Laizhou Hong health

In-depth version, 26 September 2026. This guide is designed as the cornerstone section of the site. It follows the model set out in 16-benchmark-sites-fiches-race.md: overview, risk table, prioritised health screening, disease profiles, reading results, age-by-age calendar, emergencies, budget, checklist and glossary.

Disclaimer. There is no published scientific study on the health of the Laizhou Hong. This guide draws on: (1) data published by breeders who test their dogs (United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, Australia), (2) genetic testing laboratories (Embark, Laboklin, Wisdom Panel), (3) the veterinary literature on the founding breeds (German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Great Dane) and on Chinese indigenous dogs. Each profile states whether the risk is documented in the breed or extrapolated from the parent breeds. This content is not a substitute for veterinary advice.

1. Overview#

What we know#

• Life expectancy: 10-14 years according to most sources, 11-13 years according to the Brazilian kennel, 9-13 years according to Chinese encyclopaedias, and up to 15 years. These are estimates: no data has been measured. This is clearly better than the founding breeds: Great Dane 7.2 years on average (Doggen Club de France survey 2024), Rottweiler 8-10 years, German Shepherd 9-13 years.
• Hardiness: breeders describe a dog that is "rarely ill", robust and tolerant of both heat and cold. This is a legacy of Chinese village dogs, which are among the most genetically diverse canine populations in the world (less inbreeding and fewer "runs of homozygosity" than Western breeds).
• Problems documented in the breed by breeders who test: hip and elbow dysplasia (variable scores, some dogs rated "OFA fair" after being tested too young), degenerative myelopathy (carrier breeding dogs identified), and eye and dental problems in some lines (reported by the American kennel, without breed-wide documentation).
• Inbreeding outside China: a coefficient of inbreeding (COI) of 13 % measured by DNA in Western breeding dogs, from a very small founding population imported since 2017 (figures reported by an American kennel, which we were unable to re-verify in September 2026). High inbreeding is a risk in itself (inbreeding depression, fixation of recessive mutations).
• DNA analysis of one litter: ~50 % German Shepherd, ~40 % Chinese village dog, 10 % unresolved (figures reported by an American kennel, which we were unable to re-verify in September 2026). If these proportions are confirmed, the health of the Laizhou Hong should be read first and foremost through that of the German Shepherd.

What we don't know#

• The actual prevalence of each disease in the breed.
• The health of dogs in China: we have found no breed-specific health data published by any Chinese source, official or academic. According to the Alysium kennel, dogs there are not health tested.
• Causes of death (no longevity survey exists).
• Whether the mutations known in the Rottweiler (JLPP, LEMP, NAD) and the Great Dane (polyneuropathy) are present in the breed: they can be tested for, so they should be.
• How transparent breeders are: the American kennel Alysium writes that "none of the British founding dogs had actually been tested as promised" and that "breeders have been caught lying about their results".

Expected causes of death (extrapolated from the founding breeds)#

2. Summary table of risks#

Level: High = documented in the breed or very common in the founding breeds. Moderate = common in one founding breed. Low = possible, poorly documented. Extrapolated = never reported in the breed.

3. Pre-breeding health screening, prioritised#

The Royal Kennel Club's "Good practice / Best practice" model, adapted to France.

Level 1 — Bare minimum (do not buy a puppy without it)#

Level 2 — Recommended#

Level 3 — Optional / advanced#

In the United Kingdom, the Chinese Red Dog Registry works with the Laboklin UK laboratory (10 % discount on DNA tests). It only records hip and elbow scores on paper evidence. A dog can be registered there as untested, and this shows on its record. Its former online shop offered tests for DM, haemophilia A, JLPP, LEMP, NAD and XL-MTM, as well as a bundle combining the Rottweiler and German Shepherd panels and two Great Dane tests (CNM, ichthyosis).

4. Disease profiles#

Fixed structure: definition, origin, genetics, prevalence, age, signs, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, cost, prevention, breeding advice.

4.1 Hip dysplasia#

• Definition: malformation of the hip joint (laxity, poorly seated femoral head) that progresses to arthritis.
• Origin: German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Great Dane. Documented in the breed (published scores vary, from 1/1 to 15 on the ANKC/BVA scale).
• Genetics: polygenic, heritability 20-40 %. Environment (rapid growth, excess weight, slippery floors, over-exercising the puppy) influences how it is expressed.
• Prevalence in the parent breeds (OFA): German Shepherd ~20 %, Rottweiler ~20 %, Great Dane ~12 % of dogs dysplastic. European studies: 18-49 % for the German Shepherd.
• Breed figures, according to one breeder: according to the Alysium kennel, until 2024 most Laizhou Hongs tested scored the equivalent of OFA "Fair". The breed's average hip score (ANKC/BVA scheme, the one most used for the breed) is said to be just over 11, with a median of 9.5, and the average PennHIP index is thought to lie between 0.5 and 0.6. These figures are not based on any published database.
• Age: signs possible from 4-6 months ("bunny hopping" gait, difficulty getting up), arthritis from 2-5 years.
• Signs: hind-leg lameness, stiffness on rising, reluctance to jump, clicking joints, wasting of the thigh muscles.
• Diagnosis: extended-leg X-ray under sedation (official reading), PennHIP, Ortolani test in the puppy.
• Treatment: weight management, anti-inflammatories, joint supplements (chondroprotectives), physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, or surgery (triple pelvic osteotomy before 10 months, total hip replacement €4,000-7,000, femoral head and neck excision).
• Cost: from €200/year (medical management) to €7,000 (hip replacement). Embrace quotes $1,500-6,000.
• Prevention: "large breed" puppy food (controlled calcium/phosphorus ratio, slow growth), no stairs or repeated jumping before 12-15 months, the rule of 5 minutes' exercise per month of age, non-slip floors, ideal weight.
• Breeding: only breed from A/B dogs (or C with A), ideally below the breed median, and publish the results.

4.2 Elbow dysplasia#

• Definition: a group of three developmental lesions of the elbow: fragmented medial coronoid process (FCP), ununited anconeal process (UAP) and osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the humeral condyle, plus joint incongruity.
• Origin: German Shepherd (UAP, OCD), Rottweiler (FCP, prevalence up to 39 % in some studies). Documented in the breed (0/0 scores published, others not). The Alysium kennel publishes cases of mild elbow dysplasia: an imported female scored OFA 1/1 at 5 years of age, another 0/1.
• Genetics: polygenic, heritability 25-40 %.
• Age: 4-10 months.
• Signs: foreleg lameness, elbow turned outwards, stiffness after rest.
• Diagnosis: X-rays (3 views), CT scan.
• Treatment: arthroscopy (removal of the fragment) €1,500-3,000, followed by medical management of arthritis.
• Prevention and breeding: the same growth rules, and ED0 breeding dogs only.

4.3 Degenerative myelopathy (DM)#

• Definition: progressive degeneration of the spinal cord (the canine equivalent of ALS/motor neurone disease), starting with hind-limb ataxia and progressing to paraplegia, then involving the forelimbs.
• Origin: German Shepherd (the emblematic breed), Rottweiler, Great Dane. Carriers documented in the breed: the Alysium kennel publishes the DM status of several breeding dogs. Both parents of its female Garcia, as well as its females Blitz, Taco and Cumari, carry one copy (+/-). The Wisdom Panel laboratory also lists DM among the genetic conditions relevant to the breed.
• Genetics: SOD1 c.118G>A mutation, autosomal recessive inheritance with incomplete penetrance: an "affected" dog (two copies) has a markedly higher risk but will not necessarily develop the disease. A carrier (one copy) does not develop the disease but passes it on. A second mutation (SOD1 exon 2, c.52A>T) exists in the Bernese Mountain Dog.
• Age: rarely before 8 years, most often 8-14 years.
• Signs: worn hind claws (feet scuffing), hesitant gait, hind legs crossing, weakness, then incontinence and paralysis. Not painful.
• Diagnosis: by exclusion (MRI to rule out disc herniation and tumour) + genotype, but certainty only comes at post-mortem.
• Treatment: no cure. Intensive physiotherapy (slows progression by several months), non-slip mats, harness, dog wheelchair. Progresses to euthanasia within 6-36 months.
• Cost: €500-2,000 (diagnosis, rehabilitation, equipment).
• Breeding: see the mating table (section 5). Never produce "affected × affected" pairings. "Carrier × clear" is acceptable to preserve genetic diversity, provided the puppies are tested. Long-term goal: reduce the frequency of the allele without abruptly excluding carriers (the gene pool is too small).

4.4 Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV, "bloat")#

• Definition: the stomach fills with gas and then twists on itself, cutting off circulation, which leads to shock and death within hours without surgery.
• Origin: body shape (large, deep-chested dog). Lifetime risk: 42 % in the Great Dane (the highest-risk dog, 43 times the average), ~24 % in large breeds, ~22 % in giant breeds. The Laizhou Hong has the deep chest of the Great Dane and the Rottweiler: the risk should be regarded as high.
• Risk factors: age (risk increases), male sex, an affected first-degree relative, deep chest, one large meal a day, eating quickly, exercise or stress after meals, anxious temperament, raised food bowl (a controversial factor, now generally advised against).
• Signs: restlessness, unproductive attempts to vomit, drooling, swollen and hard abdomen, whining, pale gums, collapse. Absolute emergency: see a vet within the hour.
• Treatment: decompression, resuscitation, surgery (untwisting, gastropexy, possibly splenectomy). Mortality 10-30 % even with surgery.
• Cost: €1,500-4,000 as an emergency (Embrace: $1,500-7,500).
• Prevention: 2-3 meals a day, slow-feeder bowl, no exercise for 1 h before and 2 h after meals, water freely available but no gulping large amounts after exercise, a calm place to eat. Preventive gastropexy (fixing the stomach to the abdominal wall, often done at the same time as spaying or neutering, possibly by laparoscopy): reduces the risk of torsion to 0-4 % and mortality by 2 to 30 times depending on the breed. €400-1,200. Worth discussing with your vet for every Laizhou Hong.
• Breeding: avoid lines with a history of bloat. Doggen Club survey: fewer torsions with home-prepared food (6 % versus 20 % with commercial/mixed feeding), a finding still to be confirmed.

4.5 JLPP — Juvenile laryngeal paralysis and polyneuropathy#

• Origin: Rottweiler (carrier frequency ~10-20 % in some populations). Not reported in the breed but testable.
• Genetics: mutation of the RAB3GAP1 gene, autosomal recessive with complete penetrance.
• Age and signs: from 3 months: noisy breathing, altered bark, swallowing difficulties, aspiration pneumonia, hind-limb weakness, sometimes cataracts. Death before 1 year.
• Treatment: none.
• Breeding: never carrier × carrier. Included in the Laboklin "Combination Rottweiler" panel and in Embark.

4.6 LEMP — Leukoencephalomyelopathy#

• Origin: Rottweiler, testable.
• Genetics: autosomal recessive.
• Age and signs: 1-4 years, ataxia in all four limbs, hypermetria, slow progression to tetraparesis. Not painful.
• Treatment: none. Breeding: test, never carrier × carrier.

4.7 NAD — Neuroaxonal dystrophy#

• Origin: Rottweiler, testable.
• Genetics: VPS11 gene, autosomal recessive.
• Age and signs: 1-2 years, cerebellar ataxia, head tremors, hypermetria, slow progression.
• Treatment: none. Breeding: test.

4.8 X-linked myotubular myopathy (XL-MTM)#

• Origin: Rottweiler. MTM1 mutation, X-linked recessive (males affected, females carriers). Muscle weakness from 2-3 months, fatal. Included in the Rottweiler panel.

4.9 Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)#

• Definition: enlargement and weakening of the heart muscle, leading to heart failure, arrhythmias and sudden death.
• Origin: Great Dane ("the heartbreak breed"), Rottweiler, Dobermann. Extrapolated, though one French source cites it for the breed.
• Genetics: familial, polygenic. No validated DNA test for these breeds (the PDK4/TTN tests apply to the Dobermann). A possible dietary factor (grain-free diets rich in legumes, taurine deficiency).
• Age: 2-8 years.
• Signs: exercise intolerance, coughing, breathlessness, fainting, swollen belly (ascites), sometimes sudden death with no warning signs.
• Diagnosis: auscultation (murmur, arrhythmia), echocardiography, 24 h Holter, NT-proBNP biomarker.
• Treatment: pimobendan, ACE inhibitors, diuretics, antiarrhythmics. Life expectancy extended by several months to years if treated early.
• Cost: echo €150-300, treatment €50-150/month.
• Breeding: echo of breeding dogs from 2.5 years, then every 18 months (Doggen Club protocol), exclude affected lines.

4.10 Subaortic stenosis (SAS)#

• Origin: Rottweiler (one of the most affected breeds), Great Dane. Extrapolated.
• Definition: congenital fibrous narrowing below the aortic valve. Murmur detectable from 8-12 weeks, sudden death possible during exertion.
• Diagnosis: auscultation of the puppy, Doppler echocardiography. Treatment: beta-blockers, prognosis depends on the pressure gradient. Breeding: do not breed from affected dogs. Routine auscultation of puppies by the breeder's vet.

4.11 Hypothyroidism#

• Origin: German Shepherd, Great Dane, Rottweiler (autoimmune thyroiditis). Extrapolated.
• Age and signs: 4-10 years, weight gain, lethargy, dull coat, symmetrical hair loss, feeling the cold, recurrent ear and skin infections (pyoderma), sometimes behavioural changes.
• Diagnosis: total T4 + TSH, anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAA) for the autoimmune form. Treatment: lifelong levothyroxine (€20-40/month), excellent prognosis. Breeding: thyroid panel for breeding dogs (CHIC/OFA recommendation for the Great Dane).

4.12 Osteosarcoma and other cancers#

• Osteosarcoma: aggressive bone cancer, Rottweiler (very high risk, 5-10 % of Rottweilers), Great Dane. 7-10 years. Persistent lameness, swelling of a limb, spontaneous fracture. Amputation + chemotherapy: median survival 10-12 months, at a cost of €3,000-8,000. A link between very early spaying/neutering (< 1 year) and increased risk has been reported in the Rottweiler.
• Haemangiosarcoma: cancer of the blood vessels (spleen, heart), German Shepherd. 8-12 years. Often discovered through sudden internal bleeding (swollen abdomen, weakness, pale gums). Emergency splenectomy €1,500-3,000, poor prognosis.
• Lymphoma, mast cell tumour: common in all large dogs.
• Prevention: nothing specific, but regular checking for lumps, an annual check-up after 7 years (abdominal ultrasound advised after 8 years), and not spaying or neutering too early.

4.13 Eye conditions#

• Reported in the breed (American kennel: "eye problems in some lines"). Sources: entropion/ectropion (Rottweiler, Great Dane), pannus or chronic superficial keratitis (German Shepherd, made worse by UV and altitude), cataract, retinal dysplasia.
• Entropion: eyelid rolled inwards, with lashes rubbing the cornea, causing watery eyes, blinking and ulcers. Surgery €300-1,500. Ectropion: drooping eyelid, conjunctivitis. Both are hereditary: do not breed from affected dogs.
• Pannus: progressive infiltration of the cornea, possible blindness. Lifelong immunomodulating eye drops, UV protection.
• Breeding: eye examination by a specialist every 2 years.

4.14 Teeth#

• Reported in the breed: according to the Alysium kennel, a few lines have missing or extra teeth. One of its puppies had a correct bite but an incorrect number of teeth. The CKU standard requires 42 teeth and a scissor bite. Undershot jaw, level bite and missing teeth are disqualifying faults.
• Check the permanent teeth at around 7 months and keep the parents' dental records.
• Care: brushing 2-3 times a week, scale and polish under anaesthetic if needed (€150-400). Periodontal disease is common after 5 years in all dogs.

4.15 MDR1 (drug sensitivity)#

• Origin: German Shepherd (some lines, carrier frequency ~10 %), Collie. Extrapolated.
• Genetics: deletion in the ABCB1 gene, codominant expression (heterozygotes are partially sensitive).
• Consequence: neurotoxicity from ivermectin, milbemycin (at high doses), loperamide, some anti-cancer drugs and sedatives (acepromazine, butorphanol).
• Action: a one-off DNA test (€50-70), with the result recorded in the dog's health record for any vet to see.

4.16 Haemophilia A and congenital megaoesophagus#

• Haemophilia A: factor VIII deficiency (F8 gene), X-linked recessive, German Shepherd. Bleeding after surgery or injury. DNA test included in the German Shepherd panel (Laboklin).
• Congenital idiopathic megaoesophagus (CIM): dilated oesophagus, regurgitation from weaning, pneumonia. German Shepherd. Complex inheritance (MCHR2 locus), a DNA risk test is available.

4.17 Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI)#

• Origin: German Shepherd (acinar atrophy, ~1 % of the breed). Weight loss despite a ravenous appetite, bulky fatty stools, eating faeces (coprophagia), dull coat. Age: 1-4 years. Diagnosis: serum TLI. Treatment: lifelong pancreatic enzymes (€40-80/month), very good prognosis.

4.18 Idiopathic epilepsy#

• German Shepherd, 1-5 years. Seizures with no detectable cause. Lifelong anti-epileptic treatment (€30-80/month). Do not breed from affected dogs or, ideally, their parents. Cited for the breed by one French source, without documentation.

4.19 Anal furunculosis (perianal fistulas)#

• German Shepherd (immune-mediated, low tail carriage), 5-7 years. Pain when passing stools, licking, discharging fistulas. Costly (€100-300/month), long-term immunosuppressive treatment (ciclosporin, tacrolimus). The Laizhou Hong's higher tail carriage might reduce the risk (hypothesis).

4.20 Degenerative lumbosacral stenosis (cauda equina syndrome)#

• German Shepherd and working dogs, 6-8 years. Lower back pain, difficulty jumping, hind-limb weakness, incontinence at a late stage. MRI, medical or surgical treatment (laminectomy €2,000-4,000). To be distinguished from DM (painful versus painless).

4.21 Growth disorders: panosteitis, HOD, OCD, Wobbler#

• Panosteitis: inflammation of the long bones, "shifting" lameness moving from one leg to another, 5-18 months, mainly German Shepherd. Resolves on its own, anti-inflammatories.
• Hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD): inflammation of the metaphyses, fever, pain, 3-8 months, Great Dane. Anti-inflammatories, rarely serious.
• OCD of the shoulder or hock: cartilage defect, Rottweiler (hock), Great Dane (shoulder), 4-8 months. Arthroscopy €1,500-3,000.
• Wobbler syndrome (cervical spondylomyelopathy): compression of the spinal cord in the neck, Great Dane. Wobbly gait, painful neck. MRI, surgery €3,000-6,000. Extrapolated.
• Common prevention: slow growth (large-breed food, no overfeeding, no calcium supplements), moderate exercise.

4.22 Cranial cruciate ligament rupture#

• Rottweiler (predisposed), all large active dogs, 2-8 years. Sudden hind-leg lameness. Surgery (TPLO, TTA) €2,000-3,500 per knee. The other knee ruptures within 2 years in 40-60 % of cases. Prevention: weight control, warming up, avoiding jumps onto hard ground.

4.23 Skin, ears and other issues#

• Allergies / atopic dermatitis: reported in the breed by several sources. Itching, recurrent ear and skin infections. Diagnosis by exclusion (8-week elimination diet, allergy tests), then lifelong treatment (oclacitinib, lokivetmab, desensitisation) €50-150/month.
• Ear infections: erect ears are well ventilated. Ear infections are mainly secondary to allergies. Clean only if there is wax.
• "Hypoallergenic": some websites present the breed as suitable for people with allergies. This is unfounded: no breed is hypoallergenic, and the Laizhou Hong does shed (see the Care page).
• Elbow hygroma: a fluid-filled swelling on the elbow of large dogs lying on hard floors. Provide thick bedding.
• "Happy tail": injuries to the tip of the tail from wagging against walls (Great Dane). Protection, rarely partial amputation.
• Heatstroke: black coat + large size: a real risk in summer. Shade, water, never leave the dog in a closed car, exercise in the cooler hours.
• Spotted tongue and black gums: normal pigmentation in Chinese breeds, of no consequence. See a vet only if a spot becomes raised, bleeds or grows (oral melanoma is possible in any dog).

4.24 Obesity#

• Rottweilers and Laizhou Hongs that are calm indoors: risk of excess weight, which worsens dysplasia, arthritis, cruciate ligament problems and heart disease. Body condition score 4-5/9, ribs palpable, waist visible. Weighed rations, treats ≤ 10 %.

5. Reading a screening result#

Hips (FCI scale used by the SCC)#

Equivalents: OFA (United States) Excellent / Good / Fair ≈ A / B / C, and Borderline, Mild, Moderate, Severe ≈ C/D/E. BVA/ANKC (United Kingdom, Australia): score from 0 to 106 (total of both hips, each 0-53), lower is better. A ≈ 0-4, B ≈ 5-10, C ≈ 11-18, and the German Shepherd median is ~11. PennHIP: distraction index (DI) from 0 to 1: < 0.30 excellent, > 0.50 high risk of arthritis.

Examples published by the Alysium kennel: Garcia ANKC 1/1 (exceptional), Rieka PennHIP 0.28/0.32 (value published by the kennel, which gives exactly the same figure for another of its female dogs, to be confirmed), Donnte ANKC 7/8 (fair), Taco ANKC 8 / OFA Good.

The kennel advises re-X-raying any dog scoring above 10 (ANKC) before 18 months of age. It gives the example of Donnte, whose final X-ray, at 21 months, scored 15 (7/8).

Elbows#

DNA tests (recessive diseases: DM, JLPP, LEMP, NAD...)#

Mating table (probabilities per puppy):

Coefficient of inbreeding (COI)#

• 5-generation pedigree: < 6 % desirable. Genomic (Embark): < 10 % desirable. A figure of 13 % has been recorded in Western Laizhou Hongs (figure reported by an American kennel, which we were unable to re-verify in September 2026). A COI > 25 % is equivalent to a brother-sister mating.

6. Health calendar by age#

Puppy (0-6 months)#

Growth (6-24 months)#

Adult (2-7 years)#

• Annual boosters: leptospirosis (every year), DHPPi (every 1-3 years depending on the vaccine), rabies (1-3 years).
• Worming 2-4 times a year (more often if the dog hunts or lives with children), seasonal external parasite treatment, prevention of leishmaniasis and heartworm (dirofilariasis) in the South of France.
• Annual check-up: auscultation, palpation, weight, teeth. Heart echo every 18 months for breeding dogs.
• Dog sports: warm up, no exertion after meals, keep the dog hydrated.

Senior (7 years and over)#

• Check-up every six months: bloods (kidney, liver, thyroid), urine, blood pressure, auscultation, annual abdominal ultrasound after 8 years (haemangiosarcoma, splenic tumours).
• DM monitoring: wear on the hind claws, gait.
• Senior food, joint supplements, non-slip mats, a ramp for the car.
• Monthly check for lumps. Any lameness lasting > 2 weeks = X-ray (osteosarcoma).

Spaying your female dog: when and why#

For most females, the answer is yes. The real question is when, and in a large breed like the Laizhou Hong, it matters a great deal. Recommendations have changed in recent years: the decision is now made case by case, with the vet, based on the breed, size, growth, medical history and examination of the female.

What spaying offers

• No more seasons or unwanted litters, and ovarian and uterine diseases virtually disappear, including infection of the uterus (pyometra).
• Fewer mammary tumours if it is done early. The figures quoted for many years (risk reduced by about 99.5 % before the first season, 92 % before the second, 76 % before the third, no effect after 2.5 years, Schneider, 1969) are now considered unreliable (Beauvais, 2012), but the protective effect of early spaying is still accepted. About 60 % of mammary tumours in females are malignant.
• A longer life on average: 9.4 years versus 7.9 years for entire females in a large study (Hoffman, 2013). However, this study did not take account of the age at spaying. In the Rottweiler, a study of 242 females even found greater longevity in those that had kept their ovaries for at least 4.3 years before surgery (Waters, 2017).

The risks, which are greater in a large breed

The right time for a Laizhou Hong

• Wait until growth is complete, so not before 12 to 18 months, even if this means letting the first, or even the second, season go by. This is the most important precaution for the joints.
• Spaying earlier may be considered if seasons are unmanageable or there is a risk of an accidental litter, always in discussion with the vet.
• A false pregnancy after every season is a good reason to spay. A behaviour problem is not.
• Before the operation, book a dedicated consultation: general examination (heart and breathing, for the anaesthetic), stage of growth, examination of the vulva and a vaginal smear. Juvenile vaginitis or an immature vulva are reasons to wait until after the first season, otherwise these problems persist for life.
• During the operation, you can ask for a preventive gastropexy against bloat (profile 4.4).
• Afterwards, monitor her weight and feel the mammary glands once a month, even in a female spayed young: a lump larger than 3 cm is more likely to be malignant.

Main source: technical sheet "Dois-je faire stériliser ma chienne ?" ("Should I have my female spayed?"), Anirepro, 6 December 2021, and the studies it cites (see part 11).

7. Emergencies: see a vet within the hour#

8. Health budget and insurance#

Preventive care costs (France, 2026 estimates)#

Treatment costs for the main conditions#

Insurance#

• Large dogs: premiums 30-50 % higher than for medium-sized breeds: €15-30/month for a mid-range policy, €30-60/month for a premium policy.
• Recommendation for a Laizhou Hong: a policy with 80-90 % reimbursement, an annual limit of ≥ €3,000-5,000, with no exclusion of hereditary conditions or dysplasia, taken out before 6 months of age (pre-existing conditions are excluded). Check the waiting period and whether preventive gastropexy is covered.
• As the breed is neither recognised nor categorised, it is declared as a "cross / molosser type" or "other breed": ask the insurer for written confirmation that a dog "of Laizhou Hong appearance" is covered.
• In the United Kingdom, at least one insurer (Only Paws) excludes the Laizhou Hong and its crosses from cover.

9. Health checklist to take to the breeder#

Documents to see in the original (not a verbal promise):

1. Official hip and elbow results for both parents (the reader's certificate, not just an X-ray).
2. DNA results for both parents: DM at a minimum, ideally a full panel (JLPP, LEMP, NAD, MDR1...).
3. Heart echo, or at least a recent auscultation, for the parents, and auscultation of the puppy by the vet.
4. Dental record and bite for the parents.
5. Eye examination of the parents, if available.
6. Pedigree or registration (CKU, British registry) over 3 generations and the COI of the pairing.
7. The puppy's health record: microchip, vaccinations, worming, veterinary certificate less than 5 days old.
8. A sales contract stating that the puppy is not LOF-registered, the statutory warranty against latent defects ("vices rédhibitoires", required by French law) and the breeder's commitments in the event of dysplasia or genetic disease. As an example, the Alysium kennel's contract guarantees for 2 years against severe hip or elbow dysplasia, juvenile epilepsy, non-physiological heart murmurs and DM, with a refund of half the price or a replacement puppy. The heart guarantee is void if the dog is fed a "grain-free" food high in legumes (suspected link with cardiomyopathy, see profile 4.9) or if it is taurine deficient.
9. The litter's living conditions: raised in the home, clean floors, mother present and well-balanced.
10. Questions: "How many dogs have you had tested? What were the results? Have you ever had bloat, DM or epilepsy in your lines? What do you do with carriers?"

Warning signs: refusal to show documents, "the breed has no health problems", "tests are pointless for a hardy breed", puppies available immediately all year round, delivery without a visit, an "FCI pedigree" for an unrecognised breed. Médium.cz and Advanced Animal Care also warn against pages that present the breed as almost perfectly healthy.

Another warning sign, for a dog imported from China: Chinese texts praise a female able to have 3 to 4 litters in two years, that is a litter at almost every heat, with no rest for the mother. This is one more reason to be wary of imports without follow-up.

10. Glossary#

• Autosomal recessive: the disease only appears if the dog inherits the mutation from both parents.
• Incomplete penetrance: not all dogs carrying two copies develop the disease.
• COI: coefficient of inbreeding, the probability that two alleles are identical by descent.
• DI (PennHIP): distraction index, a measure of hip laxity.
• Gastropexy: surgical fixing of the stomach to the abdominal wall to prevent torsion.
• Official reader: a vet approved by the SCC (Société Centrale Canine, the French Kennel Club) to grade dysplasia X-rays.
• DNA panel: a single test screening for dozens to hundreds of known mutations.
• SDTE / GDV: gastric dilatation-volvulus syndrome (SDTE is the French abbreviation).
• TLI, T4, TSH, TgAA: blood tests (pancreas, thyroid).
• CKU / SCC / FCI / OFA / BVA / ANKC: Chinese, French, international, American, British and Australian canine organisations.

11. Main sources for this guide#

• Kennels publishing results: Alysium Red Dogs (health, tests, COI), Laizhou Hong Brasil (health and care), Karla Canines.
• Laboratories: Embark (DM, JLPP), Laboklin (Rottweiler and German Shepherd panels), Wisdom Panel (breed profile), Antagene (tests in France).
• Organisations: Royal Kennel Club (screening hierarchy), SCC / Genodog, CFBA and French breed clubs (dysplasia protocol, readers, grading scales), OFA (hip/elbow statistics), Doggen Club de France (2024 longevity survey, heart protocol).
• Vets and insurers: PetMD (German Shepherd, Rottweiler and Great Dane profiles), Embrace Pet Insurance (costs), VCA and Cornell (bloat, gastropexy), Science for Animal Welfare / UFAW (genetic diseases by breed).
• Publications: PubMed "Long-term genetic selection reduced prevalence of hip and elbow dysplasia in 60 dog breeds", "Identification of Genetic Susceptibility Factors Associated with Canine GDV", "Genetic Diversity and Signatures of Selection in 15 Chinese Indigenous Dog Breeds" and the Dog Aging Project (GDV, 2025).
• Spaying: technical sheet "Dois-je faire stériliser ma chienne ?" (Anirepro, 2021) and the studies it cites: Schneider et al. (1969), Beauvais et al. (2012), Hoffman et al. (2013), Lefebvre et al. (2013), O'Farrell and Peachey (1990), Pegram et al. (2019), Sundburg et al. (2016), Urfer and Kaeberlein (2019), Waters et al. (2017).
• Prevention in France: 2026 vaccination schedules (veterinary clinics), 2026 insurance comparison sites.

The full URLs are in 12-sources.md.