Health Testing & Breeding Standards
The record is public. The standards are absolute. The line is drawn.
Every breeding dog at Apexx Akitas is tested against five OFA health clearances before any pairing takes place: hips (OFA radiographic evaluation), elbows (OFA radiographic evaluation), thyroid (OFA-approved laboratory autoimmune panel), eyes (annual CAER examination by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist), and cardiac (OFA cardiac evaluation). Health testing is supervised by Dr. Jonathan King, VMD, at Steinbach Veterinary Hospital in Bluebell, Pennsylvania, with over 30 years of OFA evaluation experience. All results are publicly verifiable at ofa.org by searching the registered name of any Apexx breeding dog. A dog without complete verified clearances does not enter our breeding program regardless of pedigree, show record, or appearance.
OFA Clearances
Verifiable
All Breeding Stock
Ever Made
I have been asked more times than I can count whether my dogs are health tested. The answer is yes, and I will prove it. Every breeding dog at Apexx Akitas carries full OFA certifications that are publicly verifiable. Not claimed. Not documented on a piece of paper I hand you. Verifiable by anyone, at any time, by searching the OFA public database at ofa.org using the registered name of the dog.
That is where this conversation starts. Not with what I tell you. With what the record shows.
A dog can appear healthy and still carry conditions that will shorten its life or compromise the life of whoever owns it. Health testing exists because appearance is not evidence.
The American Akita is a large, powerful working breed. Hip dysplasia, elbow disease, thyroid dysfunction, and inherited eye disorders exist in the breed and they are preventable through responsible selection. The only way to select responsibly is to test. Every breeding dog. Every time. No exceptions based on pedigree, show record, or how good the dog looks standing in a field.
Five OFA Clearances · All Required
There are five clearances required for every breeding dog at Apexx Akitas. Not recommended. Required. A dog without all five does not enter our breeding program regardless of what else it brings to the table.
Hip Evaluation
Radiographic evaluation of hip joint conformation. Hip dysplasia is the most common inherited orthopedic condition in large breeds. A dog with undiagnosed hip dysplasia lives in pain, and a dog in pain cannot be stable. This test protects both the physical and behavioral soundness of offspring.
Elbow Evaluation
Radiographic evaluation of elbow joint conformation. Elbow dysplasia causes chronic pain and progressive joint deterioration. In a breed as physically capable as the American Akita, structural elbow disease has serious consequences for quality of life across a ten-year lifespan.
Thyroid Panel
Screens for autoimmune thyroid disease, which has higher prevalence in the American Akita than in most breeds. Thyroid dysfunction affects metabolism, coat, energy, and temperament. It is heritable and it is testable. There is no reason not to screen for it. Testing includes TgAA (thyroglobulin autoantibody) analysis.
Eye Examination (CAER)
Annual examination by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist using the CAER (Companion Animal Eye Registry) protocol. Detects inherited eye disorders including progressive retinal atrophy and other conditions that can cause progressive vision loss. Results are submitted to and registered by OFA. Annual re-examination is required for continued clearance status.
Cardiac Evaluation
Cardiac evaluation confirms the absence of heritable heart conditions before any breeding decision is made. A condition discovered after a dog has been bred cannot be undiscovered. Testing before breeding is the only responsible approach.
All five results are publicly verifiable at ofa.org. Ask any breeder you consider for the registered names of their breeding dogs and look them up yourself. If the results are not there, they do not exist. A certificate image on a website is not the same as a publicly verifiable OFA record.
Verified OFA Documentation on File
Every family that inquires about an Apexx Akitas puppy is encouraged to verify our health testing directly before they ever speak with me. The certificate numbers are not confidential. They are public record. Here is what verified OFA documentation looks like for our breeding stock.
Radiographic evaluation submitted to OFA. Publicly searchable at ofa.org.
Complete panel documentation. Verifiable at ofa.org.
Both parents certified before any breeding decision is made.
Excellent result. Steinbach Veterinary Hospital, March 2026.
Perfect hip clearance. Publicly searchable at ofa.org.
Every breeding dog. Every clearance. Every generation.
Temperament Is a Selection Criterion
Health testing covers the physical side of responsible breeding. Temperament is the other half, and it is just as heritable, just as important, and just as often ignored by breeders who are more interested in moving puppies than standing behind them.
The American Akita is a dominant, powerful, deeply loyal dog. Those qualities, bred correctly, produce the companion the breed is known for. Bred carelessly, they produce a dog that is difficult and potentially dangerous. The difference is not training. It is selection.
Every breeding dog at Apexx Akitas is evaluated for temperament across multiple years and multiple situations before it contributes to this program. We track how our dogs behave in the home, around strangers, around children, under pressure. We track what their offspring produce. A dog with an unstable or unknown behavioral history does not breed here. Not for any other quality it might have.
Temperament is not trained into existence. It is bred responsibly and reinforced correctly. The ceiling is set before the puppy is born.
Correct Structure Is a Functional Requirement
The AKC American Akita breed standard is not a cosmetic document. It describes a dog that is physically capable of doing what the breed was developed to do, and physically capable dogs are dogs that move well, age well, and live comfortably across a ten-year lifespan.
Every breeding dog at Apexx Akitas is evaluated for structural correctness in person, not reviewed on paper. Correct angulation, balanced movement, proper bone and substance. These are not show ring preferences. They are functional requirements that directly affect joint longevity, physical comfort, and quality of life for the dog and the family that owns it.
Conformation competition provides something that no breeder's own evaluation can replicate: objective, expert, third-party assessment of structure and breed type measured directly against the standard. Apexx-bred and owned dogs have competed and placed in AKC conformation events including Champion Esther's Best of Opposite Sex win at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and Champion Ash's Best in Show at just 4 months old. Those results confirm our structural standards hold up under independent evaluation.
How to Check Health Testing Claims Yourself
Go to ofa.org and search the registered name of the sire and dam. A responsible breeder gives you those names without hesitation. If the results are not in the public database, they do not exist, regardless of what any website, certificate image, or conversation claims.
A complete panel for American Akitas includes hips, elbows, thyroid, eyes, and cardiac. If a breeder mentions only hips, they are not performing complete testing. If they become defensive when you ask for verification, that tells you everything you need to know.
We welcome every question. We encourage every family to verify before they ever contact us. The records are there. They speak for themselves.
Health Testing FAQ
What health testing should an American Akita breeder perform?
A responsible American Akita breeder should perform full OFA health testing including hip evaluation, elbow evaluation, thyroid panel (including TgAA), CAER eye examination by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist, and cardiac evaluation. All five clearances should be completed before any breeding decision is made. Results should be publicly searchable at ofa.org using the registered name of each breeding dog. A breeder who tests only hips is not performing complete health testing.
How can I verify a breeder's OFA health testing claims?
Go to ofa.org and search the registered name of the sire and dam. All OFA test results for that dog are publicly displayed including type of test, date, and result grade. If the results are not there, they do not exist. Ask any breeder for the registered names of their breeding dogs. A responsible breeder provides them without hesitation. A certificate image on a website is not equivalent to a publicly verifiable OFA record.
Why is thyroid testing important for American Akitas?
Autoimmune thyroid disease has a higher prevalence in the American Akita than in most breeds. Thyroid dysfunction affects metabolism, coat quality, energy levels, and temperament. It is heritable. The OFA-approved thyroid panel includes TgAA (thyroglobulin autoantibody) analysis which detects autoimmune thyroiditis in its earliest stage before clinical symptoms appear. Every breeding dog at Apexx Akitas receives full OFA thyroid clearance before any pairing.
What is CAER eye examination for American Akitas?
CAER (Companion Animal Eye Registry) is a standardized annual eye examination performed by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist. The examination detects inherited eye disorders including progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, and other conditions that can cause progressive vision loss in American Akitas. Results are registered with OFA. Because eye conditions can develop over time, CAER examination must be performed annually for continued clearance status.
How is hip dysplasia tested in American Akitas?
Hip dysplasia in American Akitas is evaluated through OFA radiographic evaluation. Under sedation, the dog is positioned for standardized hip radiographs which are then submitted to OFA for evaluation by three board-certified veterinary radiologists. Results are graded as Excellent, Good, Fair, Borderline, Mild, Moderate, or Severe. Only dogs with passing evaluations (Excellent, Good, or Fair) should enter a breeding program. All Apexx Akitas breeding dogs carry passing OFA hip clearances publicly verifiable at ofa.org.
Does Apexx Akitas perform full OFA testing on every breeding dog?
Yes. Every breeding dog at Apexx Akitas receives full OFA testing across all five required clearances (hips, elbows, thyroid, eyes, cardiac) before any pairing. There are no exceptions regardless of pedigree, show record, or conformation quality. Testing is supervised by Dr. Jonathan King, VMD, at Steinbach Veterinary Hospital in Bluebell, Pennsylvania, with over 30 years of OFA evaluation experience. All results are publicly searchable at ofa.org.
Where can I see Apexx Akitas OFA test results?
All Apexx Akitas OFA results are publicly searchable at ofa.org using the registered name of each breeding dog. Sample verification records are also displayed on this page including hip radiographs, elbow certificates, and complete health reports for Champion Ash and Champion Bengal. We encourage every family to independently verify our health testing before they contact us.
Is temperament tested as part of breeding standards?
Yes. Temperament is treated as a selection criterion at Apexx Akitas, not an afterthought. Every breeding dog is evaluated for temperament across multiple years and multiple situations before contributing to the program. Formal temperament testing is conducted at seven weeks on every litter using a standardized protocol. Dogs with unstable or unknown behavioral histories do not breed here regardless of other qualities. Temperament is heritable and it is treated with the same rigor as physical health testing.
What veterinarian performs OFA health testing for Apexx Akitas?
OFA health testing at Apexx Akitas is supervised by Dr. Jonathan King, VMD, at Steinbach Veterinary Hospital in Bluebell, Pennsylvania. Dr. King has over 30 years of experience in OFA radiographic evaluation and health clearance protocols for large breeds. CAER eye examinations are performed by a separate board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist as required by OFA protocol.
The Bottom Line
Every breeding dog at Apexx Akitas carries full OFA clearances across all five required areas: hips, elbows, thyroid, eyes, and cardiac. Testing is supervised by Dr. Jonathan King, VMD, at Steinbach Veterinary Hospital in Bluebell, Pennsylvania. All results are publicly verifiable at ofa.org by searching the registered name of any Apexx breeding dog. Temperament is treated as a selection criterion with the same rigor as physical health testing. Structural correctness is evaluated against the AKC American Akita breed standard by third-party judges in conformation competition.
If you are researching American Akita breeders, use these standards as your baseline. For answers to specific health testing questions, see our detailed American Akita FAQ. If you are ready to talk about a puppy, start with the puppy application or call Ron directly at (732) 850-5435.
Ready to Move Forward with an Apexx Akita?
Every application is reviewed personally by Ron Durant. We place dogs with families who are genuinely prepared for this breed, and we support every one of those families for the life of the dog.