What health tests should a puppy's parents have?
Short answer
It depends on the breed, but always tests run by an independent body, not the breeder. French Bulldog parents need BOAS grading, spine, patella and heart checks; Cavapoo parents need an echocardiogram (especially the Cavalier), eyes, patella, hips and DNA; Poodle parents need eyes, patella, hips and a PRA DNA test. Ask for results you can look up.
Updated · By the PetBuddyHub breeding team
Recommended parent tests by breed
| Breed | Tests to ask for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| French Bulldog | BOAS grade, OFA spine, OFA patella, OFA cardiac, DNA panel | Airway disease, hemivertebrae, kneecap luxation, heart |
| Cavapoo (both parents) | Echocardiogram, OFA eyes (CAER), OFA patella, OFA hips, DNA panel | Mitral valve disease from the Cavalier side; eye, knee and hip disease |
| Toy / Mini Poodle | OFA eyes (CAER), OFA patella, Legg-Calvé-Perthes, OFA hips, PRA-prcd DNA | Blindness, kneecap luxation, hip disease |
What the abbreviations mean
- OFA — the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, which keeps a public, searchable database of results.
- CAER — an annual eye exam by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist.
- PRA-prcd — a DNA test for a form of progressive retinal atrophy, an inherited cause of blindness.
- DNA panel — a test such as Embark that screens for hundreds of inherited conditions at once.
- BOAS grade — a breathing assessment for short-nosed breeds, graded 0 to 3.
How to verify a breeder's results
Ask for each parent's registered name or OFA number, then search the OFA database yourself at ofa.org. DNA results should come as a report from the testing company, ideally with a shareable link. 'Vet checked' is not a health test — every puppy should be vet checked anyway.
Common questions
- Is 'vet checked' the same as health tested?
- No. A vet check is a general exam of the puppy. Health testing screens the parents for inherited conditions before they are bred.
- Can I look up a dog's OFA results?
- Yes. The OFA database at ofa.org is public and searchable by the dog's registered name or number.