Genetic test for Cerebellar Abiotrophy (CA) now available
 Please see: http://www.cvm.ncsu.edu/vhc/csds/vcgl/index.html Kristine |
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| That is such amazing news. It must be a relief to breeders to have this test available. Bittersweet too for people who's dogs are/were actually affected with this condition... |
| Wonderful news! While CA has never affected my dogs we can now all make sure it never does. I have already e-mailed and ordered the test swabs to have all of my dogs tested. Truly a great day for the health and future of our breed.  |
| This does make for yet another feather in the cap for solid, reputable breeders as well. Yet one more thing for buyers to look for to help find a better dog. Vance |
| Amber, not that it isn't admirable, but there is no need to test all dogs - only those that are going to be bred (or, in some cases, have been bred) It would also be a useful tool in diagnosing an affected dog (whereas in the past that took time and observation to distinguish from certain other neuroligical disorders/symptoms) Unlike MDR1, there probably isn't much to be gained for most pet owners, for instance, to rush out and get their dogs tested. Not that I ever want to discourage any health testing, but it is helpful to understand the usefulness of the test as a tool. I will, for instance, test Macy, but not any of her non-producing siblings, as they are six years plus, completely asymptomatic, and have no offspring. If the stud dog owner (sire of my youngest) has her boy tested, which I expect she will, and both he and Mace come back clear, no testing is necessary for their three puppies - they will have been cleared by pedigree (that's what we did when we tested for PCD) If one comes back a carrier, any puppy that might be bred must be tested, and if both, god forbid (we used the CA carrier risk analysis and numbers were low, but that's not a guarantee) come back as carriers, all three puppies should be tested. In other words, it's OK to test strategically. I will say I was pleasantly surprised by the cost of the test - only USD 51. I paid twice that for the PCD test, and fully expected this test to cost at least twice that. Not that it isn't worth it  But it's nice that it available at such a reasonable cost. As with PCD, the goal is to never produce another affected dog (only 20 were identified to researchers - there were surely more over the years, but this is not by most accounts a terribly prevalent problem in the breed) and to reduce the carrier rate in the breed without sacrifing other important qualities. Nonetheless a big step forward, opening up breeding strategies that haven't been available for years, and, potentially, the gene pool as well as a number of very nice long gone high risk dogs were never bred, but had semen collected and frozen "just in case". "Just in case" is here and, yes, it does feel good Many thanks to Dr Olby and the researchers who went before her, as well as all who donated DNA and more. One less disease to worry about  Hopefully, along with PCD, just the start of good health related break-throughs for our breed. Kristine |
| I am also happy with the cost of the test - I also did the PCD testing and you are right as for me, wirh exchange, it was more than double the price of the CA test. And you are right....I guess in my excitement my post came across wrong. You are right, not every dog needs to be tested as they can be cleared by parentage if both are not carriers. Do you know if there are any plans for a database of results? |
| I know what you mean And good question re databases. The most straight-forward and likely approach is simply adding CA DNA test results to the OFA database. It's a pretty simple matter of OESCA requesting it be added. (Makes sense to add PCD at that time as well - one can already add MDR1 results) Other countries will be free to add the test results to any health registries they may have. The test itself belongs to the university, but the individual results belong to the dog's owner to publish as they see fit. Nothing definitive quite yet - there are channels/protocols that have to be followed. But it shouldn't be long. The speed with which the test became available caught even OESCA by surprise We also have the capability to use the OESCA pedigree database (instead of or in addition to) There are pros and cons to both approaches, though - and this is just me personally - I think you can make the argument that utilizing the OFA database has many advantages (third party, established protocols, familiarity with its use) The biggest draw backs are cost (fairly nominal, but as you know, it starts to add up when you're releasing a lot of test results on a lot of dogs) and not necessarily the easiest approach for non-US breeders who would like to have their dogs listed for whatever reasons. Anyway, have been wondering myself. Should know soon. Kristine |
| It is wonderful news, and Dr Olby's presentation was so well done and interesting. I know everyone seated around me was just fascinated with all she had to say. A huge step forward for science and for the health of our dogs! |
| I know even for me to receive CHIC numbers for dogs I have had their hips certified through OVC (Canadian Certification equivalent to OFA) I have to pay OFA to submit OVC results, or PennHip for those who do that in order to receive a CHIC number. Now that OVC is no longer certifying hips I am using OFA anyways. I still have to submit my OVC records to OFA. Anyways, I agree with you and think OFA would be the way to go officially in regards to the database, as not everyone is an OESCA member  Unless of course anyone from the general public will be able to view the OESCA database. It will be money well spent for us Canadians to pay the fee to have our results published.And I agree.....PCD should also be added. Make sure you keep me posted. |
| Will do. By the way, the OESCA pedigree database is open to all - it is by no means members only, and in fact we get pedigree submissions from all over the world. It can be accessed from the OESCA main page under Breed Information (and I think also from the Health pages, but I'd have to check) http://www.oldenglishsheepdogclubofamer ... lfirin.php The question now becomes how to put it to best use? It was originally developed to be able to release CA carrier status of obligate carriers to aide breeders in breeding decisions (release was and always has been voluntary, same as OFA, though I believe most if not all dogs diagnosed by that time were eventually released.) Though it was never intended to be a "CA registry", but to potentially also serve as a registry for other critical disease(s) Dennis (web master, and the technical genius behind the online database) also added some nice non-health features, such as the ability to add pictures (not win pictures, it's not to be used for advertising (although you can crop a win pic down to get a nice pic of just the stacked dog - doesn't have to be stacked, though - can be working, casual) Only a few people have pursued that, but it is fun to look up a dog whom has a lot of pictures of his ancestors visible. That said it was never the main intent of the database, so we'll have to see where to from here kind of thing. I use it a fair bit for a quick pedigree look up, but I some times wonder how many people know it exists. And not from lack of talking about it Kristine |
| I have actually contributed pedigrees to OESCA's pedigree database, and I use it quite regularily for quick pedigree searches so I do know that is available for all to see. It would be great if test results could be added if one wishes to dogs that were tested. I am a bit of a pedigree junkie, having many old pedigrees I sat and copied in Diane Bucklands basement for hours upon hours as a child into a pedigree book I bought at my first dog show. I still have it today. |
Blueshire wrote: I have actually contributed pedigrees to OESCA's pedigree database, and I use it quite regularily for quick pedigree searches so I do know that is available for all to see. It would be great if test results could be added if one wishes to dogs that were tested. I am a bit of a pedigree junkie, having many old pedigrees I sat and copied in Diane Bucklands basement for hours upon hours as a child into a pedigree book I bought at my first dog show. I still have it today. We apparently had somewhat parallel childhoods. I called Brittany ads in the Sunday paper and asked them questions - pedigrees, lines, etc. and reported back to my dad.   |
| So happy this is finally available I've never had an affected either, but we all know pretty much every line has/had carriers so I'm anxious to see our next steps to finally eliminate the worry. |
| The Official Announcement from North Carolina State University/Dr Olby: http://www.oldenglishsheepdogclubofamer ... _-_OES.pdf Welll worth reading. Very interesting that the same mutation is responsible for CA in Gordon Setters. Kristine |
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