Issue with getting enough saliva for the OFA DM test - Page 1

Anyone else have this issue? I swabbed and swabbed and swabbed but still barely any change on the front of the card let alone on the BACK of the card.

OFA states that a dog should not eat nor drink for an hour prior to testing, but should the dog be able to drink to his content and then wait the hour and test? It just seemed like there was just not enough saliva to even darken the card.

As per OFA's instructions I did reswab Beau three times (waited the hour drying time each time) I think and still not enough saliva to color change the back of the card. I ended up calling OFA on Friday and they told me they hear this a lot and are sending me out a replacement kit to try with because they were worried with the frequent applications to the card that I may have damaged it.

Sooo, while I wait for the replacement kit to arrive, any suggestions? I had him in his crate for an hour, no toys, no food, no water, not even a blanket (he occasionally chews it).

I don't want to let him overload on water before the test because I don't want it to affect the test results. Seriously needing some advice/suggestions here...

you need to press the swabber harder against the inside cheek of your dog when swabbing.
they need cells, not spit.

Granted, Sitasmom...

I wasn't drawing blood, but I was pressing hard inside of his cheek. I was trying to follow the picture of a "Good collection" on OFA's website and mine looked NOTHING like that. They stated you WILL see color change on the back of the card when you have collected correctly. I saw NO color change, no moisture seeped through, which the OFA rep. confirmed was not a correctly performed test.

To reference what I'm talking about. Mine looked like OFA's definition of "BAD"

I had the EXACT same issue. There was only one pin prick of a spot that changed color and bled through like OFA wants. I finally gave up and sent in what I had. Apparently it was enough, because I got my results back on both dogs (DM Normal).

I squashed the spunge onto the card with a clean spoon and get extra saliva onto the card and then did it again just to make sure.

I hear many people are having that problem.  Not sure why that is happening.  The problems we are having today was unheard of years ago.  I can remember swabbing a friend's litter of ten 9wk old puppies and not one had to be redone.  We just got puppies out the kennel and did it.  Don't remember having to withhold food or water.  This was probably 7 or 8 years ago.  Could the test have changed that much?  Seems now there are more problems with the test than ever.  

In 2008, my GSD was the first to be DNA tested as a DM carrier. That was the first year the DNA test for DM was offered by OFA. 

I just did another dog a few months ago. The way the cells are collected and transferred has not changed. You just have to rub that swab hard enough for 10 seconds or more to collect the cells. Make sure the swab is moist with saliva before you try to transfer the cells to the card. Saliva helps to carry the cells from the swab to the card. Press all the moisture from the swab onto the card, don't touch the card, put it aside and set a timer for one hour.

I followed the directions OFA gave to rub against his cheek for 5-10seconds but the thing is, I could SEE the stupid swab wasn't moist...not really.

Eh, it was a good learning experience, which I will hopefully not repeat again.

Sitasmom, the spoon was a great idea! I used the cardboard flipped over that contained the test, but of course, it being a paper product it ABSORBED water, rather than displacing it onto the test like OFA intends it to do so.

I think the spoon idea should be included in the test's instructions because using the flipped over lid to squish the swab was completely ineffective.

My guess is if OFA would recommend using a spoon, there would  a chance that some would use one that hasn't been properly washed and dried. They know the card is clean and as sterile as it can be. I have a feeling that the first card you used would have been OK, but you will be fine the next time. It's hard to follow the directions exactly the first time you do it.