The Most Common Hereditary Dog Diseases
These inherited conditions affect the most dog breeds — ranked, with severity and a link to every affected breed.
Key takeaways
Some inherited diseases appear across very many breeds. Knowing them lets you ask a breeder for exactly the right tests.
- The ranking shows the conditions affecting the most breeds.
- For most of these conditions, recognised breeding tests exist.
- Each condition links to a detail page with symptoms and tests.
The most widespread hereditary diseases
- 1Hip dysplasiahigh severity
377 breeds affected
- 2Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)high severity
229 breeds affected
- 3Elbow Dysplasiahigh severity
223 breeds affected
- 4Cataracthigh severity
205 breeds affected
- 5Ectropion / Entropionmoderate severity
178 breeds affected
- 6Patellar Luxationmoderate severity
178 breeds affected
- 7Degenerative Myelopathyvery severe
124 breeds affected
- 8Ocular anomaliesmoderate severity
100 breeds affected
- 9
94 breeds affected
- 10Retinal Dysplasiamoderate severity
83 breeds affected
- 11Lens luxationvery severe
79 breeds affected
- 12Epilepsyvery severe
71 breeds affected
- 13
68 breeds affected
- 14Primary Open-Angle Glaucomahigh severity
66 breeds affected
- 15Corneal dystrophymoderate severity
60 breeds affected
- 16Congenital deafnessmoderate severity
52 breeds affected
- 17Hyperuricosuriamoderate severity
51 breeds affected
- 18Distichiasismoderate severity
50 breeds affected
- 19Collie eye anomaly (CEA)moderate severity
49 breeds affected
- 20Persistent pupillary membranes (PPM)low severity
49 breeds affected
- 21Hypothyroidismmoderate severity
48 breeds affected
- 22Cryptorchidismmoderate severity
43 breeds affected
- 23Dental abnormalitiesmoderate severity
42 breeds affected
- 24von Willebrand's diseasemoderate severity
41 breeds affected
- 25Dilated cardiomyopathyvery severe
37 breeds affected
- 26Optic nerve hypoplasia and micropapillamoderate severity
37 breeds affected
- 27Persistent Hyperplastic Tunica Vasculosa Lentis (PHTVL) and Persistent Hyperplastic Primary Vitreous (PHPV)high severity
36 breeds affected
- 28Gastric dilatation-volvulusvery severe
35 breeds affected
- 29Heart diseasevery severe
35 breeds affected
- 30Zahn- und Bissbewertunglow severity
35 breeds affected
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common hereditary disease in dogs?
Among the most widespread are skeletal conditions such as hip dysplasia (HD) and various eye conditions. The current ranking by number of affected breeds is above.
Can hereditary diseases be detected before buying?
For many of them there are tests on the parents — X-rays, eye exams or DNA tests. A good breeder presents these results.
Are hereditary diseases curable?
It depends on the condition. Some are very manageable, others can only be eased. That is why prevention through responsible breeding matters so much.
Why HonestDog?
What makes HonestDog different from other platforms
Full transparency
We lay out what we have: who the breeder is, how they work, and any health records they've uploaded. So you can judge for yourself.
Responsible breeding, assured
Every breeder on HonestDog has their identity and documents checked before their profile goes live. Health records they upload are shown on the profile, so you can see exactly what has been tested.
Trust and verification
We verify breeders and buyers alike, so every conversation happens on solid ground. It's a new standard of trust in dog breeding.
Less hassle, more time
We've already checked the breeders' documents and gathered the details, so you can skip the endless research and focus on finding the right puppy for your family.
Our Mission
We connect dog lovers with responsible breeders and shelters to ensure every dog finds the perfect home.
Founded by dog enthusiasts, our platform focuses on ethical dog breeding and adoption.
Why HonestDog?
We connect you with vetted breeders and shelters so you can find your — your new companion — with confidence.
Vetted Partners
Only verified breeders and shelters — for a safe start.
Highest Standards
Every animal's health and wellbeing is our top priority.
Guides & Resources
Guides, checklists, and breed profiles — so you can make a well-informed decision.