Embark DNA testing? - Page 2

Members have asked Pedigree Admins about other Labs on the PDB this is the answer.

Since the Pedigree Admins need to be able to check for proof

a dog has been tested. The OFA site is available to check this

information out for USA bred dogs.  We get messages from members stating the information on dogs on the PDB is incorrect so OFA is required for dog health tests.  If these

other Labs make this available on their site so Pedigree Admins

can check dogs out things can change.

https://www.ofa.org/diseases/dna-tested-diseases/all-dna-tests

https://shop.embarkvet.com/products/embark-for-breeders-dog-dna-test-kit/#health

It's not expensive and so many tests for the price.

I do PawPrint Genetics with most of my dogs. What I like about PawPrint, there are tons of sales and when both parents are tested, you can test the entire litter for 25bucks per puppy and have that information on file. To me, health is important. There are certain things we can rule out and and things we won't know until the dogs are older. But if I can test for it, I do it. OFA also accepts PawPrint. I really like it because it's a public database where everyone can access the information. And you can also look through the database who else is on it. Here is Champs Profile.

From Embark's site:
"Founded by leading canine geneticist Dr. Adam Boyko of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Embark developed a custom extension of the Illumina Canine HD genotyping array capturing over 200,000 genetic markers. That’s 100x more genetic data than Wisdom Panel."

The health results can be made public if the owner chooses to do so under their settings, and shares the dog's link with whoever wants to know. Example here (not my dog): https://my.embarkvet.com/dog/triggerjacksonallegretto

OFA: GSDs, other breeds are found by name or registration numbers.

https://www.ofa.org/advanced-search?appnum=1372574

Embark is not a reliable site to use for testing results for the PBD.

https://my.embarkvet.com/dog/triggerjacksonallegretto

“Trigger”

Trigger Jackson Allegretto

Mixed Breed

of all the things I would wash a dog out for, not passing this test for DM would be the last.

has anyone ever proved it valid other than autopsy? or shown what % develop DM in 10-15 years of life?

Well since the breeder (one of the 'TOP' working kennels recommended on this forum) I got my puppy from did not provide any kind of health testing reports to me on the sire and dam, no health guarantee for my puppy, I plan to do every single test that I can as soon as I get my puppy's AKC registration (was told it's coming..dam is euro import and they hadn't registered her yet with AKC) and make the results public, as I have would have nothing to hide and it's beneficial for owners of her siblings and other owners of dogs with similar bloodlines (common in alot of the WL pedigrees on here).

@ Rik:
You are absolutely correct! The test for DM is neither diagnostic nor prognostic. You are also correct that the standards allowed for this kind of genetic testing is fathoms below what would be accepted for human conditions. And it's largely unregulated. There is very little data on the genes supposedly contributing to DM (SOD1) and geneticists agree that there is a high likelihood that there are more gene mutations contributing to that and many other maladies not as yet diagnosed. So in the end this kind of testing is merely 'information' with which to make breeding decisions taking into consideration a host of variables. These two articles are written by a canine geneticist Dr Carol Beuchat! Very good reading.

https://www.instituteofcaninebiology.org/blog/the-right-and-wrong-way-to-use-dna-tests

and

https://www.instituteofcaninebiology.org/blog/the-lessons-from-sod1-and-degenerative-myelopathy

Cairo1, absolutely right and it is great to see somebody outlining the realities of the 'DNA Tests' situation as it currently (and verifiably) stands.

Can I, in the interests of that same upgrading of information make one point, however ? Readable as Dr Beuchat and the ICB materials are, and despite that much of them does seem to be accurate, there is a paper on the Scottish Deerhound Club of America website that points out that she is not in fact a geneticist, and she frequently confuses 'genes' with 'alleles' in many of her articles. Just leaving that with you !

Lots of good info here. Thank you all!