Getting Kiora Tested

[tanza]

@AnandaKiora:

Kiora's third birthday is coming up and I have been increasingly worried about the risk of Fanconi. I know that that is when you are supposed to start testing the urine. Since I "rescued" Kiora from a string of unhappy homes I don't know where she "came from", who bred her etc. Even if she was bred responsibly she was born in 2005 and If I'm not wrong the linkage test just became available last year. So anyways I signed her up with the phenome project the other day, and e-mailed my vet about it. I will probably go in on Monday to talk to her about it in person. I have a couple questions:

I know it says to do all the surveys, but the only one I can't do is obviously the pedigree one. Is that O.K?

The DNA submission form asks if I can provide more blood in the future. I would like to do this and help them out in any way possible. Do they give you pretty good notice if they need additional blood? Do they ask for extra blood very often? I would be happy to give them a few more samples if they need it but I don't want to be running to the vet every few months and getting her blood drawn.

Do I send the forms and money and blood altogether or do I need to send in the forms and money then ship the blood seperatly?

I am hoping that my vet will ship the sample for me. If she can't though do you all have any tips for packaging and shipping it. Is there a mail service you prefer etc?

I probably won't be able to get this done till next week but I wan't to make sure everything gets done right.

Last question: About how long does it take to get the results?

Thanks,
Rachel, Ananda, and Kiora

It is fine that you don't do the pedigree, many don't (even when they can!)
I think there is another thread about shipping the blood… there is some information on this thread and your Vet should be able to tell you how if she can't do it for you
http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=3655

Also, you can send the blood, form, test request and check all together, or you can just sent the blood and the form, once it is noted on the CPP site, then you can sent the request for test and the check. Either way is Ok… for me personally, I would send the blood first, wait for the site to list that they have extracted the DNA and then request the test.

They have never "asked" for more blood yet from anyone... so I don't think you have to really worry about that. Remember they extract the DNA from the blood and they get quite a bit that they can used in the future for testing, so it is not that they keep the blood around.

Depends on the time of year and how many requests for the test as to how long. I would say, this time of year. three to four weeks at most.

[AnandaKiora]

O.K, thank you. I will read the post about blood shipping. Four weeks hu? Has anyone ever gone crazy or exploded waiting for their test results? No but seriously I am very nervous about it.

[tanza]

@AnandaKiora:

O.K, thank you. I will read the post about blood shipping. Four weeks hu? Has anyone ever gone crazy or exploded waiting for their test results? No but seriously I am very nervous about it.

Honestly, we were all like that when the test first came out and we starting testing all our dogs.. so you are certainly not alone there… Hopefully it might be shorter time... try not to worry, at this point it is what it is.... fingers crossed however that you get a clear or carrier!

[snorky998]

@AnandaKiora:

O.K, thank you. I will read the post about blood shipping. Four weeks hu? Has anyone ever gone crazy or exploded waiting for their test results? No but seriously I am very nervous about it.

I'm sorry, I have nothing to add or help with your inquiry but I just wanted to say that your post struck me as so totally honest and heartfelt that I had to respond and say good luck. Hold the belief that everything will be OK and re-read the Tanza post over, and over, and over…....

posted byTanza....."Honestly, we were all like that when the test first came out and we starting testing all our dogs.. so you are certainly not alone there… Hopefully it might be shorter time... try not to worry, at this point it is what it is....

Good thoughts and prayers. Dawn(Snorky)

[AnandaKiora]

Thanks for your support. It really does help knowing that other people are out there who have gone through or are going through the same thing. Kiora is going in tommorow for the blood draw. The tech wasn't positive but she was pretty sure they can ship it for me. She says they have recieved things from the university before. And I know they have another Basenji patient so perhaps they have sent blood to them for that reason. If not they can provide me with something to put it in at least.

[tanza]

@AnandaKiora:

Thanks for your support. It really does help knowing that other people are out there who have gone through or are going through the same thing. Kiora is going in tommorow for the blood draw. The tech wasn't positive but she was pretty sure they can ship it for me. She says they have recieved things from the university before. And I know they have another Basenji patient so perhaps they have sent blood to them for that reason. If not they can provide me with something to put it in at least.

You don't have to draw blood now, there will be cheek swabs available very shortly at www.offa.org for $5.00 if you want to wait… check out my post about the swabs.
http://www.basenjiforums.com/showthread.php?t=4491

[tanza]

Oh and remember you have to register her on the CPP site also (but that is free)

[sharronhurlbut]

Pat your a great source of info for these folks.
Thank you for sharing this.
The cheek swab will make it so much easier.

[AnandaKiora]

Yes she is registered with the CPP. I did read about the cheek swab but doesn't the phenome project need some blood anyways?

One more question: one of the surveys asks how much she barks and I think the answers range from barks frequently to hardly ever barks. I didn't really feel like I could accuratly answer this question with the options provided. She never barks, and I thought that was typical of basenjis. It seems like the question should be does the dog bark: yes or no. I know the survey also had a question about yodeling. Does the bark question refer to any vocalization that she makes besides a yodel? She can growl and scream and make a question noise that sounds like "Armp?" But she she never barks like Ananda and Keoke, my non basenji dogs do. They bark regularly but she has never reproduced that sound or to my knowledge even attempted to. So I guess my question is how did you all interpret this question and were you able/did you answer it?

[tanza]

@AnandaKiora:

Yes she is registered with the CPP. I did read about the cheek swab but doesn't the phenome project need some blood anyways?

One more question: one of the surveys asks how much she barks and I think the answers range from barks frequently to hardly ever barks. I didn't really feel like I could accuratly answer this question with the options provided. She never barks, and I thought that was typical of basenjis. It seems like the question should be does the dog bark: yes or no. I know the survey also had a question about yodeling. Does the bark question refer to any vocalization that she makes besides a yodel? She can growl and scream and make a question noise that sounds like "Armp?" But she she never barks like Ananda and Keoke, my non basenji dogs do. They bark regularly but she has never reproduced that sound or to my knowledge even attempted to. So I guess my question is how did you all interpret this question and were you able/did you answer it?

Yes, they do need some Blood for the other projects in the works to develope DNA tests.. so that is great if you do send in Blood…

The barking question is that Basenjis can bark and so do... some more then others... while it is still usually a cross between bark and a woof or "boof"... they can bark. Much of that question was due to the Af imports (the Avongara's) as they found more almost barking with them then the American Basenjis... so if she doesn't bark.. then that would be the answer.. and yes they are referring to barking...

[chilli07]

hi, after reading about the posts on faconi syndrome test, is there a place in australia where i can get chilli tested. i know if i talk to our local vet, they will look at me strange..they are not use to questions about basenji's…i also didn't get her from a registered breeder so a little unsure if she does or doesn't have it..i guess seeing she's just alittle over a year old now would be as good time as any to get her tested..

[wizard]

Regarding the CPP blood testing - you need to register your dog in the program BEFORE you send the blood test in. I did it all at once and it didn't work with their automated system. The blood got tested but never got recorded in the database - I found out the results only because I kept calling and calling.

[tanza]

@chilli07:

hi, after reading about the posts on faconi syndrome test, is there a place in australia where i can get chilli tested. i know if i talk to our local vet, they will look at me strange..they are not use to questions about basenji's…i also didn't get her from a registered breeder so a little unsure if she does or doesn't have it..i guess seeing she's just alittle over a year old now would be as good time as any to get her tested..

The test is only done at the U of Mo in the United States. With the new Cheek Swab, you should be able to order the kit from www.offa.org (hopefully will be on their web site soon), register your Basenji with CPP, take the sample and mail it back to U of Mo. Very soon there should be instructions post at www.basenjihealth.org and as soon as I see it, I will post it to the forum also.

For your Vet, you should print out information about genetic Basenji illness and the DNA Fanconi test and give it to them. Also information about Fanconi that can also be found at www.basenjihealth.org

[AnandaKiora]

Yes I registered her in late august I belive so she should be in their system. She got her blood drawn today poor thing. I did not think it would be that much, they filled up three of those purple tubes, and they had to take it out of her neck. But at least the unpleasant part for her is over. She was not happy but the techs kept complimenting her and giving her treats which appeased her some. And she got to see the resident cats that live there which she enjoyed because she loves kitties. The vet tech is going to get it shipped out and then bill me. They generously did the blood draw free of charge. I feel really lucky to have such a great vet, she is always super helpful and accomidating. Now I guess I just have to play the waiting game.

[tanza]

@AnandaKiora:

Yes I registered her in late august I belive so she should be in their system. She got her blood drawn today poor thing. I did not think it would be that much, they filled up three of those purple tubes, and they had to take it out of her neck. But at least the unpleasant part for her is over. She was not happy but the techs kept complimenting her and giving her treats which appeased her some. And she got to see the resident cats that live there which she enjoyed because she loves kitties. The vet tech is going to get it shipped out and then bill me. They generously did the blood draw free of charge. I feel really lucky to have such a great vet, she is always super helpful and accomidating. Now I guess I just have to play the waiting game.

That is super, what a great Vet….. and again, you are not alone with the "waiting" game....

[LiveWWSD]

@tanza:

That is super, what a great Vet….. and again, you are not alone with the "waiting" game....

I second that.. we have all been through it when we sent blood off. We will keep thinking good thoughts for your little ones results.

[AnandaKiora]

How long does it usually take for them to post about the dna sample online? On Kiora's CPP page it still days no sample has been submitted.

[sharronhurlbut]

Do let us know what you find.
We will help you celebrate…

[tanza]

@AnandaKiora:

How long does it usually take for them to post about the dna sample online? On Kiora's CPP page it still days no sample has been submitted.

When did you send it? It can take a couple of weeks…. depending on when they update the site

[AnandaKiora]

They sent it on Tuesday. A few weeks o.k.whew, I was worried they might not have got it.