Genetic Testing for Dalmatians

Although genetic testing is a powerful tool, it does not answer every question. Some traits, such as deafness, result from the interaction of many different genes, and in some cases environmental influences such as stress or nutrition also play a role. These are called polygenic traits, and at present genetic tests cannot predict them reliably. For this reason, additional health screening of the parents remains essential.

Another limitation is the presence of linked genes. Genes that are physically close to each other on the chromosome tend to be inherited together. This means that when selecting for one trait, another trait may be passed along unintentionally. While genetic tests cannot reveal these linkages directly, they remind us to take breeding decisions carefully and consider the bigger picture.

It is also important to understand that carrying a risk gene does not always lead to the actual development of disease. Sometimes the condition may never appear, because other genes or external factors influence whether the disease becomes active.

Finally, genetic tests can only identify hereditary diseases that science has already discovered. Not every disease is known yet, but the number of available tests is steadily increasing. This means that breeders and owners will have more and more tools in the future to understand and protect the health of their dogs.