The Kennel Club has approved two new official DNA testing schemes for juvenile dilated cardiomyopathy (JDCM) and xanthinuria (type 2) in both the Manchester Terrier and English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan).
JDCM is a heart condition that affects dogs early in life (around six months of age), and can result in sudden death following exercise or surgery.
Xanthinuria results from the inability of the body to properly manage waste products of the urine, resulting in the build of xanthine crystals within the urinary tract, and potential kidney damage over time.
The two diseases are believed to be autosomal-recessive conditions. This means that dogs that inherit two copies of the gene mutation (one from its mother and one from its father) will have an increased risk of developing the condition.
Tested dogs will be recorded on The Kennel Club systems as either:
Clear
The dog does not have any copies of the abnormal gene associated with the disease. The dog is highly unlikely to be clinically affected and will only pass on a normal copy of the gene to a puppy.
Carrier
The dog has one copy of the normal gene and one copy of the abnormal gene associated with the disease. The dog is highly unlikely to be clinically affected, but may pass one copy of the normal gene, or one copy of the abnormal gene on to a puppy.
Affected
The dog has two copies of the abnormal gene associated with the disease. The dog will likely be clinically affected by the disorder and will pass one copy of the abnormal gene on to any potential offspring.
Test results will be added to the dog’s registration details which will trigger the publication of the result in the next available Breed Records Supplement and also on the Health Test Results Finder on The Kennel Club website.
Results for dogs already tested can also be recorded, but owners will need to submit copies of the DNA certificates themselves. DNA test certificates should be scanned and emailed to Health results (The Kennel Club)
At this time, the tests will be listed under the Health Standard’s Best Practice category for the two breeds, with a grace-period of six months to allow owners to reach Best Practice before the guidelines are formally introduced for Find a Puppy.
The Kennel Club’s Health Standard consolidates all relevant health tests for a breed in one place, providing clear guidance on which tests to undertake before breeding and how to do so. The Good Practice category highlights the most critical tests as a starting point, while all breeders are encouraged to aim for the Best Practice level by completing all recommended tests. Assignment of a test to Good/Best Practice categories is fluid, and depends on a number of factors, including the relevance of the test to the breed, the prevalence of the disease and how trends in prevalence have changed over time.
More information about the Health Standard and how to reach Best Practice testing can be found here.
More information about DNA testing is available via a webinar, delivered by The Kennel Club’s geneticist, Dr Joanna Ilska: The Science of DNA Testing.
Owners are reminded that:
- From August 2018, it is mandatory that the dog’s microchip (or tattoo) is recorded along with either the dog’s registered name or registered number on any DNA certificates. Any test results issued after that date that do not carry these identifying features will not be accepted.
- The Kennel Club has a set of criteria that we request DNA testing laboratories to meet to enable us to record their results, helping to maintain and protect the integrity of results that appear on a dog’s records. We have updated the list of laboratories that we accept results from and strongly advise that customers ensure their chosen laboratory is included on our revised list if they wish The Kennel Club to record and publish the results. Results from laboratories not included on this list will not be recorded.
To find out which laboratories The Kennel Club is able to record results from, and which laboratories will send results directly to The Kennel Club, please refer to our website. To find out which DNA tests are relevant to your breed, visit Breeds A-Z.
The Kennel Club constantly reviews DNA testing schemes in conjunction with breed clubs to ensure that breeders are supported with resources which help them to make responsible breeding decisions. The Kennel Club works alongside breed clubs and breed health coordinators in a collaborative effort to improve the health of pedigree dogs and is happy to consider a club's request to add a new DNA test to its lists. A formal request from the breed's health coordinator or a majority request from the breed clubs is normally required to do this.
The Kennel Club takes insights from its health data and feeds them into its Breed Health and Conservation plans, so that it can work with breeders to give information and guidance about how to ensure the future health of pedigree breeds. These plans, which enable The Kennel Club to track progress and make meaningful changes to breed health, have been developed as a result of reviewing more than 4,000 research papers, making the project the most comprehensive review of pedigree health data anywhere in the world. More information about what the organisation does for dog health is available here.