Loading health guide
Health Testing Guide
Which tests matter, how to spot responsible breeders — and what it costs when things go wrong.
For the Chinese Crested Dog we've compiled 3 tests in the recommended health standard and 4 additionally recommended tests, drawn from veterinary databases such as CIDD (University of PEI) and OMIA — weighted by severity and heritability.
View verified breedersWhat this grade means
The Chinese Crested Dog receives a grade of C because, despite its manageable size, it carries a serious package of hereditary diseases. In particular, the painful Primary Lens Luxation (PLL) and the fatal Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (NCL) strictly require genetic testing of the parent animals. In addition, polygenically inherited patellar luxation remains a constant risk for the joints that cannot simply be ruled out via a DNA test.
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 recommended health standard for the Chinese Crested Dog covers 3 tests, plus 4 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 4 additional clinically recommended screenings that reduce risk in this breed.
In addition to Good:
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
Multiple system degeneration, SERAC1-related(CMSD)
Nervensystem
This is a severe, inherited disorder of the nervous system caused by a genetic mutation in the SERAC1 gene. The mutation disrupts cellular lipid metabolism, which is the process cells use to break down and use fats. This disruption leads to progressive damage to nerve cells in both the brain and the spinal cord.
Passing: clear or carrier
Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis(NCL)
Nervensystem
Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (NCL) is an inherited metabolic disorder that affects the nervous system. It occurs when nerve cells in the brain and eyes are unable to properly recycle cellular waste, leading to a harmful buildup of these materials that permanently damages the tissues.
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
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 — Lens luxation
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.
These hereditary conditions are currently classified as most relevant for the Chinese Crested Dog: Lens luxation (PLL), Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) (PRA), Patellar Luxation (PL). 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 Chinese Crested 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