Do you fully health test before breeding?

Question

Please only answer if you breed pedigree dogs. It is a serious question to genuine breeders only.

What is your breed?

What tests do you do?

How often do the tests have to be done?

Is there a certain age a stud dog has to be before the tests can be done?

Thank you for your time in advance.

Answer 1

I'm not a breeder but I am curious to see the answers. Although I'm sure many people will lie (not all of you, though!!!)

Answer 2

I can answer as a former breeder of Golden Retrievers. Now retired.

1. Golden Retrievers

2. OFA hips and elbows, eye certification (PRA cleared ), complete thyroid panel,heart cleared

3.OFA once at age 2.  Eye's once at age 2, Heart once at age 2, thyroid yearly. Also tested for any STD's before a breeding on both stud & dam.

4. Both Stud and dam should be over 2 years old with all proper health testing done.

I'm going to add a 5!

5. Dogs must be with in breed standard and proven to be wothy of producing pups.  Such as a AKC proven titled dog.

Answer 3

No...

go down

keep going

almost there :D

i don't breed!

Answer 4

Be prepared to get your *** chewed out by some crazies on here!  I'm not a breeder but I hope you get your answers  

Answer 5

I have Great Pyrenees. We have the vet do a full exam on any dog we are going to breed. The vet is looking things like hip dysplasia, overbite or under-bite, anything that would be a DQ in a dog show or might be a health concern later on. Other then regular vet checks we get them check before evey breeding.  Make sure that any dog you breed is current on all shots. As for age of the stud I would think that he would have to be breeding age (1and a half, they can breed earlier but it is not recommended ), as a puppy you really can't see what he is going to turn into as a an adult.  

My mini lecture: (you probably already know this but I will say it anyway)You should only breed a dog for the betterment of the breed. Not just for puppies. There are to many unwanted dogs to be breeding just to get puppies.  I hope this helps you out.  Good Luck!

Answer 6

Samoyeds & Bernese Mtn Dogs

Both breeds:

OFA hips & elbows

CERF

Cardiac

Thyroid

Samoyeds:

CERF yearly

PRA clear once

Bernese:

CERF once after age 2 and again prior to breeding

vWD - once

Its important to realize that not all breeds have issues with all diseases.  For instance- the Bernese people think I over do the testing by repeating a CERF because there just aren't that many issues with eyes in the breed.

As others have told you- OFA can't be done until age 2 so that is the minimum age for breeding.

Answer 7

1. Siberian huskies

2.

CERF eye clearances

OFA hip clearances

Thyroid panels

3.

CERF -- annually from 6 months to 8 years

OFA -- once

Thyroid -- I do one before I first breed the dog, and then annually up to 8 years regardless of whether the dog has been bred again.

4.

CERF -- no age limit

OFA -- 2 years

Thyroid -- 12 months

Answer 8

Yes.  I have Dobermans and rarely breed but do complete health testing.  In Dobermans the normal testing that a responsible breeder does prior to breeding is annual full thyroid profiles from a veterinary university (the vet ones are not good enough), annual chemistry profiles to evaluate kidney and liver function, CERF, echocardiograms and holter monitoring, one time tested hips, elbows and vWD status.  Also temperament evaluation is done prior to considering breeding - in Dobermans that is usually a WAE and/or breed survey.  A stud dog should be over two years as you cannot get hips or elbows certified prior to that and even so, that is often too young to consider breeding and I prefer to use a dog that is fully mature like around fourish or so as there are health issues that are untestable as well as testable that do not show up until around that time so to ensure not passing on health issues it is best to wait until a dog is mature.

Then there is structural evaluations that need to be done.  Unfortunately there are those that will breed their young finished males / females before adequate time has been given to properly assess but of course the more common problem is people breeding without any or with only marginal testing of health, temperament and structure.

Answer 9

Of course!  I've been showing and breeding Airedale Terriers since 1983.  We screen for hips, elbows, eyes, and pulmonary stenosis which results in right sided heart enlargement.

We do PennHip at 16 weeks, and follow up with OFA at 2 years (hips and elbows).  Theoretically, we are wasting money, to do the OFA after the PennHip, but we also guarantee our pups for life regarding bi-lateral hip dysplasia, or any other congenital abnormality, so we need to be darned sure that we aren't creating problems.  (and losing even more money).

We do not have any serious eye issues, but I have heard of a dog that developed too many retinal vessels, so I have an ophthalmologist check them.

We have an ultrasound done on the heart prior to starting a show career, and then monitor annually if the dog develops a murmur - which is technically a valve issue, but pressure in the right side of the heart can cause leaks to start in the valves.

On our stud dogs, the DNA has to be done, and registered with AKC, and we have a Brucellosis run every 6 months at Cornell, to assure we don't have any std's lurking.

I like puppies to be puppies, and will exhibit in matches, but that is just to let them get used to the sights, sounds, and having strangers look in their mouths.  None of our dogs start to show seriously until they have passed all screenings.

Sorry, in reading other's answers, I realize I forgot thyroid testing and registration from the University of Michigan Veterinary School.

Answer 10

Not a breeder, but I have worked closely with breeders of champion Chinese Shar Pei and also Doberman breeders.

Depending on your breed, there are a myriad of genetic tests that must be performed. The breeders I worked with always tested hips, elbows and eyes. They never bred a dog with results that were less that "Good." Some breeders will breed dogs that score a "Fair," but to dogs that score higher than they do. Your breed that you are interested in may have other genetic tests that are necessary to perform.

The breeders I worked with had these tests done before their stud dogs were even titled. Very smart! I imagine these tests can be performed as soon as the dog matures.

Good on you for wanting to health test your stock. Remember to finish your stud dog to his championship, and you'll be an excellent breeder!

Good luck :)

Answer 11

It depends on what type of dog you are breeding. Large breed dogs especially have to have OFA x-rays. Those can be done when they are 2 years old. If the hips are not good they should not be breed. Some breeds require certain bloodwork to rule out some abnormalities, and others to check specific genes. Research the breeds breeding guidelines to find out what needs to be checked and ruled out.

Answer 12

I breed Great Danes.

I have my female vet checked for general health before I breed.  I want to watch her weight and make sure she is clear of parasites.  These dogs have very large litters and if she is sound at the onset we have much better puppies.  Also with my breed dame and sire have to be hip and bone certified.  (only done once when the dogs are at least 2 years old)

With Great Danes both dogs should be at least 2 years old.

Answer 13

Different breeds have different tests.

To check hips - no matter what breed the dog has to be 2 and send off x-rays to ofa.

Vet opthamologist can look at eyes as a puppy for some thing but to get CERF'd is also around 2.

There is a variety of bloodwork but again - breed specific.

Then there is the detailed pedigree research on who had what or what lines carry the possiblity of something you don't want.  You will need an experienced person in the breed to help you with that.

I would suggest that you contact the reputable breeder where you got your dog and ask what they do.