We diligently disease test our parent dogs to know if they are worthy of producing puppies. Don't just take our word for it, the proof is in the official veterinary certificates.
At Safari Doodles, we use both OFA health testing and DNA testing because they tell us different things about a dog’s health.
OFA and physical health testing
Our Cavapoos, Cavaliers and Poodles are evaluated for important physical health concerns. These veterinary exams are recorded at OFA, the authority on certifying the testing results.
Hips
Checked for hip dysplasia and proper joint development with an x-ray then evaluated by three OFA radiologists.
Patellas
Vet exam to make sure the kneecaps stay properly in place.
Heart
Screened for heart abnormalities such as murmurs and other signs of heart disease. The Cavaliers and Cavapoos are heart tested with a veterinary Cardiologist and many of the dogs also get an Echocardiogram screening.
Eyes
Examined for inherited and developmental eye problems by a veterinary ophthalmologist.
These tests help us evaluate how the dog’s body has actually developed.
Eye exam by a Veterinary Ophthalmologist
DNA testing
DNA testing looks at the genes a Cavapoo inherited from both its Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle ancestry.
DNA testing can identify inherited disease variants a Cavapoo may receive from either its Cavalier or Poodle ancestry. Companies such as Embark test for more than 200 canine genetic health conditions, although not every condition is relevant to every breed.
At Safari Doodles, our breeding lines have been DNA tested through well-established laboratories such as Embark, Paw Print Genetics, Animal Genetics, and other recognized canine DNA testing companies.
DNA results can also be inherited predictably. For many of the diseases included on canine DNA panels, the condition is autosomal recessive. This means a puppy generally needs to inherit one disease-causing copy from each parent to be affected.
For these recessive conditions:
Clear × Clear: All puppies will be genetically clear for that tested variant. Because both parents can only pass a normal copy, an offspring retained for breeding does not need to be retested for that particular variant. Its clear status is known by parentage.
Clear × Carrier: No puppies can be affected. Some puppies may inherit the carrier parent's variant and become carriers themselves, but they will receive a normal copy from the clear parent.
This is why an individual dog does not necessarily need to be DNA tested for every condition when its genetic status can already be proven through its parents or ancestors.
The important goal is not simply for every breeding dog to have a DNA test of its own. The goal is to know the genetic status of the breeding pair and make sure two dogs carrying the same recessive disease variant are not bred together.
DNA testing also helps us understand traits such as:
Genetic diversity
Coat type
Shedding
Curl
Color
Why both types of testing matter
DNA testing cannot tell us whether a dog has good hips, normal kneecaps or a healthy heart.
And a physical exam cannot tell us which hidden recessive genes a dog carries.
That is why we use both OFA and DNA testing.
Before breeding, we look at the individual dog's health testing and DNA results, then carefully match parents so we can reduce avoidable inherited risk.
No testing can guarantee that a puppy will never develop a health problem, but comprehensive health screening gives us far more information to make responsible breeding decisions and helps us give our Cavapoo puppies the best possible start.
The pictures below show a few Safari Doodles parents with their OFA CHIC and DNA testing. OFA CHIC means a dog has completed the breed specific health screenings required for CHIC and the results have been made publicly available. A CHIC number does not necessarily mean every individual result was normal.
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