Skip to content

New DNA Test for one form of PRA in Basenjis

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • Many of us have the same thoughts due to the high Carrier numbers for this one type of PRA….

  • Is this a test I should have for Ava at one year?

  • @ownedbyspencer:

    Is this a test I should have for Ava at one year?

    You can do it anytime, like Fanconi DNA, it is just a cheek swab that you order from OFA.

  • Thanks for letting me know! I had no idea it was a cheek swab. I suppose I should have the Fanconi test for Ava, too, even though she should be, at worst, a carrier,

  • @ownedbyspencer:

    Thanks for letting me know! I had no idea it was a cheek swab. I suppose I should have the Fanconi test for Ava, too, even though she should be, at worst, a carrier,

    Never hurts to that the tests done even if Clear or Carrier by parentage for Fanconi, the more data the better. And for the PRA test, not enough data yet to know if could be Clear/Carrier or Affected by parentage. I forget now what her breeding is/

  • I must admit, I am on my 10th basenji now, and for those that finished in the ring, or were strickly pets, I only did an initial eye test vs a yearly in the 80's and 90s. The importance of testing really was not stressed by the breeders of my first 3 dogs, nor was it widely publicized that yearly testing for pets should be done. It is never mentioned at a vet visit, wish vets would educate owners on eye testing.

    I would bet that many breeders do not know the current eye status of the dogs that went to pet homes. Many dogs get around quite well with fading eyesight and the owners may not even realize they have an issue.

  • @lisastewart:

    I must admit, I am on my 10th basenji now, and for those that finished in the ring, or were strickly pets, I only did an initial eye test vs a yearly in the 80's and 90s. The importance of testing really was not stressed by the breeders of my first 3 dogs, nor was it widely publicized that yearly testing for pets should be done. It is never mentioned at a vet visit, wish vets would educate owners on eye testing.

    I would bet that many breeders do not know the current eye status of the dogs that went to pet homes. Many dogs get around quite well with fading eyesight and the owners may not even realize they have an issue.

    So very true Lisa… I even know breeders that had necropsy's done to find out why a dog passed on, only to be told by the Vet that the dog was blind from PRA and most likely had been for a number of years. They had no clue. While I ask that my puppy owners do an eye exam at 1yr and if no problems, every two years till age 10, every year after 10. Some do, some do not.... And your right about regular Vets, they rarely if ever talk about eye exams from a certified Vet in that field. My ears "prick" when I hear people talk about losing or poor eye sight at night, which can indicate the beginning of PRA = night blindness.

  • @tanza:

    Never hurts to that the tests done even if Clear or Carrier by parentage for Fanconi, the more data the better. And for the PRA test, not enough data yet to know if could be Clear/Carrier or Affected by parentage. I forget now what her breeding is/

    Her father is cleared and her mother is a probable carrier, so Ava has a 50/50 of being either a clear or carrier, but not AFS. The Fanconi test would be a formality, IIRC, and I'm going to do it because I'd like to know. IDT either parent has had the PRA test yet.

  • Elliot's just came back clear :)

  • @CrazySenji:

    Elliot's just came back clear :)

    Great news

  • How long did you all have to wait for the test results?

  • Depends… on average 2 to 3 weeks

  • @CrazySenji:

    Elliot's just came back clear :)

    So glad to hear this about Elliot. Hope he's doing well!

Suggested Topics

  • 0 Votes
    17 Posts
    3k Views
    A
    Thanks everyone. He is definitely back to his old self this week thank goodness!!! Playing with me again, trying to steal my dinner haha! His coat is even shinier. It must have been a rough few days for him trying to adjust to his holidays ending. I'm just so happy and thanks for all of the reassurance. We have enrolled in puppy classes, which start in two weeks. Sadly we never got to do them because of the covid lockdown. So that is something to look forward to!
  • I am ready to do the DNA test

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    3k Views
    etzbsederE
    They should be both equally as accurate, but you just have to make sure that the dog hasn't eaten anything that was alive for a MINIMUM of an hour before the cheek swab, while it doesn't really matter for the blood test.
  • 0 Votes
    10 Posts
    3k Views
    tanzaT
    @DiegosMom: I'm so happy the cheek swab test is available.. I moved and changed vets and haven't gotten Meeka to the vet to draw the blood.. I just ordered my test kit though, so much easier then collecting and shipping blood! I think BRAT and other rescue orgs need to make sure all adopters know how easy it is to test for this now, and should really encourage adopters to do it.. Amen to that….. BRAT does need to (IMO) do the test... or at the very least explain about the test and how to get it done....
  • DNA Testing

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    7
    0 Votes
    7 Posts
    5k Views
    tanzaT
    @wizard: I've looked at that website but still don't understand the reason behind doing this test. It doesn't check for genetic defects just parentage. It seems it undeniably verifies parentage, but isn't that what the AKC registration does? There must be something I'm missing. It is to prove parentage… as you could put any name of any dog on a set of papers and sent them it.... which in cases of Puppy Millers and some BYB's that is was was being done..... so the parents were NOT the parents of a given puppy. If you read the minutes each month on the AKC site (Secretary's page) you can see how many litter registrations were reversed "due" to DNA parentage.
  • 0 Votes
    35 Posts
    21k Views
    C
    Out of Africa, the Basenji dog breed was originally found in the Congo. He uses both scent and sight to hunt and was originally used to flush small game into a hunter's nets and to control village rodent populations.
  • Important Basenji Health Tests

    Pinned Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    26
    0 Votes
    26 Posts
    17k Views
    tanzaT
    Perm records for hips/elbows are after 2yrs of age, so Oakley is too young. Some do Prelims but that is usually in the case of a male that is going to be used at stud before 2yrs. Keep in mind for hip and/or elbow results that unlike Fanconi testing it is Optional to post the results if they are not Excellent, Good or Fair - Owner option.. same with Thyroid. There is a place on the forms to mark if you want the results posted regardless of the outcome. Many people DO NOT CHECK this box… therefore if the dog is dysplastic, the results are not shown. So read that into the results.... and I know of Dysplastic Basenjis that are NOT in the data base. That said, hips are not a huge concern as in other breeds, but there are problems out there.... IMO, I would have the hips done... elbows, would not worry about that too much... Sedated? Depends on your Vet... some Vets will do without, some will not do hips without. My two girls were just done, both without, we have a mobile Vet that does testing and they go to most all the shows, makes it really easy and no sedation. I have had both ways done on my Basenjis over the years.