type dogs are more prone to PRA but many more have been tested than working type dogs so it's not a fair comparison at all.

I quite agree - I am all for more testing.  If I were to consider breeding from Saffi it would be a prerequisite + hip scoring to.  Out of interest, I know there are quite a few affected dogs on COL - how many are working type?

[Coco]

I've found gorgeous working cocker puppy with all the other boxes ticked.

What are people's thoughts? Hold off and find a breeder who has done this?

Thanks All!

I was in a similar dilemma - I had all good intentions to go for a pup from tested stock but so few working cocker breeders test - I had to compromise in the end. 
I think you might be waiting a long time to find a tested worker - unless things have changed in the last year? 
When I asked, I got a lot of - "O that's just a Show cocker problem" - I know this isn't strictly true, but it would be really interesting to know the facts - i.e if Show cockers are ~10% positive how much lower is it in working lines?

Same here. It's nigh on impossible to find a breeder or working cockers who test for everything. I know there are a few but among the couple I found there were other things up that I didn't like about the breeder or pups. In an ideal world they would all be tested but they are just not. If I were getting a show ccker I would 100% go fr a tested litter as there is no excuse not to as there are plenty that are tested but it's not the case with working breeders.

[karenl]

when we were thinking of getting our puppy we did a lot of reading and researching as what to look for and what questions to ask the breeder etc,  Amber is our first dog and when we went to see her we asked many questions one being about eye tests in cocker spaniels and the breeders reaction was no we don't test for that and have never had any problems with it, she said rather abruptly does there look any problems with any of my dogs and seemed to put us in our place ! we went to see Amber three times before we brought her home still a bit concerned but we fell in love with her had her vet checked when we got her home the next day with no problems. he said her eyes were fine , the only problem we get with her eyes is that they tend to run (tears) quite a bit but the vet doesn't seem concerned.

[Jane S]

Amber is our first dog and when we went to see her we asked many questions one being about eye tests in cocker spaniels and the breeders reaction was no we don't test for that and have never had any problems with it, she said rather abruptly does there look any problems with any of my dogs and seemed to put us in our place !

Dreadful attitude and quite wrong too. Any breeder could point to their dogs and say there's nothing wrong with them but without testing we just don't know. Breeders can't tell if their dogs are PRA carriers/afflicted without testing and vets can't tell if a puppy will get PRA some time in the future (it's a late onset disease and won't be seen in puppies)

Sadly until puppy buyers refuse to buy from breeders who don't test, there is no incentive for these breeders to change their ways. Not having a go at anyone here but there seems to be a tacit acceptance that it's ok to buy from breeders who don't do any tests if you're after a Working Cocker because it's so difficult to find a breeder who does test :-( And so it goes on ......