A breeder's guide to Australian Shepherd health testing
Aussies are tough, clever and usually healthy. However, the breed carries several well-mapped genes, which means DNA testing does a great deal of good here. This VerifiedStuds guide explains the tests the parent club lists, the DNA panel to add, and what we require for the Verified Health badge.
The United States Australian Shepherd Association is the AKC parent club. Its list, as published by the AKC, has three exams:
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
Eyes
Board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist
Any age; repeat yearly
Eye exams are yearly because cataracts and other conditions can appear later in life. An exam at one year old says little about a dog of five.
MDR1: drug sensitivity. About half of all Aussies carry at least one copy, so every breeding dog needs this test.
HSF4: the main gene behind hereditary cataracts in the breed. Even one copy raises the risk.
CEA: Collie eye anomaly.
prcd-PRA and CMR1: two retinal diseases.
DM: degenerative myelopathy, a late-onset spinal disease.
Merle is the mottled pattern seen in blue merle and red merle dogs. One copy of the gene gives the pattern. However, a puppy with two copies, called a double merle, is often deaf, blind or both.
Therefore, never breed two merles together. A merle should go to a solid mate, such as a black tri or red tri. Since a faint merle pattern can hide, test any doubtful dog at the M locus first.
Epilepsy is the breed's hardest problem, because it has no DNA test and often appears after a dog has already been bred. Similarly, some cancers run in families. So ask about seizures and early deaths among the stud's relatives.
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 full DNA panel on a lab report, with MDR1 and HSF4 at the least.
Find out the date of his last eye exam. It should fall within the past year.
Check for epilepsy in his pedigree, and ask the question directly.
Next steps: Australian Shepherd studs · Aussiedoodle studs · Stud fee guide · Find a health-tested stud · List Your Stud
What health tests should an Australian Shepherd have before breeding?
Hips, elbows and a current eye exam, plus a negative brucellosis test. A DNA panel with MDR1 and HSF4 is strongly advised.
What is MDR1 in Australian Shepherds?
It is a gene fault that makes dogs sensitive to some common drugs. A DNA test shows whether a dog is clear, a carrier or affected.
Can two merle Aussies be bred together?
No. Double merle puppies face a high risk of deafness and blindness.
How often do Aussies need eye exams?
Every year while they are being bred, because inherited cataracts can appear in adults.
What does VerifiedStuds require for Aussie studs?
Hips, elbows and a current eye exam, with a negative brucellosis test, for the Verified Health badge. DNA results can be uploaded too.
Sources: United States Australian Shepherd Association, AKC Herding Group health testing requirements, OFA CHIC program.
The first 100 studs pay 0% commission on their first booking, and listing is free.