HGTD This Week: NEW Inclusive breed-specific test listings on HGTD

In our continued effort to improve HGTD, we have made major changes to our breed-specific genetic test listings. We’ve added a number of new features and information to help owners, breeders, and canine health professionals make the most of the breed-specific test listings. 

• See the updated article: HGTD - What is a Breed Relevance Rating? for more details.

NEW Test type descriptions

Breed-specific tests are now listed under 4 different categories of tests: Genetic Disease/Disorder, Other Genetic Traits, Diagnostic Tool, Parentage/Kinship/Identity/Scan. These categories help to make the intended purpose of the different tests clearer, and better indicate how each test, or test result, can best apply to your dog. 
For example, if you are a dog breeder or breed health advisor wanting to focus primarily on pre-breeding testing to reduce inherited disease risks, the test and test results that may be most important to you would be the Genetic Disease/Disorder tests, and perhaps Diagnostic Tools. 
On the other hand, if you are a veterinary professional looking to diagnose a suspected inherited disease, or confirm a diagnosis, the Diagnostic Tool genetic tests may be most important. 

IMPROVED test listings for all dogs

There are many genetic tests that are available that are not breed-specific. This includes many of the “Other” Genetic Traits, Diagnostic Tool, and Parentage/Kinship/Identity/Scan test types. You can now see these displayed below any breed-specific tests available, so you can more easily find information on the tests you need. 
Occasionally, there are breed names or breed-types that are not categorized in the same way across all countries; e.g. dogs with different coat types may be considered the same or different breed or variety under different registries. And sometimes, Genetic Test Providers (GTPs) simply indicate they offer a test to all similar dogs (even sometimes, e.g. 'Terriers').

For those breeds or types where there are currently no breed-specific tests specified, we have now included recommendations from similar breeds – e.g. where there aren’t tests specific to “Chihuahuas/ Longhaired”, there are tests available to the more general “Chihuahuas.” You can then explore the specific test information to see if this might be relevant for your breed.  

Further, GTPs may indicate that they provide some tests for 'All Dogs', regardles of breed or type and including mixed breeds.  You will see these listed as 'ADDITIONAL TESTS FOR ALL DOGS' after the breed-specific tests, and the related results tests.  Some of these are for Parentage/Kinship/Identification - which are not breed-specific.  Others - including diagnostic tests, those for Diseases/Disorders and other characteristics are made available by some GTPs to All Dogs, but the individual tests may not have much evidence on their validity or use in specific breeds.  Read more about how we are handling this in terms of the BRR in the HGTD - What is a Breed Relevance Rating? article linked above.

Let us know!

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions for improvements on HGTD resources, please contact aimee.llewellyn-zaidi@ipfdogs.com.