Inevitablue Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 (edited) I was about to order the ASAP Labs PRA test kit for my dogs, however someone mentioned that the results are not certified. GTG Labs (Animal Network), they said, are the only ones who can make the results a legal document. Can anyone shed some light on this? ASAP Labs are considerably cheaper. Edited March 8, 2012 by Inevitablue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weasels Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 If you PM DOLer MalteseLuna she will have the inside scoop on these things :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inevitablue Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 If you PM DOLer MalteseLuna she will have the inside scoop on these things :) Thanks :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayreovi Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Last I heard only GTG had the licencing to perform Optigen PRA tests. Not sure if that's for all forms though, as I rang them to ask about PRCD for Tollers and got told they can't test it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inevitablue Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 (edited) Ive emailed ASAP Labs asking them to clarify it. Their website says they do PRCD for my breed, just need to know if its a formal certificate. I looked on the ASAP Labs website and they have no tests yet either for Tollers. EDIT: At over 1/3 cheaper its worth investigating. Does anyone know if DogsNSW only accepts Optigen (ie GTG Labs) results? EDITED AGAIN!: If genetic testing isn't compulsory for my breed then the DogsNSW acceptance of the results is irrelevant, I'm guessing Edited March 8, 2012 by Inevitablue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Check out this site for testing. http://ingen.bs/ You can do your own swabs or get your vet to take them, which is as good as certified. The price difference is incredible & there is a $25 voucher for 1st time customers so it works out 2 dogs for less than $100 using this. I was recently suprised when sent a GTG PRA certificate copy for an adult dog I was considering purchasing ( I didn't purchase ). It had no microchip number on it, no pedigree registration number on it & where it said certified result it said No. I did not think they tested dogs without all this info & thought all results from this lab were certified but guess I am mistaken ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inevitablue Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 Thanks Christina! Seems there are a few more options available. Have to work out if the shipping makes it the same cost as ASAP Labs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Check out this site for testing. http://ingen.bs/ You can do your own swabs or get your vet to take them, which is as good as certified. The price difference is incredible & there is a $25 voucher for 1st time customers so it works out 2 dogs for less than $100 using this. I was recently suprised when sent a GTG PRA certificate copy for an adult dog I was considering purchasing ( I didn't purchase ). It had no microchip number on it, no pedigree registration number on it & where it said certified result it said No. I did not think they tested dogs without all this info & thought all results from this lab were certified but guess I am mistaken ? Given that people have been know to lie/cheat (eg, by substituting one dog for another), I don't think any lab that allows people to take their own swabs should be certified. For that matter, you could end out with false results just through poor record keeping . . . you don't need dishonesty. Someone has four or five dogs done at once and the labels get switched somewhere. There is a reason for certification procedures. Think of the harm that might be done if a popular sire was actually Optigen B and his test results came through as Optigen A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 dna tests This page on the ASAP site lists diseases with DNA tests but they cannot test Australian dogs for those with an asterisk next to the name because they are patented and licenced to other labs. Each lab has different conditons that they hold licences to do the testing for so for most conditions there is no choice of lab. You have to go with whoever is licenced to do that test for Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vacuna Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Check out this site for testing. http://ingen.bs/ You can do your own swabs or get your vet to take them, which is as good as certified. The price difference is incredible & there is a $25 voucher for 1st time customers so it works out 2 dogs for less than $100 using this. I was recently suprised when sent a GTG PRA certificate copy for an adult dog I was considering purchasing ( I didn't purchase ). It had no microchip number on it, no pedigree registration number on it & where it said certified result it said No. I did not think they tested dogs without all this info & thought all results from this lab were certified but guess I am mistaken ? Given that people have been know to lie/cheat (eg, by substituting one dog for another), I don't think any lab that allows people to take their own swabs should be certified. For that matter, you could end out with false results just through poor record keeping . . . you don't need dishonesty. Someone has four or five dogs done at once and the labels get switched somewhere. There is a reason for certification procedures. Think of the harm that might be done if a popular sire was actually Optigen B and his test results came through as Optigen A. While owners are able to take and send in a swab to be tested the results are not certified. Only those results from samples with verified microchip details collected by an authorised collector or vet will have certified results. On the Genetic Analysis Report by ASAP Laboratory the document lists the owners details, animals details - pedigree name, pet name, registration no, microchip number, sex, breed of dog, date of test, and name of collector together with the lab identification no. for the sample. Even though I believed my bitch to be PRA clear by parentage - I only had a certified result for one of her parents so I submitted swabs taken from her by my vet for testing. The results confirmed her clear status so I now have a the certified report to vertify her PRA status. I believe the testing labs are aware that there have been some problems associated with the collection of samples in the past and I know ASAP are endeavouring to rectify it with their stipulations regarding collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espinay2 Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Be aware that cheaper is not always better. Not in my case anyway. I ordered tests from ASAP and sent swabs to them in Nov 10. I have recieived absolutely NO results from them despite sending repeated requests and getting repeated assurances that they would be sent 'soon'. Up till a month ago was still disputing repeated bills from them for the tests!! (happy to provide a copy of the full email trail to anyone who wants it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
**Super_Dogs** Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 I recently used ASAP for PRCD and a few other tests Like you said they are alot cheaper!!! The test kits I ordered arrived pretty quickly. I then emailed and asked a few questions - sometimes I would get a reply, sometimes I would not get a reply. It was hit and miss. So I was a little hesitent to use them. But I thought I might as well give them a go. Good news - I got the results back within the timeframe they had advised. Yes you get what you pay for. With ASAP you get the service of the testing, but not great customer service. So if you don't have questions and just want the tests done I would give them a go. I wanted my results to be certified so I got the vet to collect my samples. If you want to see what the results look like PM me your email and I will send you a copy of mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inevitablue Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 Thanks for that :) Any vet or a vet authorized by ASAP Labs? I assume its just so they can check the microchip number? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalteseLuna Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Thanks for that :) Any vet or a vet authorized by ASAP Labs? I assume its just so they can check the microchip number? Any vet should be fine - they just need to certify that the sample they took is from the dog your getting certified/tested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalteseLuna Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 If you PM DOLer MalteseLuna she will have the inside scoop on these things :) Actually couldn't answer the question very well! The main issue is that the patent for PRCD-PRA is I think held only by GTG in Australia (so they can charge what the want). That means also that (I think) other labs aren't supposed to test samples from Australia. Pity that Australia has allowed such laws/patents to be passed allowing companies to own genetic mutations (genes)... otherwise genetic testing could be done cheaper... particularly if there were other competitive labs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weasels Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Sorry ML I kinda dropped you in it there :laugh: But I was pretty sure you'd know who held the patent (and if it was one of those 'using without holding the patenet' dealies) Agree with the patent issues tho I was breifly considering adding genetic testing for companion animals to our current services, but then I realised the legal issues would do my head in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Nawww Weasel - shoulda done law then they wouldn't do your head in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weasels Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 maybe we should team up Ness and solve both our problems! ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 :laugh: not such a stupid ideal Weasel - WA is a pretty awesome place to live . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weasels Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Except I want to move home to SA in a couple of years :p :D If I thought there was a way around the 'big genetics' companies it would be something I'd seriously consider. From what I've heard the current providers aren't winning a huge amount of friends Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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