Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Rapid DNA test finds retinal disease gene in Toy Poodles Chihuahuas
By Kohyama, Moeko et al.·Published in The Journal of veterinary medical science·2016·Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Real-time PCR genotyping assay for canine progressive rod-cone degeneration and mutant allele frequency in Toy Poodles, Chihuahuas and Miniature Dachshunds in Japan.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that Toy Poodles and Chihuahuas in Japan can inherit a serious eye condition called progressive rod-cone degeneration (PRCD), which can lead to vision loss. The researchers developed a quick test to identify dogs carrying the gene mutation responsible for this disorder. They discovered that about 9% of Toy Poodles and 2% of Chihuahuas carry the mutation, while Miniature Dachshunds did not show any signs of it. This testing method can help breeders make informed decisions to reduce the risk of this eye problem in these popular breeds.
People also search for: Toy Poodle eye problems · Chihuahua vision loss · dog genetic testing for eye disease
Abstract
Canine progressive rod-cone degeneration (PRCD) is a middle- to late-onset, autosomal recessive, inherited retinal disorder caused by a substitution (c.5G>A) in the canine PRCD gene that has been identified in 29 or more purebred dogs. In the present study, a TaqMan probe-based real-time PCR assay was developed and evaluated for rapid genotyping and large-scale screening of the mutation. Furthermore, a genotyping survey was carried out in a population of the three most popular breeds in Japan (Toy Poodles, Chihuahuas and Miniature Dachshunds) to determine the current mutant allele frequency. The assay separated all the genotypes of canine PRCD rapidly, indicating its suitability for large-scale surveys. The results of the survey showed that the mutant allele frequency in Toy Poodles was high enough (approximately 0.09) to allow the establishment of measures for the prevention and control of this disorder in breeding kennels. The mutant allele was detected in Chihuahuas for the first time, but the frequency was lower (approximately 0.02) than that in Toy Poodles. The mutant allele was not detected in Miniature Dachshunds. This assay will allow the selective breeding of dogs from the two most popular breeds (Toy Poodle and Chihuahua) in Japan and effective prevention or control of the disorder.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26549343/