Mixed breed dogs less disease-prone than purebreds
“There has been a long-standing perception that mixed breed dogs are less disease-prone than purebred dogs.”
Genetic testing can help breeders, owners and vets identify diseases in dogs and enable preventative care, according to new research.
Writing in the journal PLOS Genetics, researchers describe how they examined more than 100,000 dogs for the presence of 152 genetic mutations. Some of the diseases tested include progressive retinal atrophy, hyperuricosuria and collie eye anomaly.
They found that testing is important to help owners know if their dog is at risk for genetic disease and to consult with their veterinary surgeon about a preventative care plan. Interestingly, the researchers also found that fewer mixed breeds were affected by the diseases tested than purebreds.
The study was conducted by Wisdom Health, a business unit of Mars Petcare, and technology company Genoscoper Laboratories.
“There has been a long-standing perception that mixed breed dogs are less disease-prone than purebred dogs,” said Cindy Cole, general manager at Wisdom Health. “This DNA-testing-based evidence shows that while mixed breed dogs are in fact less likely than purebreds to develop the recessive disorders evaluated in the study, they may still be carriers.
“Importantly it's now clear that all dogs can benefit from genetic testing. It's exciting that new diagnostic tools are now available to veterinarians, breeders and owners alike to enable them to make more informed decisions about overall care for dogs."
The study was based on a total of 152 diseases. Of these, around two out of 100 mixed breed dogs are at risk of becoming affected and 40 out of 100 are carriers for at least one of the diseases.
Approximately five out of 100 purebred dogs are at risk of becoming affected and 28 out of 100 are carriers for at least one of the diseases.
The study also found that through healthy breeding practices, some diseases appear to have been removed from the gene pools altogether.
"For owners, understanding for which genetic diseases their dog is at risk can help them and their veterinarians design a personalised care and wellness program for their dog," said Jonas Donner, chief scientific officer at Genoscoper. "More broadly, for veterinarians to understand which disorders are common across the overall population is extremely valuable information for the future of proactive medical care.
“Using genetic tools to further disease monitoring and eradication in different populations, can, over time have a positive effect on both purebred and mixed breed dogs."
RCVS Knowledge has welcomed Professor Peter Cockcroft as editor-in-chief for Veterinary Evidence. 
