When choosing a puppy one of your main priorities should be its health. There are no guarantees, puppies are animals, not robots, and therefore not always perfect! But there are some sensible steps you can take to increase your chances of having a healthy pet.
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Genetic predispositions
Many of the health conditions that dogs are prone to are genetically inherited. Therefore, it is advisable to only breed from healthy dogs, so that the chances of good genetics being passed down to their offspring is higher. This means breeding for health rather than cosmetic appearance.
Unfortunately, many unscrupulous breeders focus on the looks of their dogs, and their social media appeal, rather than the dog’s health. This means that these animals and their offspring can suffer.
Examples of this include brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds like bulldogs or pugs, with very exaggerated and debilitating features (narrow nostrils and squashed breathing apparatus), being bred for their ‘cute’ appearance or unusual coat colour. Instead, a good breeder should focus on breeding animals with the best breathing ability as graded by the Kennel Club, to encourage healthy puppies.
Health checks for breeding dogs
The health checks that are advised for different breeds vary, as breeds are prone to different health complaints. Look at the Kennel Club website to find your desired breed and the health tests or checks that are advised; as well as the different health issues that frequently affect them.
We will look at some examples of the most common health checks available for breeding dogs here.
Hip scoring
Hip scoring is carried out in breeds that are prone to hip dysplasia. This condition means a dog’s hip joint doesn’t develop properly, leading to abnormal wear and tear as they develop. This can cause affected animals to become lame and unable to exercise as normal. The joint is prone to arthritic change, leading to stiffness and pain.
Hip scoring of breeding animals involves taking X-rays of the parents’ hips, usually under anaesthetic. These X-rays are sent to British Veterinary Association (BVA). And scored by a panel of experts between 0 and 106 (good hips are given a low score). Only animals with low hip scores should be bred to maximise the chances of their puppies having good hips too. Many breeds are prone to hip dysplasia including Labrador retrievers, German shepherd dogs and Border collies.
Elbow scoring
Elbow scoring is very similar to hip scoring; with X-rays of the parent dogs’ elbows being taken before breeding. Elbow dysplasia is another commonly inherited condition. This causes abnormal development of the elbow joints leading to pain and loss of normal function.
Again, these X-rays can be taken by a normal vet and are then sent to a panel of experts at the BVA for examination. They are given a score of 0-3, only dogs with a score of 0 should be bred from, to try and minimise the risk of this inherited condition. There is a long list of dogs that are prone to this condition including Labrador retrievers, Rottweilers and Bassett hounds.
Eye screening scheme
The eye screening scheme aims to check for many hereditary eye diseases in dogs. The check looks for any hereditary conditions that could be passed on to future offspring as well as looking for any eye problems that might have a negative impact on the dog’s welfare. As well as a physical examination by a vet who specialises in ophthalmology, DNA blood tests can also be performed. Dogs that are commonly at risk from eye conditions include golden retrievers, border collies, cocker spaniels and pugs.
Respiratory function grading
This scheme assesses the breathing ability of brachycephalic (flat-faced) dogs like bulldogs and pugs. The dog will be examined by a regional assessor who gives the dog a grade from 0-3, where 0 is showing no signs of breathing abnormalities and 3 is severely affected and should definitely not be bred from. Breeding from good scoring parents is no guarantee that the puppies won’t suffer from brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) but helps to reduce the chances of severe disease.
Tips when purchasing a puppy
When purchasing a puppy, you should always see it with its mother, in their home environment. If a breeder wants to meet with you in a remote location (like a service station or supermarket car park) then alarm bells should start ringing. Most reputable breeders will have a waiting list for a puppy, so be wary of a breeder that has a large number of pups available on demand. It could indicate puppy farming, smuggling from abroad or even stealing.
Never buy a puppy because you feel sorry for it. You will not be ‘rescuing’ this puppy, you will be just another customer in a long line, fuelling an industry like puppy farming or smuggling. Plus, you may be setting yourself up for fall with an unhealthy pup that requires large amounts of veterinary attention. If you feel that you have fallen victim to an improper transaction, speak to trading standards.
Conclusion
We have given some examples of some of the more common health checks, but do check the kennel club website to see the health conditions that your chosen breed should have been tested for before breeding.
Bear in mind that even when breeders do all the available checks and tests, there is still no guarantee that your puppy will be 100% healthy, but testing does increase the chances greatly. A reputable breeder will be happy to answer all your questions and provide you with all the relevant paperwork and results to look at. If you know the parent dogs’ pedigree names you can look up some of this information yourself on the Kennel Club website’s health test results finder. If something doesn’t sound right, don’t be afraid to walk away!
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