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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 English Setter we've compiled 3 tests required by Verein für Pointer und Setter e.V. and 8 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 English Setter, the primary health risks are hip dysplasia (HD), deafness, and the eye disorder progressive retinal atrophy, rod-cone dysplasia 4. For breeding approval, the Verein für Pointer und Setter e.V. mandates X-ray examinations for hip dysplasia (HD) with a cut-off value of HD A–B, deafness testing confirming bilaterally hearing parent animals, and genetic testing for progressive retinal atrophy, rod-cone dysplasia 4; carriers may only be mated with clear partners. Responsible breeders additionally test for neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) and ectropion / entropion. Before buying, insist on seeing complete official proof of bilateral hearing, HD results, and genetic test findings for both 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 English Setter, Verein für Pointer und Setter e.V. requires 3 tests for breeding approval, plus 8 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 8 additional clinically recommended screenings that reduce risk in this breed.
In addition to Good:
Ectropion / Entropion
Augen
These are structural eyelid abnormalities affecting a dog's eyes. In cases of entropion, the eyelid rolls inward, causing the eyelashes or fur to rub painfully against the surface of the eyeball. In ectropion, the eyelid sags or rolls outward, leaving the sensitive inner lining of the eye exposed and unprotected.
Passing: clear
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) - "dry eye"(KCS)
Augen
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), commonly known as dry eye, is a chronic disease of the ocular system where the tear glands fail to produce enough natural tears. Without this protective moisture, the cornea (the clear surface of the eye) and surrounding tissues become dry, inflamed, and highly susceptible to painful damage.
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
Atopy(CAD)
Haut und Fell
Atopy is a chronic allergic skin disease where a dog's immune system overreacts to common environmental substances like pollen, mold spores, and dust mites. This inappropriate immune response damages the natural protective barrier of the skin, leading to persistent inflammation and irritation. It primarily affects the skin, which is the body's largest organ system.
Skin test
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (Cutaneous asthenia)(EDS)
Haut und Fell
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, also known as cutaneous asthenia, is an inherited connective tissue disorder that affects the skin and joints. It is caused by a genetic defect in collagen, which is the primary structural protein that provides strength and elasticity to tissues. Because of this defect, the skin lacks its normal structural integrity, making it unusually fragile, thin, and loose.
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
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
Hemophilia
Stoffwechsel
Hemophilia is an inherited blood clotting disorder affecting the circulatory system, where the body lacks specific proteins needed for coagulation, which is the process of blood clotting. Because the blood cannot clot properly, even minor injuries can lead to prolonged internal or external bleeding. This condition is inherited through an X-linked genetic trait, meaning it primarily affects male dogs.
Body-fluid analysis · Passing: clear
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 Verein für Pointer und Setter e.V.
Acceptable result: Einlagerung einer Blutprobe (mindestens 5ml EDTA-Blut) zur DNA-Präparation
Wesensbeurteilung
Required by Verein für Pointer und Setter e.V.
Acceptable result: Keine Feststellung von Aggressivität, Scheue oder Ängstlichkeit gegenüber Fremden oder Wildscheue
Dental and bite evaluation
Required by Verein für Pointer und Setter e.V.
Acceptable result: Scheren- oder Zangengebiss; vollständige Zahnanzahl oder bis zu 2 fehlende Prämolare (eingeschränkt)
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 — Progressive Retinal Atrophy, rod-cone dysplasia 4
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.
Not every dog of this breed is affected to the same degree – but these extreme-breeding traits are part of the English Setter'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 English Setter 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