How young can you Optigen test? Any information
on this I would appreciate it. Method of testing
and have you tested a young puppy and at what age?

Thanks:)

I would say as long as you can get a blood draw.

I have tested as young as 12 weeks and I do all Optigen testing by swab!

Being that you can now do a cheek swab, I would guess you can do it from birth.

Yes, if you check the Optigen website, it allows for cheek swabs now!

Quote from OptiGen web:
***Sampling Puppies****

Cheek swab samples from puppies under about 8 weeks of age – that is, before weaning, are not acceptable. The possibility of maternal contamination and puppy-to-puppy contamination is too great. If puppies must be tested prior to weaning, a blood sample is required.

I have done mine at 5-6 weeks so that I have results back before evaluating the litter for "keepers"
It is fairly easy to get a blood draw from the jugular vein at that age - but you have to have someone hold the pup really steady. We only had one wiggle-butt that was hard to do in the 3 litters we have had tested.

If you are wanting to use the Litter Rate, the puppies must be microchipped or have a tattoo.

As long as you have a litter registration number, Optigen will work with you. They don't absolutely require permanent ID on a young pup.
Barb

I am not sure where you got this idea, but here is the information from the Optigen website.

To receive the litter rate for 2 or more pups from the same litter. ALL of the following requirements must be met.

1. Pups must be no more than 12 weeks of age at the time samples are drawn.
2. Pups must have permanent identification by microchip or tattoo.
3. All samples from the litter must be sent at the same time and in the same package.
4. A complete Test Request Form must be submitted for EACH pup. (Use on-line submission and choose "another from the same litter" when you've finished the first submission.)

Susan, what do you pay for the swab test??

We have done blood draws on 4 and 6 week olds. Results in about 2 weeks.

The testing itself is of course the same. My vet orders the swabs for me or I just get them from him, Literally they are pennies a piece!! Not the same looking mascara brush type as we use for Vet Gen DNA color testing. These are Q Tip looking, sterile swabs. I use 2 per each dog I send in.

Clarification, sorry. I do testing when they have the clinics running so I get that discount plus I register the dog/pup on line with them so that's an extra little bit off. I think it brings the total amount per dog to about 150 bucks but don't hold me to that as I'm not looking LOL (there is no cost per test difference between swab or blood)

I got the information from Optigen when I needed to have a young pup tested. They accepted the litter number rather than a form of permanent ID.

Yes, that would likely be acceptable on ONE pup or ONE dog. The information I quoted was for getting the "litter discount rate" for TWO or more pups from the same litter. That was the first statement in that section I copied from their website. Doing a singleton pup and submitting a litter are very different things.

We have safely drawn blood on 7 week old pups. Got a clinic number, and paid about $150.00 per pup. Results in 10 days.

I did two pups, Maureen -- the whole litter in this case.