Australian Cattle Dog — questions to ask before paying a deposit
A responsible breeder will have these readily available. Deflection is a red flag.
Hip dysplasia
Malformation of the hip joint that can progress to arthritis and lameness. It is one of the parent club's required CHIC tests.
Ask to see: A hip evaluation via OFA, OVC or PennHIP, on both parents.
Australian Cattle Dog Club of America — OFA-CHIC Health Testing Requirements (https://www.acdca.org/chic-requirements/)
Elbow dysplasia
Developmental abnormalities of the elbow joint causing pain and lameness, usually evaluated from two years of age. It is one of the parent club's required CHIC tests.
Ask to see: An elbow evaluation via OFA or OVC, on both parents.
Australian Cattle Dog Club of America — OFA-CHIC Health Testing Requirements (https://www.acdca.org/chic-requirements/)
Progressive retinal atrophy (prcd variant)can shorten life or cause chronic pain
An inherited, progressive degeneration of the retina leading to blindness, usually starting with loss of night vision in early adulthood.
Ask to see: A prcd-PRA DNA test from an approved laboratory, on both parents — one of the parent club's required CHIC tests.
Australian Cattle Dog Club of America — OFA-CHIC Health Testing Requirements (https://www.acdca.org/chic-requirements/)
Congenital deafnesscan shorten life or cause chronic pain
Hearing loss present from birth, linked in this breed to the same pigment-related genetics that produce its coat pattern. It can affect one or both ears and does not improve.
Ask to see: A BAER (brainstem auditory evoked response) test, on both parents — one of the parent club's required CHIC tests.
Australian Cattle Dog Club of America — OFA-CHIC Health Testing Requirements (https://www.acdca.org/chic-requirements/)
Primary lens luxation (PLL)can shorten life or cause chronic pain
A weakness in the fibres holding the eye's lens in place, causing the lens to dislocate in adulthood. This is a veterinary emergency: untreated, it can cause glaucoma and blindness.
Ask to see: A DNA test for the ADAMTS17 mutation, on both parents, from an approved laboratory — one of the parent club's required CHIC tests, added in 2014.
Australian Cattle Dog Club of America — OFA-CHIC Health Testing Requirements (https://www.acdca.org/chic-requirements/)