Flat Coated Retriever — questions to ask before paying a deposit
A responsible breeder will have these readily available. Deflection is a red flag.
Histiocytic sarcomacan shorten life or cause chronic pain
An aggressive cancer arising from immune cells, most often in the spleen, lungs or limbs. A UK cohort study found 42% of Flat-Coated Retrievers followed from healthy adulthood died of confirmed cancer, with this type the largest single contributor, and the breed's own health co-ordinators rank it the breed's top concern.
Ask to see: No validated screening or DNA test exists. Ask whether the sire, dam or their close relatives are on the breed society's cause-of-death register and what it shows
UK Kennel Club Breed Health and Conservation Plan — Flat Coated Retriever (2020) (https://fcrs.lon1.digitaloceanspaces.com/uploads/2020/02/BHCPV3.pdf)
Pectinate ligament abnormality (PLA) / glaucomacan shorten life or cause chronic pain
A malformation of the eye's fluid drainage angle that can progress to glaucoma, a painful pressure build-up inside the eye that can cause blindness. The degree of malformation found on examination is closely linked to the risk of later developing glaucoma.
Ask to see: Gonioscopy examination under the BVA/KC/ISDS Eye Scheme (or equivalent) on both parents
UK Kennel Club Breed Health and Conservation Plan — Flat Coated Retriever (2020) (https://fcrs.lon1.digitaloceanspaces.com/uploads/2020/02/BHCPV3.pdf)
Patellar luxationcan shorten life or cause chronic pain
The kneecap slips out of its normal groove, causing an intermittent skipping gait or lameness that can become permanent and sometimes needs surgery. One large single-surgeon study screening the breed over 17 years found it in 23.6% of dogs examined.
Ask to see: Veterinary orthopaedic examination for patellar luxation (OFA evaluation or the breed society's own patellar screening scheme) on both parents
UK Kennel Club Breed Health and Conservation Plan — Flat Coated Retriever (2020) (https://fcrs.lon1.digitaloceanspaces.com/uploads/2020/02/BHCPV3.pdf)
Epilepsy
Recurrent seizures with no identifiable structural or metabolic cause. The breed's health co-ordinators list it among the breed's priority concerns, but no causative gene or DNA test has been found in this breed.
Ask to see: No validated screening or DNA test exists. Ask whether the sire, dam or their close relatives have a seizure history
UK Kennel Club Breed Health and Conservation Plan — Flat Coated Retriever (2020) (https://fcrs.lon1.digitaloceanspaces.com/uploads/2020/02/BHCPV3.pdf)
Hip dysplasia
Malformation of the hip joint that can progress to osteoarthritis. It is required under the Kennel Club's Assured Breeder Scheme for this breed, though the Kennel Club's own analysis found this breed's heritability estimate to be the lowest of 15 UK breeds studied.
Ask to see: Hip score from a recognised scheme (OFA or BVA/KC) on both parents
UK Kennel Club Breed Health and Conservation Plan — Flat Coated Retriever (2020) (https://fcrs.lon1.digitaloceanspaces.com/uploads/2020/02/BHCPV3.pdf)