Health screening programs for inherited conditions in purebred dogs — from hip dysplasia to hereditary eye disease — are transforming breeding practices and reducing the prevalence of conditions that cause significant welfare harm.
Health screening programs represent one of the most evidence-based approaches to reducing inherited disease welfare burden in companion dogs. The principle is simple: test breeding animals for heritable conditions before breeding, and select only those clear of significant conditions. Applied consistently over generations, this approach has demonstrated meaningful reduction in condition prevalence for hip dysplasia in several breeds. The welfare stakes are high — dogs with severe hip dysplasia, hereditary eye disease, or Chiari malformation experience chronic pain and neurological suffering that could have been prevented by responsible breeding choices. The expansion of DNA testing panels has made comprehensive health screening accessible and affordable. The challenge is ensuring that health screening is actually performed and that results are acted upon rather than treated as box-checking exercises.