Health Testing

The GSPCC encourages our members to participate in the CHIC program.  The Canine Health Information Center, also known as CHIC, is a centralized canine health database jointly sponsored by the AKC/Canine Health Foundation (AKC/CHF) and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).

OFA-CHIC Health Testing Requirements

The OFA, working with the breed’s parent club, recommends the following basic health screening tests for all breeding stock. Dogs meeting these basic health screening requirements will be issued Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) numbers. For CHIC certification, all results do not need to be normal, but they must all be in the public domain so that responsible breeders can make more informed breeding decisions. For potential puppy buyers, CHIC certification is a good indicator the breeder responsibly factors good health into their selection criteria. The breed specific list below represents the basic health screening recommendations. It is not all encompassing. There may be other health screening tests appropriate for this breed. And, there may be other health concerns for which there is no commonly accepted screening protocol available.


Notes

In addition to the breed specific requirements above, a CHIC requirement across all participating breeds is that the dog must be permanently identified via microchip or tattoo in order to qualify for a CHIC number.

CHIC numbers generate automatically once all requirements have been recorded at the OFA. Foreign born dogs must have clearances from their country’s equivalent and must meet the age requirements for evaluation. CHIC numbers for foreign born dogs with foreign health screening results may qualify for CHIC, but their numbers will not generate automatically. Results must be manually forwarded to the OFA (fees apply) and CHIC numbers requested after a review.

Links

UCDavis Veterinary Genetic Labratory  – Colour, CD