Good Health is always important in any dog, and the English Springer Spaniel like many other breeds has a small number of inherited diseases that can affect it's health. Thankfully, most of these diseases can be tested for, and if you are intended to breed from your dog/bitch, then these tests should always be carried out prior to the mating.

Most of these tests are carried out after the dog reaches 12 months of age, so over the next few months Isla will be tested for the following: -

Glaucoma - which is a very painful eye condition, that often results in the dog having to have their eye/s removed. This is a ‘one off’ test, that is carried out by an eye specialist.

Generalised Progressive Retinal Atrophy or GPRA as it is more commonly known - this disease will always result in the dog going blind. There is now a DNA test for part of this disease, but it should always be included in your dogs annual eye test.

Central Progressive Retinal Atrophy - CPRA - Complete blindness is unusual. An annual eye test is required.

Multifocal Retinal Dysplasia - MRD- A type of retinal malformation - which can cause blindness. Annual eye test required

Canine Fucosidosis - this affects young dogs and can be fatal. There is a DNA test for this, so it only has to be carried out once. If your dog has been bred from Fucosidoses clear parents, then the test is not required.

Hip Dysplasia - a malformation of the hip joints. To determine the condition of the hips an x-ray is required – again this is a ‘one off’ x-ray.

Hepatitis - severe liver disease, sadly there is not a test as yet for this illness, and the research into this is still ongoing, unfortunately there is a very high mortality rate.

Further information of all of the above, and the tests required can be found on the website of the Southern English Springer Spaniel Society www.sesss.org

Canine Fucosidosis - Isla has been bred from clear parents, so she does not need to have a test herself.

Glaucoma - Isla has been tested clear on 13th October 2007

PRA, MRD & CPRA - Isla has been tested clear on 13 October 2007

Hip Dyspasia - Isla's hip score is 9 in total - the breed mean score is 13 - so her hips are GOOD!!!