Friday 26 September 2014

Rosemary Ayris, Ibstock Papillons

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Rosemary Ayris today.  A great loss to the Papillon world and a lady who will be remembered fondly by many.   Sleep tight Rosemary.  x

Sunday 7 September 2014

For your info - Copy of email received from Kennel Club re new DNA testing scheme. (recd via Papillon Breed Council)

 New DNA Test approved for the Papillon
Dear Ted,

I would like to inform you of the email below informing breeders of the
new DNA testing scheme that has been approved by the Kennel Club. The
Kennel Club will be sending this email out to breeders of Papillons
(born between 2011 and 2014), possibly later today, tomorrow or early
next week. Please feel free to disseminate this information amongst
your breed.

NEW DNA TESTING SCHEME FOR PROGRESSIVE RETINAL ATROPHY (Pap-PRA1)
APPROVED BY THE KENNEL CLUB

The Kennel Club has recently approved an official DNA Testing Scheme for
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Pap-PRA1) in Papillons following
consultation with the Papillon Breed Council on behalf of the breed
clubs. This test is offered by Optigen in the USA and Laboklin in the
UK.

Copies of all test results issued by these laboratories will be sent
directly to the Kennel Club and will be added to the dog's registration
details. This will trigger the publication of the test results, which
will appear:

* In the next available Breed Records Supplement

* On any new registration certificate issued for the dog

* On the registration certificates of any future progeny of the
dog

* On the Health Test Results Finder in the Kennel Club's online
health rescource, Mate Select



By publishing these results, it allows breeders to have a better
understanding of which genes a dog may pass on to its offspring, giving
them the information required to avoid producing affected puppies.
Making informed decisions from health test results enables breeders to
adapt their breeding programmes and reduce the risk of this disease
appearing in future generations.


For more information regarding this announcement, including how to get
your dog tested, please see our Questions and Answers section below.


Questions and Answers

What is Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)?

PRA is an inherited eye disorder that causes cells in the retina of the
eye to degenerate, eventually leading to a decreased adaptation of
vision and blindness.

For this particular type of PRA in Papillons, the onset of this disease
and severity of its clinical signs vary greatly.

The disease is described as an autosomal recessive condition. This
means that a dog must inherit two copies of an abnormal gene (one from
its mother and one from its father) before its health is affected. A
dog that inherits only one copy of the abnormal gene (from its mother or
its father) will have no signs of the disease, but will be a carrier and
may pass the gene on to any offspring.

Who can I contact to find out how to test my dog for Progressive Retinal
Atrophy?

This test is offered by Optigen in the USA (www.optigen.com
), and, Laboklin in the UK (www.laboklin.co.uk
). Further details can be obtained by
contacting Optigen at genetest@optigen.com
, or Laboklin at info@laboklin.co.uk  .



Where can I find advice on breeding from a DNA tested dog?

The Kennel Club currently recommends breeders consider only breeding
from dogs that have been tested for this condition. This is a breeding
recommendation and is not a requirement for Kennel Club registration or
the Assured Breeder Scheme. For more information on how to breed
responsibly from your DNA tested dog, please read our Breeding for
Health Information Guide, which can be accessed here
.
For information on other health tests that may be recommended for your
breed, please visit the Kennel Club's Breed Information Centre
(www.breedinformationcentre.org.uk).



How do I know if a dog I'm considering mating from has been tested for
Progressive Retinal Atrophy?

The Kennel Club's online health resource, Mate Select, allows you to
search for health test results for any dog registered on the Kennel
Club's Breed Register. Searching the database is easy and only requires
the dog's registered name, registration number or stud book number. It
will display any health screening test results received and recorded by
the Kennel Club from any official Kennel Club DNA Testing Schemes, or
from the British Veterinary Association/Kennel Club (BVA/KC) health
schemes.

To access Mate Select, please visit www.mateselect.org.uk

Mate Select also allows you to calculate the degree of inbreeding, or
Coefficient of Inbreeding (COI), for potential puppies that could be
produced from a hypothetical mating. For more information on inbreeding
and its impact on health, please read our Breeding for Health
Information Guide, which can be accessed here.

How do I submit my dogs' results if they were tested before August 2014?

Results for dogs already tested can be recorded on our database, but
owners will need to submit copies of the DNA certificates themselves.

If the owner includes the original registration certificate for the dog
(not a copy) then a new registration certificate will be issued, with
the DNA result on it, free of charge. Please send any DNA test
certificates to:

Health & Breeder Services
The Kennel Club
1 - 5 Clarges Street
Piccadilly
London
W1J 8AB

or scan and email copies of the certificates to hbs@thekennelclub.org.uk

How does a DNA test become an official Kennel Club Testing Scheme?

The Kennel Club continues to work alongside Breed Clubs and Breed Health
Coordinators, in a collaborative effort to improve the health of dogs.
The Kennel Club is happy to consider a club's request to add a new DNA
test to its lists and would normally need a formal request from the
Breed's Health Coordinator or a majority request from the Breed Clubs.
If you would like the Kennel Club to consider making a DNA test an
official Testing Scheme then please contact your local Breed Club.
Breed specific contact details can be found on the Kennel Club's Breed
Information Centre (www.breedinformationcentre.org.uk).

Who can I contact if I have further questions that are not answered
here?

If you have any questions about the DNA test itself, please contact
Optigen at genetest@optigen.com  , or
Laboklin at info@laboklin.co.uk 

If you have any general questions regarding the Breed Club or its
activities, then please use the contact us section of the Breed Club's
website which can be found at www.papillonclub.co.uk
.
If you have any general questions regarding official Kennel Club Testing
Schemes, please e-mail mateselect@thekennelclub.org.uk
.
Kind regards,

Bonnie-Marie Abhayaratne
Health and Breeder Research Assistant
The Kennel Club

www.thekennelclub.org.uk