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Health Testing Recommendations

The Lagotto Romagnolo Foundation aspires to protect the breed by encouraging breeders to practice high standards when making choices about breeding.

Watch these educational videos about breeding specific topics like:

“Do your due diligence. It is not your next litter, it is 4-5 generations down that you are going to see problems when you don’t do proper testing” according to Dr. Stora. Health testing is the key to assure a sound breeding program.

Recommend health testing for Lagotti:

Benign Familial Juvenile Epilepsy:

  • Breeding stock should be DNA tested for BFJE prior to breeding.
  • BFJE carrier should only be bred to a normal certified dog.
  • No dogs with results of affected should ever be used in a breeding program.

Lagotto Storage Disease:

  • Breeding stock should be DNA tested for Lagotto Storage Disease (LSD) prior to breeding.
  • LSD carrier should only be bred to a normal certified dog.
  • No dogs with results of affected should ever be used in a breeding program.

Hyperuricosuria (HUU):

  • Breeding stock should be DNA tested for HUU prior to breeding.
  • HUU carrier should only be bred to a normal certified dog.
  • No dogs with results of affected should ever be used in a breeding program.

Hips:

  • OFA:  Hips for dogs 24 months and older, dogs with permanent hip evaluations of “Excellent”, “Good” or “Fair” are considered passing. “Borderline”, “Mild”, “Moderate” or “Severe” should not be bred.
  • PennHip evaluations: are considered passing if the results indicate a “distraction index” (DI) that meets or exceeds the median DI for Lagotto as set forth in the PennHip Evaluation. PennHip recommends that early evaluations after 16 weeks of age can be used for Breeders as a screening tool when deciding to keep a puppy for potential breeding.
  • International hip evaluation:  scores recommended as ‘passing’ for breeding are A or B. Dogs with a score below B are not recommended for breeding. Note: Some countries allow breeding “C” rated hips provided they are bred to dogs with “A” rated hips.

Patellar Luxation:

  • OFA: Evaluation performed by veterinarian after 12 months of age

Eyes:

  • Examination for observable inherited eye disease by an ACVO diplomate (ophthalmologist) with the results registered with either the OFA or CERF.
  • Owners of international dogs should complete a certificate issued by a certified national panel which standards are comparable to the U.S. standard.
  • Eye testing should be performed no more than 12 months prior to any breeding and recertified annually up until the age of eight years.