Canine Health Information Center (CHIC)

A CHIC certificate is available to all Mastiffs tested and certified for health status with respect to hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, heart abnormalities and eye problems. Hip, elbow and eye certification must be after 24 months of age. Heart after 12 months. When getting OFA certifications, including prelims, be sure to initial the authorization block to release all results - this is VERY important! Some of the accepted certifications are listed below:

OFA - Orthopedic Foundation For Animals

Orthopedic Foundation for Animals
2300 E Nifong Boulevard
Columbia, Missouri, 65201-3856

Phone: (573) 442-0418
Fax: (573) 875-5073

Email: ofa@offa.org

Hip Dysplasia Certification

Requires x-rays taken of hips in a particular position by a veterinarian and sent to OFA with the appropriate forms. The standard OFA certification number format for mastiff hips is MF-xxxxRnnS-PI or MF-xxxxRnnS-NOPI where

1. MF indicates "mastiff"
2. xxxx indicates that this is the xxxx'th mastiff to be registered by the OFA as free of hip dysplasia
3. R indicates whether the hips were rated as Excellent, Good, or Fair
4. nn indicates the age in months of the mastiff when the hips were x-rayed
5. S indicates the mastiffs sex, i.e. Male or Female.
6. PI or NOPI indicates whether or not the dog had permanent identification such as tatoo or microchip

For example the number MF-1432G25F-PI would indicate a female mastiff x-rayed at 25 months of age whose hips were rated by OFA as "good", and she was the 1432 mastiff registered by the OFA as free of hip dysplasia. X-rays taken when the dog is between 6 and 23 months old can be sent to OFA for a preliminary evaluation. To be assigned an OFA number, the dog must be 24 months of age or older.

OFA Elbow Registry

Requires x-rays taken of the elbows and sent to OFA with the appropriate forms.

OFA Heart Registry

Requires an exam by a veterinarian, preferably a cardiologist. An OFA form must be filled out and signed by the veterinarian and owner and mailed to OFA.

CERF - Canine Eye Registration Foundation

Requires an eye exam by a certified veterinary opthomalogist associated with CERF and that CERF forms be filled out by the vet, signed by the owner and mailed to CERF. Eye exams should ideally be done annually with the first exam at around 8 weeks of age prior to leaving the breeder's. Purdue University
Canine Eye Registration Foundation
CERF/Lynn Hall
625 Harrison St.
W. Lafayette, IN 47907-2026
(765) 494-8179

E-mail: canineeye@purdue.edu

Addition health certifications

Dominant Progressive Retinal Atrophy

Gene test for degenerative eye problem. Once the parents are proven clear none of their offspring need to be tested because this is a true genetic test.

Thyroid

Requires a blood sample (6ccs or more) taken by your veterinarian and sent with the appropriate paperwork to a testing lab approved by OFA and an OFA thyroid application.

Patellas

Requires an exam by a veterinarian and the appropriate forms sent to OFA.

vWD - von Willebrand's Disease (bleeding disorder)

Requires blood samples prepared according to instructions.

Diagnostic Laboratory, College Of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University,

P.O. Box 5786, Ithaca, NY 14852-5786 (607) 253-3900 las32@cornell.edu

Cornell University's Comparative Hemotology Lab has a very attractive litter rate for testing vonWillebrands. If you submit the entire litter blood samples at the same time, along with pedigree and copies of reports on the sire and dam performed by their lab or the original New York State lab, their processing fee for the entire litter is $60.00! That leaves only the fee required from your vet to draw, process and ship the blood. This makes it very economical to perform this one time test on your puppies before they go to their new owners. This test can be performed on young puppies as long as you can draw a blood sample and is best when done prior to receiving any shots (which may affect the results).

Cystinuria

Kidney disorder - requires that urine be collected and sent to the University of Pennsylvania.

Cystinuria

Mastiff Club of America (MCOA) Health Awards FAQ