Health Testing
As veterinarians and preservation breeders, health is the foundation of our breeding program.
The Cirneco dell’Etna currently has no formal parent-club health screening recommendations. In the absence of an established breed-specific protocol, we have chosen a proactive approach based on the health information currently available and our own evaluation of what is meaningful for the breed.
Before breeding, our dogs under go:
Hip evaluation
Cardiac evaluation
Comprehensive ophthalmic examination
Because the Cirneco has a small worldwide population, we believe thoughtful screening, careful record keeping, and open sharing of health information are especially important. Our protocol is not intended to be static; as meaningful new information becomes available, it will evolve with it.
One important recent development is Cirneco Oculo-Neurological Syndrome (CONS), an inherited disorder associated with a pathogenic variant in the AMPD2 gene. Genetic testing is now becoming available, and we plan to incorporate CONS screening into our breeding program as we learn more about the condition and its prevalence within the breed. Our goal is not to perform testing simply to create a longer checklist. It is to use the best information available to make thoughtful breeding decisions that protect both the health and the genetic future of the Cirneco dell’Etna.
You can learn more about recommended health testing through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).
