A Genetic disorder is a disease caused by abnormalities in genes or chromosomes. These diseases may be passed from parent to offspring and can be the cause of much discomfort and suffering for the animal concerned – not to mention expense and heartache for the owner! As our knowledge of these genetic disorders improves, new tests are constantly being developed to help reduce the occurrence of these diseases. This means that animals can be scanned before breeding to ensure that these harmful genes are not passed on to future generations.
If you have any questions regarding hereditary diseases, or would like to find out about getting your pet tested – please ask one of our staff for more details.
Cattle
Bovine Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency
This is a disease of Holstein Cattle. Affected calves suffer from frequent infections that often fail to respond to treatment. They usually die before reaching maturity. Cattle are screened using buccal swabs.
Pigs
Malignant Hypothermia
This is a disease affecting all Pig breeds. The symptoms are brought on by stress and liver, kidney and nerve damage can result. Pigs may be tested using buccal swabs or blood tests