Hereditary autoimmune thyroiditis is a significant health and welfare concern in many dog breeds that responsible breeding programs are working to reduce through systematic testing.
Hereditary hypothyroidism creates welfare burdens that are avoidable through responsible breeding decisions. A dog who develops autoimmune thyroiditis and is not diagnosed may experience years of reduced metabolic function, skin problems, lethargy, and weight gain before the condition is recognized and treated. Breeding programs that use thyroid screening data to select against thyroiditis-predisposing genetics directly reduce the number of future dogs who experience these welfare harms. This represents a preventive welfare intervention at the population level that complements diagnostic and treatment approaches for individual affected dogs.