Please could someone explain health tests to me to make them a little more clear?

I would like to know the costs and if you have to go to a specialist vet and also if you was to buy a puppy does the puppy need to be tested or do you go by parentage or both ?

If the parents are both clear would that make a clear pup ?

If one is a carrier one clear - make the pup a possible carrier ?

Im guessing you wouldnt use two carriers as that would make a litter of effected pups ?

When going to visit a litter what paper work should you be looking for to check that the pups are health tested ?

>I would like to know the costs and if you have to go to a specialist vet and also if you was to buy a puppy does the puppy need to be tested or do you go by parentage or both ?

It depends on the breed. Different breeds require different tests.

>Im guessing you wouldnt use two carriers as that would make a litter of effected pups ?

I'm told that breeding two carriers together would theoretically give half a litter of affecteds, a quarter carriers and a quarter clear.

Thanks for your reply , I know the breed I am going to view are high on eye tests .. what paper work do I need to see to know they have been tested ?

Another thing if the parents are covered by parantage does that mean the pups have to be checked seperately or will they again be covered by parantage ? sorry if that sounds really silly .

And how will I check the sire's health checks , unless the breeders have both parents they wont hold any further info on the dog ? will I need to check that on a data base else where ?

It you tell what the breed is, then a better answer will be possible. :)

Some health test results are held on the KC site online
http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/public/health/search/
If you put the registered name in of the dam, sire or any dog it will show up if its been health tested on its hips, elbows, eyes and DNA.
http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/public/glossary/health-tests.aspx

You will also need to know whether the results are good for the breed too.

The owner of the dam should hold a copy of the health test results of the sire if not owned by them, or a copy should be available to be sent to prospective new owners.

Even if the breeders don't actually own the stud, they should have copies of his current health certificates for potential puppy owners to see.

> I'm told that breeding two carriers together would theoretically give half a litter of affecteds, a quarter carriers and a quarter clear.

In a problem that is inherited as a simple recessive:

Mating two carriers statistically will give you half carrier, quarter affected and quarter clear.

Clear to clear will always be clear, and affected to affected all will be affected.

Affected to carrier would give half affected and a half carrier.

As far as whether puppies are clear this only applies if there is a DNA test not a clinical test only.

For example a clinical eye test showing unaffected means the dog could be a clear or carrier, or even affected, but showing no signs yet (in late onset problems).

To the original poster, all health tests are specialist tests, though x-rays for hips an elbows are carried out by a Vet and submitted to the specialist, and blood samples are taken by your vet to send away for DNA tests, or sessions are arranged where this can be done.  Eye tests are done by a BVA eye panelist.

> they should have copies of his current health certificates for potential puppy owners to see.

they may not do as you can look the results up on-line in any KC recognised screening, so they may choose to show this, or of course if the pups papers are to hand the results will be on the registration certificates..

Tell us the breed and we can advise on what you need to ensure has been tested on the parents.

> they should have copies of his current health certificates for potential puppy owners to see.
>

My stud owners have always given me copies of health test results and I always give puppy owners a copy along with the written info I provide them with.

What I am saying is that for official schemes there is no need for the duplication as the results are on the registration documents or can be downloaded from the KC website.

When I used an overseas stud then I had copies of all his health tests, but when you have the info on the registration or can be viewed there is no need.

To true, these days you can research this sort of information even before the pup is born, you can ask any breeder you are interested in what they are mating in the near future and who they are using as a stud you can then start your research to see if this coupling is likely to produce the sort of pup you want and that those health test considered the basic necessary in the breed have been done and the results. If you are happy with this you can then request you are put on their list for a puppy.

I've just discovered something I've not seen before -is it new? If you fill in a dog's name on the health test finder you can now download a pedigree of health tests. It shows no names but shows all the dates of tests done on the dog in question (i.e. including previous eye tests, not just the most recent one -I checked my pregnant bitch and she has 3 years worth listed and as she is 4 that's all she's ever had done) and it shows that dog's parents' and grandparents' tests. How neat. The only trouble occurs when there is imports involved of course.

Yes it seems to be new, but why not have the names to make it worth printing..