It is our goal as breeders to produce the best quality Catahoulas that we humanly can. Just as we
would not knowingly place a bad part in a car, neither would we knowingly breed a defect into our
gene pool. Though Mother Nature has a mind of her own we do our best to ensure the health and
quality of our breeding stock & offspring by testing our dogs for various genetic defects common
with this breed. When our offspring is tested it gives us a wealth of information and helps us decide
whether or not to repeat the breeding. Through continuous self education & testing we can strive to
improve our line and the Catahoula as a breed. We keep our standards high in order to do our part
in producing quality dogs and improving the Catahoula.
Hip Testing
This is our number one requirement when we choose to breed. Both PennHip (after 4 months of
age) & OFA (after 2 years of age) require a series of x-rays done through a licensed veterinarian.
They are simple procedures that usually require light anesthesia & a days stay at the hospital.
Though the there is a price to pay for the procedure itself the knowledge is invaluable. Dysplasia is
a genetic disease & can be passed on to the offspring for generations which can be devastating to
entire litters & their futures as healthy animals. Symptoms may appear both at a very young age or
later on in life & sometimes not at all. Even if a dog has never shown any signs of dysplasia it may
still be passed on through the genes. Testing your dog is the only way to know! We require proof of
a passing hip score from either PennHip or OFA before a breeding to one of our studs will be
approved.
PennHip is a very accurate method of measuring the tightness of the hip joint in it's socket. Dogs
with tighter hips are less likely to develop degenerative joint disease (DJD) in the future. The
radiographs can also tell if there is signs of DJD as early as 4 months old.
OFA is a certification program that judges the quality of the dog's hips & elbows either as a
preliminary (prior to 24 months) or as an adult. (after 24 months). Xrays are taken and the films
are then sent to OFA and is then examined by 3 board certified veterinarians who grade the hips to
the best of their knowledge. Passing results (excellent, good & fair) are then placed into the OFA
public database for future reference.
In recent times we have had poor experiences with xrays vs OFA results. Since any veterinarian can
take and submit the xrays, if the xrays themselves are poor, as were several of ours, then the
results will be poor. Repeating the films with a specialist gives OFA a chance to upgrade the original
results however OFA does not seem to be inclined to upgrade more than is necessary to pass the
hips the second time around. It is better to get good xrays from a trusted veterinarian the 1st time
through as the test itself has the potential to be suggestive based on the perfection of the
positioning of the dog & the clarity of the films.
It is our personal opinion that PennHip is a much more accurate method of hip testing & though we
do not discredit the value of the OFA test by any means we will use our PennHip results as our
primary creditation as well as take other attributes & factors into account when rating our dogs as
breeding animals.
- More Information & a list of cooperating veterinarians:
Penn Hip (University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program)
O.F.A. (Orthopaedic Foundation of America)
Pumpkin Hill Catahoulas, located in Florida, keeps a very up-to-date & informative list of tested
dogs and their scores. To view this data please go to their website:
BAER & CERF Testing
Our dogs have been both BAER & Cerf tested. All puppies will have been tested prior to releasing
them to their new owners. New owners will receive all corresponding paperwork associated with
these tests.
BAER also known as brainstem auditory evoked response is an electronic method of testing the
dog's hearing. By using small electrodes placed under the skin of the scalp electrical activity in the
auditory pathways of the brain can be collected and hearing ability can be determined. Deafness is a
common defect in the Catahoula.
The CERF ( Canine Eye Registration Foundation) test is a thorough eye exam done by a certified
veterinary opthamologist to determine whether a dog has a heritable eye disease or other eye
condition by using dialating eye drops & special scopes. A copy of the results are then sent in to
CERF for their records but may be entered into their registry for a small fee. Catahoulas are prone
to various eye disorders including but not limited to coloboma, micropthalmos and blindness. These
conditions are more prominent in excessive white dogs (70% white or more) but can affect any dog.
More information & a list of cooperating veterinarians:
BAER (brainstem auditory evoked response)
CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation)
- DNA Testing
Beginning Spring 2009 all of our breeding stock will start to be tested for the merle gene as we feel
necessary. The merle gene is responsible for the leoparding in the Catahoula as well as a handful of
other breeds and is linked to ophthamolic and auditory abnormalities This test determines whether
or not a dog carries the merle gene and in what capacity by identifing a single or double merle as
well as cryptic merles (dogs who show no signs of merle traits). Though it is not mandatory it is
important when breeding as it allows the breeder to avoid undesireable merle to merle breedings
and also to predict coat colors in expected offspring. It will give us as breeders a broader view of
what we are doing genetically.
More information:
GenMark DNA Testing
- Brucellosis Testing
Beginning Spring 2009 all of our dogs will undergo Brucellosis testing. We will require proof of a
negative Brucellosis test before a breeding to one of our studs will be approved.
Brucellosis is a bacterial disease that causes abortion and infertility in dogs and is passed via the
mucous membranes. The bacteria may enter the body through the nose, mouth, conjunctiva of the
eye, and vagina. The majority of bacteria in infected dogs are secreted in semen and vaginal fluids,
but bacteria may be present in milk, urine and saliva as well. Thus any bodily fluids can infect
another dog. For all intents and purposes this is a permanant condition as it is difficult and costly to
treat and dogs may have relapses. It is a zoonotic bacteria and may be spread to humans under the
right conditions though the level of infectivity varies depending on the bacteria type. Testing for
Brucellosis is a simple blood test that your veterinarian can do for you.
More information:
Canine Brucellosis FAQ (pdf)
Contact us if you have any questions regarding our testing policies
- Policies may change at our discretion without notice.
This Page is available in print.
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