The Japanese Chin Club of America, Inc. recommends that all Japanese Chin breeders follow the health testing recommendations of the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) to screen systematically for congenital conditions involving the eyes, heart, and patellas, and to DNA test for the GM2 mutation.
OFA Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) Program Requirements
Dogs meeting these basic health screening requirements will be issued CHIC numbers. For CHIC certification, all results do not need to be normal, but the results must all be publicly available in the OFA database so that responsible breeders can make more informed breeding decisions. For potential puppy buyers, CHIC certification is a good indicator that the breeder responsibly factors good health into their selection criteria.
The Japanese Chin breed-specific list below represents the basic health screening recommendations. It is not all-encompassing. There may be other health screening tests appropriate for this breed, and there may be other health concerns for which there is no commonly accepted screening protocol available:
- ACVO Eye Exam, Eye Examination Once 36 Months Old. Results must be registered with OFA.
- Patellar Luxation, OFA Evaluation, Minimum Age of 1 Year.
- Gangliosidosis (GM2), DNA Test Results from anApproved Lab; Cardiac Evaluation, Advanced Cardiac Exam or Basic Cardiac Exam, Minimum Age of 4 Years. Exam to be performedby a board-certified cardiologist.
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