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Health Testing Guide
Which tests are mandatory, how to spot responsible breeders — and what it costs when things go wrong.
For the American Collie we've compiled 8 core tests (6 of them required by Club für Amerikanische Collies (CfAC) e.V.) and 2 additionally recommended tests, drawn from breed-club regulations, the University of PEI (CIDD), and OMIA — weighted by severity and heritability.
View verified breedersWhat this grade means
In the American Collie, significant breed-specific risks exist for Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA), the MDR1 defect (drug hypersensitivity), and severe Degenerative Myelopathy, as well as joint issues such as Hip Dysplasia (HD). The Club für Amerikanische Collies (CfAC) e.V. therefore mandatorily prescribes genetic testing for these hereditary diseases, as well as X-ray examinations for Hip Dysplasia (HD) and Elbow Dysplasia (ED). A health-oriented breeder additionally tests the parent animals for Inflammatory Pulmonary Disease (IPD) and Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Rod-Cone Dysplasia 2. Before buying a puppy, have the written results of both parents shown to you: for Hip Dysplasia (HD), a maximum of HD A–B is acceptable, and genetic carriers of a defect may only be mated with completely free partners.
Every breed is susceptible to certain inherited conditions. Just like humans, dogs inherit predispositions from their parents. Responsible breeders screen their breeding dogs for these conditions and make informed mating decisions to reduce the risk passed on to puppies.
No — but it's the strongest tool we have. Diet, exercise, environment, and genetics all contribute to whether a dog develops a condition. When breeders use the right tests to identify risk in potential parents, the likelihood of many conditions appearing in the puppies drops significantly.
There's no one-size-fits-all here. The core standard for the American Collie covers 8 tests, 6 of them required by Club für Amerikanische Collies (CfAC) e.V., plus 2 additional recommended tests. The specific tests and passing thresholds are detailed further below.
Keep in mind
Reliable screening tests still don't exist for many hereditary conditions, and tests for complex polygenic conditions don't always predict severity in the puppies. Even so, they're a powerful tool of responsible breeding.
There are two main types of health tests:
Screen the dog's DNA for known disease-causing mutations. Can be performed from puppyhood and give a binary result (clear / carrier / affected).
Clinical and imaging exams like X-ray, ultrasound, or ophthalmoscopy. They show how a predisposition actually manifests — usually only conclusive after 12–18 months.
We group breeding programs into three levels based on testing depth. Ask your breeder directly which level they meet.
A breeder at the Great level meets the Good level and performs 2 additional clinically recommended screenings that reduce risk in this breed.
In addition to Good:
Canine cyclic hematopoiesis(GCS)
Andere
This is an inherited bone marrow disorder where the body's production of blood cells, particularly infection-fighting white blood cells, drops drastically at regular intervals. This cyclic drop temporarily leaves the dog's immune system highly vulnerable to infections. The condition is caused by a genetic mutation affecting how stem cells in the bone marrow mature.
DNA test · Passing: clear or carrier
Merle coat pattern(M)
Haut und Fell
The merle coat pattern is caused by an autosomal-dominant mutation in the PMEL gene, which affects pigment-producing cells in the skin, eyes, and inner ears. When a dog inherits two copies of this gene, a condition known as double merle, it disrupts the normal development of these sensory organs. This genetic defect can lead to severe structural abnormalities in both the auditory and visual systems.
Passing: clear or carrier
These levels are a comparison framework, not an official certification. They help compare breeding programs at a glance.
A complete checklist with every core-standard and additionally recommended test, plus identity and rearing questions — take it with you.
Open the full checklistFor breeders
Machine-readable mating rules, minimum ages, scoring schemes, and what's required for HonestDog verification — as a printable guide.
Example rule — Collie eye anomaly (CEA)
Both parents must be clear or carrier or better.
We take mandatory tests from official breed regulations, build the recommended health standard from veterinary databases — and cross-check every uploaded certificate against the dog's profile using AI.
L1 = core standard: the club's required tests where its rules set them, otherwise the recommended health standard for the breed. L2 = additionally recommended or clinically indicated. L3 = lower prevalence. Every assignment carries a source and confidence rating.
VDH breeding regulations, CIDD (University of PEI), OMIA (University of Sydney), curated veterinary input.
Uploaded certificates are read by AI and checked for date, result, and consistency with the dog's profile — our team reviews anything inconclusive.
The American Collie is not currently listed in our extreme-breeding overview. That does not mean it is free of hereditary disease: which ones are typical, and which tests the parents should have, is on this page.
Self-check
Answer 6 quick questions about your everyday life and see how well the American Collie fits you — including an honest cost estimate per month, per year, and across the dog's lifetime.
See breeders who have already uploaded their health test results for verification.
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