WHAT ARE HEALTH CLEARANCES?
Most breeds of dogs will have health concerns and Golden Retrievers are no exception. In order to maximize the chances of producing healthy puppies, reputable breeders will only use health tested parents in their breeding programs. The Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA) currently recommends that the sire and dam of a litter be tested for hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, heart issues and eye abnormalities, at a minimum. Most breeders will also do DNA testing.
What is OFA/PennHip?
OFA stands for Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, a non-profit organization that provides a database of radiographs (x-rays) and genetic test results for dogs and cats.
PennHip is a method developed at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine for assessing hip joint status and predict canine hip dysplasia.
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Breeder and pet owners can use these databases to identify potential health problems and make informed breeding decisions.
Recommended health clearances for Goldens
Hip and Elbow Dysplasia
For final evaluation of Goldens that are going to be used for breeding; screening for hip and elbow dysplasia is done by evaluating x-rays after the dog is 24 months of age. Hip x-rays can be evaluated by sending them to OFA and/or by using the PennHip method. Currently only OFA is evaluating elbow x-rays.
We encourage you to learn more on this topic at these three resources: ​
Heart Disease
Cardiac diseases are another health issue in our breed. The most common heart condition in Golden Retrievers is Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis (SAS). SAS in its most severe form can cause sudden death from a heart attack. All Goldens being used in a breeding program should have their hearts screened, by a “board-certified cardiologist”, after 12 months of age. Note that the GRCA recommends that this heart clearance should only be done by a “board certified cardiologist”, not a regular veterinarian.
Eye Disease
Golden Retrievers have a few eye diseases, the most common being Juvenile Cataracts and Pigmentary Uveitis. The GRCA recommends that all Goldens have their eyes checked annually by a “board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist”. There are also DNA tests for some eye disorders that can cause blindness such as PRA.
DNA Testing
Since DNA does not change as you age, the testing can be conducted at any age. DNA testing can tell you if your dog carries the genes needed to produce or to be affected by a disease. Thanks to DNA testing Golden Retriever breeders can now avoid producing some very serious diseases, such as Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (NCL), a progressive neurological disorder that leads to personality changes and early death or PRA that can lead to blindness.
Learn more about the current Golden Retriever panel of tests being offered at UC Davis, one of the labs that does DNA testing.
What do Health Certificates look like?
Here are some examples of what health clearance certificates look like. The OFA will only issue the following certificates (hip, elbow, eye, and heart) to dogs that are considered normal/healthy.
Note that the Eye clearance has a QR code. OFA has started embedding the QR code into all their health certificates. Scanning the QR code on the certificate should take you to the dog’s page in the OFA database. Unfortunately, there have been people who have forged health certificates, so it is a good idea to verify that the clearance is authentic.
EXAMPLE OFA HIPS
EXAMPLE OFA HEART
EXAMPLE OFA ELBOWS
EXAMPLE OFA EYES
The Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA) offers an extensive resource on breed health and research. We recommend anyone interested in the breed read the GRCA recommended clearances and DNA testing. Here you can learn about:
- Before You Buy: Introduction to Golden Retriever Health
- For New Owners, and Puppy or Adoption Packets
- Advanced Health Information
- Participation in Research and Useful Health-Related Links
How to verify health testing
Below is an excellent video on how to verify clearances. We thank Laura Jack for creating such a fantastic resource for the Golden community.