Buyer Education
How to Read Your Puppy's DNA Health Results
Your breeder sends you a link to a DNA report. Here's how to read it — what sections matter, what the results mean, and what questions to ask afterward.
May 10, 2024 · 6 min read
Finding the Health Section
Layouts differ by company. Embark reports, for example, include sections such as Breed Results, Traits, Relatives, and Health, while Wisdom Panel and GenSol Diagnostics organize results in their own way. For a breeding dog, the health results matter most: look for the tab or section listing every tested genetic condition for that individual dog.
Reading the Results: Clear, Carrier, At Risk
- Clear (0 copies): The dog does not carry this variant. Cannot pass it to offspring.
- Carrier (1 copy): Dog is healthy but carries one copy. Can pass to 50% of offspring. Breeders must not pair two carriers for the same condition.
- At Risk (2 copies): Dog carries two copies and will be affected. Should not be bred for that condition.
Which Conditions to Focus On for Common Breeds
- For any Poodle or Poodle cross: prcd-PRA, Neonatal Encephalopathy, GM2 Gangliosidosis, von Willebrand Disease
- For Cavalier or Cavalier cross: Episodic Falling, Dry Eye/Curly Coat, Macrothrombocytopenia — AND ask for cardiac clearance separately (not DNA testable)
- For Yorkies and Biewer Terriers: PRA, Degenerative Myelopathy, Congenital Hypothyroidism with Goiter
What If a Parent Is a Carrier?
Being a carrier is not automatically disqualifying. A carrier bred to a clear dog produces no affected puppies — only potential carriers and clear dogs. The important question is: what is the other parent's status? If BOTH parents are carriers for the same condition, affected puppies are possible. Ask specifically about any carrier result: 'Is the other parent clear for this condition?'
Limitations of DNA Testing
DNA panels test many conditions — but not all genetic diseases are DNA-testable. Some conditions (like Cavalier Mitral Valve Disease and syringomyelia) require clinical evaluation, not a cheek swab. A clean DNA report does not mean a dog is completely health-cleared — it means the tested conditions were negative. Ask what other health testing (OFA, cardiac, ophthalmic exams) the breeder has done beyond DNA.