What Is Health Testing
Conscientious breeders check the dogs they will be breeding for hereditary health problems. The breeder should show you the proof that their dogs are tested. This does not guarantee puppies will not develop problems, but it certainly minimizes the risks. The following is a list of the diseases and the explanation of each that are prevelant in the breeds that are used in producing the Doodles. Marketing and salemanship tactics have led many an unsuspecting purchaser to believe that the Doodles are healthier then their purebred counterparts that helped to produce them, thus the term "Hybrid Vigour". THis can be a honest statement when used in the right context....but, the genes are the genes and since many of them are carried in both sets of parents, the hereditary incidence is still there and could cause your new family member to be crippled, blind or even cause early death. Please, take the time to discover what diseases could and do effect the pups that are born into the world of the Doods. You will be glad that you did. you will be a educated consumer...............who can then have the information to make an informed decision as to the importance of purchasing that New Family member from A Premium breeder .
Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD)
CHD is a malformation or abnormal looseness of the
hip joint. Affected dogs may exhibit no symptoms or may be crippled from as
young as eight weeks. Dogs who are asymptomatic early in life often develop
arthritis in the hip joints as they age. This disease is thought to be caused by
a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The mode of inheritance has
not yet been determined but is thought to be polygenic (caused by the influences
of many genes).
Elbow Dysplasia
In the past few years, goldens and labs along with many of the
other breeds have been identified as suffering from hereditary elbow dysplasia.
Similar to CHD, dogs affected with elbow dysplasia may be asymptomatic or may be
so severely affected they need surgery. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA)
provides clearance numbers for elbow dysplasia but does not provide grades in
the number, e.g. GR-EL1121.
WE recommend that you clear for all elbows in all breeding stock at the same
time that you are clearing OFA hips.
Canine von Willebrands Disease (vWD)
vWD is a disease similar to hemophilia in
humans. This disease can often times be fatal in some breeds.
Thyroid Abnormalities
Many breeds are increasingly affected by hypothyroidism
(low thyroid). This disease can cause lethargy, weight gain, hair loss, and skin
problems. Less frequent but also problematic, hyperthyroidism (high thyroid) can
cause dogs to be underweight and hyperactive. Thyroid abnormalities are easily
diagnosed using a blood test and can be controlled through daily, lifelong
medication. Thyroid testing is done at a number of labs across the United States
The most common ones you will see are from Cornell and the University of
Michigan. The OFA now provides a registry for thyroid screening. The OFA number
will look like GR-TH226/24F-PI, indicating the dog is the 226th golden retriever
(GR) to register for thyroid (TH). The dog was 24 months old (24) when the test
was done and it was a bitch (F). The PI at the end indicates that this dog is
permanently identified with a tatoo, microchip or other feature.
Addison’s Disease
This disease is caused by the adrenal glands not producing
enough cortisone and aldosterone. Symptoms may include decreased appetite,
increased thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and weight loss. The dog will
require medication for the rest of its life. Dogs are tested for this disease by
a simple blood test. This test does not prove/disprove carrier status. The dog
may test clear but could still develop the disease later in life and may produce
puppies with this disease. For more information http://www.medhelp.org/www/nadf3.htmHypothyroid
Disease
Inherited Heart Disease
Heart disease is prevalent in goldens although not as
bad as many other breeds. The breed's primary heart problem is Subarterial
Aortic Stenosis (SAS) but goldens also face Mitral Valve Dysplasia and other
valve problems.
SAS is a restriction of the aorta, usually by a ring of fibrous tissue, just
after it leaves the heart. This restriction results in a distinct murmur (due to
backflow and turbulence), heart enlargement, and restricted blood flow. As with
CHD, affected dogs can be asymptomatic or severely crippled by this disease. SAS
can also lead to sudden death, even in very young dogs. It is thought to be a
genetic disease with a polygenic dominant mode of inheritance. Since many
goldens have innocent (non-SAS) murmurs as puppies, breeding adults must be
cleared by a board-certified veterinary cardiologist. We will require that the
Goldens be cleared for SAS by a board-certified verterinary Cardiologist. You
can find a list of board-certified veterinary cardiologists at
http://www.vetheart.com/bystate.htm
The OFA has opened a heart registry so some breeders may provide you with OFA
certification. These numbers will look like GR-CA2544/31F/C-T indicating the dog
was a golden retriever (GR) who got the 2544th cardiac (CA) clearance when the
dog was 31 months old (31). She is a bitch (F) and the clearance was done by a
board-certified cardiologist (C). Other veterinarians you might see listed are S
for specialist and and P for practitioner. Finally, the -T at the end indicates
the dog is tatooed. This is being changed to PI for permanent identification.
Eye Problems
The most common eye problems of golden retrievers are bilateral,
juvenile-onset cataracts and abnormalities of the eyelids/eyelashes. Contrary to
its name, juvenile cataracts may not appear until the dog is five or six years
old. Thankfully, most golden retriever cataracts are quite small and have little
or no effect on the dog. Eyelid abnormalities include an inward rolling of the
eyelid (entropion, ectropion) and the existence of extra eyelashes on the inside
of the eyelid (distichiasis, trichiasis).
In addition, Goldens may suffer from progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and
retinal dysplasia (RD). The mode of inheritance for PRA has not been established
and we will require that no dog with PRA, with a family history of PRA or that
has produced PRA be used for breeding purposes. RD is thought to be simple
recessive. The premium Breeders site will require that the breeding stock be
cleared annually by a board-certified canine ophthalmologist.
The Canine Eye Research Foundation (CERF) provides certifying numbers to dogs
cleared annually. CERF numbers are similar to OFA numbers except, since they
must be repeated every year, they indicate the year and age of the cleared dog.
Thus, CERF GR1111/96-24 is a golden retriever (GR) with clearance number 1111
who was seen by an ophthalmologist in 1996 when he was 24 months old.
Sebaceous Adenitis (SA)
This is a perplexing condition in which the sebaceous glands
in the skin become inflamed for unknown reasons, and are eventually destroyed.
These glands normally produce sebum, a fatty secretion that helps prevent drying
of the skin. Clinical signs vary with the severity of the condition, and between
different breeds. How is sebaceous adenitis inherited? It appears that the
disorder is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait in the standard poodle;
however the wide variation in clinical signs suggests that inheritance is not
straightforward, and breeding studies continue.
What breeds are affected by
sebaceous adenitis?
Sebaceous adenitis is most often seen in the Standard Poodle, Vizsla, Akita, and
Samoyed. The condition has been diagnosed in many other
breeds as well (see resource 1 below). For many breeds and many disorders, the
studies to determine the mode of inheritance or the frequency in the breed have
not been carried out, or are inconclusive. We have listed breeds for which there
is a consensus among those investigating in this field and among veterinary
practitioners, that the condition is significant in this breed.
What does
sebaceous adenitis mean to your dog & you?
Sebaceous adenitis is usually first
noticed in young adult dogs (1 to 5 years of age). The condition can appear
differently in different breeds, and there is also marked variability depending
on the clinical severity. One form of the disorder is seen in long-coated breeds
- the Akita, Samoyed, and (most-studied) the Standard Poodle. Typically affected
Standard Poodles have dry scaly skin with patches of hair loss along the top of
the head, back of the neck, and back. Silvery scales tightly adhere to tufts of
remaining hair. Very mildly ("sub-clinically") affected Standard
Poodles have a
normal hair-coat, but abnormalities typical of the condition are seen on
microscopic examination of skin biopsies. More severely affected dogs will have
areas of thickened skin ("hyperkeratosis"), extensive hair loss and often a
musty or rancid odor. Secondary skin infections often occur as well.
The second
form of sebaceous adenitis occurs in short-coated breeds such as the Vizsla.
There is a moth-eaten appearance to the hair/coat with mild scaling, affecting
primarily the trunk, head, and ears. Sebaceous adenitis is primarily a cosmetic
disorder - that is it affects the appearance of the dog rather than his/her
general health. The condition tends to be most severe in the Akita, resulting in
chronic secondary bacterial infections, weight loss, and fever.
How is sebaceous
adenitis diagnosed?
Your veterinarian may suspect this disorder based on your
dog's clinical signs. To differentiate this condition from other skin disorders,
many of which are also associated with increased scaling, a skin biopsy is
necessary. This is a simple procedure done with local anesthetic, in which your
veterinarian removes a small sample of your dog's skin for examination by a
veterinary pathologist. The biopsy will show changes in the skin consistent with
this condition.
How is sebaceous adenitis treated?
This disorder requires long
term management, which can be frustrating for both owners and veterinarians
because the response to treatment is highly variable. There may be periods of
spontaneous improvement or worsening of the condition, independent of
treatment. Your veterinarian will likely try a combination of approaches, to
determine with you what will be most effective for your dog. Most important is
the regular use of anti-seborrheic shampoos to remove scales and dead hair,
together with fatty acid dietary supplements. This may be all that is required
in mildly affected dogs. Additional treatments include spraying the dog with a
mixture of propylene glycol and water to help restore lubricants to the skin and
the use of oral essential fatty acids.
Breeding Advice
Although the genetics have not been determined, the condition does appear to
be inherited in those breeds studied. It is thus preferable to avoid breeding
affected dogs of any breed, their siblings, and their parents. The Institute for
Genetic Disease Control in Animals (GDC) operates an open registry for sebaceous
adenitis in the Standard Poodle. All dogs that have been used or are intended to
be used for breeding purposes, or any dog with a diagnosis of sebaceous
adenitis, should be registered through an annual skin biopsy. Bear in mind that subclinically affected poodles (meaning that they have no clinical signs, even
though a skin biopsy shows that they have a mild form of the disorder) may
produce clinically affected puppies.
The GDC (http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/gdc/gdc.html)
provides registration forms, instructions for veterinarians regarding biopsies,
and a list of participating pathologists. Registration requires evaluation of
two 6-mm skin biopsies by a participating dermatopathologist, who will send the
results to the submitting veterinarian and GDC for their computer files. In
sub-clinically affected dogs (those with a normal hair/coat), histologic lesions
consistent with sebaceous adenitis may not be evident in a particular biopsy
sample. Thus a pathologist's report of "normal" does not guarantee that the dog
is unaffected, but rather that the skin biopsies examined showed no evidence of
the disorder. By having the poodle biopsied and registered annually however, the
owner has done all that s/he can to ensure the animal is suitable for breeding,
and has contributed information to the registry to decrease the incidence of
this disease in the standard poodle.
