Health testing for hereditary conditions before breeding is essential for preventing welfare-compromising diseases in purebred dogs.
Hereditary disease causes enormous preventable suffering in purebred dogs. Hip dysplasia causes chronic progressive pain; PRA causes complete blindness by middle age; degenerative myelopathy causes progressive paralysis. These conditions are not inevitable — they are preventable through responsible breeding using health-tested parents. DNA tests, X-ray scoring schemes, and ophthalmological examinations allow breeders to identify and exclude affected individuals from breeding programs. Consumer demand for health-tested puppies is the most powerful lever for change — when buyers consistently demand health test certificates and avoid breeders who don't test, market incentives align with welfare outcomes. Kennel club mandatory health schemes have significantly reduced the prevalence of some hereditary conditions in participating breeds.