HEALTH
Health has always been an important part of my breeding, but no health test, pedigree or breeding programme can guarantee a healthy dog.
Testing gives us information. Following dogs and their relatives over time gives us more.
I use both.
Health testing
Dogs considered for breeding are health tested before use.
Depending on the dog and the information available, examinations include:
- hips and elbows
- knees
- spine
- eyes
- heart
- DNA testing for relevant hereditary conditions
I also collect information about health problems that cannot be predicted through routine screening or DNA testing.
A test result describes one dog at one point in time. Its real value increases when it can be considered together with results from parents, siblings, offspring and other relatives.
DNA testing
DNA testing has been part of Tuebor breeding for many years.
Available tests change as research develops, and I use tests that are relevant to the breed and the families I work with.
A carrier result for a recessive condition does not automatically make a dog unsuitable for breeding. When the inheritance is understood and a reliable test is available, the result can be taken into account when choosing a mate.
DNA testing is a useful tool, but it cannot tell us everything about a dog's future health.
Known conditions
Like every breed, the Boerboel has health conditions that breeders and owners should be aware of.
These include orthopedic conditions such as hip and elbow dysplasia, eye problems including entropion and ectropion, and cardiac conditions including subaortic stenosis (SAS).
Other hereditary or suspected hereditary conditions also occur within the breed. New information and new tests continue to emerge, which is one reason health monitoring cannot stop with the tests available today.
Longevity
Longevity matters to me, particularly in a large breed.
Some Tuebor dogs and dogs behind my breeding have lived well into old age, while others have died younger for different reasons.
I record age and cause of death whenever that information is available. Over generations, this can be just as informative as results collected from young breeding dogs.
A dog being healthy at two or three years old is good information. Knowing how that dog and its relatives were doing at ten or twelve tells us something more.
Health statistics
I collect health information from Tuebor dogs throughout their lives.
Not every dog undergoes every examination, and many Tuebor dogs live purely as family pets. This means the data will never represent every dog equally and should not be presented as if it does.
Where enough information is available to make a comparison meaningful, I may publish aggregated statistics rather than individual health records.
Both good results and problems are included in the information I use for future breeding decisions.
Beyond my own dogs
Health information from outside my own breeding is important too.
Published statistics, health databases, research and information from other breeders can help identify conditions and patterns that may otherwise be missed within a relatively small breeding population.
The more reliable information breeders have available, the better informed breeding decisions can be.
The long view
Health is not a single test result and it is not something that can be evaluated from one generation alone.
Some information is available before breeding. Some appears only after puppies grow up. Other information may not become relevant until dogs are old.
That is why I continue following dogs and families over time and adjust breeding plans when new information becomes available.
Health testing gives us information.
What matters is what we do with it.