How do I know if my dog has PRA?

PRA is not a painful condition, so it is rarely noticed in its earliest stages of development. The first sign that is usually noticed in a dog that has PRA is night blindness. Affected dogs tend to be nervous at night, may be reluctant to go into dark rooms, or may bump into things when the light is dim.

How do you test for PRA?

Using a simple swab from the inner cheek of your dog, we will ascertain whether or not your dog carries the prcd c. 5G>A mutation associated with PRA-prcd.

Can you test puppy for PRA?

Our PRA-prcd DNA Test is a fast and effective way of determining whether or not your dog has the potential to develop Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Progressive Rod-Cone Degeneration (PRA-prcd) or pass it on to any offspring.

How is Pra passed on to a Labrador Retriever?

PRA in Labradors is recessive, which means that you need to have the gene passed from both parents for your puppy to be affected. Every dog will inherit two copies of the gene, one from each parent. If both copies are healthy, the dog can never develop this form of blindness and cannot pass the disease onto it’s offspring.

What kind of disease does a Labrador Retriever have?

PRA is predominantly an inherited disease. This means that your puppies genes will play a big part in whether or not he develops this disease. The Optigen test is not a cure all, and there are other causes of blindness in Labradors.

How many copies of the PRA gene does a dog have?

Every dog will inherit two copies of the gene, one from each parent. If both copies are healthy, the dog can never develop this form of blindness and cannot pass the disease onto it’s offspring. Not all dogs who have a faulty gene passed on to them will develop the disease.

How old does a Labrador Retriever have to be to be blind?

In the worst cases, the retina can completely detach and the dog can be completely blind. There are eye exams that can detect this condition. These exams are best performed on puppies at 14 weeks of age. There is no cure for Retinal Dysplasia but the disease is not painful or life-threatening.

PRA in Labradors is recessive, which means that you need to have the gene passed from both parents for your puppy to be affected. Every dog will inherit two copies of the gene, one from each parent. If both copies are healthy, the dog can never develop this form of blindness and cannot pass the disease onto it’s offspring.

Can a Labrador Retriever have hip dysplasia?

Hip pain in dogs is not a straight forward matter. There are a variety of possible reasons that your dog could have a sore joint, and some of the symptoms below may be the same as in hip dysplasia. However, if your Labrador is demonstrating any of the signs below then this is a warning sign of potential problems.

What should my labrador retriever hip score be?

In the United Kingdom a reading of 0:0 is a perfect hip score. If both puppy parents had 0:0 hips, then your puppy would be unlikely to suffer from the disease. However, most dogs will have at least some degradation to their joints. The average hip score for an adult Labrador at the last reported study was 12.

PRA is predominantly an inherited disease. This means that your puppies genes will play a big part in whether or not he develops this disease. The Optigen test is not a cure all, and there are other causes of blindness in Labradors.