Thread: What health-test do you do?

I am not a breeder, but I will put up a couple of links to the breeder of two of our four MCs as an example of one of the most thorough of US MC breeders. She does multiple tests on her breeding cats, including DNA testing for HCM (MyBpc3) and SMA, HD, plus has HCM exams performed yearly by certified vet. cardiologists. She has copies of much of this info on her website with the cats and we got copies of test results with the kittens. Here are links to the pedigree and health links for two of her females (note test links on the pages):
Pedigree of RW, SGC Witchcraft Flash Fire of Chemicoons
Pedigree for OD DGC Chemicoons Madame Marie Curie

I believe the majority of serious US MC breeders at least claim to be doing HCM genetic testing. Some claim to be doing cardiology screenings as well, although since there are so few vet cardiologists outside of major cities, these claims appear questionable. Based on our own personal experience with two MCs, I would recommend that anyone considering an echocardiogram only bother having it done by a certified vet cardiologist. Last year one of our MCs was mistakenly diagnosed as having "severe HCM" by a radiology vet at a specialty group no less. Luckily the above breeder got cat an emergency appt. with cardiologist that showed the other vet had misinterpreted an uncommon but benign heart variation. So frankly, you may be wasting your money having a non-cardiologist do echos on your cats.

There are also some US breeders that believe that the HCM concern is overblown, and they continue to breed known heterozygous cats with desirable characteristics, in a line where they believe the health prognosis is good despite potential hetero status.