What should the parents be tested for? - Page 1

I am presently looking for a young dog or puppy. The more I read about the upsetting experiences others have gone through on this board  the more paranoid I become.  Ok, I know of course the parents must have certified  hips and elbows (I also know this doesn't insure the puppy will have good hips and elbows). I've seen adds where the breeder or owner states that the parents are free of  cardiac, EPI & cataracts. Oh yes, also hemophilia (I think). Are they just stating that the parents don't have the health problems or  have they actually had genetic testing done to prove the offspring won't ?  Is there anything else?  Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Char

In order to have some protection against a genetic disease there must be A a means of identifying a disease (before clinical manifestation) and B a momentum (rigorous rule or popular expectation) for using such a means as a filter applied over two three or more generations.

If just the sire were cleared from a disease but none other were, that clearance of one individual does not mean much, IMO, but only as a marginal consideration.

To be meaningful you should have two or more generations of clearance for all or nearly all the individuals. Older generations of patchy records may help as well, but just the sire and/or the dam is likely not good enough, especially when greater depth can be obtained after some search. This applies to hips and elbow orthopedic health.

Hips and Elbows are important, Cardiac, eyes (CERF) especially in sunbelt states or high altitude areas, and THYROID. GSDs are prone to thyroid issues, and I would also look at generations of health clearances as well as offspring/siblings clearances.

Can one find generations of thyroid clearance?

Just wondering 

At the risk of sounding completely ignorant, how do I go about finding out this information? I know the hips and elbows are usually indicated on the pedigree, but typically nothing else  regarding health is. Plus,  a lot of the dogs we have here in the US have parents and/or grandparents from Europe. Even if printed info were available I don't know how to read German or any other foreign language for that matter! So, how do I go about this search for information?
Char

If it is OFFA, then just do a search online.  pedgiree on hips or elbow or whatever.

OFFA does more than just orthopedics, like IHOP sells more than pancakes.

OFA H&E are not always indicated on AKC pedigree. If there is an ID, microchip or tatoo at the time of x-ray, then AKC generally links to OFFA.

If it is not OFFA, then I think you will have to ask the breeder for special info and verification. 

What about the health issues other than hips and elbows? So far all of the dogs and puppies I have looked at have pedigrees that indicate the hip/elbow rating, so that is easy to research, but nothing else is indicated. How do I found out about the other illnesses other than what the breeder/owner tells me?

www.offa.org

they have reports online, if you know the name of the dog or the AKC number

Good luck.

KIM

www.justk9s.com

OFFA, not as the name suggests, does more than orthopedics.

However, I think you will likely be disappointed to see certification other than hips and elbows, paucity, no momentum as of now.