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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 Morkie we have compiled 1 mandatory and 17 recommended health tests, drawn from breed-club regulations, the University of PEI (CIDD), and OMIA — weighted by severity and heritability.
What this grade means
As a crossbreed of a Maltese (Grade B) and a Yorkshire Terrier (Grade C), the Morkie benefits health-wise from mating two distinct lines. The risk of purely recessive single-gene disorders drops significantly in F1 hybrids. Nevertheless, risks typical of toy breeds remain. Chief among these is patellar luxation, alongside conditions such as tracheal collapse, malocclusion, or portosystemic shunt. Health-focused breeding relies on targeted screening of the parent animals for patellar luxation, cardiac, and ocular diseases to minimize hereditary conditions in the offspring.
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 Morkie we track 1 mandatory tests plus 17 additional recommended ones. 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 are not always predictive of severity in the puppies. Even so, they're a powerful tool used by every responsible breeder.
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 performs all mandatory tests plus 17 additional clinically recommended screenings that reduce risk in this breed.
In addition to mandatory tests:
Cleft palate
Allgemeine Fitness und Anatomie
A cleft palate is a congenital birth defect where the roof of the mouth fails to fuse properly during development in the womb. This failure leaves an abnormal opening between the oral cavity and the nasal passages. Because these two systems are directly connected, food, liquids, and air cannot be properly separated during swallowing.
Physisch
Dental abnormalities
Andere
Dental abnormalities refer to congenital or acquired malformations of the teeth and jaw structure, affecting the skeletal and digestive systems of the mouth. This includes malocclusions, which are misalignments where the upper and lower teeth do not meet properly, as well as missing or extra teeth. These structural issues can interfere with normal chewing and cause teeth to rub painfully against the sensitive tissues of the mouth.
Tracheal collapse(TC)
Atmung
Tracheal collapse is a progressive respiratory condition where the C-shaped cartilage rings that keep the windpipe (trachea) open begin to weaken and flatten. As these supportive rings lose their rigidity, the airway narrows, making it difficult for air to pass smoothly into the lungs. This mechanical failure of the respiratory tract leads to chronic irritation and breathing difficulties.
Roentgen
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.
Augen
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.
Congenital blindness
Augen und Sehvermögen
Congenital blindness is a severe or complete loss of vision present from birth, affecting the eyes and the neural pathways connected to the brain. It is caused by developmental abnormalities in key structures like the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, or the optic nerve. These structural defects prevent visual signals from being properly formed or transmitted.
Physisch
Cataract(HC)
Augen und Sehvermögen
A cataract is a progressive clouding of the lens inside the dog's eye, which is the clear structure that focuses light onto the retina at the back of the eye. When the lens becomes cloudy or opaque, it blocks light from entering, gradually impairing the dog's vision. If left untreated, this condition can eventually lead to complete blindness in the affected eye.
Augen
Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease(LCPD)
Bewegungsapparat
Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is a serious orthopedic condition affecting the hip joint, primarily in small breed dogs. It occurs when the blood supply to the head of the thigh bone, known as the femur, is spontaneously disrupted. Without blood, this bone tissue dies and collapses, leading to severe joint inflammation and pain.
Roentgen
Cryptorchidism
Fortpflanzung
Cryptorchidism is a developmental condition of the male reproductive system where one or both testicles fail to descend normally into the scrotum. Instead, the undescended testicle remains trapped inside the abdomen or in the groin area. This failure to descend is a physical development issue rather than an active illness, but it alters how the reproductive organs develop.
Physisch
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.
Ultraschall
Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's syndrome)(HAC)
Hormonelles und Stoffwechsel
Cushing's syndrome is a hormonal disorder affecting the endocrine system, where the adrenal glands chronically produce too much of the stress hormone cortisol. This overproduction disrupts the dog's normal metabolism, fluid balance, and immune system function. It is typically caused by a benign tumor in either the pituitary gland or the adrenal glands themselves.
Koerperfluessigkeiten
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 often linked to specific genetic variants, such as those associated with certain coat patterns like merle or piebald, or breed-specific conditions like Early Onset Adult Deafness (EOAD). This genetic defect causes the vital blood supply to the inner ear to fail, leading to the permanent degeneration of the hearing nerve cells.
Physisch
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.
Physisch
Hydrocephalus
Nervensystem
Hydrocephalus is a neurological condition affecting the brain and nervous system, commonly referred to as water on the brain. It occurs when cerebrospinal fluid, the natural protective liquid surrounding the brain, builds up abnormally inside the brain's cavities, known as ventricles. This accumulation creates harmful pressure on the surrounding brain tissue, which can impair normal brain function.
Roentgen
Shaker dog syndrome(GTS)
Nervensystem
Shaker dog syndrome is an inflammatory condition affecting the cerebellum, which is the part of the brain responsible for coordinating voluntary muscle movements. This inflammation, believed to be an immune-mediated response where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own nervous tissue, leads to uncontrollable full-body tremors. The exact underlying cause of this brain inflammation remains unknown.
Roentgen
Urolithiasis
Nieren
Urolithiasis is the formation of mineral stones within the urinary tract, which includes the kidneys, bladder, and connecting tubes. These solid crystal clusters develop when minerals in the urine clump together instead of dissolving. Over time, these stones can irritate the sensitive lining of the urinary system or completely block the flow of urine.
Portosystemic hepatic encephalopathy(PSS)
Stoffwechsel
This is a neurological condition caused by liver dysfunction, typically occurring when abnormal blood vessels bypass the liver. Because the liver cannot filter toxins from the bloodstream, these harmful substances build up and directly affect the brain. This lack of proper filtration leads to central nervous system dysfunction.
These levels are a comparison framework, not an official certification. They help compare breeding programs at a glance.
A complete checklist with every mandatory and 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 tested for Patellar Luxation and show a passing result.
We compile mandatory tests from official breed regulations and veterinary databases — and cross-check every uploaded certificate against the dog's profile using AI.
L1 = mandatory under breed-club regulations. L2 = 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 AI-extracted and checked for date, result, and consistency with the dog's profile — with our team reviewing anything inconclusive.
1 tests are currently mandatory under the relevant breed-club regulations. The most common are Patellar Luxation (PL). Every test must be completed before mating, and the result must fall within the threshold defined by the regulation.
Self-check
Answer 6 quick questions about your everyday life and see how well the Morkie fits you — including an honest cost estimate per month, per year, and across the dog's lifetime.
See breeders who have already uploaded their mandatory tests for verification.
View verified breeders