Choosing a Genetic Test Provider

I think that AnimalGenetics now offers rests for IVDD  but do not find it on list of provides.  https://www.animalgenetics.us/Canine/Genetic_Disease/IVDD.asp

it may just be too recent to have been added.

Hi Jan,

I've forwarded your comment to Aimee Llewellyn... If the test is newly offered by the lab, like you say, it may not be posted yet. Thanks for the info. 😉

Thanks, Jan!

Here in the U.S., our club, the Black Russian Terrier Club of America (www.brtca.org) has elected to team with www.embarkvet.com to offer a battery of genetic testing through a single sample submission for $99.00, if purchased through our club website.  The price for the battery of testing is normally $140.00 I believe.  This group rate and bundled testing will be beneficial to our members and their breeding decisions and be possible at a price most breeders can afford.  It also replaces multiple tests from other labs that collectively cost two or three times as much.  Regardless of what testing lab breeders use, we are also hoping that people from all over the world will want to have their canine's test results logged with www.ofa.org so that we can all have one single, effective, globally accessible central repository/database to deposit our information and from which to draw genetic data for breeding decision-making.  If we could get global participation, what a fantastic resource this would be to improve the lives of every breed in a great many parts of the world. An initiative is also in the planning phase for collection of all BRT medical, rearing, temperament, growth, environment, and any other records an owner is willing to archive.  The records would be donated to a central collection point either during the BRTs life or postumously, scanned electronically, and kept for future research.  At the first 5 year point and consecutive 5-year increments thereafter, a research grant would be available for a veterinarian university or similar group/researcher to correlate the data in an effort to determine what effects beyond genetics are produced in BRTs as a result of the way they were whelped, raised, given health care, trained, exercised, fed, medicated, etc.  I was wondering what your organization's thoughts on these initiatives might be?  

Kindest Regards, Dave Eikelberg, deikelberg@gmail.com

Thanks for the comment David.  In general, we are in support of international data collection.  Quite a few kennel clubs are building health and pedigree-linked databases, some of which are publicly available.  The concept of OFA as a register is encouraging.

As with all these efforts, many side issues arise, including data quality on identification of the dog and parents, quality and relevance of DNA test results and many more.  IPFD with our collaborators and via the International Dog Health Workshops continues to support and promote these efforts, as well as international collaboration, sharing and transparency,

In terms of an international breed database, again, great resource.  If you have not yet seen it, please check out the Irish Wolfhound Database.  They are doing an amazing job in all aspects.  Maura Lyons and Per-Arne Flatberg presented on this resource at the 4th IDHW and you can see all posters here.  And Per-Arne's presentation can be downloaded here.  Also know that you can message them via DogWellNet.com.

We also are built on the foundation of community engagement, so absolutely great to have people like you weighing in.  Please share links, data and descriptions, any time, with our Content Manager Ann Milligan.

Thanks!

Hello again Dr. Bonnett,

I took your splendid advice and explored what the UK Irish Wolfhound organization is doing.   I must say they are (in so far as I am familiar with these things) quite an outstanding benchmark in their efforts.  I personally have seen none better.  This includes not only their health testing, historical records collection efforts, and health research initiatives, but even the very content and usability of their web site/presence.  Most of the rest of us would do well to emulate their efforts!  It is my hope that we in the U.S. Black Russian Terrier Club of America (www.brtca.com) can advance our efforts in a similar manner.  We have a lot of catching up to do and it is so encouraging to have their organization as a model after which we can pattern and fast track our own efforts.  Many thanks to the Irish Wolfhound folks for standing up..., doing what needed to be done in such an outstanding and organized manner..., and sharing it with the rest of us..., so that we can move forward with our own breed enhancement efforts.  As with the Irish Wolfhound and many other breeds, the BRT is so very deserving of our best efforts!  FAVORITE QUOTE: About the Black Russian Terrier: “He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, and his leader.  He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart.  You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.”

What a wonderful sentiment, which I am sure applies to nearly every breed.  After all they do for us, we owe them nothing but the very best.

Thank You Dr. Bonnett and Thank You to the UK Irish Wolfhound Organization for your outstanding leadership.  

Respectfully Submitted,

Dave Eikelberg deikelberg@gmail.com