How to keep track of health clearance expiry dates
Most breeders record the pass date. The system that actually works records the next due date.
The system is boring, and that is why it works: one row per dog, one column per test, with the expiry date written next to the result, not just the pass date. Most breeders record "OFA hips Good, done March 2024" and then have to remember that eye exams need redoing every year while hips are permanent. Write the NEXT due date at the same time you file the result.
Sort clearances into three buckets
- Permanent: OFA hips/elbows after 24 months, most DNA panels. File once, check occasionally.
- Annual: eye exams (CAER), some cardiac tests. These are the ones that lapse silently.
- Per-breeding: progesterone timing, brucellosis. Tied to each cycle, not the calendar.
The five-minute monthly check
Check the sheet at the start of every month. Set a phone reminder 60 days before each expiry. The nightmare scenario is always the same: a buyer asks for the eye certificate the week before puppies go home and it expired two months ago. A monthly check plus a 60-day reminder kills that problem completely.
What a record should actually contain
Test name, date, result, the dog's age at testing, and the certificate or report itself (PDF or photo). A spreadsheet line saying "hips done" is not a record; the certificate is. When a puppy buyer asks for health clearances, you should be able to produce every certificate for both parents in one go. If assembling that takes you an afternoon, the filing system needs work.
Track expiries automatically
The free WhelpWise clearance tracker logs every clearance per dog, sets the expiry, and flags what is expiring soon or overdue. No signup needed.
Prefer paper? The Breeder Records Pack has printable litter sheets, weight logs and checklists for $17.
This guide is a record-keeping aid, not veterinary advice. Testing requirements vary by breed and registry; confirm your breed club's recommendations with your vet.