The charity fighting disease and injury in animals

DNA Test for Fucosidosis in English Springer Spaniels

Research groups in the UK and Australia have identified the genetic defect underlying fucosidosis in English Springer Spaniels. It is a deletion (ie a small segment of DNA is missing) within the gene a-L-fucosidase. On the basis of this information, we have developed a diagnostic test which will distinguish between normal, carrier and affected dogs. The test works by using the polymerase chain reaction to amplify the region of the gene that spans the deletion and then separating the DNA fragments on the basis of their size. The DNA fragment from the disease gene can be clearly recognised, being smaller than that from the normal form of the gene.

This test is now carried out on cheek swab samples (non-invasive). Cheek swabs are available free of charge from the Animal Health Trust.

Samples submitted should be cheek swabs ( a non-invasive sampling method).  Sampling kits are obtainable from the Animal Health Trust webshop www.ahtdnatesting.co.uk/canine_tests. Further information can be obtained by emailing dnatesting@aht.org.uk