Like any breed, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers face health issues. However, this club has a long history of trying to meet these issues head-on and working to try to eliminate the most severe problems.

MAY 2012 - OFA Now Offers DNA Testing for JADD and CP1

Scientists from the Bannasch Laboratory at the University of California, Davis have developed a DNA test available through the OFA to identify carriers of Juvenile Addison's Disease (JADD) in the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. They have also discovered the genetic cause of ONE FORM of cleft palate (CP1) in the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever.

Select this link to read the letter to the NSDTR Club of Canada from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) announcing that they now offer DNA testing for two important diseases, Cleft palate (CP1) and Juvenile Addison’s Disease (JADD) for the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. 

More information on tests and ordering can be found at these links on the OFA website:

CP1 -   https://secure.offa.org/dnatesting/cp1.html

Hip/Eye/Heart Open Registry

A group of Toller fanciers met in 1980 to establish an open registry to track health issues in the breed. The Health Registry page will give you access to the current database of health clearances sent in by breeders and owners.

PRA testing

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is a genetic eye disease that affects Tollers. Recent discoveries have given Toller breeders a DNA test to help to control this affliction. Read more about it and the steps being taken by breeders to stop this heartbreaking disease on the PRA testing page.

Toller Health Coalition

In 2001 the Executive of the NSDTR Club of Canada formed the Toller Health Coalition (THC). The Executive of the NSDTR Club (USA) has wholeheartedly supported this endeavour. The mandate of the THC is as follows: “The mission of the Toller Health Coalition is to be leaders in the collection, research and dissemination of information, ideas, and knowledge of all issues related to Toller health. Our goal is to give members of the Toller community the resources and wisdom they need that will lead to ongoing and sustained health in their own breeding program and particularly in the breed as a whole.”

The Toller Health Coalition developed and sent out a Health Survey, the results of which are published on the companion website: Tollerhealth. Along with the Toller Health Survey, several other health concerns are discussed and explained.