Coat Colour and Eye Health in the Border Collie
How Border Collie coat colours are described, what a genotype test shows, which eye conditions are screened, and how a puppy's pigmentation is read.
Reading a Breeding Dog's Full Health File: Hip and Elbow Scores Beside the Eye Certificate
The CEA certificate is one document in a larger file. How to read hip scores, elbow grades and DNA panels together before you commit to a puppy or a mating.
The Test That Is Not on the Eye Certificate: MDR1 Screening for Herding Breeds
An eye certificate certifies CEA status and nothing else. Why the MDR1 drug-sensitivity test belongs in the same puppy file for collies, shelties, Australian shepherds and their relatives.
CEA Carrier-to-Carrier Breeding: The Mathematics Breeders Need to Understand
A step-by-step explanation of the genetic math behind CEA carrier-to-carrier breedings. Expected genotype ratios, litter-size probability distributions, and why one affected puppy in a litter does not doom a breeding program.
Carrier Dogs and CEA: Ethics, Decisions, and Long-Term Strategy
Should carrier dogs be bred? What ethical framework should guide breeding decisions when a dog carries the CEA mutation? A veterinary ophthalmologist's perspective on balancing breed health, genetic diversity, and responsible breeding practice.
The NHEJ1 Gene Mutation: Biology of CEA Explained
A deep dive into the molecular biology behind Collie Eye Anomaly. How the NHEJ1 gene deletion disrupts eye development, why the same mutation causes variable outcomes, and what this means for testing and breeding.
The Role of Modifier Genes in CEA Severity: What Current Research Tells Us
Why the same NHEJ1 mutation produces vastly different clinical outcomes. Exploring the modifier genes that influence Collie Eye Anomaly severity, current research findings, and implications for future genetic testing and breeding decisions.
Breeding Strategies to Reduce CEA Incidence
Practical breeding protocols for reducing Collie Eye Anomaly whilst maintaining genetic diversity. Evidence-based strategies from programmes that have achieved dramatic improvements.
Genetic Testing for CEA: Labs, Costs, Interpretation
Comprehensive guide to DNA testing for Collie Eye Anomaly. Comparing laboratories, understanding the NHEJ1 mutation, interpreting results, and why genetic testing complements clinical examination.