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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 Norwegian Elkhound we've compiled 1 mandatory and 7 recommended health tests, drawn from breed-club regulations, the University of PEI (CIDD), and OMIA — weighted by severity and heritability.
View verified breedersWhat this grade means
The Norwegian Elkhound is a robust working dog, but it does carry some breed-specific vulnerabilities. While hip dysplasia (HD) is well controlled through strict breeding regulations, buyers need to keep an eye on progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and hereditary renal dysplasia. Those who ensure the parent animals are verifiably tested will gain a very resilient companion here.
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 Norwegian Elkhound we track 1 mandatory tests plus 7 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 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 performs all mandatory tests plus 7 additional clinically recommended screenings that reduce risk in this breed.
In addition to mandatory tests:
Cataract(HC)
Augen
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.
Eye examination · Passing: clear
Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma(POAG)
Augen
Primary open-angle glaucoma is an inherited eye disease where the natural fluid inside the eye cannot drain properly. This fluid buildup causes a gradual increase in pressure within the eyeball, which eventually damages the optic nerve, the connection between the eye and the brain. Without management, this pressure leads to permanent blindness.
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
Retinal Dysplasia(RD)
Augen
Retinal dysplasia is a congenital condition affecting the eyes, where the retina (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye) does not develop properly during growth in the womb. This abnormal development leads to structural defects like folds or gaps in the retinal layers. Because the retina is responsible for sending visual signals to the brain, these imperfections can impair normal vision.
Eye examination · Passing: clear
Chondrodysplasia, SLC13A1-related
Bewegungsapparat
This is an inherited form of dwarfism affecting the skeletal system, specifically bone and cartilage development. It is caused by a genetic mutation that leads to a deficiency in sulfate, a compound crucial for healthy bone growth. Without enough sulfate, the dog's skeleton cannot develop to its normal size and structure.
Passing: clear or carrier
Familial Nephropathy(FN)
Nieren
Familial Nephropathy (FN) is an inherited kidney disease caused by a genetic defect in collagen, which is a vital structural protein. This defect damages the kidneys' filtering units, preventing them from properly removing waste products from the blood. Over time, this leads to progressive and irreversible kidney failure.
Body-fluid analysis · Passing: clear
Fanconi syndrome(FS)
Nieren
Fanconi syndrome is an inherited kidney disorder affecting the renal tubules, which are the tiny filtering tubes within the kidneys. Instead of reabsorbing vital nutrients like glucose, amino acids, and electrolytes back into the bloodstream, these damaged tubules allow them to be lost in the urine. This leads to a severe depletion of essential compounds that the dog's body needs to function properly.
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 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 — Hip dysplasia
Both parents must be HD A–B or better.
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 read by AI and checked for date, result, and consistency with the dog's profile — our team reviews anything inconclusive.
The Norwegian Elkhound 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 Norwegian Elkhound 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