Health testing does not guarantee that your future puppy will lead a full life free of health disorders. However, health testing (with clear or passing results) does give you a better possibility of that healthy life. Below are the health tests that we do on our breeding dogs and even many of those that we don’t breed. It makes our breeding decisions more informed to know not only how the dogs we are breeding test but also their family members.

There are a number of web sites designed to give greater detail on health testing. The OFA web site http://www.offa.org/dbaserole.html gives a comprehensive overview as well as access to their database of registered tested dogs.

Like many breeds, Vizslas 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.  There are other diseases (i.e. epilepsy, cancer, sebaceous adenitis) but they do not currently have health screening tests available. The most common diseases/disorders with tests available are:

HD/ED = Hip Dysplasia/Elbow Dysplasia:  affects hip joints, resulting in pain, lameness and degenerative joint changes.  Dogs must be 2 years of age to obtain a permanent rating. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) tracks results of veterinary examinations for hip and elbow dysplasia; you can search at http://www.offa.org/search.html for results for a particular dog.  Penn-Hip is also a method of determining HD. Generally, it is used in conjunction with OFA.

CERF = The Canine Eye Registration Foundation: CERF records examination findings by board-certified veterinary opthalmologists on examined dogs, which also include any other eye disease.  You can verify current annual certification at http://www.vmdb.org/cerf2.html.  

vWD = von Willebrand's disease:  a bleeding disorder resulting in unabated bleeding, either spontaneous (from the membranes of nose, mouth or GI tract) or resulting from wounds or surgery.  von Willebrand's disease is detectable by DNA testing performed by VetGen, so a potential breeding dog can be certified as clear, or determined to be a carrier or affected.  You can search at http://www.offa.org/search.html for results for a particular dog. We generally do our vWd testing through Dr. Jean Dodd’s Laboratory. Results of those tests are given to puppy owners.

Thyroid:  just like people, dogs can suffer from hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).  Common symptoms are obesity, hair loss, fatigue, skin problems, and infertility.  Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) is much rarer in dogs.  You can search at http://www.offa.org/search.html for results for a particular dog. We generally do our thyroid testing through Dr. Jean Dodd’s Laboratory. Results of those tests are given to puppy owners.

Cardiac: congenital heart diseases in dogs are malformations of the heart or great vessels. The lesions characterizing congenital heart defects are present at birth and may develop more fully during perinatal and growth periods. Many congenital heart defects are thought to be genetically transmitted from parents to offspring; however, the exact modes of inheritance have not been precisely determined for all cardiovascular malformations. You can search at http://www.offa.org/search.html for results for a particular dog.

The Vizsla Club of America in collaboration with has established CHIC guidelines. CHIC is To receive CHIC status a vizsla must have completed OFA Hip, CERF, and Thyroid testing. While a CHIC number does not establish that a vizsla is free of any heritable diseases it does show that the breeder is aware of the need for health testing. Additionally, it provides more information about the dog in question.

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