HEALTH TESTING FOR GOLDENS

There are so many things that plague our breed. That is why it is so important to us to do the testing so that we are doing our part to help better the breed. Here is an overview of some of the health issues that Golden Retrievers are known for and what we can do to help prevent them from being passed on.

Hip Dysplasia: Hip dysplasia usually develops from an abnormal hip joint. It can be caused from genetic issues or from trauma to the hip. It can be a very painful condition. There are 2 different tests that can be done to determine if the dog has a chance of developing hip dysplasia.

1- PennHIP is a test to evaluate how loose the hips are. The looser the hips the higher chance of the dog developing this painful condition. A certified trained vet puts the dog under general anesthesia and takes 3 x-rays from 3 different angles to assess the dogs hip joints. The x-rays are then sent to PennHIP where they are given a score from 0 to 1. The closer the number to 0 the tighter the hips. The closer the number to 1 the looser the hips and also the more of a chance of developing hip dysplasia.

2- OFA the vet takes 1 x-ray of the hips and sends it off to OFA where a vet evaluates the film for final scoring. A PASSING score from OFA is Excellent, Good, or Fair rating. A Failing score is Mild, Moderate and Severe.

Elbow Dysplasia: Elbow dysplasia is an inherited condition that occurs mostly in large to giant breeds. It is a condition that involves multiple development abnormalities. A vet will take an x-ray and submit it to OFA to be given a pass or fail score of their elbows

Eye Certification: Dogs must be evaluated by a veterinarian ophthalmologist for genetic conditions of the eyes. The vet will decide if the eyes are clear from any issues or if there is a problem such as a cataract.

Cardiac Disease: Cardiac disease is a malformation of the heart valves. The lesions characterizing congenital heart defects are present at birth. A vet that has expertise in the recognition of canine heart disease examines the dog by auscultation and listens for for any abnormalities of the heart.