Barbet Health

BCA Health Statement

The Barbet Club of America is the AKC parent club for the Barbet in the United States.  As part of our club’s goal to preserve and protect our breed we encourage Barbet breeder members to complete the recommended pre-breeding health tests on their Barbet, prior to breeding, and share the results on the public, searchable database: Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).

Inclusion in both the CHIC program and the Barbet Club of America Breeder listing requires public results from hip and elbow X-rays (OFA or PennHIP), regular eye examinations by a board certified veterinary ophthalmologist, as well as the PRA/PRCD Dna test. Barbet are generally healthy dogs however, hip dysplasia, eye conditions and to a lesser extent elbow dysplasia are diseases which are known to affect the breed.  While health testing does not guarantee that a dog will not develop eye or joint issues, knowing the results allows breeders and puppy buyers to make informed decisions.

Responsible breeders strive to reduce the possibility of breeding puppies that are affected by these diseases. Other health screening examinations carried out on Barbet may include cardiac and thyroid testing, knee X-rays, as well as the test for the D-locus dilution gene. 

Epilepsy, immune system problems, and tick related illnesses have also occurred and should be noted.