A breeder's guide to Rottweiler health testing
Power and bone come at a price, and in this breed the price is paid in joints and hearts. Careful screening lowers both risks. This VerifiedStuds guide explains the tests the parent club lists, the DNA test every breeder should run, and what we require for the Verified Health badge.
The American Rottweiler Club is the AKC parent club. Its list, as published by the AKC, has five items:
Clearance
Who does it
Earliest final result
Hips
X-rays sent to OFA, or PennHIP
24 months (OFA)
Elbows
X-rays sent to OFA
24 months
Heart
Cardiac exam, ideally by a cardiologist
12 months
Eyes
Board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist
Any age; valid 12 months
JLPP
DNA test
Any age
The heart exam looks mainly for subaortic stenosis (SAS), a narrowing below the aortic valve. Because a faint murmur is easy to miss, many breeders choose an echocardiogram by a cardiologist.
JLPP stands for juvenile laryngeal paralysis and polyneuropathy. Affected puppies develop breathing trouble and weakness within months, and the disease is fatal. However, it is recessive. So a carrier bred to a clear dog produces no affected puppies, and one DNA test on each parent is enough.
Also worth adding: DNA tests for degenerative myelopathy (DM), long coat and leukoencephalomyelopathy (LEMP).
OFA grades hips Excellent, Good or Fair, which all pass, then Borderline, Mild, Moderate or Severe. Similarly, elbows are Normal or Grade I to III. German-bred dogs often carry ADRK ratings instead, such as HD-frei and ED-frei, which mean free of dysplasia.
Elbow dysplasia is especially common in the breed. Therefore, look at the elbows of his parents and siblings as well as his own.
Brucellosis spreads through mating and has no reliable cure. Therefore, the AKC advises testing stud dogs every six months and females before each breeding. In addition, VerifiedStuds asks for a negative test before every booking. Read brucellosis in dogs for the details.
Ask for his registered name, then look up his results in the public OFA database.
Request the JLPP result on a lab report, and compare it with your female's.
Find out who did the heart exam, and whether it included an echocardiogram.
Check for cancer and cruciate injuries in his family, since neither has a test and both are common.
Next steps: Rottweiler studs · Stud fee guide · Find a health-tested stud · List Your Stud
What health tests should a Rottweiler have before breeding?
Hips, elbows, a cardiac exam, an eye exam and the JLPP DNA test, plus a negative brucellosis test.
What is JLPP in Rottweilers?
It is a fatal inherited nerve disease of young puppies. A DNA test shows whether a dog is clear, a carrier or affected.
At what age can a Rottweiler get hip and elbow clearances?
OFA gives final ratings at 24 months. Earlier x-rays are preliminary only.
Does a Rottweiler need a cardiologist for the heart exam?
The list accepts a cardiac exam, but a cardiologist is far more likely to detect mild SAS. Many breeders therefore choose one.
What does VerifiedStuds require for Rottweiler studs?
The five items on the parent club list, with a negative brucellosis test, for the Verified Health badge.
Sources: American Rottweiler Club, AKC Working Group health testing requirements, OFA CHIC program.
The first 100 studs pay 0% commission on their first booking, and listing is free.