In 2010, when a stray dog and her litter of eight puppies was picked up by Animal Control Officers in Ohio, the adult female was automatically euthanized due to her resemblance to a pit bull. This was the common practice of the shelter administration at the time.
The puppies were spared only because they were younger than 12 weeks old; a ban on killing puppies less than that age allowed them to be sent to a local pit bull rescue. The Pit Crew, the litter’s rescue facility, tested their DNA. The results showed that the puppies were 50 percent American Staffordshire terrier, 25 percent English bulldog and 25 percent Wheaton terrier.
The same test could have saved the mother dog’s life by revealing her true genealogy – only one of the reasons why canine DNA testing is becoming more common with pet parents and in veterinary practice.
A cheek swab is all that is needed for most of these relatively inexpensive tests to tell you whether your mutt is one of the breeds labeled “dangerous” under breed-specific legislation and subject to legal animal control seizures. Pit bulls, Rottweilers, Mastiffs, Cane corsos, Cane presarios, other bully breeds and dogs of mixed heritage that just look like those breeds are subject to this kind of legislation in some areas. Fredericton is not one of these areas, but the Woodstock, Florenceville, and Hartland all ban Pit Bulls and Rottweilers.
While not totally reliable, these cheaper, less-specific tests can also allow dog owners to take their findings to their veterinarian and discuss any possible diseases or conditions inherited genetically through particular breeds. Some online companies offer specific testing for certain inherited diseases. When considering these tests, make sure to find a well-respected genetic testing lab. Testing kits range in price from $60 to approximately $100 online; kits are also available from the Fredericton SPCA for $15.
Additionally, it’s now possible to have your dog “trait tested” when planning to breed or show your animal. A coat color test is available for Labrador Retrievers, Labradoodles, Poodles, Newfoundlands, English Springer Spaniels, Dalmatians, Deutsch Kurzhaars, and German Shorthaired Pointers. A “fluffy” coat length test, showcasing an undesirable trait for Pembroke Welsh Corgis, allows breeders and owners to decide whether to breed show dogs that might inherit this coat type. By identifying the genotypes of a typical short-tailed dog (English bulldogs, Boston terriers, et al.) dog owners/breeders can determine whether a particular animal is a natural bobtail (genetically short-tailed) or has been artificially docked, a disqualification for some breeds in the show ring.
If you have doubts about the parentage of a recent litter, or you think your puppies may have multiple fathers, it is possible for DNA testing to establish the exact sire or sires. Using a 16-DNA marker panel to compare gene variations between sire and pups, the tests can also determine breedings involving closely related dogs. For qualified, reputable breeders this type of testing can prove invaluable in offering DNA-certified pedigrees to puppy purchasers.
Genotyping (determining a set of allele sizes for specific dogs) can be used to establish a secure, permanent ID for your dog should it become lost or stolen. Like a human fingerprint, this gene profile is unique to each dog and cannot be replicated through artificial means.
Just as the advancements of technology in human medicine are telling us more and more about the possibilities of inherited disease and genetic characteristics from our own family trees, veterinary medicine is keeping pace giving dog owners necessary medical information that allows their pets to live longer, healthier lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment