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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 Xoloitzcuintle we've compiled 2 tests required by Club für Exotische Rassehunde e.V. and 3 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 Xoloitzcuintle, the primary focus is on orthopedic risks such as hip dysplasia (HD) and patellar luxation (PL), as well as breed-specific characteristics. The Club für Exotische Rassehunde e.V. therefore mandates screening for HD (maximum HD C, mated only with A or B), PL (grade 0 to 1, grade 1 only with 0), as well as a mandatory tooth and bite evaluation for breeding. Health-oriented breeders additionally screen for elbow dysplasia (ED) and test for progressive retinal atrophy. Have the official test results for HD, PL, and the dentition of the parents presented to you, and ensure that in the case of progressive retinal atrophy, a carrier is mated exclusively with a clear partner.
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 Xoloitzcuintle, Club für Exotische Rassehunde e.V. requires 2 tests for breeding approval, plus 3 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 3 additional clinically recommended screenings that reduce risk in this breed.
In addition to Good:
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
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 0–2 (2 only with 0/1)
Congenital heart defect
Herz
A congenital heart defect is a structural malformation of the heart or its major blood vessels that develops before birth. These physical abnormalities disrupt the normal flow of blood through the cardiovascular system, making it harder for the heart to pump oxygen throughout the body. This structural strain can lead to fluid buildup and reduces the dog's overall stamina.
Passing: normal
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 Club für Exotische Rassehunde e.V.
Acceptable result: result on file
Dental and bite evaluation
Required by Club für Exotische Rassehunde e.V.
Acceptable result: Bestimmung des Zahnstatus mittels CER-Zahnschema
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 — Hip dysplasia
Both parents must be HD A–C (C only with A/B) 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 Xoloitzcuintle: Hip dysplasia (HD), 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 Xoloitzcuintle 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