One of the key responsibilities of a reputable breeder is health testing. However, many people aren't fully aware of what "health tested" truly entails. It's not just a routine vet check-up. While regular vet visits are essential, there's much more involved in determining whether a dog is suitable for breeding.
What is Health Testing?
Health testing involves a series of specialized tests tailored to each breed to ensure that you are doing everything possible to produce healthy puppies. For our dogs, these tests include:
- OFA Hips
- OFA Elbows
- OFA Heart
- OFA Eyes
- OFA Patellas
- DNA Testing
Hips and Elbows
Hips and elbow tests are conducted using X-rays. The dog is positioned in a specific way, and X-rays are taken and sent to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). There, orthopedic specialists review and grade the X-rays, and the results are sent back.
Hip Ratings: Hips are rated as Excellent, Good, or Fair (all within normal limits), or Borderline. They can also be rated as Mild, Moderate, or Severe, which are considered dysplastic.
Elbow Ratings: Elbows are rated as Normal or graded from 1 to 3 (all three are considered dysplastic).
Heart and Patellas
Heart and patella tests are basic exams that can be performed by any veterinarian, unless a breed requires advanced cardiac testing. For breeds like Australian Labradoodles, only a basic cardiac exam is needed. During the heart exam, the vet listens for murmurs and rates them from Normal to Grade 1 through Grade 6, with Grade 6 being the most severe.
Patella exams check for patellar luxation (dislocated kneecap). The results range from Normal to Grades 1 through 4, with Grade 4 being the most severe. Both sets of results are submitted to the OFA for official certification.
Eyes
Eye testing must be done by a veterinary ophthalmologist. The dog’s eyes are dilated, and the vet performs an indirect ophthalmoscopy and slit-lamp biomicroscopy to check for any eye abnormalities. The results, whether normal or abnormal, are documented and sent to the OFA for certification.
DNA Testing
DNA testing can be done through various companies; I primarily use PawPrint Genetics. DNA samples (via swab or blood) are tested for genetic diseases and traits like color and coat type. Results come back as Clear, Carrier, or Affected:
- Clear: No copies of the disease gene.
- Carrier: One copy of the disease gene but not affected.
- Affected: Two copies of the disease gene, resulting in the dog being affected.
Breeding Clear dogs to Clear or Carrier dogs ensures no puppies will be affected by genetic diseases. Two carriers should never be bred together, as this could result in affected puppies.
What Do We Do With These Results?
If any of our dogs fail these tests, they are removed from our breeding program and spayed or neutered. Every dog in our program must pass all required tests to ensure we are doing our utmost to produce healthy puppies. Although it's difficult to remove a dog from our program—especially after investing time, effort, and finances—it is the responsible choice.
We also use passing results to make informed breeding decisions. For example, a dog with Fair hips might be paired with one that has Excellent or Good hips to balance the pairing.
Does This Guarantee Healthy Puppies?
When it comes to DNA testing, if both parents are clear, all puppies will also be clear of those specific diseases. Breeding a clear dog to a carrier also ensures puppies will not be affected.
However, other types of health testing are more complex. Two dogs with passing hip scores could still produce a puppy with poor hip scores. Nonetheless, by conducting thorough health testing, we are minimizing the risks and doing our best to ensure healthy puppies.
Conclusion
Health testing is just one critical aspect of being a reputable breeder, but it's a vital part of any responsible breeding program. If you have any questions about health testing or want to learn more, feel free to leave a comment or reach out to me directly. I'm always here to help and provide clarity!
Comments
Post a Comment