Health Screening

Any potential mating pair must go through full health screenings, including genetic testing with Embark.

Embark provides a function called “Pair Predictor” that allows breeders to project the genetic outcomes of breeding two dogs who have been tested. This prediction allows us to determine what is known as the “Coefficient of Inbreeding”, or COI, to determine the degree of inbreeding the mating would result in. NIIU breeders aim for a 12% COI or lower, and do not sanction matings that would result in a COI higher than 25%.

The other reason for this testing is to screen for possible genetic health issues. For example, does either dog carry the variant for a condition like degenerative myelopathy(DM), sometimes referred to as canine Lou Gehrig’s disease? If one dog is a carrier, and the other not, then their puppies will never develop the condition, although about half will probably carry it. However, if both breeding candidates are carriers, then they cannot be mated, because at least 25% of the puppies will be likely to end up with DM. No conscientious breeder can take this risk.

We test each dog’s hips using the PennHip Screening Tool, or the screening provided by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (https://ofa.org/). We do this to reduce the risk of breeding dogs likely to develop hip dysplasia. We also screen their elbows through OFA. 

We test for potential issues with a dog’s eyes, including glaucoma, as well as for for Oculo-Skeletal Dysplasia 3, again, to rule out pairings that would breed puppies with any of these conditions.

Finally, we test the potential mating pair for canine Brucellosis, a contagious, incurable bacterial disease caused by Brucella canis. It primarily targets the reproductive system—causing infertility, abortions, and swollen testicles—but can also affect the spine and eyes. If an infected dam has puppies, those puppies will die. Therefore, both dogs must be clear of brucellosis for the mating to be approved.