A breeder's guide to German Shorthaired Pointer health testing
Built to hunt all day, the GSP is a healthy breed on the whole. Even so, a hard-working dog needs sound joints, a strong heart and good eyes. This VerifiedStuds guide explains the tests the parent club lists, the DNA tests worth adding, and what we require for the Verified Health badge.
The German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America 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, registered with OFA
12 months
Eyes
Board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist
Any age; valid 12 months
Cone degeneration
DNA test
Any age
Cone degeneration causes day blindness. Affected dogs see poorly in bright light from a few weeks old, which ends a hunting career before it starts. Because the gene is recessive, a carrier bred to a clear dog produces no affected puppies.
Lupoid dermatosis (ECLE): a severe inherited skin and joint disease that is specific to the breed.
von Willebrand disease type 2: a bleeding disorder.
Degenerative myelopathy (DM): a late-onset spinal disease.
Subaortic stenosis occurs in the breed, and a mild case may show no signs until the dog is working hard. Therefore, the club asks for a cardiac exam, and many breeders choose a cardiologist.
Hip dysplasia is less common than in heavier breeds. However, a field dog covers many miles in a day, so even mild looseness matters. OFA grades of Excellent, Good and Fair all pass.
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 cone degeneration result on a lab report, and compare it with your female's.
Find out about bloat in his family, since the breed is deep-chested and there is no test.
Check his working record. Hunt test and field trial titles show soundness as well as talent.
Next steps: German Shorthaired Pointer studs · Stud fee guide · Find a health-tested stud · List Your Stud
What health tests should a GSP have before breeding?
Hips, elbows, a cardiac exam, an eye exam and the cone degeneration DNA test, plus a negative brucellosis test.
What is cone degeneration?
It is an inherited eye disease that causes blindness in bright light. A DNA test identifies clear, carrier and affected dogs.
What is lupoid dermatosis in GSPs?
It is a serious inherited skin disease found in the breed. A DNA test exists, so careful breeders add it.
At what age can a GSP get final hip results?
OFA gives final hip and elbow ratings at 24 months.
What does VerifiedStuds require for GSP studs?
The five items on the parent club list, with a negative brucellosis test, for the Verified Health badge.
Sources: German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America, AKC Sporting Group health testing requirements, OFA CHIC program.
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