You are very particular about what breed of dog you want as your “best friend”. You have the pedigree for your purebred pooch. Wouldn’t it be unfortunate to find that you have a “poorbred” instead? You are prepared to spend money on a pet once you have it on food, a bed and cage, and dog training, but you can actually save a lot of stress by spending a little money early on.
We all realize that this important member of the family is not perfect, will sometimes become ill, and will cost considerably for medical expenses. We’re well prepared to pay for immunizations, spaying, and the like and the odd antibiotic, as needed. But we usually don’t consider the possibility that our pet may develop a serious medical condition that will either cost us dearly or cause us great heartache as we helplessly watch their suffering. It is therefore wise to have DNA testing completed before we adopt our special canine addition.
DNA testing is often a given when verifying parentage, but there are also numerous genetic diseases that can be determined for a negligible fee. There is a wide spectrum of potential canine genetic diseases including those involving the blood, the eye, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, immune, respiratory, reproductive, urinary, endocrine, and skin systems. Specific breeds are more likely to carry the mutated genes that cause certain diseases. For example, Inherited Retinal Dysplasia is more common in Labrador retrievers and Samoyed breeds.
Knowing what illnesses a prospective dog may have inherited might alert us to the inadvisability of investing in this particular one. If we still have our hearts set on this one only, or have already acquired him, we can go into raising the dog with eyes wide open, prepared for the additional care he may need. Knowing what disease lurks in the genes of our favourite pet will also help us recognize its onset as symptoms begin to appear. We will be able to begin treatment earlier, prevent much of the suffering, and even prolong the life of our special friend.
Take care! Take care of which canine companion you adopt. Take care of your favourite pet, and they will return the favour!
