Hello - I am after some advice :)  My friend is off to see some lab breeders soon and the litter of pups that she particularly has her eye on may have a problem - hence my query ;)  Dad has been PRA tested and come back as a carrier.  Mum hasn't had the test.  Can I assume that if mum is also a carrier (which of course we dont know for sure) that pup is likely to be affected by blindness at some point in its life?  Genetics isn't exactly my forte :D
Any help/experiences greatly received.
Sarah

As I understand it, if a carrier is mated to a clear, then statistically half the pups will be carriers and half clear. If two carriers are mated; a quarter will be clear, a quarter affected and half carriers. If a carrier is mated with an affected, then half will be carriers and half affected.

I'd tell her not to buy a pup unless they have the mother tested.

Thanks for the replys :)  I have to admit Goldmali that is what I am thinking, my gut instinct is telling me not to let ourselves get to carried away and play it safe!
Thanks
Sarah

:) The thing is, getting a dog eye tested isn't all that difficult or even expensive -there's bound to be some vet not TOO for away, so surely they could if they really wanted to get it done before any pups are allowed to go.. I had dealings in the past with somebody abroad who wanted to buy a pup (different breed) from a breeder I knew (had a dog from them, long story) and the breeder claimed she lived too far away from any eye vet to be able to test the dog. That was a load of rubbish, I checked and she could quite eaisly have done it. The person ended up buying the dog anyway, had it tested abraod and cutting a long story short it was affected and turning blind. Where there's a will there's a way, and if everyone turns down pups from untested parents people will be less likely to breed from them. :)

Very Good point!  Thanks v much.
Sarah :)

I wouldn't go there, it's only about £20 for the PRA eye test.  Gonioscopies are dearer but not that much dearer and many of us have to do both, even those of us on one income, a mortgage and who live on our own :d  There's no excuse not to test and even more so when one of them is known to have the results that he has!

Not only should they both be clinically tested but they should be DNA screened as well I presume the sire must be DNA screened to know he is a carrier & as there are lots of correct type labradors out there why did they use a carrier on an unteted bitch.

The words Barge pole & don't touch come to mind here

wouldn't they have to be Optigen DNA tested to know for sure wether the bitch was a carrier or clear?
This is done by blood samples sent to New York and cost around £125, also takes around 3 weeks for the results so may not know before the puppies are old enough to leave the Dam.

25% risk being affected if the Dam is a carrier although this is a guide and could in fact be a higher %

It is most irresponsible to mate a carrier dog to an untested bitch.  If the dog was clear then that would be different as no way could he sire affecteds.

I personally would not buy a pup until that bitch had been DNA tested as clear, as that is the only acceptable status to use with a carrier to ensure no affected puppies can be produced.

Of course if the pups are being/have been  DNA tested before sale then there isn't a problem, as long as they are clear or carrier only.

Very irresponsible and bizarre   Why go to the trouble and expense of testing your dog only to use him indescriminately? :rolleyes:

So you don't think that the Bitch owner is being careless by using him on her untested bitch?

Having had the facts about DNA testing etc. + status of the dogs eyes explained to her, I would say she is more irresponsible than the stud dog owner who has been honest and not just said he has a clear eye certificate as is recommended by the KC.

I think it's irresponsible of both of them! The stud owner to use a known carrier on an untested bitch (it would have been slightly different if he had tested clear), risking her dog's reputation, and for the bitch owner to use a known carrier (not clear) on her untested bitch.

Yes, now you come to mention it the bitch's owner is bizarre too, the least she could have done is found a stud tested clear but then perhaps she did try.......................;)

Yes I do think it irresponsible of the bitch owner too but the stud dog owner's actions just struck me as more bizarre.

Sort of goes without saying, picked on the stud owner as it seems beyond comprehension that after bothering to have him DNA tested and knowing he is a carrier, that they would do this.

Sarah

All I will say is Barge Pole ;)

Can you let your friend know I haven't forgotten her but my BB is down and can't access my home e-mail :rolleyes::rolleyes:

I have a couple of people in mind for her to contact :)

Lucy
xx

Tell your friend not to touch the pups with a barge pole. If the owner of the bitch has bred from her without having her eyes tested then she is totally irresponsible. If the breeder couldn't be bothered to have the bitches eyes tested, (an inexpensive and straightforward procedure), then you can bet your life that the bitch isn't hip scored either. What on earth was she thinking of taking an untested bitch to a known carrier in the first place. These people make my blood boil. How on earth are we supposed to eradicate these hereditary problems when there are irresponsible idiots like this breeding puppies. Paying a little more for a sound, well bred puppy at this stage will save your friend a fortune in vets bills at a later stage. Just seen brainless's reply so I have something to add. What you say is correct brainless in that a carrier mated to an Optigen A1 cannot produce puppies that will go blind, however, none of these puppies should be bred from as their offspring CAN be carriers.