PRA/optigen tests and hip scoring?

[Krisdt]

I was chatting to the trainer I went to yesterday and as he is a working breeder (he is a gamekeeper and dog breeder and trainer) we got to talking baout breeding etc (I think he was hinting at Loki being a stud dog in the future, which I am not too keen on) I know Lokis parents werent hip scored etc (they were an accidental litter from 2 very well bred dogs) I was wondering about getting Loki tested (purely out of curiosity)
So whats involved and how much are these tests? (obviously the cost will vary but a rough idea)

[spanielcrazy]

Optigen is a blood test, just a simple blood sample, hip scoring requires the dog to be fully anesthitised (sp?) and stretched out for x-rays. Maybe someone else can tell you the cost there

[Cazzie]

IMO be very careful of who you're dealing with. I could tell you some hairy stories of some gamekeepers & their dogs. Do not breed with any dog that has had non tested parents. Whats the man thinking of    Put the idea out of you're mind and tell him to behave himself (ejit)  

Enjoy you're dog 1st & foremost and plough you're energies and thought into training and nothing else.  

[Jane S]

Hip scoring costs vary with individual vets. You have to pay the BVA fee for scoring the x-rays and your vet's fees for anaesthesia & taking the x-rays. We have just paid £75 to have one our dogs scored (£32 of this was the BVA fee). You can find more info about hip scoring on the BVA website at www.bva.co.uk. Info and costs for Optigen testing can be found at www.optigen.com. You can also send samples to the French company Antagene (who have the European licence for the FN test). They extract the DNA and forward to Optigen for testing for prcd_PRA (www.antagene.com).

I agree with Cazzie though - I would enjoy Loki as a pet and forget about stud work as this isn't something to be considered until you have an awful lot of experience and knowledge of the breed.

[*Adele*]

I can't add any input about what is involved with the tests etc but if anybody does consider putting their dog to stud speak to a breeder who has done this, they may very well put you off doing so!  I know of a very reputable breeder who has to really get down and dirty with her stud dog on occassions!  Apparently he is quite well endowed and makes the bitches squeel and the breeder has to really help out as he gets scared by the squeels! Poor lad!

[Krisdt]

IMO be very careful of who you're dealing with. I could tell you some hairy stories of some gamekeepers & their dogs. Do not breed with any dog that has had non tested parents. Whats the man thinking of    Put the idea out of you're mind and tell him to behave himself (ejit)  

Enjoy you're dog 1st & foremost and plough you're energies and thought into training and nothing else.  

Dont worry I was just curious about the whole thing I am not thinking about it. I often have discussions about things then wonder on the stupid details.

[Tasha]

hip scoring can be done by sedation which is how I have mine done, I don't like GA's unless absolutely necessary. 

Ayla will be having her hips scored at 18 months same as bonnie had hers so not long to go now.  Its an easy process and although it stil comes with some risks its my personal preference.  There is a fantastic lady in Southampton that does a marvelous job with hips who I can highly recommend.  If she doesn't like the plates that she's taken then she does them again until she thinks they are right, did mine first time round - marvelous!  You could even see that bonnie was desperate for a poo

Ayla has been eye tested and I'm waiting for the results... very nerve wracking.  She came from parents who had a clear normal eye test but were not hip scored... to be honest I struggled finding a working breeder of the lines I wanted that bothered to do any test   Unlikely she'll ever be bred from but I lhave an interest in DNA and health so the more test available the better.  She has already been DNA profiled in case of theft and its registered with the kennel club.

[*Jay*]

hip scoring can be done by sedation which is how I have mine done, I don't like GA's unless absolutely necessary. 

I think Aspen only got sedated when he was done last year at our new vets. Cost me approx £150 including the BVA fee. Although he won't be getting bred from, those lines are the ones that I would like to base my own line on which is why I'm carrying out all the health tests. Both he and Disney (half brothers, same dad) got single digit hip scores which was very pleasing.

[hovis]

Tasha.......any chance of letting me know the Southampton persons details re hip scoring?? thanks in advance! 

[sundune]

Hip scoring costs vary with individual vets. You have to pay the BVA fee for scoring the x-rays and your vet's fees for anaesthesia & taking the x-rays. We have just paid £75 to have one our dogs scored (£32 of this was the BVA fee).

I just had my Golden retrievers done at a cost of.........are you ready.........£208 ouch

[Caprilli]

You are not the only one who thought that it would have been nice to have read this thread before getting their dogs scored. The last time I paid 240 £. Admittingly the sedation is more expensive for a Dalmatian and a Labrador but surely not that much more? I think I will travel in the future!

Stephanie

[Bryning]

I'm glad someone brought this up as I am just sorting out taking my youngsters for hip scoring next week and so many people keep telling me 'we don't DO hip scoring in working cockers'.  This is something I had already suspected since when searching for mine I couldn't find any breeders that were hip scoring and most weren't eye testing either!  I was starting to wonder whether I was wasting my time and money getting them done!!

My dogs are also hip scored under sedation while I wait (have all my BC's done this way) and the vet is excellent at going through the plates with you and predicting the likely score before they are sent off.  I pay about £100 all in.

I will be having them eye tested obviously and OptiGen tested too (crikey that's expensive) but I haven't been able to get much joy fron the antagene website re. the FN testing 

[Jane S]

.... but I haven't been able to get much joy fron the antagene website re. the FN testing 

No it's the best laid out website around is it? You need to click on the Familial Nephropathy Link then click on "order" which is in very small print in the green bar across the top. That brings up the page with the forms you need to download & also the email address to request sampling kits to be sent to you.

[Tasha]

To be honest I am very keen on testing I believe that if something like that can be done and its accurate then no one can argue with it, no one can say oh its just this one pup because its genetic testing in majority.  I absolutely hate all the cloak and dagger nonsense that goes on because people want to protect either their investment in a dog or their reputation.

Working breeders are slowly getting round to having their dogs tested there are some good breeders who see it as a benefit to both their future breed program and their current stock, sadly most still appear to have their heads in the sand giving out the impression that there is nothing wrong with working lines, well thats a crock of horse poo!!  If you have a working dog if its not up to scratch has a health problem etc then it'll either be dumped, shot or rehomed worst case senerion used as breeding stock to churn out a replacement so they don't see the problems.. therefore they don't exist

Even if you aren't going to breed its worth doing the tests because someone else out there can benefit from the data and you might just find out something that will prepare you and your dog for its future if there is a problem - what is it they say prevention is better than cure, catching things early can only be a bonus.

[Bryning]

Thanks for the help...will go give the antagene website another bash!!