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Genetically Inherited Diseases. The following aims to provide an insight into some of the various inherited diseases that can affect certain breeds. Not all Pedigree dogs are unhealthy, in fact the vast majority are fit and healthy and will be throughout their lives. However like humans, dogs are prone to illness, some of which are genetically inherited. It should be noted that with careful breeding the risks are significantly reduced and with use of the various health screening processes problems can be identified well in advance to ensure breeding is conducted from those animals that are clear of defects. Top
Hip Dysplasia (HD) - HD literally means an abnormality in the development of the hip joint and is characterized by shallow acetabulum (the cup of the hip joint) and the changes in the shape of the femoral head (the ball of the hip joint). These changes may occur during excessive laxity in the hip joint. Hip dysplacia can exist with or without clinical signs. When clinical signs are exhibited, it is usually because the dog is lame on one or both limbs. Severe arthritis may develop due to this malformation of the hip joint and will result in pain as the disease progresses. If pain is exhibited in a young dog this is usually during or shortly after a growth period and before arthritic changes appear to be present, it is also not unusual for this pain to go into remission for many years and return when arthritic changes have become obvious. Dogs with hip dysplasia can appear to have normal hips when they are born, only for the disease to develop later in life. It is thought that this condition is inherited; however, not all dogs with this genetic tendency always display clinical signs and multiple genetic and environmental factors must be taken into consideration when determining the degree of hip dysplacia. Another contributing factor is the rapid growth and weight gain of the dog which appears to aggravate the laxity in the hip joint in such circumstances. If clinical signs of hip dysplacia occur in a young dog, such as lameness, difficulty in walking after resting, decreased activity or a bunny hop gait, veterinary advice should be taken immediately. Each breed has hip mean score between 0-106. The lower the figure the better. Breeders should breed only from scores below the breed mean average. Top
Elbow dysplasia (ED) — the disease ED simply means ‘abnormal development of the elbow’. The term includes a number of
specific abnormalities that affect different sites within the joint. These cause problems by affecting the growth of the cartilage which forms the surface of the joint or the structures around it. These abnormalities are primary lesions, which then induce a secondary osteoarthritic process. The most common primary lesions are:
● Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD or OD)
● Fragmented or ununited medial coronoid process (FCP)
● Ununited anconeal process (UAP)
There are other, rarer, primary lesions that may occur in combination with these or on their own. Primary lesions begin early during the growth of the puppy, and are commonly present in both elbows to some extent. Once the dog reaches skeletal maturity the primary lesions may stabilise. However, once abnormal development has started with a primary lesion, further secondary changes follow, in particular, abnormal wear of the joint surfaces and osteoarthritis (sometimes termed arthrosis, or degenerative joint disease — DJD). The secondary lesions cannot be reversed and remain a potential problem for the rest of the dog’s life. The elbow is particularly vulnerable to this type of disease. The joint resembles a hinge in which the bones and cartilage forming each side of the joint have complex shapes that fit together closely. The elbow has a wide range of joint movement and normal foreleg gait is more dependent on the elbow than the other joints. Thus, a small change in the shape of one part of the joint can have major consequences for the joint function, like a small piece of grit in a door hinge. Once elbow function is affected, foreleg gait becomes altered. An additional problem with ED is that lame dogs are only the tip of the ‘disease iceberg’. Many dogs have subclinical disease in that they have primary lesions or osteoarthritis in their elbows but do not appear obviously lame. Some dogs will be symmetrically lame in each foreleg, which can be very difficult to see. Fortunately, these subclinical dogs can often be identified by taking radiographs (x-ray films) of their elbows. Even though they appear to show no lameness themselves, they have a high chance of producing lame offspring if they breed.
The elbow grading system is scored as follows: 0 = Normal, 1 = Mild ED, 2 = Moderate ED or a primary lesion, 3 = Severe ED. Parents with a score of 2 or 3 should not be used for breeding. Top
Canine Fucosidosis - An enzyme deficiency peculiar to only The English Springer Spaniel . Canine Fucosidosis is a disease which is severe, progressive and ultimately FATAL. It is characterized by deteriorating signs of the nervous system that progress over a period of several months, sometimes from an early age. Initial symptoms include inco-ordination and ataxia (loss of control of movement), change in temperament, loss of learned behaviour, loss of balance, apparent deafness, visual impairment and varying degrees of depression. The inco-ordination and ataxia affects all four legs and is mostly evident when affected animals are walking on slippery surfaces or attempt more complicated movements such as turning. In addition, affected dogs lose weight and may suffer from swallowing difficulties and sometimes regurgitation of food. The condition is inherited through an autosomal recessive trait and has been reported by ESS owners/breeders from all over the world. Top
Progressive Retinal Atrophy - PRA is an inherited retinal degeneration that occurs in two forms, central and generalized, the latter being the more common form. The generalized form affects the photoreceptor area of the retina. One indication of this form of PRA is the onset of night blindness, which will eventually progress to loss of day vision and then total blindness. The central form (CPRA) affects the deepest layer of the retina which lies just below the photoreceptor layer. There is no effective treatment for either form of PRA. Tests can be carried out to identify if breeding dogs carry the disease. Bernspring dogs are clear. Top
General Health
Vaccinations - We strongly encourage dog owners to have their dogs vaccinated against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, leptospirosis and kennel cough. This should be discussed with your vet. Despite the availability of vaccines, many dogs die each year from these diseases in the UK. Puppies receive some immunity from their mothers, both via the placenta before birth and in the first milk, known as the colostrum. However, this immunity fades, halving every 8 days until it is ineffective, from 6 – 12 weeks of age depending on the level of antibodies they initially received from their mothers. For this reason, a puppy should receive the initial vaccinations from 8 - 9 weeks of age. Vaccines contain a form of the organism that dogs need to be protected against. Administering a weak dose of a disease, in the form of a vaccine, stimulates the dog's immune system to produce antibodies which fight the specific disease. Vaccines are given in different ways. Most are injected into the 'scruff' of the dog's neck. However, the kennel cough vaccination (Bordetella) is given as drops via the dog's nose. Regular (usually once a year – more often for Bordetella) vaccinations are necessary to boost the dog's immunity levels to ensure the dog remains protected against the diseases. Should an unvaccinated dog or puppy be exposed to one of these diseases it could prove to be fatal. Those who do recover can be left with long-term damage to vital organs, such as the heart, liver and kidneys. All of these diseases share the same initial symptoms of depression, a loss of appetite and a high temperature, so if your dog is unwell and unvaccinated seek the advice of your vet immediately. Top
Distemper - Distemper is also known as 'hard pad' as the pads on the foot become hard, thickened and cracked. The virus usually affects young dogs in urban and city areas and is passed through direct dog to dog contact via urine, faeces and saliva. Droplets of the virus are released into the air where they are breathed in. It affects the lungs, nose, eyes, skin, stomach and intestines, resulting in sore discharging eyes and nose, pneumonia, diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration. In approximately half of the cases the nervous system is affected too, causing fits. If veterinary treatment is delayed, distemper is usually fatal. Top
Hepatitis -The virus usually affects dogs under two years of age. However, this disease is less common than parvovirus. The virus is passed through direct dog to dog contact via urine, faeces and saliva. The droplets of the virus are released into the air where they are breathed in. The virus spreads in the bloodstream to the liver, where it destroys the liver cells, resulting in the liver becoming enlarged and inflamed. It causes jaundice (a yellow colour), acute abdominal pain, vomiting and blood-tinged diarrhoea and dehydration. The virus can also affect the eyes and the kidneys. Dogs that recover from the disease continue to pass the infectious virus in their urine for up to 6-9 months. In severe cases of hepatitis, death can occur within 24hours. Top
Parvovirus - Parvovirus is highly infectious and affects mainly puppies and young dogs, although dogs of all ages can become infected. The virus is passed by direct dog to dog contact or contact with infected faeces. The virus is resistant to most disinfectants and can survive in the environment for a year or more. The virus affects rapidly growing cells, invading the cells of the intestines. It can also cause inflammation of the heart in very young puppies. The severity of this disease can vary. It can cause severe vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, dehydration and collapse. In some cases, death can occur within 24 hours. Top
Leptospirosis - Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection, which can also cause serious or fatal disease in man. The bacteria damage the liver, kidneys and blood vessels causing jaundice, haemorrhage, vomiting and black diarrhoea and severe dehydration. The liver becomes enlarged causing acute abdominal pain, and in some cases, damage to the kidneys may lead to kidney failure. The bacteria are easily killed by most disinfectants. The bacteria are passed by direct dog to dog contact; the main source of infection is the urine of infected animals. The bacteria can also enter the blood stream through cuts or grazes on the dog's feet. Leptospirosis is also carried by foxes and rats. The severity of this disease can vary. Death can occur within two days. Top
Kennel cough - Kennel cough is highly infectious and is easily spread wherever there are many dogs in one place, such as in kennels or at dog shows. Kennel cough is spread from minute droplets in the air which are inhaled, or from direct contact. As well as being infectious during the incubation period of around 10 days, the disease can still be spread for anything up to 10 weeks after coughing has ceased. There is recent evidence to suggest that it can be passed from dog to cat and vice versa. The symptoms are sneezing (in the early stages), a cough which may be dry and irritating or moist and productive and nasal discharges. In severe cases there may be a loss of appetite. Kennel cough could be compared to human ‘flu in that whilst it is very unpleasant, it is not usually fatal. Recovery from illness is usually complete in two to three weeks. Severe cases in puppies, older dogs and giant breeds may lead to bronchitis or pneumonia if the condition is not treated, and could lead to death. Top
Gastric Torsion or Bloat - This is an acute condition caused by too much gas or fluid in the stomach, the gas extends the stomach causing gastric dilation, which in turn rotates the stomach causing torsion. This condition is usually more common in larger deep chested breeds i.e. Dobermann, Great Dane, Weimaraner. It rarely occurs in the smaller breeds. Symptoms include restlessness, drooling, obvious stomach pains, trying to vomit and a distension of the stomach, at the first sign of any of these symptoms do not delay in immediately rushing your dog to the nearest Veterinary Surgeon, this can be the difference between life and death.
Although there is no proof as to why this condition occurs, it is suggested that the feeding and exercise regime of your dog is most important in helping to prevent this condition, i.e. Feeding two smaller feeds per day instead of one large one, no exercise for at least one hour before and one hour after eating, limit amount of water intake after eating and exercising to small amounts at a time. These measures might help to prevent some cases of Gastric Torsion or Bloat but unfortunately will not prevent all, but the most important factor is being very aware of what might happen, this could mean the difference between life and death for your dog. Top
Fleas - The number of fleas would normally decrease during the cold winter months. However, as most houses are now centrally heated, the fleas are provided with an ideal environment in which to survive and breed all year.
The length of the flea life-cycle depends on temperature and humidity. In an ideal environment the cycle can be around 21 days. By far the most common flea in dogs and cats is the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis). Some dogs will develop a hypersensitivity to flea saliva and this can lead to an itchy reaction. Most flea reactions in dogs are seen on the lower back area, above the tail. Fleas spend the majority of their life-cycle in the home environment. Only adult fleas are seen on the dog. Adult fleas do not live for long on your dog and die after 7-14 days - only to be replaced by the ones developing in the environment. The flea lives by ingesting blood several times a day. Fleas are also the intermediate host of the tapeworm. Therefore it is important to remember when treating your dog for fleas, to treat him for tapeworms too.
Effective flea treatment and control involves treating both the environment and the dog. Top
Worms - Dogs with worms may not show signs of illness, except when the worms are present in large volumes. The two main types of worms are Tapeworms (Dipylidium species) and Roundworms (Toxocara canis). Most worms will live in the intestine and feed on the partly digested food. Roundworms can appear like elastic bands, up to several inches in length. These are the most commonly seen worms, particularly in puppies. Tapeworms can appear like white grains of rice, which are joined together to form a tape. These are most commonly found in adult dogs and very rarely in puppies. Roundworms are spread through the environment. Tapeworms are spread through an intermediate host (usually the flea). Both types of worms are easy to eliminate and suitable preparations are available through your veterinary surgeon. Adult dogs should be wormed at least three times a year. Remember, if your dog has tapeworm you must also treat him for fleas. Top |
Dog Welfare
