Welsh Terrier Health
To date the health of the Welsh Terrier has remained in a good state.
The breed health representative is Alexandra Witmond.
If you have any questions or concerns then please feel free to contact her. Either by Tel. 01279 635130 or E-mail [email protected]
A Question of Health by Alexandra WitmondSince I have been the Breed Health Representative, it has been matters of skin conditions, diet and behavioural problems but since March 2012 a genetic condition has come to light that affects Welsh Terriers. It’s called Primary Lens Luxation or PLL.
This condition is caused by an inherited mutation in a gene which is required for the healthy construction of the lens fibres. PLL is an inherited eye disease which can lead to blindness. In affected dogs, the tiny fibres which hold the lens break down and the lens can fall out of position which may cause glaucoma and blindness. This is a late onset condition – an affected dog would develop signs of PLL between 4 to 8 years of age.
Thankfully, there is a test for identification of the DNA mutation which has only been available since 2009. This test is useful for those breeders, or pet owners who want to breed, to identify the status of their breeding stock, so that they are not breeding from affected animals as affected dogs should not be bred from.
There can be three results–
• CLEAR – free of the PLL mutation
• CARRIER – has one copy of the mutation
• AFFECTED – has two copies of the mutation
As we have a small gene pool in Welsh Terriers, CARRIERS can be used for breeding but only to CLEAR animals, then the pups should be tested; CARRIERS X CLEAR = 50% CARRIER / 50% CLEAR.
The Kennel club have announced that, from 29th August 2013, testing results which qualify for the Kennel Club's DNA Screening Schemes will now be accepted from Animal DNA Diagnostics Ltd who carry out this PLL screening, and will be posted on the Kennel Club website. Future results will routinely be forwarded without the need for owners to contact the Kennel Club.
Customers who have already had testing performed which qualifies for the DNA Screening Schemes are invited to send a photocopy of their certificate to the Kennel Club (Health and Breeder Services, 1-5 Clarges Street, Piccadilly, London, W1J 8AB) or a scan of their certificate to [email protected]
This test is not yet a requirement of the Kennel Club, but a lot of breeders having been doing the test to their stock on a voluntary basis. I am doing research as to how many dogs are affected/carriers/clear.
Anyone who would like further information, please email me at [email protected], or if you would like to get the kit to do this simple swab test, then email Dr June Swinbourne at [email protected] quoting Breed296 to get a 5% discount.
Update April 2015
We have now had feedback from the organisation mentioned in that article that carries out the screening. In the year that this service has been available, they have performed 52 tests – of which 32 (62 %) are clear, 18 (34%) are carriers and just 2 (4%) are affected.
The breed health representative is Alexandra Witmond.
If you have any questions or concerns then please feel free to contact her. Either by Tel. 01279 635130 or E-mail [email protected]
A Question of Health by Alexandra WitmondSince I have been the Breed Health Representative, it has been matters of skin conditions, diet and behavioural problems but since March 2012 a genetic condition has come to light that affects Welsh Terriers. It’s called Primary Lens Luxation or PLL.
This condition is caused by an inherited mutation in a gene which is required for the healthy construction of the lens fibres. PLL is an inherited eye disease which can lead to blindness. In affected dogs, the tiny fibres which hold the lens break down and the lens can fall out of position which may cause glaucoma and blindness. This is a late onset condition – an affected dog would develop signs of PLL between 4 to 8 years of age.
Thankfully, there is a test for identification of the DNA mutation which has only been available since 2009. This test is useful for those breeders, or pet owners who want to breed, to identify the status of their breeding stock, so that they are not breeding from affected animals as affected dogs should not be bred from.
There can be three results–
• CLEAR – free of the PLL mutation
• CARRIER – has one copy of the mutation
• AFFECTED – has two copies of the mutation
As we have a small gene pool in Welsh Terriers, CARRIERS can be used for breeding but only to CLEAR animals, then the pups should be tested; CARRIERS X CLEAR = 50% CARRIER / 50% CLEAR.
The Kennel club have announced that, from 29th August 2013, testing results which qualify for the Kennel Club's DNA Screening Schemes will now be accepted from Animal DNA Diagnostics Ltd who carry out this PLL screening, and will be posted on the Kennel Club website. Future results will routinely be forwarded without the need for owners to contact the Kennel Club.
Customers who have already had testing performed which qualifies for the DNA Screening Schemes are invited to send a photocopy of their certificate to the Kennel Club (Health and Breeder Services, 1-5 Clarges Street, Piccadilly, London, W1J 8AB) or a scan of their certificate to [email protected]
This test is not yet a requirement of the Kennel Club, but a lot of breeders having been doing the test to their stock on a voluntary basis. I am doing research as to how many dogs are affected/carriers/clear.
Anyone who would like further information, please email me at [email protected], or if you would like to get the kit to do this simple swab test, then email Dr June Swinbourne at [email protected] quoting Breed296 to get a 5% discount.
Update April 2015
We have now had feedback from the organisation mentioned in that article that carries out the screening. In the year that this service has been available, they have performed 52 tests – of which 32 (62 %) are clear, 18 (34%) are carriers and just 2 (4%) are affected.
Please email the health co-ordinator with any queries: