The Russian Black Terrier, on the whole, is a very healthy dog with an average lifespan of 10-12 years, which is relatively long for a large dog breed. 

Since its formation in 1998, the Russian Black Terrier Club has worked tirelessly to improve the overall health of the breed in the UK, not only by getting health tests recognised and recorded by The Royal Kennel Club as these became available, but also by developing an ethical breeding code of conduct for its members and by educational outreach to breeders, current and potential owners of the breed, and dog show judges. 

The Russian Black Terrier Club (RBT Club) believes that it is essential that, before mating takes place, both parents of an Russian Black Terrier (RBT) litter are fully health tested for the hereditary conditions that are commonly present in the breed, and that breeders should make the results of these tests available to prospective owners so that informed decisions can be made when purchasing a RBT puppy. 

There are four health tests that are currently available in the UK for the hereditary conditions that are most commonly present in the RBT that not only are recommended by the RBT Club, but also are recognised, recommended and recorded by the RKC for the RBT. These tests are the x-ray-based Hip and Elbow Scoring (carried out at a minimum of 12 months of age) and the simple cheek swab DNA tests for HUU (Hyperuricosuria) and JLPP (Juvenile Laryngeal Paralysis and Polyneuropathy) that can be carried out at any age from puppy to adult. 

Another test that is available in the UK - and which is strongly recommended by the RBT Club - is the DNA test for the hereditary degenerative eye condition PRA-prcd (Progressive Retinal Atrophy - progressive rod-cone degeneration). Since this condition is new to the UK and Europe, PRA-prcd is currently present only in a small number of dogs, which makes the testing of litter parents essential to avoid the condition spreading. The RBT Club is currently engaging with the RKC in order to have this test recognised, recommended and recorded for the RBT. 

Hip & Elbow Scoring

The British Veterinary Association Hip Dysplasia Scheme for Dogs was established by the BVA and The Royal Kennel Club in 1965, and was followed in 1998 by the Elbow Dysplasia Scheme for Dogs. Both schemes were introduced to reduce the incidence and severity of these two dysplasia, each of which have genetic components that can be passed on to the puppies by the sire and dam. Although these two dysplasia, if present, begin in puppyhood, each can have serious life-long effects on the health, behaviour and welfare of an affected dog. 

Both schemes use X-rays (normally taken at a minimum age of 12 months) to screen for signs of abnormalities caused by the respective conditions. X-rays are reviewed and scored by BVA-appointed expert veterinary surgeons. For RBTs registered with the RKC, their individual scores are recorded and are made available online in the RKC’s Health Test Results Finder. 

Canine Hip Dysplasia is a common inherited orthopaedic problem where abnormalities occur in the hip joints. The severity of this dysplasia can vary from a poorly shaped hip joint with osteoarthritis (a common form of arthritis) to a very deformed hip joint with advanced and very painful osteoarthritis.

The x-rays for left and right hips are scored individually. The hip score is the sum of the points ‘awarded' for each of nine radiographic features in each joint. The lower the score, the less the degree of hip dysplasia. The minimum (best) score for each hip is zero and the maximum (worst) is 53, giving a range for the total score of 0 to 106.

Each year, the BVA calculates a breed median score from all the scores recorded for that breed over the previous five years and is the middle score of the population, i.e. 50% of dogs have a lower score and 50% have a higher score. It therefore represents the hip score of the ‘average dog’ in that breed and dogs with scores which are lower than the median have better than average hips for that breed.

The 5-year breed median score for the Russian Black Terrier for 2022 was 13.

The BVA recommends that breeders should choose breeding stock with hip scores around and, ideally, below the breed median score. 

A leaflet with more in-depth-information on Hip Dysplasia can be downloaded from the BVA website. 

Canine Elbow Dysplasia is a common inherited orthopaedic problem where the elbow does not develop properly. This dysplasia includes a number of specific abnormalities or problems that can have major consequences for the function of the elbow joint which can lead to lameness, osteoarthritis, pain and other serious effects.

The x-rays for left and right elbows are graded individually, with the highest individual elbow grade being the grade for the dog:
0/0= 0
0/1, 1/0 or 1/1= 1
0/2, 2/0, 1/2, 2/1 or 2/2= 2
0/3, 3/0, 1/3, 3/1, 2/3, 3/2 or 3/3= 3 

The grading system is simple:
0 = Normal
1 = Mild osteoarthritis (OA)
2 = Moderate or a primary lesion with no OA
3 = Severe OA or a primary lesion with OA

For RBTs registered with the RKC, their individual scores are recorded and are made available online in the RKC’s Health Test Results Finder.

The BVA recommends that breeders should ideally choose breeding stock with normal (0/0) elbows and that dogs with scores of 2 or 3 should not be used for breeding.

A leaflet with more in-depth-information on Elbow Dysplasia can be downloaded from the BVA website. 

DNA Tests 
DNA tests are available in the UK, Europe and the USA for Hyperuricosuria and Hyperuricemia or Urolithiasis (HUU), Juvenile Laryngeal Paralysis and Polyneuropathy (JLPP) and Progressive Retinal Atrophy - progressive rod-cone degeneration (PRA-prcd). These are all hereditary genetic conditions that are known to be present in the Russian Black Terrier and that are caused by the presence of a mutated gene related to the condition that is autosomal recessive in nature. 

Since genes come in pairs, an autosomal recessive disorder requires that two copies of the abnormal gene - one copy inherited from each parent - must be present in order for an offspring to be affected by the condition. Parents who have one normal gene and one mutated gene are known as carriers, are not affected by the condition, but can pass the condition on to their offspring. Parents with two normal copies of the gene are known as clears, are not affected by the condition and cannot pass it on to their offspring. 

The possible mating combinations and their results are shown in the following chart: 

As can be seen from the chart above, provided that one parent is a Clear, then no affected puppies will be born.
Therefore, the RBT Club strongly recommends that at least one parent in every RBT mating should be a Clear for HUU, JLPP and PRA-prcd as any other combination can, or will, result in the birth of affected puppies. Carrier to Carrier matings should be avoided. 

Since pet insurance companies will not cover hereditary conditions for which DNA tests are available, it is in the interests of RBT breeders - and financially imperative for prospective purchasers – that they ensure that both parents of a litter of RBT puppies are DNA tested for HUU, JLPP and PRA-prcd and the results shown to prospective purchasers. 

If the mating is a Clear to Carrier mating for any of the conditions mentioned, RBT Club recommended best practice is that the breeder DNA test the puppies prior to sale so that prospective purchasers are made fully aware of their chosen puppy’s Clear/Carrier status. 

HUU
HUU (Hyperuricosuria and Hyperuricemia or Urolithiasis) is an autosomal recessive inherited condition that is characterised by high levels of uric acid in the blood (hyperuricemia) and urine (hyperuricosuria), which can lead to the formation of urate stones (uroliths) in the kidneys and bladder. Affected dogs that form stones will do so beginning at around four years of age. 

RBTs have an increased risk of HUU compared to other breeds. Although the condition can sometimes be managed by a diet of specialised low-protein food, a dog that develops stones will often need to have these removed. In males, it is also often necessary to move the urethral opening from the end of the penis to the base of the penis, in an effort to prevent the urethra from being blocked by stones leaving the bladder. This operation and after-care – which is not covered by pet insurance companies and currently costs between £5000 and £7000 pounds - only alleviates the condition but does not cure it, and may need to be repeated. 

The DNA test for HUU is often bundled with the DNA test for JLPP and is available from testing laboratories in the UK that, for RBTs registered with the RKC, report the results to the RKC where individual results are recorded and are made available online in the RKC’s Health Test Results Finder. 

HUU DNA test results are reported by the RKC as Clear, Carrier or Affected. Test results are also often displayed as HUU N/N (Clear), HUU/N (Carrier) and HUU/HUU (Affected). 

Further details on HUU and links to testing laboratories can be found on the RKC website. 

JLPP
JLPP (Juvenile Laryngeal Paralysis and Polyneuropathy) is an autosomal recessive inherited condition that causes deterioration of the nervous system. The longest nerve in the body (the Vagus nerve) which controls the larynx and vocal cords is affected first which leads to breathing difficulty, choking and regurgitation of food, and, as the condition worsens, difficulty in walking. 

JLPP is an incurable and invariably fatal progressive condition, with first symptoms appearing at between 8 and 12 weeks, and affected puppies dying at between 6 and 8 months. Since affected puppies do not survive into adulthood, DNA testing and ethical breeding as advocated by the RBT Club has reduced the incidence of JLPP carriers in the UK to close to zero. 

The DNA test for JLPP is often bundled with the DNA test for HUU and is available from testing laboratories in the UK that, for RBTs registered with the RKC, report the results to the RKC where individual results are recorded and are made available online in the RKC’s Health Test Results Finder. 

JLPP DNA test results are reported by the RKC as Clear, Carrier or Affected. Test results are also often displayed as JLPP N/N (Clear), JLPP/N (Carrier) and JLPP/JLPP (Affected) 

Further details on JLPP and links to testing laboratories can be found on the RKC website. 

PRA-prcd
PRA-prcd (Progressive Retinal Atrophy - progressive rod-cone degeneration) is an autosomal recessive inherited eye condition that affects the light-sensitive rod-cone cells in the retina, causing them to slowly break down over time, leading to vision problems that can result in blindness in older dogs. 

PRA-prcd DNA test results are usually shown as PRA-prcd Clear, Carrier or Affected. 

Although PRA-prcd has been found in Russian Black Terriers in the USA, and litters of affected puppies have been born there, the condition has only recently been found in the UK and Europe and, currently, is believed to exist in only a relatively small number of dogs. This means that breeders of RBTs in the UK and Europe have the opportunity, and the obligation, to stop PRA-prcd becoming endemic in the RBT by DNA testing their breeding stock for PRA-prcd and ensuring that they follow ethical breeding practices such as those advocated by the RBT Club. 

If this condition is ignored and litters are bred without DNA testing for PRA-prcd, within 3 to 4 generations (or approximately ten years) there could potentially be a large gene pool of PRA-prcd carriers in the UK and affected puppies being born. 

Further details on PRA-prcd can be found on the RKC website. 

A leaflet on the BVA/RKC/ ISDS Eye Scheme can be downloaded from the BVA website. 

Your Help Is Needed
As mentioned earlier, the RBT Club is currently engaging with the RKC in order to have the DNA test for PRA-prcd recognised, recommended and recorded in order to help ensure the future health of the RBT breed in the UK. 

To help with this project, the RBT Club kindly asks that ALL RBT owners and breeders in the UK have their dogs DNA tested for PRA-prcd and email a copy of the test results to the RBT Club Breed Health Co-ordinator. These test results are critical in helping to establish the prevalence of PRA-prcd in RBTs in the UK and in persuading the RKC to recognise, recommend and record the results of these tests for the Russian Black Terrier. 

All the DNA testing laboratories that offer HUU and JLPP tests, also offer PRA-prcd tests. 

We hope that you have found this information useful and helpful. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the RBT Club Breed Health Co-ordinator, Paul Perks or any member of the RBT Club Committee as we are all more than happy to offer help and advice to both current Russian Black Terrier owners and prospective puppy purchasers in the UK.

Paul Perks
RBT Club Breed Health Co-ordinator
dromnagus@sky.com