|
We like to health test our dogs and we like to share the information with
everyone, both good & not so hot. The only way to learn about the health of
a line is to study ancestors and see if problems are present. Please know
that problems can and will pop up from time to time, but
ethical/conscientious breeders test their animals to learn all they can
about their well-being.
The Belgian Malinois is a healthy breed with very few health problems. In order to maintain the integrity of the breed's health & future, we have our dogs OFA certified for hips, elbows and hearts and their eyes cleared by CERF annually. When buying a Malinois puppy, be sure to ask the breeder about these health checks. If the breeder does not have their dogs cleared for hips, elbows and eyes (at the VERY least), run QUICKLY in the opposite direction and contact a breeder who takes the health of the Malinois seriously and certifies their dogs. Cleared means by the OFA and/or PennHip & CERF, not just a vet saying the dogs are "ok". Ask the breeder for copies of the certificates of their breeding animals. Remember that the CERF exam for eyes MUST be done yearly to receive the certification. Elbows have become a serious issue for Malinois and it is reported by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals that 10.55% of the Malinois elbow x-rays that are submitted for evaluation are dysplastic. These are the x-rays that are sent in to OFA for evaluation and there is no way of knowing how many x-rays were never sent in because they looked questionable. Reputable breeders are always willing to share about their dogs' health checks and are more than happy to provide documentation. The following link is to the OFA website. Please check out our dogs' certifications if you are curious about the bloodlines or a particular dog. |
|---|
Click here to visit our guestbook archives
Webpage Design & Maintenance Services by Bekki.
All rights reserved © 1998-2006
This page was last updated 2/22/06