Inherited health conditions in purebred and crossbred dogs cause enormous preventable suffering — health testing programmes are transforming breeding practices for many breeds.
Inherited disease in dogs is one of the most preventable sources of animal suffering — preventable because breeding decisions directly determine whether affected animals are born. A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with syringomyelia lives in chronic neurological pain from a condition that results directly from the breeding pressure for a domed skull shape. A Golden Retriever with severe hip dysplasia cannot walk without pain throughout its life. Health testing and selective breeding based on results can eliminate or dramatically reduce these conditions within a few generations. The welfare investment is entirely upstream, in breeding choices.