Like
many breeds, Golden Retrievers have a number of genetically
transmitted health conditions to which they may be susceptible.
To reduce the incidence of these genetic conditions in litters,
conscientious breeders have their breeding stock health screened
to determine whether their animals are affected. These
breeders are indicated by a green G!
next to their listing in the indexes, and on their page are
highlighted in green the abbreviated codes for the conditions
that these breeders have affirmed they test for. The most
common of these are:
Hips
= Hip
Dysplasia
:
affects hip joints, resulting in pain, lameness and degenerative
joint changes. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA)
tracks results of veterinary examinations for hip dysplasia; you
can search at
http://www.offa.org/search.html
for results
for a particular dog.
Elbows
= Elbow
Dysplasia :
this is a general term describing three separate conditions that
can occur in combination. These conditions cause lameness
in the dog, changes in gait, alteration of paw position and
decreased range of motion. Lameness can be exhibited at
various ages due to differences in the dog's rate of weight
gain, amount of exercise etc.
You can search at
http://www.offa.org/search.html
for results
for a particular dog.
Eyes
:
Goldens are susceptible to a number of eye conditions, including
cataracts, Central Progressive Retinal Atrophy (CPRA), retinal
dysplasia, and eyelid/eyelash problems. The Canine Eye Registration
Foundation (CERF) records examination findings by
board-certified veterinary opthalmologists on examined dogs. You can verify
current annual certification at
http://www.vmdb.org/cerf2.html.
Cardiac
= Congenital
Heart Disease : this refers to inherited heart defects. Dogs are cleared
by veterinary exam by a board certified veterinary cardiologist,
with specific submission protocol for the
results. Dogs with no heart murmur, or ones with murmur
that additional examination proves "innocent" are
listed as normal. You can search at
http://www.offa.org/search.html
for results
for a particular dog.
What is a CHIC designation? The Canine Health
Information Center (CHIC) designation is for dogs who have
cleared an entire slate of health tests specific to their breed,
not just one or two. Testing
results are
cross-reported on OFA's database. You can search CHIC's
online database at
http://www.caninehealthinfo.org/search.html
.
So, should
you take a green
G!
or anybody's
word for it? Not unless you want to run the risk of
heartbreak and lots of veterinary appointments. When I got
my dog, his breeder sat me down and gave me photocopies of test
results on both his parents. I didn't know what it was all
about then, but once I learned, I was glad that breeder walked
me through it all.
Ask questions. The Golden Retriever Club of America has a
very informative section on their website about choosing
a reputable breeder. A good breeder will be happy to tell you
that their dogs have been tested with favorable results, and
provide you with a multigeneration pedigree. Confirm the
dogs in that pedigree with the online databases when you can --
search for a kennel name, for example, and all the tested dogs'
results will come up. And remember, a good, ethical breeder will
want to interview you as much as you want to
interview them! A breeder who has put this much effort
into their breeding line will be very particular about where their
carefully bred pups have their forever home.
The Golden
Retriever is a great breed. With careful attention to
genetic health screening, it can be a great breed with a much
lesser incidence of these troubling conditions. When your
fluffy baby has lived to a respectable age in good health,
you'll be glad you took the extra time to ask about testing. |
