PRA and Fanconi test results
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From what I have read, two of the most common major hereditary diseases affecting the basenji include progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), and Fanconi syndrome. Another minor hereditary disease is persistent pupillary membranes (PPM). A lot of basenji breeders selling puppies seem to have one thing in common. One of the mother or father of the litter is tested as 'carrier' to PRA or Fanconi, while the other is tested as 'clear'. All of these breeders say that they consider a 'carrier' result on only one of the parents as a 'clear' result when it comes to breeding. Why is this very common and should one be concerned when one of the parents of the litter has been tested as 'carrier'? Does this affect the price of the Basenji puppy?
Also, I have come across 'Minor Iris to Iris' when tested for PPM. How serious is this issue?
I feel that when looking to purchase a Basenji puppy, it is very important that both parents should be clear of both PRA and Fanconi. Am I right in this assumption or is the fact that one of the parents is a carrier not a matter of concern?
Are there other tests that I should ask for with regards to the parents of the future basenji litter? -
I'm not a breeder, but if a genetic trait is a recessive and only one parent carries it, then the offspring will not exhibit this trait, so it becomes a concern only if you are planning on breeding the dog. If the pup you purchase turns out to be a carrier, having inherited the gene from one parent, it shouldn't be a problem if you purchased the pup as a pet.
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OFA sends me results of all tests carried out on Basenjis in spreadsheet form, every Saturday. I am starting to hate Saturdays cos of the work involved - can take hours !
I sort through it all and embed Fanconi and PRA test results into each dog's pedigree in the Pedigree Database, and re-upload it, normally before the end of the weekend. Other health results are also entered but do not appear in the on-line data.
AlI you have to do is go to www.pedigrees.zandebasenjis.com and ask it for the registered name of your Basenji. Follow instructions for fast or slow search.
If the dog has been tested for Fanconi or PRA, it will appear in the pedigree of that dog. If not, you may get an indication if the parents have been tested. If they are both (CLd) - Clear by direct test - your Basenji will be clear by parentage. This is not something I record, you can see it for yourselves. (CRd) indicates carrier.
Others have enumerated the possible combinations which will result in your dog being a carrier (in which case he or she will not become afflicted but could pass it on) or clear.
All dogs which appear in the weekly OFA spreadsheets are entered in the database, even if, before the breeder identifies them (or I manage to !) they appear as Puppy #1 (no collar) or Puppy#5 tri-boy ! As much information as possible, date of birth, parentage, registration number, is added to even these aliases.
So, let me know the registered name of your dog so I can add him or her to the database - send me a photo too. Tracking pedigrees is fascinating and while you are in lockdown - - - will while away many hours !
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People can go to www.basenji.org and see as both Fanconi and PRA gene (there are other forms of PRA but this is one of the ones that are found in Basenjis most often) are recessive... so that means that Clear to Clear, no chance to get Fanconi or PRA (PRA is shown a Normal on the OFA.org webstie), Clear to Carrier, no chance to get Fanconi and the same for PRA... Only issue with Clear to Carrier is to test before breeding because the offspring could be Carrier so needs to be tested and then of course be bred to a Clear. And there could be a breeding to an Affected (I would never do it with a bitch, but depending on the pedigree would consider a Clear to an Affected) and in that case the pups would be Carriers for the entire litter and of course in that case if any breeding was done MUST be to a Clear.
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@eaglet said in PRA and Fanconi test results:
Also, I have come across 'Minor Iris to Iris' when tested for PPM. How serious is this issue?
PPM - persistent pupilliary membrane. Basically this means that the membrane across the eye which is present congenitally (in the womb) hasn't completely degenerated when the eyes are fully opened. Some countries recommend testing as young as 14 days of age.
In the UK, this used to be a reportable affliction - veterinary ophthalmologists needed to report the condition to the Kennel Club and an endorsement appeared on the registration certificate and was published in the quarterly Breed Record Supplements.
However, quite a few years ago now, our kennel club decreed it was not serious enough in Basenjis and need no longer be reported. Since then I am unaware if Breeders test for it - I haven't for a long time - and I have seen any mention in the BRS of afflicted Basenjis.
It is not something I would worry about.
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As far as PPM, per the Basenji Club of America minor PPM Iris to Iris (one strand) is acceptable. As far as other PPM, it becomes a breeder decision. We still find this in the US, especially Iris to Iris one or two strands. That said could be (as I have been told by Ophthalmologists) that because we (in the US) test pups before going to their new homes and often at 8 or 9wks, the next eye exam shows that this has cleared up. Again as a breeding decision, PPM will not effect eye sight so for a pet pup, no worries. My first boy had excessive PPM visible with the naked eye... never effected his sight. We never bred him, but as said since back then we had no test for Fanconi or PRA so as a breeder the decision is what you can live with, what you can't.
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@tuts - Hello tuts, note that the test recommend by OFA comes from the Basenji Club of America as recommended tests and for OFA this will determine if done that Basenji will get a CHIC rating. Note however this does not mean that they were clear, just means that they were tested. Some are test that need to be done yearly. Breed parent clubs for all breeds determine what tests need to be done
