Labrador Retriever: inherited diseases and health
Updated 2026-09-30 · 3 sources
Based on: OMIA (University of Sydney), Science for Animal Welfare (UFAW), Wikidata
Breed health
The inherited conditions below have been documented in this breed in published research. That does not mean your dog has them or will get them – but it helps to know the names when you talk to a breeder or a vet.
Conditions this breed is prone to
Veterinary charities list this breed as more likely than others to get these conditions. Read the signs and what to do:
Inherited conditions documented in the breed
Conditions documented: 72
A gene variant is known for 36 of the conditions below, so a DNA test may exist. Ask your vet or the breed club.
| Condition | Body system | Inheritance | Gene variant known |
|---|
| Achromatopsia-2, CNGA3-related[1] | Vision / eye | – | Yes |
|---|
| Alexander disease[1] | Nervous system | Autosomal dominant | Yes |
|---|
| Calvarial hyperostotic syndrome[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | – | – |
|---|
| Canine Atopic Dermatitis[2] | – | – | – |
|---|
| Centronuclear Myopathy[2] | – | – | – |
|---|
| Centronuclear myopathy, HACD1-related[1] | Muscle | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Cerebellar abiotrophy[1] | Nervous system | – | – |
|---|
| Chondrodysplasia, Labrador[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | Autosomal recessive | No |
|---|
| classical Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (cEDS), COL5A1-related[1] | Integument (skin) | Autosomal dominant | Yes |
|---|
| Cleft palate[1] | Digestive / alimentary | – | – |
|---|
| Copper Associated Chronic Hepatitis[2] | – | – | – |
|---|
| Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture[2] | – | – | – |
|---|
| Craniomandibular osteopathy, generic[1] | Craniofacial | Multifactorial | No |
|---|
| Cystinuria, type I - A[1] | Renal / urinary system | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Degenerative myelopathy[1] | Nervous system | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Dentinogenesis imperfecta[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | – | – |
|---|
| Dermatitis, atopic[1] | Integument (skin) | Multifactorial | No |
|---|
| Dyserythropoietic anemia and myopathy syndrome[1] | Haematopoietic system | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Elbow Dysplasia (Fragmented Medial Coronoid Process)[2] | – | – | – |
|---|
| Elbow Dysplasia (Humeral Condylar Osteochondrosis)[2] | – | – | – |
|---|
| Exercise-induced collapse[1] | Nervous system | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| External auditory canal atresia[1] | Hearing / vestibular / ear | – | – |
|---|
| Facial dysmorphia[1] | Craniofacial | X-linked recessive | No |
|---|
| Haemophilia A[1] | Haematopoietic system | X-linked recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Haemophilia B[1] | Haematopoietic system | X-linked recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Hyperkeratosis, epidermolytic[1] | Integument (skin) | Autosomal | Yes |
|---|
| Hypoadrenocorticism[2] | – | – | – |
|---|
| Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, X-linked, EDA-related[1] | Integument (skin) | X-linked recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Ichthyosis, PNPLA1-related[1] | Integument (skin) | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Immunoglobulin A deficiency[1] | Immune system | – | – |
|---|
| Laryngeal paralysis and polyneuropathy, CNTNAP1-related[1] | Nervous system | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Laryngeal paralysis, generic[1] | Respiratory system | – | – |
|---|
| Leg weakness[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | – | – |
|---|
| Macular corneal dystrophy[1] | Vision / eye | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Malignant hyperthermia[1] | Homeostasis / metabolism | Autosomal dominant | Yes |
|---|
| Medial coronoid disease[1] | Limbs / fins / digit / tail | – | – |
|---|
| Megaoesophagus, generic[1] | Digestive / alimentary | – | – |
|---|
| Muscular dystrophy[1] | Muscle | – | – |
|---|
| Muscular dystrophy, Duchenne type[1] | Muscle | X-linked recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Muscular dystrophy, Ullrich type, COL6A3-related[1] | Muscle | Autosomal | Yes |
|---|
| Muscular dystrophy-dystroglycanopathy, LARGE1-related[1] | Muscle | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Myasthenic syndrome, congenital, COLQ-related[1] | Muscle | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Myelopathy, fibrocartilaginous embolic[1] | Nervous system | – | – |
|---|
| Myopathy[1] | Muscle | – | – |
|---|
| Myopia[1] | Vision / eye | Multifactorial | No |
|---|
| Myotonia[1] | Muscle | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Myotubular myopathy 1[1] | Muscle | X-linked recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Narcolepsy[1] | Behaviour / neurological | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Nasal parakeratosis[1] | Integument (skin) | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Obesity[1] | Adipose tissue | Multifactorial | Yes |
|---|
| Oculoskeletal dysplasia 1[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Osteochondritis Dessicans of the Stifle[2] | – | – | – |
|---|
| Osteochondritis dissecans[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | Multifactorial | No |
|---|
| Patellar Luxation[2] | – | – | – |
|---|
| Paw pad hyperkeratosis, GJB6-related[1] | Integument (skin) | Probably autosomal dominant | Yes |
|---|
| Progressive rod-cone degeneration, PRCD-related[1] | Vision / eye | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Pyruvate kinase deficiency of erythrocyte[1] | Homeostasis / metabolism | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Retinal and skeletal dysplasia[1] | Vision / eye | Autosomal dominant | No |
|---|
| Retinal atrophy, progressive, GTPBP2-related[1] | Vision / eye | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Retinoschisis[1] | Vision / eye | – | – |
|---|
| Rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament, predisposition to[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | Multifactorial | No |
|---|
| Scott syndrome[1] | Haematopoietic system | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Shoulder Osteochondrosis[2] | – | – | – |
|---|
| Skeletal dysplasia 2, COL11A2-related[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Stargardt disease 1[1] | Vision / eye | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Transitional lumbosacral vertebrae[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | Multifactorial | No |
|---|
| Tricuspid valve dysplasia[1] | Cardiovascular system | Autosomal recessive | No |
|---|
| Tricuspid Valve Malformation[2] | – | – | – |
|---|
| Urolithiasis[1] | Renal / urinary system | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Verrucous epidermal keratinocytic nevi[1] | Integument (skin) | X-linked incomplete dominant | Yes |
|---|
| Wilson disease[1] | Liver/biliary system | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
|---|
| Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome[1] | Cardiovascular system | – | – |
|---|
What this list means
- “Documented in the breed” means at least one published case or study – it says nothing about how common the condition is.
- Many of these conditions are rare. A responsible breeder can tell you which health tests the parents have had.
- Where the gene variant is known, a DNA test may exist – ask your vet or the breed club.
- If your pet shows signs of illness, contact your vet. This page cannot tell you whether your pet is ill.
About the breed
- Origin
- Canada, United Kingdom, England
- Height
- 54–57 cm
- FCI number
- 122
[3]
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Arthritis
Elbow dysplasia