A breeder's guide to American Bully health testing
No kennel club publishes a required health list for this breed, and many dogs are bred with no testing at all. That gap is a chance for careful owners to stand out. This VerifiedStuds guide sets out the tests we recommend and what we ask for the Verified Health badge.
The ABKC and the UKC register the American Bully, but the AKC does not. As a result, it has no AKC parent club and no OFA CHIC program. So this is a VerifiedStuds recommended list, based on the problems seen in the breed and its relatives:
Test
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
Patellas
Veterinary exam, registered with OFA
12 months
Eyes
Board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist
Any age; valid 12 months
DNA panel
Lab report from a cheek swab
Any age
OFA accepts any dog in its database, whatever its registry. Therefore, a lack of AKC papers is no reason to skip testing.
Cerebellar ataxia (NCL4A): a nerve disease inherited from the breed's AmStaff ancestors.
Hyperuricosuria (HUU): causes bladder stones.
Degenerative myelopathy (DM): a late-onset spinal disease.
Cone-rod dystrophy and other eye markers, which most bully panels include.
Because these are recessive, a carrier bred to a clear dog produces no affected puppies.
Heavy bone on short legs loads the joints. Hip and elbow dysplasia are both common, and they are worse in the widest, lowest dogs. Similarly, very short muzzles bring breathing trouble and heat intolerance.
So judge the dog as well as the paperwork. A sound Bully walks freely, breathes quietly and recovers quickly after exercise. In addition, ask about skin allergies and demodectic mange, which run in families and have no test.
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 his DNA panel on a lab report, and compare it with your female's.
Find out his measured height and class. See Pocket Bully studs for the ABKC size limits.
Finally, watch him move and breathe in person or on video.
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What health tests should an American Bully have before breeding?
We recommend hips, elbows, a cardiac exam, patellas, an eye exam and a DNA panel, plus a negative brucellosis test.
Is there an official health list for the American Bully?
No. The breed has no AKC parent club or CHIC program, so breeders rely on recommended lists like this one.
Can an American Bully get OFA results without AKC papers?
Yes. OFA accepts dogs of any registry, and the results appear in its public database.
At what age can an American Bully get hip results?
OFA gives final hip and elbow ratings at 24 months. PennHIP can be done earlier.
What does VerifiedStuds require for American Bully studs?
Hips, a cardiac exam and a negative brucellosis test at the least for the Verified Health badge. The rest of the list can be uploaded too.
Sources: American Bully Kennel Club, breed standard, Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, United Kennel Club, American Bully.
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