Breeding resources and health schemes

Launched in 1965, this scheme was designed to address the problem of hip dysplasia. The scheme evaluates radiographs that have been taken of an individual dog’s hips. Each hip is evaluated by two experts who score nine anatomical features of the hip and score each hip out of a total of 53. The two hip scores are then added together to give an overall total hip score. A dog’s hip score can therefore range from 0 to 106, and the lower the hip scores, the better the anatomy of the dog’s hips.

Each year the BVA/KC Hip Scoring Scheme evaluates approximately 12,000 dogs registered with The Kennel Club.

Launched in 1998, this scheme has been designed to address elbow dysplasia. Each dog is assessed from radiographs that are taken of the dog’s elbows. Each elbow is graded by two specialists on a scale of 0 to 3. The lower the grade, the better the anatomy of the elbow. In this scheme, if the dog has two different elbow grades, the higher of the two is used as the dog’s elbow grade.

Each year the BVA/KC elbow scoring scheme evaluates approximately 9,000 dogs registered with The Kennel Club.

This scheme has two lists, schedule A and schedule B. Schedule A contains all of the known inherited eye diseases and the breeds that are currently considered to be affected by these conditions. Schedule B lists breeds and conditions where further investigation is urged.

Specialist panellists, appointed by the BVA, can examine any individual dog for clinical signs of these diseases. Some of these inherited eye diseases are not present from birth and breeders especially are advised to have their breeding stock examined throughout their dog's life.

Each year the BVA/KC/ISDS Eye Scheme evaluates approximately 12,000 dogs registered with The Kennel Club.

Launched in January 2012, this is the most recently developed scheme. MRI scans, carried out under BVA procedures, are reviewed by a panel of BVA-appointed neurologists and radiologists and graded by two scrutinisers. Grading is assigned according to the severity of the CM and SM changes. As CM/SM is a progressive condition, scans throughout the dog’s lifetime are recommended, generally at years 1, 3-5, and over 5.

The BVA/KC CM/SM Scheme screened has evaluated over 400 dogs since its launch.

The Respiratory Function Grading Scheme was launched in 2019 and evaluates Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Pugs for a progressive breathing disorder that can have a life-limiting impact and can impair a dog's ability to sleep, eat, play and exercise.

For the assessment, a specially trained assessor uses a stethoscope to listen to a dog's breathing while it is calm and relaxed and then again after three minutes of quick-paced exercise. Each dog is then given a grade from 0 to 3, with grade 0 dogs being unaffected and grade 3 dogs showing severe signs.

The scheme evaluates around 763 dogs a year.

The Kennel Club Heart Scheme assesses Cavalier King Charles Spaniels for mitral valve disease and other potentially significant heart diseases.

The scheme advises owners if their dog is affected by heart disease and gives guidance to breeders on how to lower the risk of producing affected puppies. A number of approved cardiologists (vets specially trained in heart conditions) have been appointed to carry out heart grading on dogs.

The scheme evaluates around 300 dogs each year.

The estimated breeding values resource is used by breeders to assess the degree to which a dog may have inherited, or pass on, genes associated with hip or elbow dysplasia.

The Health Test Results Finder is a resource to allow breeders and potential puppy buyers to search for health test and screening scheme results for any dog registered on The Kennel Club’s Breed Register.

The Inbreeding Co-efficient calculators, among other things, can be used to run the scenario of how inbred potential puppies would be from a hypothetical mating.