Staffordshire Bull Terrier

We advise that breeders use DNA tests, screening schemes and inbreeding coefficient calculators to help breed the healthiest dogs possible.

Priority health schemes and tests

The Kennel Club's Assured Breeders must use the following (or equivalent) schemes, tests and advice. All other breeders are strongly advised to also use these.

• Eye screening scheme (BVA/KC/ISDS)
• DNA test - HC-HSF4 - part of The Kennel Club DNA Testing Services* (see below). Find a list of tested dogs
• DNA test - L-2HGA - part of The Kennel Club DNA Testing Services* (see below). Find a list of tested dogs

Important health schemes and tests

We strongly recommend that all breeders, both assured breeders (ABs) and non ABs, use the following (or equivalent) schemes, tests and advice.

• Litter eye screening for PHPV
• Check inbreeding calculators

*The Kennel Club DNA Testing Services - simple to use and easy to organise all-in-one DNA tests

The DNA tests listed above marked with an asterisk (*) are included in our DNA Testing Services. This includes:

• HC-HSF4 (Hereditary cataract)
• L2-HGA (L2-Hydroxyglutaric aciduria)
• DNA profile (SNP ISAG 2020)

Kennel Club Assured breeders and Kennel Club Accredited Instructors receive a 10% discount.

Find out more about The Kennel Club DNA Testing Services.

Find out about a particular dog's results

Please visit our Health Test Results Finder to discover the DNA or screening scheme test results for any dog on The Kennel Club's Breed Register.

You can also view the inbreeding coefficient calculation for a puppy's parents, or for a dog you're thinking of breeding from.

Have any questions about health in your breed?

If you have any concerns about a particular health condition in your breed then you may wish to speak to your vet or you could contact your breed health co-ordinator.

Breed health co-ordinators are individuals working on behalf of breed clubs and councils who are advocates for the health and welfare of their chosen breed. They acts as a spokesperson on matters of health and will collaborate with The Kennel Club on any health concerns the breed may have.

To contact your breed health co-ordinator please email either 

Gemma Rowe

or 

Nicky Mason

The Breed Health and Conservation Plans

Our breed health and conservations plans (BHCPs) use evidence and data to help us understand the health issues found in each pedigree dog breed. These plans help breeders and owners identify health and welfare problems and use information, health tests and health schemes to avoid passing on those problems to future puppies. They also support and provide breeders with tools and specialist expertise to help manage genetic diversity, understand the impacts of close breeding, and find the best ways to preserve the population of their breed.

Working together for the breed

We’ve worked with breed clubs and breed representatives to gather all available evidence to help us determine the priority concerns for the breed and decide how we can work together to manage and reduce these problems.

Breed priorities

The current key priorities for the breed are:

• L-2-Hydroxyglutaric aciduria (L2-HGA)
• Skin conditions

How we plan to make improvements

We’ve agreed the following list of actions with the breed clubs to improve the health of the breed. Both parties are committed to working on these areas and will review these on a regular basis to ensure the actions remain focussed and relevant to the breed’s health.

Breed Club actions include:

• The Breed Clubs to continue to liaise with The Kennel Club Genetics Centre and ourselves with respect to L2-HGA affected dogs in the breed – IN PROGRESS
• The Breed Clubs to continue to encourage uptake in eye and litter screening
• The Breed Clubs to continue to encourage patellar screening and collate results
• The Breed Clubs and ourselves to explore collaborative routes in raising the profile of L2-HGA amongst breeders, puppy buyers and veterinarians

Our actions include:

• To repeat the breed’s population analysis. – IN PROGRESS
• To explore the possibility of developing a reporting database to allow for monitoring of conditions in the breed – IN PROGRESS
• To continue to monitor skin and cancer research relevant to the breed
• To explore the possibility of developing a formal patellar screening scheme to allow for recording of results
• To explore relevant cruciate research where the breed could be included

The full evidence base is available at the discretion of the breed clubs, however if you would like to seek access to the full report, please contact our health team.

Health (The Kennel Club)

 

How do I use this information?

Breeders should be mindful of the top priorities in their breed and ensure they are working to reduce and eliminate the presence of these diseases when choosing to breed their dogs.

Puppy buyers should also be aware of these issues and be sure to ask their breeder how they are contributing towards the above actions, and whether any of these problems have been seen in their breeding lines.