Labrador Retriever Health Certification Information

My goal with Hunting Lab Pedigree is to create a Informative and interactive website database. Below is a brief Explanation of some of the certification information that you will come across in this database. This is NOT to replace any information provided from corresponding originations. To find out more about any particular certification please visit the appropriate links.

OFA: The Orthopedic foundation for Animals (OFA) is a organization that Rates several different types orthopedic and genetic diseases of animals. Their website http://www.offa.org/diseaseinfo.html has plethora of information. Please note: Any OFA or CERF number seen in this database SHOULD also be found in the OFA database.

How to read the OFA numbers.

HIP Dysplasia

Example: LR-100E24M-PI

LR = Breed Code, in this case a Labrador Retriever
100 = Ascending numerical identifier given to each animal within a breed evaluated as normal and given a number, in this case the 100th Labrador to be given a number
E = The phenotypic OFA evaluation, in this case E = Excellent, other normal phenotypes include G (Good) and F (Fair).
24 = The age in months when the testing was done, in this case 24 months
M = Sex, in this case a male
PI or VPI = Indicates that the animal has been permanently identified in the form of tattoo or microchip. If the dog is permanently identified AND the id has been verified and signed off by the attending veterinarian, a suffix of VPI is applied. If the animals lacks permanent identification, a suffix of NOPI is applied.

Sometime you will see:

OFA100G -- This is a short version: 100 = ofa number G = Good

Elbow Dysplasia

Example: GR-EL500F36-PI

GR = Breed Code, in this case a Golden Retriever
EL = OFA Database, in this case Elbow (EL)
500 = Ascending numerical identifier given to each animal within a breed evaluated as normal and given a number, in this case the 500th Golden to be given an elbow number
F = Sex
36 = The age in months when the testing was done, in this case 36 months
PI or VPI = Indicates that the animal has been permanently identified in the form of tattoo or microchip. If the dog is permanently identified AND the id has been verified and signed off by the attending veterinarian, a suffix of VPI is applied. If the animals lacks permanent identification, a suffix of NOPI is applied

CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation)

WHAT IS CERF?

The Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF) is an organization that was founded by a group of concerned, purebred owner/breeders who recognized that the quality of their dog's lives were being affected by heritable eye disease. CERF was then established in conjunction with cooperating, board certified, veterinary ophthalmologists, as a means to accomplish the goal of elimination of heritable eye disease in all purebred dogs by forming a centralized, national registry.

To find out more about CERF please Visit http://www.vmdb.org/cerf.htm

CERF Number can also be found on the OFA database.

Eye CERF

How to read the CERF numbers.

Example: LR-49912/2007

LR = Breed Code, in this case a Labrador Retriever
49912 = Ascending numerical identifier given to each animal within a breed evaluated as normal and given a number, in this case the 49912th Labrador Retriever to be given a Cerf number
2007 = Year CERF was done

Centronuclear Myopathy (CNM)

CNM has also been called Labrador Muscular Myopathy or Type II myopathy, ARMD and/or HMLR.

Excerpt and modified from Article by Drs. Tiret and Blot
Published in Retriever Field Trial News and Retrievers On Line ; winter 2005

At birth, affected puppies are indistinguishable from their control littermates but as from two weeks of age, a progressive significant weight loss is observed. At one month of age, the absence of tendon reflexes is noticed and used as an early and reliable diagnosis. The age of onset of the disabling phenotype varies between 2 to 5 months, with an awkward gait and a decreased exercise tolerance, associated with a generalized muscle weakness. The pup will never recover from this disabling disease.

To Find out more about CNM please visit www.labradorcnm.com

Please note: Any CNM number seen in this database SHOULD also be found in the CNM white list database. Someone typing in clear is not acceptable. They should have a number involved with it.

How to read the CNM numbers.

Example: LR-CNM07-440-F-PI

LR = Breed Code, in this case a Labrador Retriever
CNM07 = Type of Test (CNM) and year it was taken (2007)
440 = Numerical identifier given to each animal within a breed evaluated as normal and given a number, in this case the 440th Labrador Retriever to be given a Cerf number. (This is their CNM number)
F = Female (or M = male)

PI = Indicates the level of certification. There are three levels of decreasing reliability: (SEE BELOW)
1- if the animal has been permanently identified in the form of tattoo or microchip and sampling certified by an independent veterinarian, a suffix of PIV is applied;

2- if the animal has been permanently identified in the form of tattoo or microchip but the sample was not certified by a veterinarian, a suffix of PI is applied;

3- if the animal lacks permanent identification and therefore the sample could not be certified by a veterinarian, a suffix of NOPI is applied.

Clear by Parentage: This is NOT an acceptable result according to CNM. To read more please click here

Exercise Induced Collapse in Labrador Retrievers (EIC)

The Syndrome of EIC (the following information is taken directly from the University of Minnesota Veterinary School website)

Exercise-induced collapse (EIC) is a recently recognized disorder of increasing significance in Labrador Retrievers, especially those dogs used for hunting and field trials. Dogs affected with EIC develop muscle weakness, incoordination and life-threatening collapse after just five to fifteen minutes of field exercise and cannot participate in many types of strenuous activities. The condition also exists undetected in Labradors that are not routinely participating in such activity, and likely also exists to an as yet unknown extent in a number of other breeds. Dogs affected with EIC usually cannot continue with strenuous retriever training, but may live good lives as family pets.

Research performed by Dr. Sue Taylor and colleagues at the University of Saskatchewan is responsible for most of our knowledge concerning the clinical and physiological characteristics of EIC, as well as criteria for diagnosis, medical issues, and evaluation of various therapies.

To find out more about EIC please visit http://www.vdl.umn.edu/vdl/ourservices/canineneuromuscular/home.html (This is the University of Minnesota Veterinary School website)

Please educate yourselves! The more you know the better future our hunting companions will have!

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