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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 Miniature Poodle we've compiled 4 core tests (3 of them required by Deutscher Pudel-Klub e.V.) and 11 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 Miniature Poodle, genetic risks primarily exist for patellar luxation (PL), cataracts, and progressive rod-cone degeneration (PRA-prcd). Responsible breeders thoroughly examine their animals before breeding and additionally test for degenerative myelopathy (DM), where carriers are only mated with clear partners. Ask for written proof that the breeding animals meet the requirements of the Deutscher Pudel-Klub e.V.: a patellar luxation finding of at most PL 0–1, freedom from cataracts, and a test result for PRA-prcd in which a carrier is exclusively mated with a clear partner. In addition, the club recommends an examination for elbow dysplasia (ED).
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 Miniature Poodle covers 4 tests, 3 of them required by Deutscher Pudel-Klub e.V., plus 11 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 11 additional clinically recommended screenings that reduce risk in this breed.
In addition to Good:
Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA)(IMHA)
Andere
Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) is a severe condition where the dog's immune system mistakenly identifies its own red blood cells as foreign threats and destroys them. Because red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen, this destruction leads to a critical oxygen shortage throughout the body's organs. This disease primarily impacts the immune and circulatory systems.
Body-fluid analysis
Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia(IMT)
Andere
Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia is an autoimmune disease where the dog's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys its own blood platelets, which are cells essential for normal blood clotting. This destruction occurs primarily in the spleen and liver, leaving the body with too few platelets to stop bleeding. Without enough of these cells, spontaneous and potentially severe bleeding can occur throughout the body.
Body-fluid analysis
Elbow Dysplasia(ED)
Bewegungsapparat
Elbow dysplasia is a developmental disorder of the musculoskeletal system where the three bones forming the elbow joint do not fit together properly. This misalignment causes abnormal friction and wear on the joint cartilage, eventually leading to painful, chronic joint inflammation and arthritis. It is a complex genetic condition influenced by multiple genes.
X-ray · Passing: ED-Untersuchungsunterlagen ausgefüllt
Lupus erythematosus (systemic, cutaneous/discoid)(SLE)
Haut und Fell
Lupus erythematosus is a severe autoimmune disease where the dog's immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues. In the cutaneous or discoid form, this damage is limited to the skin, while the systemic form can affect multiple internal organs, including the kidneys, joints, and blood vessels. This abnormal immune response causes chronic inflammation and tissue damage throughout the affected areas.
Body-fluid analysis
Mitral valve dysplasia(MVD)
Herz
Mitral valve dysplasia is a congenital heart defect where the mitral valve, which acts as a one-way gate on the left side of the heart, does not form correctly. This malformation prevents the valve from closing tightly, allowing blood to leak backward instead of pumping efficiently to the body. Over time, this leakage strains the heart muscle, which can lead to heart enlargement and eventual heart failure.
Ultrasound
Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)(PDA)
Herz
Patent ductus arteriosus is a congenital heart defect where a normal fetal blood vessel connecting the aorta and the pulmonary artery fails to close shortly after birth. This failure allows blood to continuously recirculate through the lungs instead of flowing to the rest of the body, putting severe, permanent strain on the heart muscle. Over time, this volume overload causes the left side of the heart to enlarge and weaken.
Ultrasound
Intervertebral disc disease(IVDD)
Nervensystem
Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) is a degenerative condition affecting the spine, where the cushioning discs between the vertebrae harden and rupture. When these discs herniate, meaning they bulge or burst, they press against the spinal cord and surrounding nerves. This compression disrupts the nervous system, causing pain and potentially blocking signals between the brain and the limbs.
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
Globoid cell leukodystrophy (galactocerebrosidosis)(GCL)
Nervensystem
Globoid cell leukodystrophy is an inherited metabolic disorder affecting the nervous system, caused by a deficiency in an essential enzyme. This deficiency leads to the buildup of harmful substances that destroy myelin, which is the protective sheath surrounding nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. Without this protective covering, the nerves cannot transmit signals properly, resulting in progressive neurological decline.
DNA test
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
Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency(PK)
Stoffwechsel
Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency is an inherited metabolic disorder affecting red blood cells, which lack a vital enzyme needed to produce energy. Without this enzyme, the red blood cells break down prematurely, leading to a severe shortage of oxygen-carrying cells, a condition known as chronic anemia. Over time, this constant cell destruction can cause secondary damage to organs like the liver and bone marrow.
DNA test
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 — Patellar Luxation
Both parents must be PL 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.
The Miniature Poodle 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 Miniature Poodle 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