Breeders urged to utilise tests to make responsible breeding decisions
The Kennel Club has approved two new DNA testing schemes following consultation with breed health coordinators.
The first is a new official DNA testing scheme for Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) in the French bulldog. The second is for Degenerative Encephalopathy (DE) in the Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever.
Breeders are urged to utilise the tests in order to make responsible breeding decisions to further improve the health of these breeds.
"We constantly review DNA testing schemes in conjunction with breed clubs to ensure that breeders are supported with tools and resources which help them to breed healthy dogs, and to help give puppy buyers the best chance at buying a healthy puppy," explains Kennel Club secretary, Caroline Kisko.
"The Kennel Club continues to work alongside clubs and breed health coordinators, in a collaborative effort to improve the health of pedigree dogs and we are happy to accommodate a club's request to add a new DNA test to its lists."
Test results will be added to the dog's registration details, triggering the publication of the result in the next available Breeds Records Supplement.
The result will also appear on any new registration certificate issued for the dog and on the registration certificates of any future progeny of the dog.
To find out which laboratories the Kennel Club is able to record results from, and which labs will send results to the Kennel Club, please refer to the worldwide DNA testing list at www.thekennelclub.org.
Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.
