Quick Summary
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Phenotype: Dogs with this early onset disease are typically completely blind before two years of age with signs often evident by 6 weeks.
Mode of Inheritance: Autosomal recessive
Alleles: N = Normal, PRA = Progressive retinal atrophy (Irish Setter variant)
Breeds appropriate for testing: Irish Setter, Irish Red and White Setter
Explanation of Results:
- Dogs with N/N genotype will not have this inherited Irish Setter progressive retinal atrophy and cannot transmit this variant to their offspring.
- Dogs with N/PRA genotype are not expected to be affected by this inherited Irish Setter progressive retinal atrophy, but are carriers. They may transmit this variant to 50% of their offspring. Matings between two carriers are predicted to produce 25% of puppies affected by this inherited progressive retinal atrophy.
- Dogs with PRA/PRA genotype are predicted to have this inherited Irish Setter progressive retinal atrophy.
Results of this test can be submitted to the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals)
Irish Setter + Irish Red & White Setter Health Panel
$130 per animal
Sample Collection
Dog DNA tests are carried out using cells brushed from your dog's cheeks and gums. The preferred cytology brushes are sent to you by mail, or you may provide your own brushes. For accepted alternative brushes, click here
We recommend waiting until puppies are at least three weeks old before testing.
Step-By-Step:
- Make sure the dog has not had anything to eat or drink for at least 1 hour prior to collecting sample.
- When swabbing puppies, isolate each puppy from the mother, littermates and any shared toys for 1 hour prior to swabbing. Puppies should not have nursed or eaten for 1 hour prior to collecting sample.
- If collecting samples from more than one dog, make sure to sample one dog at a time and wash your hands before swabbing another dog.
- Label brush sleeve with name or ID of dog to be sampled.
- Open brush sleeve by arrow and remove one brush by its handle.
- Place bristle head between the dog’s gums and cheek and press lightly on the outside of the cheek while rubbing or rotating the brush back and forth for 15 seconds.
- Wave the brush in the air for 20 seconds to air dry.
- Insert brush back into sleeve.
- Repeat steps 5 - 8 for each unused brush in sleeve on a fresh area of cheek and gums. Make sure to use and return all brushes sent by the VGL. In most cases, it will be 3 brushes per dog. If using interdental gum brushes, please note that the VGL requires 4 brushes per dog and only moderate or wide interdental gum brushes are accepted.
- Do not seal brushes in sleeve.
- Place all samples in an envelope and return to the address provided.
ATTENTION:
- Do not collect saliva/drool – the key to obtaining a good sample is getting cheek cells on the swab
- Do not rub swab on the dog’s tongue or teeth – this will result in poor quality sample
- Do not collect a sample from a puppy that has recently nursed – the mother’s genetic material can rub off on the puppy’s mouth and contaminate the sample
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) in the Irish Setter and Irish Red and White Setter is an early onset inherited rod-cone dysplasia (type 1-rcd1) resulting from a mutation in phosphodiesterase 6B (PDE6B) enzyme. Dogs with this disease are typically completely blind before two years of age with signs often evident by 6 weeks. The disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion, thus two copies are required for an animal to be affected with both sexes being equally affected. Carrier dogs with one normal and one mutated PDE6B gene are unaffected, but breeding two carriers together is expected to produce 25% affected offspring and 50% carriers.
Testing Irish and Irish Red and White Setters for rcd1-PRA assists owners and breeders in identifying affected and carrier dogs. Breeders can use results from the test as a tool for selection of mating pairs to avoid producing affected dogs.