Here is a serious question to stud dog owners:

Why would you NOT optigen your stud-dogs if they are standing at public stud?

I have wondered about this exact same question for quite some time and this is only a guess.
We all know if a stud is not tested most people would probably be cautious, assume he is probably a B and take only their A bitches to him. So the stud is really only getting a share of the A bitches stud fee - no different than if her were actually tested and was confirmed a B by Optigen.

What if the stud was actually a C? owner knows, this, decided to keep him in the program anyway and let others think he is a B. If he is only bred to A's, still no harm.

I have no problem with B dogs kept in a breeding program and understand their value and would not hesitate in taking an appropriate girl to him. C's are a different story as I have been told by diffent vets that there are often other problems that seem to show up more in C dogs, such as seizures. At this time, I would not voluntarily go to a C.

Wanted to ask, how many of us who take are A girls to B studs, actually request a copy of their optigen report. Our girl is the A and if a copy of that paperwork is given to puppy familes then that would assure them their pups would not be effected.

So the stud could actually be a C, the owner could just say he is not tested and never have to provide the optigen paperwork confirming he is a C.
Interesting. I am sure stud dog owners have thought of this as well.

A copy of the Optigen report is given to the bitch owner along with OFA and eye clearances, and cardiac if available.

many stud dogs may be optigen A or normal by parentage, in which case they then can supply the optigen for the said parents or grand parents which ever the case be
optigen A or Normal to A or normal will be the same so no testing needed.

Who said they have not been done. Did you ask the stud dog owner. Mine is a B and I don't post it just because of some who talk to much about what they don't understand. When did we become so untrusting, to think someone was breeding a C stud dog without discloser. There are tons of nice Labs out there, why go to some person you would question so much.

There are still a few people out there who don't trust the test, either, and won't do it.

Then there are people who do the test but never get around to posting it on their website. Sometimes, you just have to ask :)

Yes, you are right in some people not trusting the test. There was some talk about it not being accurate at this time, that there needed to be more proof on the testing that Optigen did and how they came up with there testing. I don't know if this was cleared up or not. I myself do the stud dogs out of necessity, because people will not breed too your dog unless they are Optigen done.

Perfect test or not, it's better than sticking your head in the sand.

NO BREEDING should ever take place unless at least one parent is tested clear of the PRA gene. Doesn't matter if it's the stud or the bitch or both.

Quite right Nancy. Even better if both are tested, but at least if one is tested Clear then no pups will go blind. That's what it's all about at the end of the day, isn't it.

You know that you guys would think that PRA was the worst eye problem and the biggest eye problem in labradors. How about all the other problems that are more prevelent in labs. What is the ratio of PRA in labradors? This has become more like the witch hunt they had years ago and the lists that were comiled on suppossed dogs that were PRA carriers. I still have them and thought they were the bible. How many good dogs got trashed because of this and then the gene pools got smaller. The good thing is that you can breed PRA out! This bit about one parent has to be Optigen tested is not necessarly right. I would want cerf also, like Oh wonderful my dog is Optigen A but it has retinal folds? I would think Cerf is more important then Optigen.

Breeder - nobody has even hinted that Optigen would be the only eye clearance. This was simply a question of, as the subject says, "OPTIGEN or NOT?"

But your comment is a good one to keep in mind.

I know the firstquestion and just thought I would remark on what I said. No bashing or anything, it was just something that has gone over on the forum and breeders in general of all breeds that have Optigen testing available. I wish we had a marker for the other eye problems that are more relevent in the breed. I know other breeds that have gotten rid of good dogs because they weren't Optigen A and the breed as a whole suffered with a even smaller breeding pool. I just had a bitch at age two just developed Cherry Eye. I have never had this and am amazed and just wondering were that came from?
Years ago had a gorgeous male that had cataracts. It was a outside stud dog, but never had that problem either, until then. I am hearing of other eye problems and I hear more of that then of the Optigen dogs. I did have a breeder question the fact that she had a doptigen B female and said she is hearing of allot of Optigen B's and her question was were are all the Optigen C's that are out there? Which makes more sense to me and maybe they are the dogs being used that aren't Optigen tested?