Hip Dysplasia

X-rays of the hip joints are taken at approximately 12 months of age and scored by an accredited vet to give a hip score for each dog. Hip Dysplasia is an extremely complicated disease that is controlled by many genes as well as environmental factors. A large number of dog breeds are plagued by this problem to varying degrees. HD has become extreme in some of the larger breeds such as Golden Retrievers, Rotwielers and Labradors. The Australian Labradoodle has a very low incident rate of HD, and as a group we breeders are striving to ensure that it remains that way.

We have been screening our dogs for the past 10 years using the AVA style scoring system. In the last 12 months we have started to use PennHIP as well. Now, most of our breeding dogs now have their hips assesed using both these grading systems. We feel as breeders this provides us with a detailed assesment of our dogs hips to help us make the best decisions when choosing individual dogs and breeding pairs.

Click here for more information on AVA style hip scoring.

Click here for more information on PennHip scoring.

Elbow Dysplasia

This test in performed at the same time as the Hip Dysplasia. X-rays are taken of the dogs elbow joints and given a score. All Rusty Amber Breeding dogs have attained perfect scores of 0. This genetic condition is very rare in Australian Labradoodles

Rusty Amber Labradoodles DNA testing program

We have been carrying out DNA testing on all our dogs since 2005. All dogs entering our program are DNA profiled. The major disease that we have been using genetic testing to help eradicate is

prcdPRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy)

DNA testing has allowed us to ensure that none of our pups will ever suffer from this disease that can result in blindness. All our breeding stock are now tested and we breed selectively to ensure none of our pups will express this genetic condition.

In early 2013 we began using a DNA testing Laboratory that also was able to provide tests for the following diseases that can be found in some of the Australian Labradoodle parent breeds. While these diseases are largely unheard of in the Australian Labradoodle, testing for them gives us the ability to make sure our dogs will never suffer from these genetic conditions.

1. PRA-prcd
2. Cystinuria
3. Centronuclear Myopathy
4. Exercise Induced Collapse
5. Myotubuular Myopathy X Linked
6. Neonatal Encephalopathy
7. Von willebrands disease Type I
8. Degenerative Myelopathy
9. Autosomal Hereditary Recessive Nephropathy
10. Phosphofructokinase Deficiency

 

All our breeding dogs are now tested for all these genetic diseases prior to joining our program.