According to experts, single genetic tests may not be enough to assess healthy pedigree in dogs and improve pedigree line health. A combined approach using DNA analysis, pedigree information and health screening programs will help reduce the frequency of inherited disease significant, according to a recent review. This kind of combined approach can also improve the genetic diversity of pedigree lines.

The review was done by scientists from the Roslin Institute of the University of Edinburgh, who made the recommendations after looking into various approaches to minimize the potential defects in animals’ pedigree lines.

Inherited diseases can often become common in pedigree dog breeds. For instance, around 50 percent of King Charles Cavalier Spaniels suffer from inherited heart murmur. Health screening of dogs has been found to be effective in reducing the prevalence of certain diseases, like floating kneecaps that the Dutch Kooiker breed is known to suffer from.

DNA tests are used to identify diseases-causing mutations in dogs. However, using a single failed DNA test result to rule out breeding dogs can reduce the gene pool for pedigrees and increase the frequency of inbreeding, according to the scientists. It could also increase the rate of other diseases.

As a result, the scientists recommended that individual stud dogs be limited for the promotion of more diversity among pedigree lines, and that cross-breeding be introduced to increase genetic diversity.

Cross-breeding over ten generations can result in off-springs that share 99.9 percent of the same genetic materials as purebred animals, but without their disease-causing gene faults. This has proven effective in breeding Dalmatians without the kidney stones-causing genetic defect that was common to the breed.