HEALTH and GENETIC TESTING for STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIERS
By Margo Milde
SBTCA Health Education Chair
(Last updated August 2008)

The most common health and genetic tests used by breeders and owners of Staffordshire Bull Terriers includes evaluations for Hip Dysplasia, Elbow Dysplasia, Patellar Luxation, L-2-HGA (L-2-Hydroxyglutaric Aciduria), and Hereditary (Juvenile) Cataracts. Less commonly used tests include the Cardiac (Heart) test (used to detect heart murmurs), the BAER hearing test (used to detect congenital deafness) and Thyroid evaluations (to screen for hypothyroidism). The following links to summaries relate to each of these evaluations.

• BAER HEARING (Test for congenital deafness)
• CARDIAC (Heart; records cardiac murmurs as indication of congenital cardiac disease)
• ELBOW DYSPLASIA
• HEREDITARY CATARACTS
• HIP DYSPLASIA
• L-2-HGA (L-2-Hydroxyglutaric Aciduria)
• PATELLAR LUXATION
  
• THYROID (Test for hypothyroidism)