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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 Bernese Mountain Dog we've compiled 2 tests required by Schweizer Sennenhund-Verein für Deutschland e.V. and 10 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
On average, the Bernese Mountain Dog reaches only about seven and a half to eight and a half years of age, with cancer accounting for more than half of all deaths and histiocytic sarcoma alone for roughly one seventh. The Schweizer Sennenhund-Verein für Deutschland e.V. prescribes X-ray examinations for hip dysplasia (HD, limit A–C) and elbow dysplasia (ED, limit 0–1) for breeding. Responsible breeders also test for degenerative myelopathy, histiocytosis, and progressive retinal atrophy. In addition to the mandatory HD and ED findings, ask to see genetic tests – for degenerative myelopathy, a carrier may only be mated with a clear animal.
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. For the Bernese Mountain Dog, Schweizer Sennenhund-Verein für Deutschland e.V. requires 2 tests for breeding approval, plus 10 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 10 additional clinically recommended screenings that reduce risk in this breed.
In addition to Good:
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: Ergebnis A oder B
Aortic valve stenosis(AS)
Herz
Aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the aortic valve in the heart, which controls blood flow from the main pumping chamber (the left ventricle) to the rest of the body. Because of this restriction, the heart muscle must work much harder to pump blood, which eventually causes the muscle wall to thicken abnormally. This is a severe cardiovascular condition that can strain the heart over time.
Degenerative Myelopathy(DM)
Nervensystem
Degenerative Myelopathy is a progressive disease of the spinal cord where the protective sheath around the nerves slowly breaks down. This deterioration disrupts the vital communication signals between the brain and the muscles of the hind limbs. Over time, this lack of signal transmission leads to a complete loss of muscle control in the back legs.
DNA test · Passing: clear or carrier
Epilepsy(IE)
Nervensystem
Epilepsy is a chronic disorder of the brain and nervous system where abnormal electrical activity causes sudden, temporary disruptions in normal brain function. These disruptions lead to repeated seizures, which are involuntary changes in body movement, sensation, or behavior. Because the underlying cause is often complex, the brain's electrical signaling remains permanently prone to these sudden misfires.
Physical examination
Hypomyelination(HYM)
Nervensystem
This is an inherited neurological disorder affecting the central nervous system, where the protective myelin sheath that insulates nerve fibers fails to develop properly. Without this adequate insulation, nerve signals cannot travel efficiently between the brain and the body. This disruption leads to impaired coordination and involuntary muscle movements.
Meningitis(SRMA)
Nervensystem
Meningitis is a severe inflammatory condition affecting the protective membranes, called meninges, and blood vessels surrounding the brain and spinal cord. In dogs, this most commonly occurs as an immune-mediated disorder known as Steroid-Responsive Meningitis-Arteritis (SRMA). This means the dog's own immune system mistakenly triggers inflammation in these nervous system tissues without any actual infection being present.
Cerebellar abiotrophy(CA)
Nervensystem
Cerebellar abiotrophy is an inherited neurological disorder affecting the brain, specifically the cerebellum, which regulates balance and movement coordination. In affected dogs, the nerve cells in this region prematurely degenerate and die off. This progressive cell loss disrupts the brain's ability to control smooth physical movements.
DNA test
Familial Nephropathy(FN)
Nieren
Familial Nephropathy (FN) is an inherited kidney disease caused by a genetic defect in collagen, which is a vital structural protein. This defect damages the kidneys' filtering units, preventing them from properly removing waste products from the blood. Over time, this leads to progressive and irreversible kidney failure.
Body-fluid analysis
von Willebrand's disease(vWD)
Stoffwechsel
Von Willebrand disease is an inherited bleeding disorder that affects the blood's ability to clot properly. It is caused by a deficiency or malfunction of the von Willebrand factor, a specific protein that helps blood platelets stick together to plug damaged blood vessels. Without enough of this functional protein, the clotting process is delayed, which can lead to excessive bleeding even from minor injuries.
Histiocytosis(MH)
Tumor
Histiocytosis is a severe disorder of the immune system where specific white blood cells, called histiocytes, multiply abnormally. These cells normally help protect the body, but their uncontrolled growth can lead to tumors or tissue damage in various organs, including the skin, lungs, spleen, and lymph nodes. Depending on the form, it can be localized to the skin or spread aggressively throughout the body's internal systems.
Body-fluid analysis
Not health tests, but required for breeding: the club asks for these results too. They don't count toward the risks or the rating.
DNA-Identitätsnachweis
Required by Schweizer Sennenhund-Verein für Deutschland e.V.
Acceptable result: DNA-Profil Premium SNP (ISAG 2020) vorgelegt
Wesensbeurteilung
Required by Schweizer Sennenhund-Verein für Deutschland e.V.
Acceptable result: Erfolgreich bestandene Körung
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 — Elbow Dysplasia
Both parents must be ED 0–1 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.
These hereditary conditions are currently classified as most relevant for the Bernese Mountain Dog: Elbow Dysplasia (ED), Hip dysplasia (HD). The risk for a puppy depends primarily on whether both parents have been tested for these conditions and whether the results fall within breed-specific requirements.
Self-check
Answer 6 quick questions about your everyday life and see how well the Bernese Mountain 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