Tracking the uptake of Mini Wire Lafora Screening

Post date: Oct 01, 2013 4:39:52 PM

Now that a reliable DNA Screening Test is available for Lafora Disease, the Lafora Sub-committee will be monitoring the uptake of the test and working hard to promote the importance of testing to breeders and puppy buyers.

To keep the reporting simple, the team is recording "safe litters" and "unsafe litters" from information published in the Kennel Club's Breed Records Supplement.

Safe litters are the result of the following mating options and will result in NO Affected puppies :

• • Clear to Clear

  • Clear to Carrier

  • Clear to Affected (*)

  • Clear to Not Affected (Centogene result)

  • Clear to Not Tested (not recommended)

Unsafe litters are the result of the following mating options and risk producing Affected puppies:

• • Not Tested to Not Tested

  • Carrier to Carrier

  • Affected to Carrier

  • Affected to Affected

  • Carrier to Not Tested

  • Carrier to Not Affected (Centogene result)

  • Affected to Not Affected (Centogene result)

  • Not Tested to Not Affected (Centogene result)

So far, the team has looked at information from the BRS Winter 2012, Spring 2013 and Summer 2013 publications. The chart below shows an average of 43% of litters bred in the past 9 months have been "safe" combinations.

(*) Note: Mating a Clear to an Affected dog is not recommended by the WHDC. This combination will perpetuate the presence of Carriers in the population and, while the take-up of testing is still relatively low, increases the risks of Affected puppies being bred. The welfare of an Affected bitch being bred from also has to be considered.