Health Testing

Health screenings for both the sire and dam is extremely important to reduce the risk of genetic disease being passed on. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals and Golden Retriever Club of America recommends the following golden retriever specific health evaluations for the parents of a litter prior to breeding - hips, elbows, eyes and heart. These health tests are phenotypic and do not guarantee inheritance or lack there of. However, dogs that have tested normal are more likely to produce healthy and sound offspring. The results from these tests are posted and publicly available in the OFA database. With our goal to better the golden retriever breed, we test for the following conditions in our breeding dogs:

Hips & Elbows

Hip and elbow radiographs are taken and submitted to the OFA for review by three separate qualified veterinary radiologists. Hips are rated Excellent, Good, Fair, Borderline, Mild Dysplasia, Moderate Dysplasia, and Severe Dysplasia. Only dogs that that are 24 months of age or older, with no evidence of dysplasia, will be given a breed OFA number for both hip and elbow clearances. In addition to hereditary inheritance, dysplasia can be influenced by environmental factors such as slippery surfaces, excessive exercise, over-feeding and early spay/neuter. Specific precautions should taken with a puppy to reduce stress on growing joints.

Eyes

Eyes are examined yearly for genetic eye abnormalities by board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist. Dogs with eyes rated normal receive a OFA Companion Animal Eye Registry (CAER) certification. An eye disease called Pigmentary Uveitis has become prominent in Golden Retrievers and is of emerging concern. Pigmentary Uveitis commonly develops in middle-aged or senior dogs and can progress to glaucoma and removal of the affected eyes. Continued testing is recommended yearly for both breeding and non-breeding dogs (4 years +) to identify a genetic basis for the disease.

Heart

Cardiac exams through auscultation and echocardiogram must be preformed by a certified veterinary cardiologist. Dogs that are 12 months or older, with normal cardiovascular evaluations and no evidence of congenital or adult onset inherited heart disease, receive an OFA heart clearance. The adult onset inherited clearance is valid for one year. The most common congenital heart disease in golden retrievers and large-breed dogs is Subvalvular aortic stenosis (SAS). It causes a degree of blockage of blood flow through the heart, forcing the heart to work harder that can result in fainting and sudden death. SAS is known for being genetically complex with plausible dominant transmission, so removing affected dogs from breeding pools is important.

Genetic Disease

In addition to phenotypic health testing, Genotype DNA tests are used to identify the mutations responsible for genetic disease. These tests confirm clear, carrier and affected dogs of genetic diseases that are prominent in the breed such as skin conditions, blindness, and other neurological disorders. Dogs that carry one copy of a mutant gene are carriers and not affected but can potentially pass the mutation onto their offspring. Carriers must be bred to clear/non-carriers in order for offspring to not be affected by the disease.

Genetic Diversity

Genetic Diversity in potential matings can be assessed through DNA-based internal relatedness tests (IR) and pedigree-based inbreeding coefficient.

What Makes Our Breeding Program Special?

Health, temperament, soundness and genetic diversity are all factors we consider in our potential breedings. We are recognized by Good Dog for our responsible breeding practices and rated Excellent for our health testing. All of our breeding dogs are fully health tested and assessed structurally according to the GRCA breed standard. We are passionate about the improving the golden retriever breed and strive to create well-balanced puppies with the best qualities.