Today, Dr. Rex Riggs talks about hereditary conditions in dogs. Dr. Rex Riggs is the owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is a veterinarian, and an Advisory Board member of Embrace Pet Insurance.
_________________________________________________________________________________ When we talk about pure bred dogs and cats we need to realize that along with the individually beautiful traits, specific to a breed, hidden harmful genetic traits can often be lurking.
Mixed breed animals often get the best traits of each breed they are mixed with, called hybrid vigor. They are often healthier then their pedigreed counterparts. Mixed breeds are not immune to genetic defects though, but the conditions occur much less frequently.
Purebred dogs are dogs whose parents have been bred to another of the same breed. When you breed within a specific breed group, you decrease the gene pool, thus allowing genes that are normally recessive to be expressed.
Some of these hidden genes can be good; some can be bad. Hair color, disposition and size are some of the desirable traits that breeders try to emphasize. The more popular a breed becomes, the more of the unfortunate genes become expressed. Multiple hereditary diseases are seen in specific breeds. Some of these diseases which have a genetic component include hip dysplasia (many large breeds), cataracts (huskies), kidney disease (Shih-Tzu), liver disease (poodles and yorkies) and breed specific cancers, just to name a few.
One such disease with a breed predilection is malignant histocytic diseases in Bernese Mountain dogs. This is a rare but nasty disease in most breeds but unfortunately is becoming more commonly seen in Bernese Mountain dogs.
Malignant histiocytosis is a cancer syndrome which can present in many different ways. It can present as a solitary nodule in the lungs or the dog can present with neurologic signs such as paralysis or seizures. It can also attack the bone marrow causing all sorts of problems with white and red blood cells. In addition, abdominal organs such as the spleen and liver are often affected and the pet presents with vague and nonspecific signs.
Diagnosis involves biopsies of the affected organs and blood, and can be difficult to make. There have been cases in which the dogs responded to chemotherapy but the vast number of dogs affected will not respond to treatment. It is such a heartbreaking disease. I know many of the Bernese Mountain dog breeders are well aware of this problem and are working hard to eliminate this disease from the breed.
So why am I depressing you with this story?
I want you to please do your research on the breed you want to get. You need to know what they are predisposed to. You need to know what questions to ask the breeder. Even though this is a common problem seen in Bernese Mountain dogs, I am sure many owners have never heard of it. I know this is true of other breed owners and the conditions their pets are genetically prone to. So don’t be afraid to ask questions of your breeder. Good ones will be happy to answer you.
It takes diligence and ethical breeding policies to eliminate hereditary and genetic problems. The United States have a much higher incidence of genetic conditions when compared to the rest of the world. We have much more lax laws concerning breeding of dogs and cats which allows puppy mills and unethical breeders to flourish in some states (unfortunately, my home state of Ohio, is one of the worse) making a lot of money at the expense of the animals and their heartbroken owners.
Finally…… don’t buy pets online or from pet stores. They invariably come from puppy mills, which do not concern themselves with the health issues of a particular breed or dog.
Related Posts:
March is Genetic Condition Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Guest Post: the importance of consider hereditary conditions when choosing a dog
Claim Example: portosystemic shunt surgery
Cardiomyopathy in Cats
___________________________________________
Dr. Rex Riggs grew up in Wadsworth, Ohio, near Akron. Dr Riggs is co-owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is also on the board of the North Central Region of Canine Companions of Independence, a board member of The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society and Small Animal Practitioner Advancement Board at The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Riggs lives in Lewis Center, OH with his wife Nancy, their dogs Maggie, and two cats Franklin and Speeder. Outside of work, Dr. Riggs is an avid golfer and enjoys travel and photography.
