Comprehensive DNA Disease Testing
While DNA disease testing of dogs has been available for a few years now, it was often restricted to a few diseases for only a handful of breeds. Scientific breakthroughs over the last few years have opened up the availability of more and more tests to cover even more diseases and also a greater number of breeds. Chevromist Kennels have led the way in terms of DNA testing of parent breeds for a number of designer breeds previously not DN
A tested including Beagliers, Cavoodles and Moodles.
The term “DNA Testing” may sound invasive for the dog, but all of the following tests in our Comprehensive DNA Disease Testing are done via a buccal swab to minimise any discomfort to the dogs. A test via buccal swab involves placing a sterile swab inside the dog’s mouth and gently rubbing the swab against the inside of the dog’s cheek to collect some skin cells. The swab is then sent off to an independent genetic laboratory to be analysed. The results of the DNA screen must come back as all being clear (no disease causing mutations) before the dog is allowed to breed.
Our Comprehensive DNA Disease Testing includes testing for over 30 different genetic diseases that affect dogs. For our puppies to be given an assurance that they will not be affected by any of these diseases, the father of the litter must return a clear result for all of the diseases listed above. This is the best assurance that their puppies will not be affected.
While this list comprises of all the genetic disease tests available at the moment, screening for even more diseases will be included as new tests are developed and validated. While the list is very comprehensive, DNA testing does not replace the need to take great care of your dog throughout its life. Proper healthcare, diet, exercise in combination with DNA disease testing is the best way to ensure a long and healthy life for your new companion.
The Future of Canine DNA Disease Testing
Scientific research is progressing very quickly in the hunt for new DNA markers for canine diseases and we will continue to follow this progress keenly. As new tests become available for other diseases we will add them to the already extensive repertoire of diseases already screened for.
We test for the following genetic diseases
Arrythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
Arrythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy What is Arrythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy of dogs? Arrythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a disease of the heart muscle that typically starts to show symptoms when the dog is an adult (around 6 years of age). The progression of the disease can occur very quickly in an affected dog and
Autosomal Hereditary Recessive Nephropathy
Autosomal Hereditary Recessive Nephropathy What is Autosomal Hereditary Recessive Nephropathy in dogs? Autosomal Hereditary Recessive Nephropathy (AHRN) is an inherited kidney disease that leads to renal (kidney) failure that has been recognised in dogs worldwide. Autosomal Hereditary Recessive Nephropathy (also known as Familial Nephropathy) starts when the dog is still a young dog of between
Canine Hyperuricosuria
Canine Hyperuricosuria Autosomal Recessive What is Canine Hyperuricosuria? Canine Hyperuricosuria is higher than normal levels of uric acid in the urine in dogs. This high concentration of uric acid leads to the formation of stones in the bladder (or sometimes kidneys) of dogs affected by the condition. These stones cause pain and inflammation as they
Canine Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency
Canine Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency What is Canine Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency? Canine Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency (CLAD) is a fatal disease in dogs that affects the ability of certain cells of the immune system from functioning as they are supposed to. Effectively this condition makes the dog unable to prevent attacks from microorganisms, in particular, bacteria. This
Cerebellar Ataxia
Cerebellar Ataxia What is Cerebellar Ataxia in dogs? Cerebellar Ataxia is a form of brain damage that affects the part of your dog’s brain called the cerebellum. This condition can arise from both inherited causes or during the life of your dog including infection and brain tumours. This is a progressive condition meaning that it
Congenital Hypothyroidism
Congenital Hypothyroidism What is Congenital Hypothyroidism in dogs? Both dogs and people have a small gland in their throats called the thyroid gland. One of the functions of the thyroid is to produce two hormones called thyroxine and calcitonin that regulate the body’s metabolism. When too little of these hormones are made by the thyroid,
Cystinuria
Cystinuria What is Cystinuria in dogs? Cystinuria in dogs is an autosomal recessive disease that results in the condition where the dog is unable to properly reabsorb a number of amino acids including cystine from the urinary system. Normally, there is a low concentration of these amino acids in the urine but a dog with
Dry Eye Curly Coat Syndrome
Dry Eye Curly Coat Syndrome What is Dry eye curly coat syndrome in dogs? Dry eye curly coat syndrome goes by a number of different names such as CKSID, ichthyosiform dermatosis and Congenital keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Essentially, the disease is characterised by a lack of tear production by the affected dog resulting in a lack of
Episodic Falling Syndrome
Episodic Falling Syndrome What is Episodic falling syndrome in dogs? Episodic Falling Syndrome (EFS) in dogs is a neurological condition causing the muscle tone to increase suddenly in the dog to the point where the dog freezes up and cannot relax its muscles, resulting in the dog falling over. Dogs affected by Episodic falling syndrome
Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC)
Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC) What is Exercise Induced Collapse in dogs? Exercise-induced collapse (EIC) is an inherited neuromuscular disorder that affects many different dog breeds. The quirk in this condition is that many of the affected dogs are very fit, muscular dogs that have a high drive for play and are generally excellent examples of
Fucosidosis
Fucosidosis What is Fucosidosis in dogs? Fucosidosis is a severe progressive and ultimately fatal inherited disease in dogs. It has an early onset with the typical age of the onset of symptoms of between 1.5 to 4 years old. A lack of an enzyme called alpha-L-fucosidase is responsible for this debilitating disease that leads to
Factor VII Deficiency
Factor VII Deficiency What is Factor VII Deficiency in dogs? Factor VII Deficiency (FVII) is a bleeding disorder in dogs that is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. As the name suggests, dogs affected by this condition are deficient in the production of Factor VII. This blood protein is an essential part of the blood
Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy – Krabbe’s Disease
Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy – Krabbe’s Disease What is Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy / Krabbe’s Disease in dogs? Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy(GCL) is known by a number of different names including Krabbe’s Disease and Galactocerebrosidosis. It is a very severe disease that affects the nervous system. Essentially, the condition arrises from the deficiency of a nervous system enzyme
Gangliosidosis (GM1)
Gangliosidosis (GM1) What is Gangliosidosis in dogs? Gangliosidosis (GM1), also known as ganglioside storage disease, is an inherited disease in dogs that results in the storage of gangliosides thoughout the nervous system of the dog. Affected dogs lack the enzyme galactosidase that is required by the dog to break down complex carbohydrates, leading to the
Hereditary Cataract (HC)
Hereditary Cataract (HC) What is Hereditary Cataract in dogs? Hereditary Cataract is an inherited eye condition in dogs that leads to the clouding of the lens of the eye which can become severe enough to render the affected dog blind. In dogs affected by Hereditary Cataract, there are structural changes to proteins in the eye
Ivermectin Sensitivity MDR1
Ivermectin Sensitivity MDR1 What is Ivermectin Sensitivity MDR1 in dogs? Originally, thought to be specific to the drug Ivermectin, Ivermectin Sensitivity MDR1 is actually a disease characterised by adverse reactions to multiple drugs by an affected dog. This is an inherited disease that has an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance. Affected dogs produce a very
L-2-hydroxyglutaricacidemia (L-2-HGA)
L-2-hydroxyglutaricacidemia (L-2-HGA) What is L-2-hydroxyglutaricacidemia in dogs L-2-hydroxyglutaricacidemia (L-2-HGA), also known as organic aciduria is a neurometabolic disorder affecting dogs. Dogs affected by L-2-hydroxyglutaricacidemia have a mutation in the enzyme responsible for breaking down L-2-hydroxyglutaric acid in the body. This leads to increased concentrations of L-2-hydroxyglutaric acid levels in the blood, urine and most damaging
Mucopolysaccharidosis
Mucopolysaccharidosis What is Mucopolysaccharidosis in dogs? Mucopolysaccharidosis is an inherited Lysosomal Storage Disorder where affected dogs lack the adequate function of an enzyme called alpha-L-iduronidase. This enzyme is found in the lysosomes of the cells. The lysosomes are special storage areas or bags inside the cells of the body that contain a special mix of
Myotonia Congenita
Myotonia Congenita What is Myotonia Congenita in dogs? Myotonia Congenita is an inherited muscle disease with an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance. Myotonia Congenita is also referred to as non-inflammatory myotonia to distinguish it from the inflammatory type. Myotonia Congenita arises from genetic defects in the ion channels of skeletal muscle cells in the affected
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy What is Narcolepsy? Narcolepsy is a disease or condition of the nervous system that can affect a range of different mammals including people and dogs. Dogs and people affected by narcolepsy appear to fall asleep but remain aware of their surroundings. In the case of affected dogs, they will usually lose control of their
Natural Bob Tail
Natural Bob Tail What is Natural Bob Tail in dogs? Natural Bob Tail is a genetic mutation in some dogs that results in a naturally short tail. The length of the shortened tail varies between individuals from no tail at all to just a short version of what the tail would otherwise be. On its
Neonatal Encephalopathy
Neonatal Encephalopathy What is Neonatal Encephalopathy in dogs? Neonatal Encephalopathy (also known as Neonatal Encephalopathy With Seizures (NEWS)) is an autosomal recessive neurological disease that makes its effects felt in the first few days of life and is fatal to affected puppies by 7 weeks of age. This terrible disease affects the development of the puppy’s
Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (NCL)
Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (NCL) What is Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis in dogs? Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (NCL) is also known as Amaurotic idiocy or Batten disease, is an inherited lysosomal storage disease of the nervous system that results in degenerative changes of particular regions of the brain such as the cerebellum as well as in the spinal
Phosphofructokinase Deficiency (PFKD)
Phosphofructokinase Deficiency (PFKD) What is Phosphofructokinase Deficiency (PFKD) in dogs? Phosphofructokinase Deficiency as the name implies is a lack of the enzyme Phosphofructokinase in affected dogs. This results in a lack of ability to metabolise glucose into energy available for the cells to use when they need it quickly. This has a great effect on
Primary Lens Luxation
Primary Lens Luxation What is Primary Lens Luxation in dogs? Primary Lens Luxation, also known by its abbreviation PPL, is an often inherited disease of the eye that has been well documented in many breeds of dogs from terriers to the almost hairless Chinese Crested dogs. It is a painful condition that eventually leads to
PRA
PRA What is PRA? Ok, so what is P.R.A? Well, P.R.A. stands for Progressive Retinal Atrophy which can lead to different degrees of blindness in dogs. While some affected dogs might end up with night blindness others can become completely blind or they may not go blind at all. The good news is that P.R.A.
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Phosphatase 1 Deficiency
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Phosphatase 1 Deficiency What is Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Phosphatase 1 Deficiency in dogs? As the name suggests, Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Phosphatase 1 Deficiency is a lack of production of the enzyme Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Phosphatase 1 (PDHP1). This enzyme is inside every cell in the body and is involved in converting food into energy available for
Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency
Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency What is Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency in dogs? Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (also known as PKD) is a metabolic disorder that is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. Essentially, affected dogs lack and enzyme called Pyruvate Kinase that is required by every cell in the body to breakdown glycogen for energy. This enzyme is
von Willebrand’s Disease Type I
von Willebrand’s Disease What is von Willebrand’s Disease in dogs? von Willebrand’s Disease (vWD) is believed to be the most commonly inherited blood disorder in dogs and definitely the most common bleeding disorder. It has had a number of different names given to it over the years including Pseudohemophilia, Vascular hemophilia, VWDII, VWDI and VWDIII.
von Willebrand’s Disease Type III
von Willebrand’s Disease What is von Willebrand’s Disease in dogs? von Willebrand’s Disease (vWD) is believed to be the most commonly inherited blood disorder in dogs and definitely the most common bleeding disorder. It has had a number of different names given to it over the years including Pseudohemophilia, Vascular hemophilia, VWDII, VWDI and VWDIII.