Hi all,

Can anyone tell me - at what age should the tests be done and what age is the maximum/oldest ?

Any idea as to price ?

Finally - is it a good idea or absoloutely necessary if the dog will be bred from?

(She's KC reg not ISDS)

Thanks in anticipation.

Hi it depends what test you are talking about. The eye test for CEA should be done by the time the pup is 8 weeks old to be certain that the condition isn't present. However there is now a DNA test available which can detect carriers as well as affected dogs and this can be done at any age.It makes no difference weather the dog is KC or ISDS it should be eyetested for all the eye diseases that Collies can suffer from which also includes PRA and prefrably DNA tested for CEA before it is bred from .Also hip scored and BAER tested.

Info on  DNA test for CEA
Edited to that if parents have been DNA tested normal for CEA pups will be normal as well so litter screening will not be for CEA

The test for Collie Eye Anomaly can be done at any age. As Satin says, this condition is apparent from as early as 6 weeks of age. Also, as Satin again points out, your dog should also be tested for Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). This can only be done once the dog has reached 2 years of age at the earliest. There is no maximum age as to when a dog can no longer be tested. As long as your bitch is older than 2 years of age then both of these tests can be completed by an opthalmologist and will cost in the region of £30-£40. Remember that both the stud and the bitch should be tested. Also, the entire litter of pups will require to be tested for CEA at around 6 weeks of age. Cost will be around £40 if I remember right.
Satin has also given you a link for DNA testing for CEA which is certainly the way forward to eliminate this condition in lines. Unfortunately, such a test does not yet exist for PRA.
Prospective buyers should be demanding that at least the first series of tests have been completed for both your bitch and the stud dog. Many owners are now asking for the DNA testing instead.
For ISDS registration the first series of tests is a MUST. I don't think the KC demands this for registration purposes (another reason I will only buy ISDS registered dogs) Ultimately it is your choice whether to test, I strongly urge you to go ahead and organise these tests before you even consider your bitch as breeding stock. Again, to emphasise what Satin has said, Hip scoring is strongly recommended. This is slightly more expensive as a general anaesthetic is involved. You would be looking at somewhere in the region of £150-£200 (the stud should also be hip scored).
Not to be blunt, but in my opinion, if you are not willing to pay for these tests, then I would seriously reconsider your wish to breed.
Good Luck