A breeder's guide to Boston Terrier health testing
Big eyes, a short face and a white-marked head make the Boston what it is. They also explain its health list, which covers eyes, knees and hearing. This VerifiedStuds guide explains each test, the DNA test to add, and what we require for the Verified Health badge.
The Boston Terrier Club of America is the AKC parent club. Its list, as published by the AKC, has three exams:
Clearance
Who does it
Earliest final result
Eyes
Board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist
Any age; repeat yearly
Patellas
Veterinary exam, registered with OFA
12 months
Hearing
BAER test at a specialist clinic
From 6 weeks; valid for life
The BAER test measures the brain's response to sound in each ear. It is the only way to find a dog that is deaf on one side. Deafness goes with white markings, so dogs with a lot of white on the head carry more risk.
Juvenile hereditary cataracts (JHC) cloud the lens in young dogs and can blind them before the age of one. A DNA test for the HSF4 gene finds carriers. Because the disease is recessive, a carrier bred to a clear dog produces no affected puppies.
Still needed: a yearly eye exam, since other cataracts, corneal ulcers and glaucoma have no DNA test.
The short face can bring narrow nostrils and a long soft palate. Listen to the stud at rest and after exercise, because noisy breathing is inherited. Similarly, the screw tail goes with malformed vertebrae called hemivertebrae, which sometimes press on the spinal cord. Some breeders x-ray the spine to check.
In addition, many Boston litters arrive by cesarean, since the puppies have broad heads. So choose a stud of moderate size and head for a small female, and plan the birth with your vet.
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 eye, patella and BAER results in the public OFA database.
Request his JHC result on a lab report, and compare it with your female's.
Find out the date of his last eye exam. It should fall within the past year.
Finally, check his breathing and his weight when you meet him.
Next steps: Boston Terrier studs · French Bulldog health testing · Stud fee guide · Find a health-tested stud · List Your Stud
What health tests should a Boston Terrier have before breeding?
A yearly eye exam, a patella exam and a BAER hearing test, plus a negative brucellosis test. The JHC DNA test is strongly advised.
What is a BAER test?
It is a hearing test that records the brain's response to clicks in each ear. A dog needs it only once, and the result lasts for life.
What is JHC in Boston Terriers?
Juvenile hereditary cataracts, an inherited eye disease that blinds young dogs. A DNA test identifies carriers.
Why do Boston Terriers need yearly eye exams?
Several eye diseases appear with age, and an eye certificate is valid for only 12 months.
What does VerifiedStuds require for Boston Terrier studs?
A current eye exam, patellas and a BAER test, with a negative brucellosis test, for the Verified Health badge.
Sources: Boston Terrier Club of America, AKC Non-Sporting Group health testing requirements, OFA CHIC program.
The first 100 studs pay 0% commission on their first booking, and listing is free.