Why Test for Exercise Induced Collapse?

For all of the Lab enthusiasts out there, this is a necessity! For good reason, exercise-induced collapse is a hot topic right now in hunting dogs. I am not going to review all of the signs, symptoms and other facts surrounding this disease. You can view these here! But, I am going to comment on why you need to have your dog tested, your breeding male/female tested, and a new puppy tested. Testing is simple and straightforward! Blood, dewclaws, semen and mouth swabs can all be submitted.

Why Test your Pet?

Testing a pet Lab is a good idea because it helps you and your veterinarian rule out other diseases. EIC is a relatively new disease and some veterinarians, unless they know about hunting dogs, may be unfamiliar with the signs and symptoms. For instance, a seizure disorder or some other neurologic disorder may be confused with EIC. Knowing whether or not your pet Lab is positive can aid your veterinarian in ruling in or out a disease process.

Testing Breeding Dogs?

Testing a breeding dog is pretty straightforward. Identifying breeding dogs can assure you and potential puppy buyers of the status of the puppies. Puppies testing “clear” should be more valuable.

Why Test Puppies?

If you know the status of the parents, it may not be necessary to test a newly acquired puppy. However, if you don’t know the status of the parents, testing is a necessity. Testing a potential puppy prospect for EIC assures you that your puppy will not suffer from this disease. Nothing is more frustrating than putting a dog in training and then discovering three to six months later that your dog is not going to make it because of EIC.  Talk about a lot of wasted time and money. One thing to mention is that all puppies in a litter may not test the same. Do not assume since one puppy is negative that all puppies in the same litter will also be negative.