At Lyrvid Siberians, we take health testing seriously. Every dog in our breeding programme is tested for all conditions recommended for the Siberian Husky breed before being used for breeding. We believe transparency about health is fundamental to ethical breeding, and we are happy to share the results of all tests with prospective puppy buyers on request.

Hip Scoring

Hip dysplasia is a developmental condition that can cause pain and mobility problems. All our breeding dogs are hip scored under the British Veterinary Association (BVA) Hip Dysplasia Scheme. Each hip is scored individually and a combined total is produced — the lower the score, the better. The breed mean score for Siberian Huskies is used as a guide, and we only breed from dogs with acceptable scores.

Eye Testing

Siberian Huskies can be affected by several hereditary eye conditions, including cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy. Our dogs are eye tested annually under the BVA Eye Scheme by a specialist veterinary ophthalmologist. Results are graded as Unaffected, Affected, or Clinically Unaffected.

SPS1 — Shaking Puppy Syndrome, Type 1

Shaking Puppy Syndrome 1 (SPS1) is a hereditary neurological disease of Siberian Huskies that causes debilitating nervous system problems affecting an affected dog’s ability to walk. Signs become noticeable when puppies start to walk at around 2 weeks of age and include tremors, difficulty walking, and incoordination. Unlike most other forms of shaking puppy syndrome in other breeds, all affected SPS1 dogs evaluated to date have experienced sudden death by 2 years of age. It is caused by a recessive gene mutation, meaning a dog must inherit two copies of the faulty gene to be affected. Carriers (one copy) are healthy but can pass the mutation to their offspring.

All our breeding dogs are DNA tested for SPS1. We only ever produce Clear/Clear or Clear/Carrier pairings, meaning no puppies from our litters can ever be affected by this condition.

SHPN1 — Siberian Husky Polyneuropathy, Type 1

Siberian Husky Polyneuropathy 1 (SHPN1) is a hereditary neurological disease of Siberian Huskies with a juvenile onset, affecting most dogs before they are two years of age. It is a debilitating nervous system disease that can severely impact an affected dog’s quality of life. Signs can include gait abnormalities, loss of coordination (ataxia), muscle weakness and muscle atrophy with the hind legs being more affected. The disease is progressive and can lead to further inability to get around, muscle tremors and/or muscle contractures. Like SPS1, it is caused by a recessive gene mutation, meaning a dog must inherit two copies of the faulty gene to be affected. Carriers (one copy) are healthy but can pass the mutation to their offspring.

All our breeding dogs are DNA tested for SHPN1. We only produce pairings where no puppies can be affected.

Embark DNA

In addition to the above scheme tests, our dogs are tested using the Embark DNA panel, which screens for over 250 genetic health conditions as well as providing detailed breed ancestry and trait information. Full Embark results are available on request.

Kennel Club Registration

All our puppies are registered with the Kennel Club and come with a five-generation pedigree. We are committed to full transparency and can provide copies of all health test certificates for both parents before you commit to a puppy. If you have any questions about our health testing, please get in touch — we are always happy to discuss this in detail.