# Health Testing Costs



## chinchillafuzzy (Feb 11, 2017)

Thanks for posting! Is great that you are reaching out to vets in your area and hopefully establishing some sort of relationship there! There are some tests that can be done very young, but they are dna tests, like to see if they are a carrier for NE. The majority of the tests should be done around 2 years. So even though it's impossible to guarantee that a puppy won't have health problems, by purchasing from a breeder who has fully health tested both the sire and dam, and can provide you with the results, that will be your best bet in getting a puppy who won't suffer from the things that their parents have been cleared on. I don't know if you have researched the uc Davis VGL testing but I would encourage you to look it up as well. It can be done on young puppies as it is a dna test, but the results will take I think 8 weeks to get back so you wouldn't know results before the 2 week pup is ready to leave home.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I think there is a common confusion between health_ tests_, which are undertaken on potential breeding dogs before choosing them to have a litter, and health _checks_, a vet check up of a puppy or adult to ensure it has no obvious health issues. Pups from untested parents are often described as health checked, giving what may be a false sense of security to purchasers. DNA tests are comparatively new, and still not well understood by most puppy buyers, which compounds the problem.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Well said fjm. Health tests are a breeder's obligation to do on their breeding dogs if they are worth their salt as breeders. Having done those tests the breeder should then be able to make sound decisions on breedings (like not breeding dogs whose OFFA hips are merely fair). They also should then be open about providing the results of those health tests with their puppy parent prospects so those people can decide if they want a pup from a particular litter. It is then up to the new puppy buyer to get a health check from a very soon after bringing the pup home.


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