All dogs, purebred or mixed breed can be subject to hereditary disorders. It simply depends on the genes that they inherit and if certain problems occured in related dogs. Some pure breeds have a higher incidence of certain disorders. That doesn't mean that all dogs of that breed have those problems, simply that the breed in general has a higher rate of the disorder. Conscientious breeders screen all of their animals for hereditary disorders in order to, if not eliminate, minimize the risks of certain disorders occuring in their animals. We will cover a few of the most common types of hereditary disorders. If you are considering the purchase of a puppy find out what hereditary disorders are common to the breed(s) your considering and ask the breeder what clearances they have obtained on their animals.

Here is a link to a site that lists genetic disorders that have shown up in certain breeds. The list seems to include disorders that are rare at best in certain breeds and has left out some serious problems in other breeds. So our suggestion is to use this list as a starting point for discussion with breeders.