Fanconi Results back for Binti


  • Yay!!! I am relieved and happy to report that Binti's DNA testing came back as
    PROBABLE CLEAR/NORMAL. I am assuming that this is wonderful news and that it means I don't have to worry down the road. (Am I right?)


  • WOHOOO!!!

    Actually, it doesn't mean that though. If you check out the Fanconi thread, Dr Gonto's dog was probably clear and has Fanconi. The test is linkage, and still flawed. It does mean you are PROBABLY okay, but keep testing monthly, please, until a direct gene test is developed.


  • Oh, yes, very good news!


  • The best news possible! So happy to hear it!

    Now when you test monthly (as Debra mentions) you can anticipate good things. Monthly testing is but a small thing to do to maintain your basenji's best health.


  • Congratulations! Keep strip testing just to be on the safe side but yes, that is very good news.

  • Houston

    Congratulations…very good news.

    On a different yet same note...when should we start strip testing? Pippin is almost 6 months old..prob.clear through the test..but I don't want to miss when to start.


  • @Basenjimamma:

    Congratulations…very good news.

    On a different yet same note...when should we start strip testing? Pippin is almost 6 months old..prob.clear through the test..but I don't want to miss when to start.

    Dr Gonto says strip test beginning at age 3

  • Houston

    Ok, thanks for the info.


  • I am already testing Cara. She is a year. Even though most don't get til later, some young ones have so I figure, test one, test all.


  • Congratulations on Binti's results.


  • @DebraDownSouth:

    WOHOOO!!!

    Actually, it doesn't mean that though. If you check out the Fanconi thread, Dr Gonto's dog was probably clear and has Fanconi. The test is linkage, and still flawed. It does mean you are PROBABLY okay, but keep testing monthly, please, until a direct gene test is developed.

    Please… it is NOT that is is Flawed... it is a linkage test so NOT a direct genetic test. If you are going to talk about the DNA Fanconi Link test, Please give the correct information.


  • @tanza:

    Please… it is NOT that is is Flawed... it is a linkage test so NOT a direct genetic test. If you are going to talk about the DNA Fanconi Link test, Please give the correct information.

    WTHeck Pat. Really?

    I SAID IT IS A LINKAGE, so that was correct.
    I DIDN'T say it was a direct genetic test, so why are you seemingly correcting something I didn't say?
    It IS FLAWED, http://www.thefreedictionary.com/flaws
    meaning not perfect, not nearly 100 percent, not able to correcting identify for sure if a dog is even a carrier, much less will develop Fanconi. The fact that they work to IMPROVE it means it has flaws.

    If you are going to talk about what I said and accuse me of giving INCORRECT information, make sure you actually read what I wrote and are right in my being WRONG.


  • I agree with Pat. The test isn't flawed. In the scientific world, a test with a 'flaw' indicates that it was done incorrectly…regardless of what the dictionary says. The word 'flawed' indicates that you can't put any faith in the test...and this is a dangerous thing to imply (and I don't think that is what Debra meant to imply). To imply that is to give fuel to breeders who say 'well, the test is flawed, so I won't bother to use it'.

    The test has a high degree of accuracy...but it isn't perfect. That is how I would phrase it....


  • Pat said I gave INACCURATE information. Pat implied I said it was a genetic test. Both are incorrect. Had she suggested I simply say it isn't perfect, that would be fine. She didn't.

    And flawed doesn't mean "you can't put ANY faith in the test." Anyone stretching "flawed" to that extreme is simply looking for an excuse.

    But it is flawed in that it has not fully found which markers actually indicate for sure. It is flawed in that there are sometimes mess ups with the handling and hence done incorrectly (as is with ANY test). It is flawed in that it is a best we have but far from perfect and still being refined.

    However, I absolutely believe that it is the best tool we have, a darned good one, and not using it is simply irresponsible for breeders. But it is also irresponsible to not say do the test, keep on strip testing, because it is not perfect.

    As for Dr Gonto and when to begin, I can almost guarantee you he'd agree that while you should begin at LEAST by 3, the earlier the better. His protocol, 2003, says earliest is 3 yrs. But the Basenji health says 1.5 yrs old.

    Cara is only a year, already doing them. I'd hate for her to have it and me wait many many months til she turns 3 to catch it, or catch it because symptoms occur. Yeah I know… if it happens it usually happens to my dogs so I just feel better testing earlier, not later.

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