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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 Central Asian Shepherd Dog we've compiled 2 tests required by Kaukasischer Owtscharka-Club e.V. and 3 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 imposing Central Asian Shepherd Dog, hip dysplasia (HD) and elbow dysplasia (ED) pose substantial orthopedic risks to its heavy build, supplemented by genetic hazards such as degenerative myelopathy or junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB). The Kaukasischer Owtscharka-Club e.V. therefore makes radiographic screenings for HD (A to C, where C may only be mated with A) as well as ED (0 to 2, where 2 may only be mated with 0) mandatory for breeding approval. A responsible breeder additionally tests the parents for degenerative myelopathy, junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB), and hyperuricosuria (HUU), where carrier animals may only be mated with clear partners. Before purchasing, insist on seeing the complete official X-ray evaluations for HD and ED along with the corresponding DNA results of the parent animals.
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 Central Asian Shepherd Dog, Kaukasischer Owtscharka-Club e.V. requires 2 tests for breeding approval, plus 3 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 3 additional clinically recommended screenings that reduce risk in this breed.
In addition to Good:
Junctional epidermolysis bullosa(JEB)
Haut und Fell
Junctional epidermolysis bullosa is a severe genetic skin disorder where the structural connection between the outer layer of skin, called the epidermis, and the deeper layer, the dermis, is unstable. Because these layers do not bind together properly, even minor friction or contact causes them to separate. This separation results in widespread, painful blistering and skin shedding across the body.
Body-fluid analysis · Passing: clear or carrier
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
Hyperuricosuria(HUU)
Nieren
Hyperuricosuria is an inherited metabolic disorder affecting the renal system, specifically how the kidneys process uric acid. Due to a genetic mutation, excess uric acid is excreted into the urine rather than being broken down. This high concentration can cause the acid to crystallize, leading to the formation of painful bladder or kidney stones, also known as uroliths.
Body-fluid analysis · Passing: clear or carrier
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 Kaukasischer Owtscharka-Club e.V.
Acceptable result: Blutprobe eingelagert und DNA-Profil erstellt
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 0–2 (2 only with 0) 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 Central Asian Shepherd Dog 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 Central Asian Shepherd 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