German Shepherd Dog: health-screening sources

Key facts

GSDCA CHIC list

Hips, elbows and club temperament test [source]

Broader award adds

Cardiac, thyroid and published DM testing [source]

DM result policy

Result itself does not disqualify the Health Award of Merit [source]

CHIC and the Health Award of Merit have different lists

The German Shepherd Dog Club of America’s health page lists OFA hip and elbow evaluation and submission of a passing GSDCA temperament test for its CHIC certificate pathway. The same page describes a broader Health Award of Merit: hips, elbows, temperament, cardiac and thyroid evaluations, plus performance and publication of a degenerative myelopathy DNA test. A dog described as holding one designation should not automatically be credited with every element of the other. The programme name and the underlying results are both needed to understand what was documented.

Published DM status is not a guaranteed outcome

GSDCA states that the DM DNA result does not itself disqualify a dog from its Health Award of Merit while research continues. UC Davis explains that the commonly tested SOD1-associated condition has incomplete penetrance: two copies indicate increased risk, but not every dog with that genotype develops clinical disease. Similar signs can have other causes. The DNA report is therefore a test of a specified variant, not a diagnosis based on weakness, a timetable for future disability or a reason to bypass a veterinarian’s investigation of symptoms.

The temperament element has a limited programme meaning

The inclusion of a passing club temperament test is an unusual feature that should remain labelled as such. It is not a cardiac test, a neurological examination or certification for police, service or protection work. Likewise, OFA’s CHIC number signifies that the required results were made public, not that every possible medical question was resolved. A complete source record retains which GSDCA pathway was followed, the dog’s permanent identification, each examination and its date, and the actual DM result. These details allow the owner and veterinarian to discuss the evidence without collapsing several different award and health systems into one claim of perfect fitness.

Common questions

Sources & further reading

References for this guide. Rules and services can change; check the responsible organisation for current details.

• German Shepherd Dog parent-club health statement (opens in a new tab)
• UC Davis VGL: degenerative myelopathy test scope (opens in a new tab)
• OFA: CHIC certification and limits (opens in a new tab)

Keep exploring