What puppy buyers should require of breeders...
Do you understand the testing and genetics? Here’s a helpful excerpt. There are many genetic tests available to Cattle Dogs but here’s some that we do.
Definitions:
PRCD (progressive rod-cone degeneration) = Progressive Retinal Atrophy
PRA rcd-4 = Late onset Progressive Retinal Atrophy (8 to 9 years on)
PLL = Primary Lens Luxation (extremely painful and requires surgery)
CAER= OFA eye exam checking for disorders such as cataracts.
***(Was once known as CERF)***
BAER Hearing test=neurological hearing test certified by a specialized neurological center. (we are lucky to have a center here in Phoenix)
For PRCD, PLL and rcd-4 we can DNA test and this is how it’s read:
A = clear (no gene and will not be affected)
B = carrier (has the gene but will not be affected but can pass on the gene)
C = affected (has the gene and can get the disorder) In PRA it is blindness. In PLL it's lens luxation which is potentially extremely painful and in some cases operable but is very expensive *$3000. *price varies vet to vet. And eye loss is common.
Obligate = both parents were tested as CLEAR or “A”. Puppies are guaranteed to be A's. No test needed for the pups, only one generation is accepted as obligate, you cannot assume that 2 or 3 generations will remain “obligate” because genes can mutate.
So an A to A breeding = Obligate A pups
An A to B breeding = A and B pups
B to B or B to C breedings...big NO NO.
***Now, if you have a "C" and it's really a special or rare bloodline, you can breed this dog to an "A" which would result in all the puppies being "B" (carriers)...but honestly if I owned a "C" (affected with an eye disorder), I probably would neuter it and not breed UNLESS it is a very rare line. Then I would be very particular on checking the OFA for the certified testing of the animal I would cross with.
Due to the great progress being made in identifying genetically inherited eye disorders, we now have the opportunity to wipe out these diseases from our breed, so it is in the breed's best interest to strive to produce only "A" (clear) puppies when possible. It is not in the breed’s best interest to totally eliminate carriers from a breeding program when they possess other strong attributes.
Ask Breeders if they x-ray hips and elbows of the sire and dam and CAER test prior to breeding. Also ask if they BAER test the hearing and test for PRCD, PLL, rcd-4 PRA on the parents. Require the breeder to do the BAER hearing test on the pups prior to pick up. Make sure that the breeder records all recordable results in the OFA database (www.ofa.org).
You deserve to know if your pup has bilateral hearing, unilateral hearing or is deaf. If you purchase a unilateral puppy, it will be very important to watch that the dog during its lifetime has good ear care. If you suspect an infection of the ear get it to your vet ASAP, you don’t want to lose hearing in the good ear. (you should take any dog to the vet that you suspect an infection…but for a unilateral hearing dog this could mean a life sentence of deafness) This is why I BAER test pups.
Some people stick their head in the sand and do not test, testing is by choice, it is also the responsibility of the purchaser to ask for tested dogs. Blind or deaf dogs are very difficult and very vulnerable to injury or death.
I advocate rescues, adoption and refer to some very special breeders that genetically test also.
I have a few pet-peeves with so called breeders: Breeding unregistered dogs, no genetic testing and *docking tails. People that dock tails are not reputable breeders!
*I’m not talking about a dog that needed to have the tail docked due to injury. I’m speaking of deliberate mutilation. Do not confuse Cattle Dogs with Stumpy’s. Stumpy’s are born with no tail. If you don’t want a tail on your dog, find a stumpy breeder, they are cool dogs too! But not to be confused with ACD’s.
Definitions:
PRCD (progressive rod-cone degeneration) = Progressive Retinal Atrophy
PRA rcd-4 = Late onset Progressive Retinal Atrophy (8 to 9 years on)
PLL = Primary Lens Luxation (extremely painful and requires surgery)
CAER= OFA eye exam checking for disorders such as cataracts.
***(Was once known as CERF)***
BAER Hearing test=neurological hearing test certified by a specialized neurological center. (we are lucky to have a center here in Phoenix)
For PRCD, PLL and rcd-4 we can DNA test and this is how it’s read:
A = clear (no gene and will not be affected)
B = carrier (has the gene but will not be affected but can pass on the gene)
C = affected (has the gene and can get the disorder) In PRA it is blindness. In PLL it's lens luxation which is potentially extremely painful and in some cases operable but is very expensive *$3000. *price varies vet to vet. And eye loss is common.
Obligate = both parents were tested as CLEAR or “A”. Puppies are guaranteed to be A's. No test needed for the pups, only one generation is accepted as obligate, you cannot assume that 2 or 3 generations will remain “obligate” because genes can mutate.
So an A to A breeding = Obligate A pups
An A to B breeding = A and B pups
B to B or B to C breedings...big NO NO.
***Now, if you have a "C" and it's really a special or rare bloodline, you can breed this dog to an "A" which would result in all the puppies being "B" (carriers)...but honestly if I owned a "C" (affected with an eye disorder), I probably would neuter it and not breed UNLESS it is a very rare line. Then I would be very particular on checking the OFA for the certified testing of the animal I would cross with.
Due to the great progress being made in identifying genetically inherited eye disorders, we now have the opportunity to wipe out these diseases from our breed, so it is in the breed's best interest to strive to produce only "A" (clear) puppies when possible. It is not in the breed’s best interest to totally eliminate carriers from a breeding program when they possess other strong attributes.
Ask Breeders if they x-ray hips and elbows of the sire and dam and CAER test prior to breeding. Also ask if they BAER test the hearing and test for PRCD, PLL, rcd-4 PRA on the parents. Require the breeder to do the BAER hearing test on the pups prior to pick up. Make sure that the breeder records all recordable results in the OFA database (www.ofa.org).
You deserve to know if your pup has bilateral hearing, unilateral hearing or is deaf. If you purchase a unilateral puppy, it will be very important to watch that the dog during its lifetime has good ear care. If you suspect an infection of the ear get it to your vet ASAP, you don’t want to lose hearing in the good ear. (you should take any dog to the vet that you suspect an infection…but for a unilateral hearing dog this could mean a life sentence of deafness) This is why I BAER test pups.
Some people stick their head in the sand and do not test, testing is by choice, it is also the responsibility of the purchaser to ask for tested dogs. Blind or deaf dogs are very difficult and very vulnerable to injury or death.
I advocate rescues, adoption and refer to some very special breeders that genetically test also.
I have a few pet-peeves with so called breeders: Breeding unregistered dogs, no genetic testing and *docking tails. People that dock tails are not reputable breeders!
*I’m not talking about a dog that needed to have the tail docked due to injury. I’m speaking of deliberate mutilation. Do not confuse Cattle Dogs with Stumpy’s. Stumpy’s are born with no tail. If you don’t want a tail on your dog, find a stumpy breeder, they are cool dogs too! But not to be confused with ACD’s.