Health Testing ~ Bringing you the Healthiest Dogs Possible!

The AKSCI mandates all breeding dogs follow strict health testing insuring the healthiest dogs possible. Our club works with geneticists and reproductive veterinarians, DNA is required on all our breeding dogs. Our mandatory health tests include, but are not limited to: 

Hips

XRays through PennHip and OFA. Hip dysplasia is commonly seen in large breed dogs. This is an abnormal formation of the hip socket that causes lameness and arthritis of the joints. It is a genetic (polygenic) trait that is affected by environmental factors. 

Elbows

Xrays through OFA

DNA

Testing through Embark or other approved labs.

Degenerative Myelopathy

To determine which dogs are clear, a carrier or potentially affected.

DM is a terrible disease affecting the spinal cord, resulting in slowly progressive hind limb weakness and paralysis. 

Hearts

GSD Inherited Ventricular Arrhythmias  (GSDIVA) is a devastating inherited disease affecting young dogs causing sudden death. There are no outward symptoms so the only way to test is by holtering young dogs with a 24 hour portable EKG. Although the AKSCI has had no incidents of the disease in any of our lines it is quite predominant in Shiloh Shepherds so all foundation dogs with Shiloh Shepherds in the first three generations must be tested. In the future, the AKSCI plans on acquiring many holters and testing every puppy in all litters. 

Heart auscultation must be done on all breeding dogs and if any anomaly is found dogs must undergo an echo cardiogram ensuring that their heart structure is normal.

Breed Specific Diseases

All foundation outcross dogs used in the development of the Kings will have health testing done for diseases specific within that breed.