Breeding: Health Screenings
It seems like a no-brainer, right? If a dog has a hereditary disease, there’s no good reason to purposely breed that dog and pass on the health issues to the puppies. But this rationale isn’t always a top concern for many people who “think it would be so fun” to have a litter of puppies. Some breeders simply don’t care and others haven’t considered the importance of performing these critical health screenings prior to planning a litter of puppies.
What is OFA and CHIC?
Great question! There are two organizations to familiarize yourself with in regards to health testing - OFA and CHIC. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is an organization dedicated to promoting the health and welfare of companion animals through a reduction in the incidence of genetic disease.
Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) is a centralized canine health database jointly sponsored by the AKC Canine Health Foundation and the OFA. CHIC provides a resource for breeders and owners of purebred dogs to research and maintain information on the health issues prevalent in specific breeds. CHIC has a DNA Repository that collects and stores canine DNA samples along with corresponding genealogic and phenotypic information to facilitate future research and testing aimed at reducing the incidence of inherited disease in dogs.
What heath tests should we do for our dog?
The following are some of the more commonly recommended tests that apply to a wide range of breeds. Please be sure to educate yourself on the breed-specific tests if you are hoping to breed a pure-breed dog. Some tests can be done at one year old (ex. heart and eyes) and others need to be done later (ex. hips and elbows - two years old) to be official. Preliminary OFA images and submissions can be done if you want an early look at their health clearances. The list of tests below are also routinely recommended for rescues, and non-pure-breed dogs for the same reasons – early indicators of potential disease or treatable conditions.
Hip evaluation
Elbow evaluation
Ophthalmologist evaluation
Cardiac exam
Thyroid evaluation
Hearing evaluation
DNA testing
If you are not sure which health tests are recommended for your breed, check out this resource from the AKC. Find your breed and it will show you the list of heath tests they recommend.
How do we get these tests done?
Great question! Sometimes it can take some researching to find a veterinarian that has the right specialist on staff or the equipment and training to perform these official tests. Call around, ask other breeders what they have learned. You may need to make several appointments at different animal hospitals to get all of the tests done and…be aware that this process is expensive!
What about genetics and diseases we could pass along?
Let’s go back to biology in high school for a little lesson in genetics, friends! It’s really not that complicated so let me break it down for you. A dog can carry a gene that is 1. Clear of a genetic marker, 2. Carrier of the genetic marker, or 3. Affected by the genetic disease. Clear means they do not have a genetic disease. Carrier also also means they do not have a genetic disease. Affected genes mean the dog is affected by this genetic disease and should not be bred. When making the choice to breed two dogs, knowing their DNA before breeding is super-duper important! If you choose to breed two dogs and don’t understand their genetic makeup, you WILL pass on genetic diseases to the puppies.
Let me explain our options here with some examples of pairings between two dogs.
Dog A: Clear + Dog B: Clear = 100% clear, will not pass on a genetic disease
Dog A: Clear + Dog B: Carrier = 50% chance the puppies will be clear or carrier, no puppies will be affected by the disease
Examples of two dogs that should NEVER be bred together:
Dog A Carrier + Dog B Carrier = 25% affected, 25% clear, 50% carrier
Dog A Clear + Dog B Affected = 100% affected by genetic disease
The cost is 100% worth it as you are contemplating whether or not to breed two dogs together as this ultimately determines a healthy dog vs. a diseased dog. Genetic testing can be done as early as two weeks old on a puppy. Two recommendations for genetic testing:
Whew! Hopefully you made it this far and are committed to all of the health screening and efforts to be a diligent, responsible breeder. It’s an investment that will have lasting impact on the puppies you help bring into the world and it’s WORTH IT!
