Health of the breed
The Lapphund is one of the healthiest breeds in Finland & Australia , requiring minimal veterinary care. Lapphunds often reach the age of 12 to 15.
Your Lapphund should be vaccinated prior to purchase. Baby is not safe to be around others or out on the street until at least 2 weeks after the final 3 month vaccination. Some vets recommend another shot at 16 weeks. The next booster is then due 12 months later.
Most Lapphund breeders in Australia are testing for Hips, eyes and elbows. This does not mean that we are expecting problems - far from the truth. By testing we are ensuring that we are breeding from the best so we expect the best. At times hiccups appear but we will continue to test and to attempt to breed quality healthy pets.
We are also testing PRCD PRA, Pompes Disease and Degenerative Myolopathy.
Within Australia changes are being made to animal breeding laws. In Victoria, breeders now have to uphold and enact on newly passed legislation - December 2007. This legislation rules that Breeders who breed from dogs with known problems must inform new owners of these problems in WRITING. It is necessary for all parents to be tested to enable informed data to be given to prospective owners of puppies. This information and that of puppies, if available, is provided in WRITING to the new owners.
As a consequence of these changes to breeding laws many Finnish Lapphunds owners now have a written agreement which accompanies the puppy sale. Please do not get offended if asked to sign your puppies agreement.
Other states are now beginning to take on board the Animal Act enacted in Victoria. As of July 2009 it will be mandated that all puppies are microchipped prior to point of sale.
Other states are now being assessed by DPI and local councils regarding the breeding and keeping of dogs.
Your Lapphund should be vaccinated prior to purchase. Baby is not safe to be around others or out on the street until at least 2 weeks after the final 3 month vaccination. Some vets recommend another shot at 16 weeks. The next booster is then due 12 months later.
Most Lapphund breeders in Australia are testing for Hips, eyes and elbows. This does not mean that we are expecting problems - far from the truth. By testing we are ensuring that we are breeding from the best so we expect the best. At times hiccups appear but we will continue to test and to attempt to breed quality healthy pets.
We are also testing PRCD PRA, Pompes Disease and Degenerative Myolopathy.
Within Australia changes are being made to animal breeding laws. In Victoria, breeders now have to uphold and enact on newly passed legislation - December 2007. This legislation rules that Breeders who breed from dogs with known problems must inform new owners of these problems in WRITING. It is necessary for all parents to be tested to enable informed data to be given to prospective owners of puppies. This information and that of puppies, if available, is provided in WRITING to the new owners.
As a consequence of these changes to breeding laws many Finnish Lapphunds owners now have a written agreement which accompanies the puppy sale. Please do not get offended if asked to sign your puppies agreement.
Other states are now beginning to take on board the Animal Act enacted in Victoria. As of July 2009 it will be mandated that all puppies are microchipped prior to point of sale.
Other states are now being assessed by DPI and local councils regarding the breeding and keeping of dogs.
Lapphund Club of Finland breeding criteria recommendations Link
Genetic Problems:
As mentioned Lapphunds are mostly a very healthy breed. Within Australia we are testing according to the Finnish standards.
A small percentage of Lapphunds world wide have been diagnosed PRA or Hereditary Cataract, and very few hip dysplasia cases are found. The Lapphund belongs to PEVISA (the program against inheritable diseases), which requires examination of the breeding stock before the puppies can be registered. This is not the case in Australia, however we made the decision to undertake this prior to breeding so that we as breeders, can make informed decisions for the benefit of the breed in general.
From what I am gleaning via Finland, both PRA and hip dysplasia are age onset problems. Here in Australia the few dogs that have been tested with high hip scores have still shown no signs or physical symptoms of the disease. Some of these are from the early litters and still healthy and active at the age of 14 years with no signs or symptoms of CHD of any problems.
Since we have commenced testing for genetic diseases some incidences have cropped up. Those that appear more commonly, though not often, are PRA, HD, HC, Elbow dysplasia and epilepsy. Again tests are being devised to enable breeders to eliminate these health issues. To date in Australia, we have no confirmed symptomatic cases of any of these issues. Again due to our testing we have located other eye issues which in itself does not create any difficulties for the home pet. The frequency of these problems appearing is minimal to those that are tested. (Some findings show only about 2% of those tested).
We do have some incidences of food allergies, hayfever, travel sickness occurring in the breed. We have also had a case of Cushings Disease and Addisons Disease. These breeders are checking their lines and working with the Finnish Breeding committee to hopefully minimize this occurring again. The one diagnosed case of epilepsy was due primarily to damage at birth from a long protracted birthing of the pup. He also had another neurological issue as he rolled his eye as well.
Genetic Problems:
As mentioned Lapphunds are mostly a very healthy breed. Within Australia we are testing according to the Finnish standards.
A small percentage of Lapphunds world wide have been diagnosed PRA or Hereditary Cataract, and very few hip dysplasia cases are found. The Lapphund belongs to PEVISA (the program against inheritable diseases), which requires examination of the breeding stock before the puppies can be registered. This is not the case in Australia, however we made the decision to undertake this prior to breeding so that we as breeders, can make informed decisions for the benefit of the breed in general.
From what I am gleaning via Finland, both PRA and hip dysplasia are age onset problems. Here in Australia the few dogs that have been tested with high hip scores have still shown no signs or physical symptoms of the disease. Some of these are from the early litters and still healthy and active at the age of 14 years with no signs or symptoms of CHD of any problems.
Since we have commenced testing for genetic diseases some incidences have cropped up. Those that appear more commonly, though not often, are PRA, HD, HC, Elbow dysplasia and epilepsy. Again tests are being devised to enable breeders to eliminate these health issues. To date in Australia, we have no confirmed symptomatic cases of any of these issues. Again due to our testing we have located other eye issues which in itself does not create any difficulties for the home pet. The frequency of these problems appearing is minimal to those that are tested. (Some findings show only about 2% of those tested).
We do have some incidences of food allergies, hayfever, travel sickness occurring in the breed. We have also had a case of Cushings Disease and Addisons Disease. These breeders are checking their lines and working with the Finnish Breeding committee to hopefully minimize this occurring again. The one diagnosed case of epilepsy was due primarily to damage at birth from a long protracted birthing of the pup. He also had another neurological issue as he rolled his eye as well.
Health Issues that we test for.
PRA –
Progressive Retinal Atrophy is an eye defect where the retina undergoes degeneration. The condition is unlikely to appear before the animal is year old, and in some breeds the age of onset maybe much later. Since the condition is inherited it is advised that breeding animals be tested regularly to ensure reduce the chances of breeding from stock that has developed the condition. The general consensus is that the condition is inherited via a simple recessive gene. It would appear that in the Finnish Lapphund the PRA is late onset - often not appearing until the dog is more than 5 years of age and often even later in life. So it maybe that a dog or bitch has previously been bred from, before the condition is identified. We now have a DNA test to show affected genotypes for this disease. As a result we should see fewer and fewer cases over time. Testing this way is however quite expensive. Otherwise regular optomology tests is the surest method of attempting to restrict the breeding from affected dogs.
PRA Test for Finnish Lapphund
Starting December 1, 2005, OptiGen offered the genetic test for the prcd form of PRA that occurs in Finnish Lapphunds. Now a couple of local labs test genetically for disease and most of us use these local ones for ease of results and reduced cost for testing.
Classifications for PRCD PRA is Affected – we have none in Australia to date, Carrier – we have many of this status and it is not an issue if breeding to a tested clear or kept as a companion pet. This means that the pet will never get this form of PRA. Clear – Again the pet will never get this form of PRA and will not pass it on to their progeny.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy is an eye defect where the retina undergoes degeneration. The condition is unlikely to appear before the animal is year old, and in some breeds the age of onset maybe much later. Since the condition is inherited it is advised that breeding animals be tested regularly to ensure reduce the chances of breeding from stock that has developed the condition. The general consensus is that the condition is inherited via a simple recessive gene. It would appear that in the Finnish Lapphund the PRA is late onset - often not appearing until the dog is more than 5 years of age and often even later in life. So it maybe that a dog or bitch has previously been bred from, before the condition is identified. We now have a DNA test to show affected genotypes for this disease. As a result we should see fewer and fewer cases over time. Testing this way is however quite expensive. Otherwise regular optomology tests is the surest method of attempting to restrict the breeding from affected dogs.
PRA Test for Finnish Lapphund
Starting December 1, 2005, OptiGen offered the genetic test for the prcd form of PRA that occurs in Finnish Lapphunds. Now a couple of local labs test genetically for disease and most of us use these local ones for ease of results and reduced cost for testing.
Classifications for PRCD PRA is Affected – we have none in Australia to date, Carrier – we have many of this status and it is not an issue if breeding to a tested clear or kept as a companion pet. This means that the pet will never get this form of PRA. Clear – Again the pet will never get this form of PRA and will not pass it on to their progeny.
CHD –
Hip Dysplasia is a condition where the ball & socket joint of the hip is not properly formed, leading to lameness, chronic pain etc. dogs can be X-rayed and scored for the degree of dysplasia of the joint. The lower the score the better. The breed average for each breed of dog will vary. Currently the breed average hip score for the FL is 13. It is advisable that breeding is from dogs with scores lower than the Breed average.
It should be noted that HD is not simply an inherited condition, other factors such as feeding, exercise and environment or over exercise at an early age may play a part in the development of the condition. Although we are testing our dogs for HD, in Australia, we are also noticing that those that are characterised as being affected are NOT showing any signs of this problem until their aging years. Some of these are now 14 and only just starting to show signs of slowing up.
Canine Hip Dysplasia is a fickle problem as it is caused by so many other elements as well. Genetics only play a small part in the hip dysplasia problem.
Environment such as slippery floors, wet floors, tiles, use of stairs when too young, overfeeding, over-exercise, jumping at too early an age, along with many other exercise, feeding and other elements created by puppy owners may play a part in the development of the condition. We strongly recommend that Lappie puppies do not undertake rigourous physical activity (eg Agility) until they are over 12 months old and fully developed.
Overweightness of your dog will lead to signs of this and can cause stress on all joints.
Breeders use hip scoring as a guide and this guide should be used by prospective owners as well in conjunction with the knowledge that it is not invincible. I have seen dogs with perfect hips who are walking as though they are dysplastic and seen those whose scores show poor results who never exhibit symptoms of it.
Animals that are tested with an A, B, or C are deemed to be within a breeding range and therefore given a Pass status. Those with score of D and below are deemed to be unacceptable for breeding and subsequently given a Unsatisfactory Status. Within Finland some D dogs are used in their breeding program though this is not a common practice.
Within Australia ALL tested imported dogs have been with excellent to very good hip scores. We are fortunate that this is the case. We should be aware as well of what is behind these lines to ensure the great hips that are mostly found within our breed in this country.
Some lines work well together and some do not.
For more information on hip dysplasia please visit the OFA website. This site has a great description of the gradings along with pictures.
Elbow Dysplasia - As with hip dysplasia, elbows are now tested to ensure that this in not a problem. Again it is where the ball and socket joint do not meet tightly which causes the problems to the dog. The score are rated 0 to 3 with the lower being the better. In Australia we have had the rare incidence of score of 1/1 but do occasionally get higher as our numbers of lappies increase.
Hip Dysplasia is a condition where the ball & socket joint of the hip is not properly formed, leading to lameness, chronic pain etc. dogs can be X-rayed and scored for the degree of dysplasia of the joint. The lower the score the better. The breed average for each breed of dog will vary. Currently the breed average hip score for the FL is 13. It is advisable that breeding is from dogs with scores lower than the Breed average.
It should be noted that HD is not simply an inherited condition, other factors such as feeding, exercise and environment or over exercise at an early age may play a part in the development of the condition. Although we are testing our dogs for HD, in Australia, we are also noticing that those that are characterised as being affected are NOT showing any signs of this problem until their aging years. Some of these are now 14 and only just starting to show signs of slowing up.
Canine Hip Dysplasia is a fickle problem as it is caused by so many other elements as well. Genetics only play a small part in the hip dysplasia problem.
Environment such as slippery floors, wet floors, tiles, use of stairs when too young, overfeeding, over-exercise, jumping at too early an age, along with many other exercise, feeding and other elements created by puppy owners may play a part in the development of the condition. We strongly recommend that Lappie puppies do not undertake rigourous physical activity (eg Agility) until they are over 12 months old and fully developed.
Overweightness of your dog will lead to signs of this and can cause stress on all joints.
Breeders use hip scoring as a guide and this guide should be used by prospective owners as well in conjunction with the knowledge that it is not invincible. I have seen dogs with perfect hips who are walking as though they are dysplastic and seen those whose scores show poor results who never exhibit symptoms of it.
Animals that are tested with an A, B, or C are deemed to be within a breeding range and therefore given a Pass status. Those with score of D and below are deemed to be unacceptable for breeding and subsequently given a Unsatisfactory Status. Within Finland some D dogs are used in their breeding program though this is not a common practice.
Within Australia ALL tested imported dogs have been with excellent to very good hip scores. We are fortunate that this is the case. We should be aware as well of what is behind these lines to ensure the great hips that are mostly found within our breed in this country.
Some lines work well together and some do not.
For more information on hip dysplasia please visit the OFA website. This site has a great description of the gradings along with pictures.
Elbow Dysplasia - As with hip dysplasia, elbows are now tested to ensure that this in not a problem. Again it is where the ball and socket joint do not meet tightly which causes the problems to the dog. The score are rated 0 to 3 with the lower being the better. In Australia we have had the rare incidence of score of 1/1 but do occasionally get higher as our numbers of lappies increase.
The following conditions appear much less frequently than the above conditions.
Regular tests done prior to breeding or every 18m to 24months, through an ophthalmology assessment assist in ensuring that we have healthy breeding stock and that you as a consumer gain a healthy pup.
We are checking for:
Heriditary Cataracts - Cataract appears as a whiteness or greyness of the eye lens, visible through the pupil. It appears that the hereditary cataract, which is seen in the FL, occurs after the dog is one year of age, and it is not believed to be progressive. The mode of inheritance of the condition is not proven. Causes may be due to a congenital abnormality, an
infection in utero, trauma or injury to the eye, a metabolic disorder, the result of nutritional disorders or as a result of the influence of certain drugs. But it is advised that all breeding stock be checked for the condition regularly.
Retinal Dyslasia - in dogs is a condition of the eye, which causes clumps, called 'rosettes' or 'folds' to form in the retinal tissue. RD can be caused by a wide variety of factors, usually inherited but can be caused by a variety of other means, including vitamin deficiencies, damage to the eye itself, and viral infections that affect the eye. If a bitch is affected by the canine herpes virus during pregnancy, the virus can affect the puppies prior to delivery and potentially cause retinal dysplasia to occur. It can affect the vision in varying degrees but is not painful nor progressive. Depending on how severe the condition is, the associated vision loss that goes with it may be totally manageable, and many pet dogs with retinal dysplasia live full and healthy lives with very little difficulty caused by the condition.
The three types of retinal dysplasia in dogs
There are three different basic types of retinal dysplasia in dogs, which are classed according to their effect on the eye and how they have formed.
Persistent Pupillary Membrane (PPM) a normal membrane in the eye of the unborn puppy does not completely reabsorb and disappear after the puppy is born. As the unborn puppy develops, the part of the eye called the iris initially forms as a solid sheet known as the pupillary membrane. This important membrane contains blood vessels to supply nutrients to the developing lens of the eye before birth. During the first two weeks of life, before the eyes open, the membrane normally reabsorbs and disappears. However some of the pupillary membrane may persist in different forms. The location and extent of the persistent membrane or strands of membrane will indicate whether it affects vision. Most PPM has no effect on a dog’s life. PPM does not progress, and in fact puppies with mild PPM often have it reabsorb and disappear completely as they age.
Ask the veterinary ophthalmologist conducting the exam to what extent your dog's vision may or may not be affected by a PPM finding.
Examples of PPM findings in an eye exam:
PHTVL / PHPV Persistent hyperplastic tunica vasculosa lentis (PHTVL) and persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV) Begins in utero, with progressive atrophy of the vascular system that supports the eye lens. It refers to the persistence of the embryonic vascular system of the lens. PHTVL /PHPV is a congenital eye anomaly which has been described in many animals as well as in man.
For to help to better understand and describe the diversity of the clinical signs of PHTVL / PHPV the Dutch reporters divided the signs into six grades according the severity of the findings
Grade 1: Retrolental fibrovascular pigmented dots (with a diameter about 0,1 mm) alone on the posterior capsule of the lens.
Grade 2: Dots in combination with a retrolental tissue proliferation (plaque) attached to the posterior lens capsule.
Grade 3: Plaque in combination with persistent parts of the hyaloid (-TVL) vascular system
Grade 5: Plaque, lenticonus posterior, and persistent parts of the hyaloid-TVL system (a combination of grades 3 and 4)
Grade 6: Abnormal lens shape due to the colobomata or mikrophakia, possibly in combination with the elongated ciliary processes and intra- or retrolental free blood, all in addition to severe (grades 2-5) anomalies.
Grade1 with retrolental dots alone do not develop into a cataract and do not interfere with vision. All other grades progressively worsen and cataract develops. Thus there is a chance of severe impairment or even total loss of a vison.
In grade1 cases the anomaly can be uni- or bilateral. In the more advanced cases it is mostly bilateral, although the severity of the problem can vary in the both eyes. This anomaly is due to an embryological defect in the prenatal ocular development. Normally an arteria (a. hyaloidea) grows from the retinal area through the primary vitreus to the posterior lens capsule. A.hyaloidea forms an vascular net behind the lens and around it (tunica vasculosa lentis). All this is needed to feed the lens and nearby structures. By day 45 of gestation the development of the lens is nearly finished and the network begins to atrophy. In defected dog there is a metabolic defect and the regression is impaired. Pigment dots against the posterior lens capsule are remnants of the vascular structure failed to atrophy (grade1). In more severe cases there are more advanced defects seen already at the gestation day 35 onward. The problem seems to be originate from the persistence of the vascular structure, thus the name PHTVL is used primarily as a name of this defect. This makes this anomaly different from the human disease where PHPV is described as a non-hereditary mainly unilateral eye defect.
Link 3
Regular tests done prior to breeding or every 18m to 24months, through an ophthalmology assessment assist in ensuring that we have healthy breeding stock and that you as a consumer gain a healthy pup.
We are checking for:
Heriditary Cataracts - Cataract appears as a whiteness or greyness of the eye lens, visible through the pupil. It appears that the hereditary cataract, which is seen in the FL, occurs after the dog is one year of age, and it is not believed to be progressive. The mode of inheritance of the condition is not proven. Causes may be due to a congenital abnormality, an
infection in utero, trauma or injury to the eye, a metabolic disorder, the result of nutritional disorders or as a result of the influence of certain drugs. But it is advised that all breeding stock be checked for the condition regularly.
Retinal Dyslasia - in dogs is a condition of the eye, which causes clumps, called 'rosettes' or 'folds' to form in the retinal tissue. RD can be caused by a wide variety of factors, usually inherited but can be caused by a variety of other means, including vitamin deficiencies, damage to the eye itself, and viral infections that affect the eye. If a bitch is affected by the canine herpes virus during pregnancy, the virus can affect the puppies prior to delivery and potentially cause retinal dysplasia to occur. It can affect the vision in varying degrees but is not painful nor progressive. Depending on how severe the condition is, the associated vision loss that goes with it may be totally manageable, and many pet dogs with retinal dysplasia live full and healthy lives with very little difficulty caused by the condition.
The three types of retinal dysplasia in dogs
There are three different basic types of retinal dysplasia in dogs, which are classed according to their effect on the eye and how they have formed.
- Focal or multi-focal retinal dysplasia (MRD) refers to small folds within the retinal tissue, either singularly or multiply. These may become less pronounced as the dog approaches maturity, but may cause blind spots in the dog’s vision.
- Geographic retinal dysplasia (GRD)lesions appear to be horseshoe-shaped or irregularly shaped, and may be present either instead of or alongside of folds in the retinal tissue. While focal or multi-focal folds may lessen or disappear as the dog ages, geographic retinal lesions will not. This type of retinal dysplasia results in visual impairment and possible blindness.
- The most severe form of the condition is complete retinal dysplasia accompanied with detachment, which causes blindness and may potentially be accompanied by a range of secondary eye problems such as cataract or glaucoma.
Persistent Pupillary Membrane (PPM) a normal membrane in the eye of the unborn puppy does not completely reabsorb and disappear after the puppy is born. As the unborn puppy develops, the part of the eye called the iris initially forms as a solid sheet known as the pupillary membrane. This important membrane contains blood vessels to supply nutrients to the developing lens of the eye before birth. During the first two weeks of life, before the eyes open, the membrane normally reabsorbs and disappears. However some of the pupillary membrane may persist in different forms. The location and extent of the persistent membrane or strands of membrane will indicate whether it affects vision. Most PPM has no effect on a dog’s life. PPM does not progress, and in fact puppies with mild PPM often have it reabsorb and disappear completely as they age.
Ask the veterinary ophthalmologist conducting the exam to what extent your dog's vision may or may not be affected by a PPM finding.
Examples of PPM findings in an eye exam:
- Iris to iris strands (are the mildest PPM and the dog WILL pass the eye exam).
- Iris to lens strands (will NOT pass the eye exam)
- Iris to cornea strands (will NOT pass the eye exam)
- Iris sheets (will NOT pass the eye exam and are the most severe form of PPM).
PHTVL / PHPV Persistent hyperplastic tunica vasculosa lentis (PHTVL) and persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV) Begins in utero, with progressive atrophy of the vascular system that supports the eye lens. It refers to the persistence of the embryonic vascular system of the lens. PHTVL /PHPV is a congenital eye anomaly which has been described in many animals as well as in man.
For to help to better understand and describe the diversity of the clinical signs of PHTVL / PHPV the Dutch reporters divided the signs into six grades according the severity of the findings
Grade 1: Retrolental fibrovascular pigmented dots (with a diameter about 0,1 mm) alone on the posterior capsule of the lens.
Grade 2: Dots in combination with a retrolental tissue proliferation (plaque) attached to the posterior lens capsule.
Grade 3: Plaque in combination with persistent parts of the hyaloid (-TVL) vascular system
Grade 5: Plaque, lenticonus posterior, and persistent parts of the hyaloid-TVL system (a combination of grades 3 and 4)
Grade 6: Abnormal lens shape due to the colobomata or mikrophakia, possibly in combination with the elongated ciliary processes and intra- or retrolental free blood, all in addition to severe (grades 2-5) anomalies.
Grade1 with retrolental dots alone do not develop into a cataract and do not interfere with vision. All other grades progressively worsen and cataract develops. Thus there is a chance of severe impairment or even total loss of a vison.
In grade1 cases the anomaly can be uni- or bilateral. In the more advanced cases it is mostly bilateral, although the severity of the problem can vary in the both eyes. This anomaly is due to an embryological defect in the prenatal ocular development. Normally an arteria (a. hyaloidea) grows from the retinal area through the primary vitreus to the posterior lens capsule. A.hyaloidea forms an vascular net behind the lens and around it (tunica vasculosa lentis). All this is needed to feed the lens and nearby structures. By day 45 of gestation the development of the lens is nearly finished and the network begins to atrophy. In defected dog there is a metabolic defect and the regression is impaired. Pigment dots against the posterior lens capsule are remnants of the vascular structure failed to atrophy (grade1). In more severe cases there are more advanced defects seen already at the gestation day 35 onward. The problem seems to be originate from the persistence of the vascular structure, thus the name PHTVL is used primarily as a name of this defect. This makes this anomaly different from the human disease where PHPV is described as a non-hereditary mainly unilateral eye defect.
Link 3
Addison's disease is a condition in which a dog's adrenal gland does not produce a sufficient amount of either cortisol or aldosterone. These glands, located near the kidney's, have a role in regulating the way a dog's body controls levels of water, sugar and salt. Times when your dog is under stress is when signs of Addisons Disease in Dogs often occur. This is because the adrenal glands produce the hormone cortisol when stressed. Under production of cortisol results in canine addisons symptoms such as dehydration, a change in heart rate (slow, irregular), weakness and signs of depression. Dogs are treated in the short term to bring the body back into balance with the use of intravenous fluids and medications which replace missing cortisol. Longer term pills administered daily or a monthly injection can help a dog with Addisions live a healthy life. Natural remedies can be used as a supportive therapy to help the body regulate itself. This condition is the opposite of the more common Cushing's Disease, where too much cortisol is produced.
We have only 1 diagnosed case of Addisons disease in Australia in 2015.
Link 4 Link 5 Link 6 Link 7
Cushing's Disease (hyperadrenocorticism) is a common condition in older dogs, often mistaken for the aging process itself. Dogs gain weight, lose hair, urinate in the house, and make owners begin to prematurely consider euthanasia. Yet Cushing's disease is treatable and that treatment can result in a longer, more comfortable life for the dog and its owner. Cushing's syndrome happens when your dog’s body makes too much of a hormone called cortisol. This chemical helps him respond to stress, control his weight, fight infections, and keep his blood sugar levels in check. But too much or too little of it can cause problems.
We have only 1 diagnosed case of Cushings Disease up to 2015.
Link 8 Link 9 Link 10 Link 11 Link 12 Link 13 Link 14 Link 15 Link 16
Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes the dog to have sudden, uncontrolled, recurring physical attacks, with or without loss of consciousness. This may sometimes occur for unknown reasons (idiopathic) or due to genetic abnormalities.
Link 17 Link 18 Link 19
Pompes Disease (Glycogen Storage Disease Type II) GSD-II
This is a relatively new genetic test for lapphunds. So far we have had no cases of carriers or affecteds in Australia. The same genetic markers are used for dogs and humans.
Pompe disease, a severe glycogen storage disease appearing in Lapphunds is caused by a genetic defect in acid α-glucosidase gene. The same genetic mutation also causes the equivalent disease in humans. Based on this finding, canine Pompe disease can now be diagnosed with a genetic test.
Canine Pompe disease is known to occur in Swedish Lapphunds and in this study it was revealed also from Finnish Lapphunds. Both the affected puppies and infantile onset patients lack functional acid α-glucosidase enzyme. Normally this enzyme breaks down the stored glycogen into glucose inside the lysosomes. When the α-glucosidase enzyme is not working properly, glycogen accumulates inside the cells of all tissues. In Pompe disease, glycogen doesn’t break down naturally and accumulation most severely affects tissue function of the muscles.
The disease can manifest as poor growth, recurrent vomiting and regurgitation due a dilated esophagus (food pipe), progressive muscle weakness leading to exercise intolerance, frequent panting, and heart abnormalities. First symptoms are typically observable at 7 month of age, and affected dogs usually die or are euthanased before 2 years of age as long-term management of the disease is currently ineffective.
Symptoms and Types
Type I-a, usually found in Maltese puppies, may result in failure to thrive, mental depression, low blood sugar (a condition known as hypoglycemia), and eventually death (or, to avoid symptoms, euthanasia) by sixty days of age.
Type II, usually found in Lapland dogs, is characterized by vomiting, progressive muscle weakness, and cardiac abnormalities. Death usually occurs before two years of age.
Type III, usually found in German Shepherds, results in depression, weakness, failure to grow, and mild hypoglycemia.
Type IV, found in English Spring Spaniels, results in hemolytic anemia, a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed, and hemoglobinuria, a condition in which the protein hemoglobin (which helps transport oxygen throughout the body) is abnormally highly concentrated in the patient’s urine.
Link 20 Link 21 Link 22 Link 23
Degenerative Myelopathy is a progressive disease of the spinal cord in older dogs. The disease has an insidious onset typically between 8 and 14 years of age. It begins with a loss of coordination (ataxia) in the hind limbs. The affected dog will wobble when walking, knuckle over or drag the feet. This can first occur in one hind limb and then affect the other. As the disease progresses, the limbs become weak and the dog begins to buckle and has difficulty standing. The weakness gets progressively worse until the dog is unable to walk. The clinical course can range from 6 months to 1 year before dogs become paraplegic. If signs progress for a longer period of time, loss of continence may occur and eventually weakness will develop in the front limbs. Another key feature of DM is that it is not a painful disease.
This is another disease that we are testing for. Luckily we have a handful of carriers in the country and not once have they created affected dogs as they were never bred together.
The same protocols for breeding with PRA status dogs applies to DM dogs.
Link 24 Link 25 Link 26 Link 28
Hypersensitivity in Dogs Whilst initially we did not see any of this in our breeding we are now beginning to witness a few more cases. Each is individual in its cause and should be rectified firstly by food elimination then checking the environment for causes. Below are some light reading on hypersensitivity.
Link 29 Link 30 Link 31
We have only 1 diagnosed case of Addisons disease in Australia in 2015.
Link 4 Link 5 Link 6 Link 7
Cushing's Disease (hyperadrenocorticism) is a common condition in older dogs, often mistaken for the aging process itself. Dogs gain weight, lose hair, urinate in the house, and make owners begin to prematurely consider euthanasia. Yet Cushing's disease is treatable and that treatment can result in a longer, more comfortable life for the dog and its owner. Cushing's syndrome happens when your dog’s body makes too much of a hormone called cortisol. This chemical helps him respond to stress, control his weight, fight infections, and keep his blood sugar levels in check. But too much or too little of it can cause problems.
We have only 1 diagnosed case of Cushings Disease up to 2015.
Link 8 Link 9 Link 10 Link 11 Link 12 Link 13 Link 14 Link 15 Link 16
Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes the dog to have sudden, uncontrolled, recurring physical attacks, with or without loss of consciousness. This may sometimes occur for unknown reasons (idiopathic) or due to genetic abnormalities.
Link 17 Link 18 Link 19
Pompes Disease (Glycogen Storage Disease Type II) GSD-II
This is a relatively new genetic test for lapphunds. So far we have had no cases of carriers or affecteds in Australia. The same genetic markers are used for dogs and humans.
Pompe disease, a severe glycogen storage disease appearing in Lapphunds is caused by a genetic defect in acid α-glucosidase gene. The same genetic mutation also causes the equivalent disease in humans. Based on this finding, canine Pompe disease can now be diagnosed with a genetic test.
Canine Pompe disease is known to occur in Swedish Lapphunds and in this study it was revealed also from Finnish Lapphunds. Both the affected puppies and infantile onset patients lack functional acid α-glucosidase enzyme. Normally this enzyme breaks down the stored glycogen into glucose inside the lysosomes. When the α-glucosidase enzyme is not working properly, glycogen accumulates inside the cells of all tissues. In Pompe disease, glycogen doesn’t break down naturally and accumulation most severely affects tissue function of the muscles.
The disease can manifest as poor growth, recurrent vomiting and regurgitation due a dilated esophagus (food pipe), progressive muscle weakness leading to exercise intolerance, frequent panting, and heart abnormalities. First symptoms are typically observable at 7 month of age, and affected dogs usually die or are euthanased before 2 years of age as long-term management of the disease is currently ineffective.
Symptoms and Types
Type I-a, usually found in Maltese puppies, may result in failure to thrive, mental depression, low blood sugar (a condition known as hypoglycemia), and eventually death (or, to avoid symptoms, euthanasia) by sixty days of age.
Type II, usually found in Lapland dogs, is characterized by vomiting, progressive muscle weakness, and cardiac abnormalities. Death usually occurs before two years of age.
Type III, usually found in German Shepherds, results in depression, weakness, failure to grow, and mild hypoglycemia.
Type IV, found in English Spring Spaniels, results in hemolytic anemia, a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed, and hemoglobinuria, a condition in which the protein hemoglobin (which helps transport oxygen throughout the body) is abnormally highly concentrated in the patient’s urine.
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Degenerative Myelopathy is a progressive disease of the spinal cord in older dogs. The disease has an insidious onset typically between 8 and 14 years of age. It begins with a loss of coordination (ataxia) in the hind limbs. The affected dog will wobble when walking, knuckle over or drag the feet. This can first occur in one hind limb and then affect the other. As the disease progresses, the limbs become weak and the dog begins to buckle and has difficulty standing. The weakness gets progressively worse until the dog is unable to walk. The clinical course can range from 6 months to 1 year before dogs become paraplegic. If signs progress for a longer period of time, loss of continence may occur and eventually weakness will develop in the front limbs. Another key feature of DM is that it is not a painful disease.
This is another disease that we are testing for. Luckily we have a handful of carriers in the country and not once have they created affected dogs as they were never bred together.
The same protocols for breeding with PRA status dogs applies to DM dogs.
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Hypersensitivity in Dogs Whilst initially we did not see any of this in our breeding we are now beginning to witness a few more cases. Each is individual in its cause and should be rectified firstly by food elimination then checking the environment for causes. Below are some light reading on hypersensitivity.
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