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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 Australian Cattle Dog we've compiled 7 core tests (4 of them required by Australian Cattle Dog Club Deutschland e.V. (ACDCD)) and 5 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
The Australian Cattle Dog has an average disease burden: according to British data, it achieves a high median life expectancy of 14.0 years (McMillan et al. 2024), but carries breed-typical risks for neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL), progressive rod-cone degeneration (PRCD), and deafness. These serious hereditary diseases can be detected via genetic testing or hearing tests, and the Australian Cattle Dog Club Deutschland e.V. (ACDCD) mandates these examinations, as well as X-rays for hip dysplasia (HD). Responsible breeders additionally have elbow dysplasia (ED) and the MDR1 gene defect tested, and arrange for an ophthalmological eye exam. Ask to see the hearing test (hearing bilaterally), X-ray findings showing HD A–C (C only with conditions) and ED 0–1, as well as genetic test results for NCL and PRCD for both parent animals; a carrier must only have been mated with a clear partner.
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 Australian Cattle Dog covers 7 tests, 4 of them required by Australian Cattle Dog Club Deutschland e.V. (ACDCD), plus 5 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 5 additional clinically recommended screenings that reduce risk in this breed.
In addition to Good:
Cataract(HC)
Augen
A cataract is a progressive clouding of the lens inside the dog's eye, which is the clear structure that focuses light onto the retina at the back of the eye. When the lens becomes cloudy or opaque, it blocks light from entering, gradually impairing the dog's vision. If left untreated, this condition can eventually lead to complete blindness in the affected eye.
Eye examination · Passing: clear
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)(PRA)
Augen
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is an inherited eye disease that affects the retina, which is the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye. In this condition, the specialized cells responsible for detecting light, known as photoreceptors, gradually degenerate and die. Because these cells cannot recover or be replaced, the disease slowly but inevitably leads to complete blindness.
Passing: clear or carrier
Dermatomyositis(DMS)
Haut und Fell
Dermatomyositis is an inherited, immune-mediated disease where the dog's immune system mistakenly attacks its own skin and underlying muscles, causing chronic inflammation. This condition primarily affects the blood vessels supplying these tissues, leading to tissue damage. It is most frequently diagnosed in Collies and Shetland Sheepdogs.
Skin test · Passing: clear
Congenital deafness(CHSD)
Nervensystem
Congenital deafness is a hereditary hearing loss present from birth that affects the inner ear's sensory cells, preventing sound signals from reaching the brain. It is usually genetic, occurs more often in certain breeds and is frequently linked to coat patterns such as merle or piebald.
Physical examination · Passing: hearing in both ears
Portosystemic hepatic encephalopathy(PSS)
Stoffwechsel
This is a neurological condition caused by liver dysfunction, typically occurring when abnormal blood vessels bypass the liver. Because the liver cannot filter toxins from the bloodstream, these harmful substances build up and directly affect the brain. This lack of proper filtration leads to central nervous system dysfunction.
Passing: normal
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 — Eye conditions (ophthalmological eye exam)
Both parents must be clear 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.
Not every dog of this breed is affected to the same degree – but these extreme-breeding traits are part of the Australian Cattle Dog's breed type: White & deafness. How strongly an individual dog is affected depends on breeding choices. What to look out for is explained on the linked pages.
Self-check
Answer 6 quick questions about your everyday life and see how well the Australian Cattle Dog 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.
View verified breeders