Why should I care about a dog's health clearances?
As a puppy buyer: You want a puppy that will lead a long, healthy life; not one that needs extensive veterinary care, surgeries, medications, or special household accommodations which can be costly and time consuming. To have the best chance of choosing a healthy puppy, you want to ensure the puppy's parents are not affected by the most common diseases of the breed. The only way to ensure the parent's are not affected is for them to have health clearances for these common diseases. {It is fairly complex how some health clearances should be applied to breeding, so more information about this is located below.} If you have a puppy that develops a health problem that is covered by the breeder's health guarantee, you will also have to make a decision whether or not to return the puppy (which you and your family are likely already attached to) to the breeder to get another puppy or a refund.
As a breeder: Completing health clearances helps you choose the healthiest dogs for your breeding program and what you should look for in a mate. It helps you have the best chance of producing healthy puppies. Healthy puppies lead to satisfied families, who in turn may purchase another puppy from you and refer others to you. If you produce puppies who have vision problems, have hip or elbow dysplasia, or collapse during exercise or play, you will have unhappy puppy families. Many may want to return their puppy for a healthy replacement pup or want a refund. It will also leave you with puppies/dogs with health problems which will need homes. Breeding unhealthy puppies will give you a bad reputation and leave few interested in a puppy from you. Eventually, your breeding program will be unsuccessful if you continually produce unhealthy puppies.
How to pick the right breeder:
Figure out what you want in a puppy: a calm companion, a running partner, a hunting buddy, and competitor for field trials, hunt tests, or conformation shows. Find a breeder who has proven their dogs (the parents of your prospective puppy) to be what you are looking for. Look for breeders who title their dogs for the type of things you are interested in to have the best chance at getting a puppy of the same type. Feel free to e-mail or call the breeder to ask questions about specific dogs and their personailites. Most breeders will be happy to answer your questions.
Now that you've found a few breeders whose dogs you like, look for health clearances. If the certificates are not posted on the breeder's website or the clearances cannot be found on the OFA website (www.offa.org), ask for copies of the certificates before you place a deposit or buy a puppy. If a breeder cannot produce the certificate of the test results, they likely have not had those tests completed on a dog. In that case, it is best to find a breeder who does perform health clearances on all of their dogs and only breeds to dogs with health clearances. Some diseases/abnormalities screened for are purely genetic and some are multi-factoral. Joint disease is considered multi-factoral, but the chance for producing normal offspring is greatly increased by mating normal to normal dogs. Genetic diseases are simpler. For genetic diseases a dog is rated: clear, carrier, or affected.
For a Labrador Retriever, look for at minimum the following clearances as recommended by the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC):
There are also other tests which may be conducted for Labrador Retrievers, including but not limited to:
References:
http://www.offa.org, http://www.vdl.umn.edu/ourservices/canineneuromuscular/eic/eicfaq/home.html#mode, http://www.optigen.com
http://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/disease-information/tricuspid-valve-dysplasia.html
As a puppy buyer: You want a puppy that will lead a long, healthy life; not one that needs extensive veterinary care, surgeries, medications, or special household accommodations which can be costly and time consuming. To have the best chance of choosing a healthy puppy, you want to ensure the puppy's parents are not affected by the most common diseases of the breed. The only way to ensure the parent's are not affected is for them to have health clearances for these common diseases. {It is fairly complex how some health clearances should be applied to breeding, so more information about this is located below.} If you have a puppy that develops a health problem that is covered by the breeder's health guarantee, you will also have to make a decision whether or not to return the puppy (which you and your family are likely already attached to) to the breeder to get another puppy or a refund.
As a breeder: Completing health clearances helps you choose the healthiest dogs for your breeding program and what you should look for in a mate. It helps you have the best chance of producing healthy puppies. Healthy puppies lead to satisfied families, who in turn may purchase another puppy from you and refer others to you. If you produce puppies who have vision problems, have hip or elbow dysplasia, or collapse during exercise or play, you will have unhappy puppy families. Many may want to return their puppy for a healthy replacement pup or want a refund. It will also leave you with puppies/dogs with health problems which will need homes. Breeding unhealthy puppies will give you a bad reputation and leave few interested in a puppy from you. Eventually, your breeding program will be unsuccessful if you continually produce unhealthy puppies.
How to pick the right breeder:
Figure out what you want in a puppy: a calm companion, a running partner, a hunting buddy, and competitor for field trials, hunt tests, or conformation shows. Find a breeder who has proven their dogs (the parents of your prospective puppy) to be what you are looking for. Look for breeders who title their dogs for the type of things you are interested in to have the best chance at getting a puppy of the same type. Feel free to e-mail or call the breeder to ask questions about specific dogs and their personailites. Most breeders will be happy to answer your questions.
Now that you've found a few breeders whose dogs you like, look for health clearances. If the certificates are not posted on the breeder's website or the clearances cannot be found on the OFA website (www.offa.org), ask for copies of the certificates before you place a deposit or buy a puppy. If a breeder cannot produce the certificate of the test results, they likely have not had those tests completed on a dog. In that case, it is best to find a breeder who does perform health clearances on all of their dogs and only breeds to dogs with health clearances. Some diseases/abnormalities screened for are purely genetic and some are multi-factoral. Joint disease is considered multi-factoral, but the chance for producing normal offspring is greatly increased by mating normal to normal dogs. Genetic diseases are simpler. For genetic diseases a dog is rated: clear, carrier, or affected.
- "Clear" means the dog posses no copies of the mutant gene for a disease; it will never have the disease or pass the disease on to its offspring.
- "Carrier" means the dog posses one copy of the mutant gene and one copy of the normal gene; the dog does not have and will not develop the disease; it should be bred only to dogs "Clear" of the same disease to prevent producing dogs affected by the disease; if bred to another "Carrier" 25% of the puppies will be expected to be affected by the disease, 50% of the puppies will be "Carriers"; if bred to an "Affected" dog, 50% of the puppies will be expected to be affected by the diseases and 50% "Carriers."
- "Affected" means the dog posses two copies of the mutant gene; it will have the disease/ be affected by the disease in its lifetime. "Affected" dogs should only be bred to "Clear" dog's to ensure they produce no "Affected" dogs, but all puppies produced in such a mating would be "Carriers" of the disease. If bred to a "Carrier" or "Affected" dog of the same disease, "Affected" puppies will be produced.
For a Labrador Retriever, look for at minimum the following clearances as recommended by the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC):
- OFA Hips or PennHIP: This tests for hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is a condition which causes abnormal changes to the hip joint, often causing lameness and pain. Hip dysplasia can be mild enough that the dog shows no lameness or can be so severe the dog limps and requires medications to control pain. Hip evaluations should be done for every breeding dog. Just because a dog's parents have hip clearances doesn't mean that dog does not have hip dysplasia. Dogs cannot be "normal/good by parentage" for hips. Hip evaluations determine if a dog's hips are normal or dysplastic. Normal/Passing OFA hip scores are Excellent, Good, and Fair. Only dogs with passing OFA hip scores should be bred. Failing OFA hip scores are: Borderline, Mild, Moderate, and Severe. PennHIP is a little more complex. PennHip rates dogs' hips by percentages and recommends breeding dogs only in the 50 percentile or above. PennHIP will also report whether or not a dog has DJD (Degenerative Joint Disease), the beginnings of hip dysplasia; those dogs should also not be bred. How to get your dog tested: Visit the OFA website and download/print the Hip Application. Find a vet who has a lot of experience doing OFA x-rays and schedule an appointment. Your dog will be x-rayed by the vet. The vet will let you know how to submit the x-rays; some send the x-rays themselves and some have the owners send them along with the Hip Application. It would be beneficial to ask other breeders in your area what vet they recommend, as some are more skilled in proper positioning than others. For final clearances, the dog must be 24 months of age or older at the time of x-ray and application.
- OFA Elbows: This tests for elbow dysplasia. There are various types and severity of elbow dysplasias, all of which can cause lameness of varying degrees. Dogs who pass an OFA elbow evaluation are rated Normal. All other ratings are dysplastic. Dogs with elbow dysplasia can lead fairly normal life never showing lameness; however some will be severely lame and may worsen as they age. Dogs cannot be "normal/good by parentage" for elbows. How to get your dog tested: Visit the OFA website and download/print the Elbow Application. Find a vet who has a lot of experience doing OFA x-rays and schedule an appointment. Your dog will be x-rayed by the vet. The vet will let you know how to submit the x-rays; some send the x-rays themselves and some have the owners send them along with the Elbow Application. It would be beneficial to ask other breeders in your area what vet they recommend, as some are more skilled in proper positioning than others. For final clearances, the dog must be 24 months of age or older at the time of x-ray and application.
- CAER: This test identifies inherited eye diseases in purebred dogs. This test aims to identify conditions that may or will cause vision deficits or other compromise of ocular function. This exam only identifies observable eye abnormalities and will not be able to determine if a dog with an observable normal eye is a "carrier" of genetic diseases which will cause eye abnormalities if bred to another "carrier" dog or "affected" dog of the same genetic disease. An example in Labradors would be PRA-prcd; "carriers" eyes look normal on exam, but the dog could produce puppies affected by the disease if not bred to only "clear" mates (more on this below). Dogs cannot be "normal/clear by parentage" for eyes. Certifications are good for 12 months and should be repeated at least through the dog's breeding years. Dogs are rated as normal, breeder option, or non-passing. A normal rating means the eye was determined to be normal. A breeder option rating means there is a condition in the dog's eye, but it does not represent potential compromise of vision or other ocular function. It is considered passing and the dog will be given a certification number. A non-passing rating means the eye was considered impaired and the condition present is known to be heritable; this dog will not receive a certification number. How to get your dog tested: See your regular Vet and ask for a referral for to a board certified veterinary ophthalmologist for a CAER exam. You may also be able to find eye clinics, such as at a dog show. Take a copy of the dog's AKC registration certificate and microchip information to the exam. The exam consists of dilation of the dog's eyes and examination by the Vet. The Vet will fill out the form and should give you a copy following the exam, which you will submit to OFA for a certification number if the dog receives a passing rating. For more information visit: http://www.offa.org/eye_evaluation.html
- EIC (Exercise Induced Collapse): This is a genetic disease which causes seizure type collapses. It is often induced when a dog is excited or exercising. The dog begins to lose control of its hind legs and collapses. It may continue to try to walk, but is not able to do so until the episode is over. Dogs can die during an EIC collapse. Dogs can have an EIC collapse while swimming and drown. Dogs are classified as EIC clear, carrier, or affected. Clear and carrier dogs will never show symptoms. Affected dogs will have symptoms. Remember, clear can be bred to clear, carrier, or affected; carrier can be bred to clear; affected can be bred to clear in order not to produce more puppies affected by EIC. Visit the University of Minnesota website for more information on EIC. How to get your dog tested: There are several ways to collect samples for EIC testing, some laboratories only accept buccal (cheek) swabs. The University of Minnesota developed the EIC test and is the preferred lab for many breeders. U of M accepts blood samples, buccal swabs, and puppy dew claws. You may choose to collect and submit your own buccal swabs or you may have your Vet collect the sample. Each lab has its own collection protocols and may provide buccal swabs; see each labs' website for more information. Forms and fees must be submitted to any lab you choose. It is recommended to include the dog's microchip number on the forms. The following labs offer EIC testing for dogs in the USA: the University of Minnesota and PawPrint Genetics. *The laboratory preferred by many breeders is U of M.
- CNM (Centronuclear Myopathy): This is a genetic progressive muscle disease. Symptoms vary in severity in each dog, but do progress. Symptoms include muscle weakness, difficulty walking, and complications leading to respiratory problems. Dogs are classified as CNM clear, carrier of affected. Clear and carrier dogs will never show symptoms. Affected dogs will have symptoms. Visit the CNM Website for more information about the disease. How to get your dog tested: Buccal swabs are typically used to collect samples for CNM testing. You may choose to collect and submit your own buccal swabs or you may have your Vet collect the sample. Each lab has its own collection protocols and may provide buccal swabs; see each labs' website for more information. Forms and fees must be submitted to any lab you choose. It is recommended to include the dog's microchip number on the forms. The following labs offer CNM testing for dogs in the USA: The CNM Project, DDC Veterinary, Animal Genetics, PawPrint Genetics. *The laboratory preferred by many breeders is the CNM Project.
- PRA-prcd (Progressive Retinal Atrophy): This is a genetic diseases that causes eventual blindness in affected dogs. Dogs affected with PRA will eventually present with changes to the eye that is visible during an eye exam, such as a CERF exam. However, the dog may not show symptoms until well up in age and could have been bred before it was diagnosed. The CERF exam cannot alone be relied upon to diagnose dogs with PRA, and will never be able to identify PRA carriers. This is the reason it is so important to genetically test for PRA-prcd. Genetically, dogs are classified as PRA-prcd clear, carrier or affected. Clear and carrier dogs will never show symptoms. Affected dogs will have symptoms. How to get your dog tested: Buccal swabs are typically used to collect samples for PRA-prcd testing. You may choose to collect and submit your own buccal swabs or you may have your Vet collect the sample. Each lab has its own collection protocols and may provide buccal swabs; see each labs' website for more information. Forms and fees must be submitted to any lab you choose. It is recommended to include the dog's microchip number on the forms. The following labs offer PRA-prcd testing for dogs in the USA: Optigen and PawPrint Genetics. *Only PRA results from OptiGen are accepted by OFA to be published on the OFA website.
- Dilute: This is a genetic component of coat color. The stance of the Labrador Retriever Club (the AKC parent club, which determines the breed standard) is that dogs carrying or expressing the dilute gene are not purebred Labrador Retrievers. Dogs are classified as clear, carrier, or affected. Carrier dogs will be of normal coat color, but can produce affected puppies if bred to another carrier or affected dog. Affected dogs will exhibit a different coat color and pigment, especially noticeable in "silver" and "charcoal," while the "champagne" is less prominent. The following labs offer Dilute testing: DDC Veterinary, Animal Genetics, and PawPrint Genetics.
- Cardiac: A dog will undergo an examination of the heart to look for congenital cardiac defects. Dogs are given a passing or non-passing score; non-passing includes grades of severity of cardiac murmurs from Grade 1 to 6. Triscupid Valve Dysplasia (TVD) is the most common cardiac problem in Labradors. The AKC Canine Health Foundation now recommends an echocardiogram be performed on all breeding stock Labradors to identify the presence of TVD. "The most definitive method of diagnosis is an echocardiogram." (http://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/disease-information/tricuspid-valve-dysplasia.html) For more information see the cardiac portion of the OFA website and the Canine Health Foundation link above for TVD.
There are also other tests which may be conducted for Labrador Retrievers, including but not limited to:
- Patella: The patella, or kneecap, should remain stable in the joint. The examination seeks to determine if the dog exhibits a luxating, or moving, patella. A luxating patella is thought to have a heritable component in some breeds. A luxating patella causes varying degrees of lameness. A dog is rated a normal or given a grade of luxation, 1 through 4. A Vet completes a manual examination of the patella and determines if the dog exhibits a normal patella or exhibits patellar luxation and grades the severity. For more information see the patella portion of the OFA website.
- Shoulder OCD (osteochondrosis): Shoulder OCD is considered to be inherited. It causes breakdown of the shoulder joint which leads to lameness. The tests consists of x-ray of each shoulder joint and submission to OFA for evaluation. For more information, see the shoulder OCD portion of the OFA website.
- Thyroid: The thyroid plays an important part of a dog's immune system and hormone balance. Dog's blood is drawn and sent to laboratories specified by the OFA. Dogs are rated as normal, autoimmune thyroiditis, or idiopathically reduced thyroid function. Only normal dogs should be bred ideally. For more information, see the Thyroid portion of the OFA website.
- RD/OSD (Retinal Dysplasia/Occuloskeletal Dysplasia): This is a genetic disease that causes impaired vision and dwarfism, among other abnormalities. Dogs are classified as RD/OSD clear, carrier, or affected. Clear dogs will never show symptoms. Carrier dogs may, but not always, exhibit mild retinal folds visible during a CERF exam; they will have no other symptoms of RD/OSD. Affected dogs will have symptoms. For more information and to learn how to test, visit Optigen or PawPrint Genetics. *Only RD/OSD results from OptiGen are accepted by OFA to be published on the OFA website.
- HNPK (Hypernasal Parakeratosis): This is a disease that can cause an overgrowth of keratin cells. It often affects the nose and paw pads. The nose often appears crusty in affected dogs. The serverity of the disease varies and can be painful. Dogs are classified as clear, carrier, or affected. Clear and carrier dogs will never show symptoms. Affected dogs will often have some symptoms related the cystinuria. The following labs offer cystinuria testing for Labradors: PennGen, VetGen, DDC Veterinary, Animal Genetics, and PawPrint Genetics.
- Cystinuria: This is a genetic disease that causes defects of the kidney tubules. Dogs are classified as clear, carrier, or affected. Clear and carrier dogs will never show symptoms. Affected dogs will often have some symptoms related the cystinuria. The following labs offer cystinuria testing for Labradors: PennGen, VetGen, DDC Veterinary, Animal Genetics, and PawPrint Genetics.
- DM (Degenerative Myelopathy): This is a genetic disease that causes progressive degeneration of the dog's spinal cord, eventually leading to paralysis. Dogs are classified as clear, carrier, or at risk. Dogs at risk are likely to develop symptoms in their lifetime, but the severity may vary. The following labs offer DM testing, however, these tests were not specifically developed for the Labrador breed: DDC Veterinary, Animal Genetics, and PawPrint Genetics.
- Narcolepsy: This is a genetic disease that causes excessive daytime sleepiness and brief losses of consciousness. Dogs are classified as clear, carrier, or affected. Clear and carrier dogs will never shown symptoms. Affected dogs will typically exhibit symptoms of narcolepsy. The following labs offer Narcolepsy testing for dogs in the USA: Optigen and PawPrint Genetics.
- Dentition: This is an evaluation of the dog's teeth to determine if all teeth are present. There is thought to be a familial link with missing teeth. The dog's teeth are examined by a veterinarian, who then fills out a form documenting the condition/presence of the dog's teeth. The form can be found on the OFA website.
References:
http://www.offa.org, http://www.vdl.umn.edu/ourservices/canineneuromuscular/eic/eicfaq/home.html#mode, http://www.optigen.com
http://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/disease-information/tricuspid-valve-dysplasia.html