Health tested parents create happy healthy puppies and thrilled owners. Health testing the parents doesn’t GUARANTEE that your puppy won’t have health issues later in life, but definitely reduces the chances. The fact that the breeder does health testing (heart, hips, eyes and thyroid) means they care enough to do what they can to reduce the chances that genetic defects aren’t passed to puppies they produce; your puppy. It is just heartbreaking when you get a puppy, it becomes part of your family and then you are faced with $1000’s of dollars of vet bills.
The health tests ARE NOT just an “OK” from a vet that the parent dog(s) are healthy. Some people who breed their family pets will say the parents are health tested if they have some vet certificate or if they have done one health test. Don’t be misled, make sure all the recommended health tests have been performed. The health tests recommended for Danes are for hip conformation, eyes, thyroid and heart function. When all tests are completed dogs are issued a number, referred to as a “CHIC” number or “OFA” number. You can look up the health tests by looking up the parents using the parents names or CHIC/OFA numbers. The website is: Canine Health Info .
All bitches bred at Everheart Great Danes have passed the recommended health tests and their CHIC/OFA numbers are listed. Do yourself a huge favor and insist that your puppy’s parents are health tested.
