Optigen Late Onset PRA Test Now Available

The rcd-4-PRA (Late Onset PRA) test is now available for Australian Cattle Dogs, Gordon Setters, English Setters, Irish Setters, Polish Lowland Sheepdogs and Tibetan Terriers. The test is also available on special request for other breeds which Late Onset PRA is suspected.

Optigen describes the disease as vision loss in a dog’s senior years – over seven years of age. Some dogs may not show symptoms until they are twelve years of age or older.

Optigen also reports that the rcd-4-PRA mutation might be quite prevalent in some breeds. For instance, they report an estimation of 37% of Gordon Setters in the United Kingdom carrying the rcd-4-PRA mutation and about 18% of Gordon Setters in the United States. With this high frequency and the late onset of the disease, there must be careful attentiveness to the mutation in a breeding program.

For more information, read Optigen’s entire announcement here.

Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=44102

Posted by chesliepickett on Feb 27 2014. Filed under Featured, Health & Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.