Preventable Pain: Why Genetic Panels Matter

Spring is in the air. The sun is shining today, the snow is finally starting to melt, and it feels like we can all take a full breath again. We’ve entered our first spring specialty, and I’m already looking ahead—getting our puppies out in the ring, out on hikes, and eventually doing what Labradors were born to do… swimming until they’re happily exhausted.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve talked with a lot of families. And yes—those chocolate puppies absolutely blew the lid off our social media. With that excitement came a flood of inquiries, calls, and conversations… and a theme that keeps showing up again and again: many well-meaning families still don’t know what to look for when it comes to health testing. Most people have heard “hips and elbows,” and those absolutely matter. But there’s more than that—much more.
In the past year alone, I’ve spoken with multiple families living through the heartbreak of EIC. And it’s the kind of thing that stays with you, because these aren’t small inconveniences—these are life-altering moments. One family shared a story I still can’t shake: their dog went into trouble in the water and simply disappeared. They lost him. Another family bought a puppy for their son, sweet intentions, excited child, classic Labrador dreams...only to realize the dog would have a seizure-like collapse episode whenever the child played long, bouts of fetch. Imagine that. A boy trying to love his dog the way kids do… and every time the game went on too long, fear replaced joy.

That is not what anyone signs up for.

EIC stands for Exercise-Induced Collapse. It’s an inherited (genetic) condition where a dog can appear completely normal until hard exercise triggers sudden weakness. During an episode—often 5–20 minutes into intense running, retrieving, hunting, or work in hot or humid conditions—a dog may become wobbly in the rear, begin dragging the back legs, look “drunk” or uncoordinated, and in some cases may fully go down, though they usually remain aware and responsive. Most dogs recover within 5–30 minutes if exercise is stopped, they’re kept calm, and cooled down. Heat, excitement, and high drive can make episodes more likely, or more severe. And when it happens in water, the risk becomes unthinkable.

Here’s the part that truly gets me: one of the simplest things a breeder can do is a genetic panel. It requires no vet visit. You order a cheek swab kit, send it back to the lab, and you get clear results. If a dog is an EIC carrier, that doesn’t mean they will show symptoms—it means they carry the gene. But if a carrier is bred to another carrier, you can produce affected puppies. So yes… families are still buying puppies from breeders who aren’t even doing the most basic testing.

And I’m going to say the quiet part out loud: who cares if a dog has excellent hips if they can’t safely play fetch, hike, or swim the way a Labrador is meant to, without fear of collapse?

Please be diligent in your search. There’s so much more than cute puppies, trendy buzzwords, and vague “testing” claims. I see websites every week that don’t even provide proper registered names—just “Maggie” or “Jack,” with no papers listed, no clickable information, and no proof of who those dogs are. Some of these dogs may be imports brought in simply to produce litters, with little concern for long-term health or consistency. Someone recently tagged me in a stud post for an international dog who was supposedly a “world champion”… and I’d never even heard of him or his lineage. (And if you know me, you know I’m not shy about homework.)

I’ve also helped place older dogs for people who reached out because the kennel they bought from didn’t want the dog back. That is a dark side of breeding that doesn’t get talked about enough, and it’s a slippery slope when breeding becomes more transaction than responsibility.

A reputable breeder stands behind what they produce. For us, it’s never “just a transaction or sale.” It’s a commitment. And getting a puppy, any puppy..should never be an impulse decision.

So if you’re looking, please ask for proof that a genetic panel has been done on the parents, and that the breeder GUARANTEES their puppies are not AFFECTED by these conditions as they are 100% preventable! (at minimum):

Exercise-Induced Collapse (EIC)
Centronuclear Myopathy (CNM)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy – prcd (PRA-prcd)
Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)
Hereditary Nasal Parakeratosis (HNPK)

These tests are easy. They’re accessible. And they matter.
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And if a breeder won’t show you results—or brushes it off, or can’t explain it clearly—please don’t talk yourself into a bad decision because the puppies are cute.
If they’re not testing for these… run.