Why are health clearances important?
How do breeders use the information to make decisions for their breeding program?
OFA Health Clearances
It is important that prospective owners do their research with breeders before placing a deposit or committing to a puppy. Transparency on the part of the breeder should be expected. AKC registered names, clearances, and basic pedigree information should be visibly posted on websites so that prospective buyers can be better informed. Breeders should be willing to provide proof of clearances through either copies of OFA certifications, or buyers can search the OFA database (ofa.org) using the AKC registered name for each dog. If a breeder claims to have all health clearances completed, but are not willing to provide that information, it would be wise to look for a puppy elsewhere.
While having a sire and dam evaluated and cleared for OFA clearances such as Hips, Elbows, Eyes, and Heart Echo, does not 100% guarantee that a puppy born to that litter will not develop any of these specific issues, it does significantly reduce the likelihood that these debilitating issues will occur and in those that might, it may help decrease the severity. It is important to note that some issues such as hip and elbow dysplasia can also be linked to environment, which is why it is important to not overexercise young puppies until fully developed, delay spaying and neutering when possible, keep growing puppies on a quality dog food (either an all life stages or even adult food to keep them from growing too quickly. Keep in mind that does not mean that growing puppies should be kept skinny. On the contrary, puppies should be fed up to encourage what we call "growing bone," but it should be done so carefully (chubby, but not fat) and the amount of food should decrease as the puppy reaches around 7 months), and minimize risk of injuries (avoiding constant stairs, running on blacktop, jogging long distances, jumping in/out of the truck, slippery floors, etc.). While we obviously hope that all of our dogs will pass all the necessary clearances, we are fully prepared to remove any dog from our program that might not make a suitable breeding dog. In fact, we have re-homed several lovely prospects due to failing clearances. Although removing a dog from our program comes as both a financial hit and emotional heartbreak, to us, breeding a dog with known orthopedic, heart, or eye issues increases the chance that future puppies will inherit these conditions, which is a risk we are not willing to take.
OFA Hips Explained
OFA Elbows Explained
OFA Cardiac Explained
CAER Eyes Explained
It is important that prospective owners do their research with breeders before placing a deposit or committing to a puppy. Transparency on the part of the breeder should be expected. AKC registered names, clearances, and basic pedigree information should be visibly posted on websites so that prospective buyers can be better informed. Breeders should be willing to provide proof of clearances through either copies of OFA certifications, or buyers can search the OFA database (ofa.org) using the AKC registered name for each dog. If a breeder claims to have all health clearances completed, but are not willing to provide that information, it would be wise to look for a puppy elsewhere.
While having a sire and dam evaluated and cleared for OFA clearances such as Hips, Elbows, Eyes, and Heart Echo, does not 100% guarantee that a puppy born to that litter will not develop any of these specific issues, it does significantly reduce the likelihood that these debilitating issues will occur and in those that might, it may help decrease the severity. It is important to note that some issues such as hip and elbow dysplasia can also be linked to environment, which is why it is important to not overexercise young puppies until fully developed, delay spaying and neutering when possible, keep growing puppies on a quality dog food (either an all life stages or even adult food to keep them from growing too quickly. Keep in mind that does not mean that growing puppies should be kept skinny. On the contrary, puppies should be fed up to encourage what we call "growing bone," but it should be done so carefully (chubby, but not fat) and the amount of food should decrease as the puppy reaches around 7 months), and minimize risk of injuries (avoiding constant stairs, running on blacktop, jogging long distances, jumping in/out of the truck, slippery floors, etc.). While we obviously hope that all of our dogs will pass all the necessary clearances, we are fully prepared to remove any dog from our program that might not make a suitable breeding dog. In fact, we have re-homed several lovely prospects due to failing clearances. Although removing a dog from our program comes as both a financial hit and emotional heartbreak, to us, breeding a dog with known orthopedic, heart, or eye issues increases the chance that future puppies will inherit these conditions, which is a risk we are not willing to take.
OFA Hips Explained
OFA Elbows Explained
OFA Cardiac Explained
CAER Eyes Explained
Preliminary Evaluations for Animals Under 24 Months
A previous OFA veterinary journal publication* compared the reliability of the preliminary evaluation hip grade phenotype with the 2 year old evaluation in dogs and there was 100% reliability for a preliminary grade of excellent being normal at 2 years of age (excellent, good, or fair). There was 97.9% reliability for a preliminary grade of good being normal at 2 years of age, and 76.9% reliability for a preliminary grade of fair being normal at 2 years of age. Reliability of preliminary evaluations increased as age at the time of preliminary evaluation increased, regardless of whether dogs received a preliminary evaluation of normal hip conformation or HD. For normal hip conformations, the reliability was 89.6% at 3-6 months, 93.8% at 7-12 months, and 95.2% at 13-18 months. These results suggest that preliminary evaluations of hip joint status in dogs are generally reliable. However, dogs that receive a preliminary evaluation of fair or mild hip joint conformation should be reevaluated at an older age (24 months). For this reason, we may on occasion utilize an outside stud dog that has obtained his preliminary evaluations for hips and elbows as long as those scores were Good or Excellent (assuming that all other appropriate clearances such as Eyes, Heart Echo, & Genetics have been completed and passes).
*Corley, EA, et al. Reliability of Early Radiographic Evaluation for Canine Hip Dysplasia Obtained from the Standard Ventrodorsal Radiographic Projection. JAVMA. Vol 211, No. 9, November 1997.
DNA Genetic Testing
Having our dogs genetically tested before breeding gives us a great deal of valuable information that will help ensure that the puppies we produce will be sound, healthy, and hopefully live long and happy lives. Essentially, the results from a genetic test will be able to tell you which dogs can be bred together and those that should be avoided. Although the hope is that every dog tested will be "CLEAR" of all genetic diseases, making it easier to pair them with potential mates, those that may turn out to be "CARRIERS" of a genetic disease can still be used for breeding (when paired with a CLEAR dog). Given that in order for a dog to be "at risk" of developing a specific genetic disease, they must carry two copies of the disease, it is still ethical to breed a dog that is a "CARRIER" to a dog that is "CLEAR." We are proud to use Embark for our genetic testing for its reliability in results and given that it evaluates 200+ possible genetic diseases (16+ which are common to Labrador retrievers), coat length, and coat color with only one DNA sample.
https://embarkvet.com/resources/dog-breeds/labrador-retriever/
http://www.animalabs.com/breeding-carriers-breeding-program/
We have added Copper Toxicity (CT) testing to our program through UC Davis as it is not yet available from Embark. CT is a newer test that has received some criticism among breeders due to the results not providing definitive indications of disease heredity. While the test itself may give insight to the susceptibility of a dog being at an increased risk for CT (generally through elevated levels of copper), environmental factors are believed to also be significantly influential as dogs that do not carry any variants for CT can still develop the disease and those with two copies of the variant may never become affected. Additionally, of the two variants, ATP7A seems to be of much less concern and by some research has been referred to as the "protective gene." Copper and the ability to process it is important to a dog's well-being as it helps the body make red blood cells, absorb iron, and form skin and hair pigmentation and connective tissue. So in other words, a balanced level of copper in the body is a good thing. Given that copper is added to all commercial foods, the greater concern is usually the accumulation of dietary copper that exceeds the dog's ability to use it and it begins to store the excess in the liver. CT is an uncommon condition and we will continue to watch for new research on it. For the time being, until more information is released, our policy will be to test for both variants of the disease and for any bitch shown to be a carrier of ATP7B, we will only be breeding to a dog that has been tested and is CLEAR of ATP7B. If you are concerned about your dog's levels of copper, you can call the manufacturer to request the amount in the dog food you are feeding as it is not normally listed on the bag. Royal Canin for Labradors is one of the commercial food brands with lower levels (other than a specialized dietary food). Dogs at higher risk are recommended to have yearly blood tests for copper levels.
Copper Toxicity - Current Research
Having our dogs genetically tested before breeding gives us a great deal of valuable information that will help ensure that the puppies we produce will be sound, healthy, and hopefully live long and happy lives. Essentially, the results from a genetic test will be able to tell you which dogs can be bred together and those that should be avoided. Although the hope is that every dog tested will be "CLEAR" of all genetic diseases, making it easier to pair them with potential mates, those that may turn out to be "CARRIERS" of a genetic disease can still be used for breeding (when paired with a CLEAR dog). Given that in order for a dog to be "at risk" of developing a specific genetic disease, they must carry two copies of the disease, it is still ethical to breed a dog that is a "CARRIER" to a dog that is "CLEAR." We are proud to use Embark for our genetic testing for its reliability in results and given that it evaluates 200+ possible genetic diseases (16+ which are common to Labrador retrievers), coat length, and coat color with only one DNA sample.
https://embarkvet.com/resources/dog-breeds/labrador-retriever/
http://www.animalabs.com/breeding-carriers-breeding-program/
We have added Copper Toxicity (CT) testing to our program through UC Davis as it is not yet available from Embark. CT is a newer test that has received some criticism among breeders due to the results not providing definitive indications of disease heredity. While the test itself may give insight to the susceptibility of a dog being at an increased risk for CT (generally through elevated levels of copper), environmental factors are believed to also be significantly influential as dogs that do not carry any variants for CT can still develop the disease and those with two copies of the variant may never become affected. Additionally, of the two variants, ATP7A seems to be of much less concern and by some research has been referred to as the "protective gene." Copper and the ability to process it is important to a dog's well-being as it helps the body make red blood cells, absorb iron, and form skin and hair pigmentation and connective tissue. So in other words, a balanced level of copper in the body is a good thing. Given that copper is added to all commercial foods, the greater concern is usually the accumulation of dietary copper that exceeds the dog's ability to use it and it begins to store the excess in the liver. CT is an uncommon condition and we will continue to watch for new research on it. For the time being, until more information is released, our policy will be to test for both variants of the disease and for any bitch shown to be a carrier of ATP7B, we will only be breeding to a dog that has been tested and is CLEAR of ATP7B. If you are concerned about your dog's levels of copper, you can call the manufacturer to request the amount in the dog food you are feeding as it is not normally listed on the bag. Royal Canin for Labradors is one of the commercial food brands with lower levels (other than a specialized dietary food). Dogs at higher risk are recommended to have yearly blood tests for copper levels.
Copper Toxicity - Current Research