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If you are a breeder, prospective dog owner or someone looking for a highly trained Jack Russell Terrier for specific service work, hunting or the show ring, understanding your dog's genetic health will help you make better decisions concerning your dog.

This web site allows you to search for test results for Jack Russell Terriers in our health registry.

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Terriers must be registered or recorded with the JRTCA before your terrier is submitted. You only need one test to enter your terrier successfully, it's then very easy to add more tests results at any time.

CERF/CAER results are accepted from board certified veterinarian ophthalmologist. BAER results must be certified by a veterinarian, no exceptions.

Genetic testing must be done by the University that isolated the gene for the aforementioned test. This rule assures the genetic test being used is in fact testing for the gene that was isolated, and found to be the mutation in our breed.

  • Primary Lens Luxation (PLL) - University of Missouri/OFA and Animal Health Trust
  • Spino-cerebellar Ataxia (SCA) - University of Missouri/OFA and Animal Health Trust
  • Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) -University of Missouri/OFA
  • Late on-set Ataxia (LOA) - Animal Health Trust and University of Missouri/OFA
  • Hyperuricosuria - UC Davis/VGL
  • Neonatal Ataxia (NNA) - University of Missouri

Notice - OFA works with the University of Missouri. They are not a testing agency, they are a paper handling and recording organization. Their purpose is to mail cheek swab kits and test results - the labs at UMO do the actual testing. For links to all of the above testing agencies visit the JRT Research Foundation testing page or contact any JRTRF board member for assistance.

To submit a terrier that is NBD (Normal By Descent) you will need copies of parents results, or the grandparents, whichever is applicable. You can also check the registry database to see if the applicable dogs are already entered, if so, you can submit your terrier and a copy of his pedigree.

The Health Registry is about the terrier, therefore you will not find any owners names. You can search the database with the dog's full name, to include his kennel name or only the dog's call name; should you type in Hunter, all dogs named Hunter will display.

You can search by Kennel name and see all the dogs results submitted with that kennel prefix. This also allows you to see which kennels are participating in the Health Registry and supporting the future of our breed.

Normal By Descent (NBD) - What does NBD mean? When a dog tests Normal it means he is carrying two normal copies of the gene in question, therefore he can only pass on a normal copy. When two normal tested dogs are bred their off-spring will also carry two normal copies, hence the term NBD. However there's one important aspect being forgotten. This rule only holds true if you are using gene based testing. If you use marker tests or linkage tests you must test every generation. This is why AKC and OFA will only certify first generation NBD's from gene based testing and WILL NOT certify NBD's from marker and linkage testing.

The JRT Health Registry only accepts test results from the University or Research facility that isolated the gene for the disease. We then accept NBD's when tested relatives provide the necessary proof of Normal linage for that offspring providing the test is also from the university that isolated the gene. So please remember if your terrier has been tested at a facility using marker/linkage tests you must test all of your offspring, as these tests are probability tests and the genes are subject to rearrange in sequencing in the next generation, therefore the offspring cannot be considered NBD's.