Hi. A breeder says that her dogs are all vet checked, that her females are health tested clear with Embark, and her males are clear using the Pawprint poodle panel, but that she has not done OFA testing... is this enough? It looks like the poodle panel covers all of the major issues? Also, are those results posted publicly anywhere, like on a registry or something? I am new to this! Thanks for your patience
Allow me to get clarification and do some clarifying. Are these toy, mini, or standard poodles?
If they are toys, the parents do not need hip x-rays to rule out weak hips. However, they, along with minipoos, need a vet to check out their knees for patellar luxation. The earliest this can be done is 1 year old. Standards don't need their knees checked per the OFA, but they have other recommendations not given for the smaller size. As for these, other, and DNA testing, this link will take you to the OFA site for the
bare bottom recommendations:
What Genetic diseases and/or conditions should my breed be screened for?
You said this breeder uses Embark for her females and her Paw Prints for her males. The owner will have an online account for each dog, with the results which they can make public.
Ask her for those links for the sire & dam of the litter.
For Embark, the link will look something like this:
Embark with us! or call name of dog). For Paw Prints, the link will be something like this:
https://www.pawprintgenetics.com/pedigrees/dogs/details/(ID# of dog)/
Pay close attention to any genetic tests that are omitted. The reason is if a specific test came back unfavorably, e.g. the dog is a carrier or affected with one or two bad genes for a disease, then the owner can hide that result from public view. Don't settle for paperwork copies, these are less reliable from a breeder when the info is online at the DNA site, as a few have been known to falsify documents.
My thoughts about breeders using OFA depart slightly from others. It
is valuable for OFA to assess and/or record
applicable conditions like:
- hip xrays,
- heart,
- thyroid,
- Sebaceous Adenitis (SA),
- patellar luxation (knees),
- eye exam by a board certifies ACVO ophthalmologist ***
If the DNA test results, however, are online at the lab site used, paying for those results to be recorded on OFA too, while nice, is duplicative and unnecessary.
*** This is necessary for a dog to receive the highest level of endorsement by OFA if all the other requirements have been done, and it gets a CHIC label. The cost for a vet ophthalmologist exam is very, very expensive unless there is an affordable OFA-endorsed health clinic in their area, and some states don't have these clinics visiting often or at all. Here's the best list of
calendar dates with locations I've seen so far. OFA has their own calendar which is not nearly as thorough,
here.
While the saliva swab DNA test will rule out PRA-PRCD eye disease, a vet eye doctor will do a physical exam that can't be found in a DNA test to assess things like cataracts, glaucoma, and optic nerve issues, as described
here and
here.
In a perfect world, I'd want to see those results posted on OFA too. In the real world, however, I haven't seen too many breeders, even the ones with show ribbons galore, who test for
everything.
poodleclubofamerica.org
