Bolognese Dog Health

The Bolognese is, as a whole, a very healthy breed.  Conscientious breeders of the Bolognese are taking preventative measures to insure good health in the Bolognese for the future generations.  The American Bolognese Club encourages its breeder members to practice routine health screening of their breeding pairs and the offspring puppies.

The ABC recommends that those who are shopping for a Bolognese puppy request that the breeder produce written proof of at least two very important and basic tests.  These tests should be done annually.  Below is a brief explanation of these tests:

What is CAER?

OFA CAER exams are ophthalmic examinations performed by American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologist (ACVO) Diplomates, to assess dogs for the presence or absence of observable hereditary eye disease. Dogs with normal exam results will receive OFA eye certification numbers that are valid for one year.

What is Patellar Evaluation?

Luxating patella (or trick knee, subluxation of patella, or floating patella) is a condition in which the patella, or kneecap, dislocates or moves out of its normal location.

Patellar luxation is a common condition in dogs, particularly small and miniature breeds. Diagnosis is made through palpation of the knee, to see if it slips inside the joint more than would normally be expected. Often a dog-owner may be told his pet has “loose knee,” but this is not a medical term, and it is not correct to use it interchangeably with Luxating Patella. Luxating Patella cannot be present without the knee being loose, but a loose knee is not necessarily slipping out of the joint. Even with Luxating Patella, there may be no symptoms or only mild ones, such as intermittent limping in the rear leg.

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, (OFA) has a standardized evaluation form which can be used by any licensed veterinarian.  Go to this link to learn how the exam is done. healthy small dog breeds bolognese dog health