Breeding Dogs For Dummies by Richard G. Beauchamp

Author:Richard G. Beauchamp
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wiley

Hip dysplasia (HD): This disorder, simply put, is a failure of the head of the femur to fit snugly into the hip socket with resulting degrees of lameness and faulty movement. The inheritance of the defect is polygenic — having more than one source or origin, which means there is no simple answer to the elimination of the problem. Breeders routinely X-ray their breeding stock and breed only from superior animals who have received a grade deemed acceptable for breeding.

Although it’s important that both the sire and dam have been X-rayed and cleared for breeding, it’s just as important that their litter mates, grandparents, and so on have been X-rayed and their history known. Family selection is at least as important as individual selection in the case of polygenic diseases. Asking a breeder the hip status of the parents of the litter and about the incident of hip dysplasia in his or her line is important.

Osteosarcoma: Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer in dogs and is most apt to develop in the large and giant breeds of dogs weighing over 50 pounds. Bone cancer commonly manifests itself in persistent lameness of a leg, and a malignant tumor often develops. Long term prognosis is not good but amputation and chemotherapy allow dogs to lead a good qualify of life for a relatively short period of time. Because the disease occurs only in large breeds, a genetic predisposition is suspected.

Patella luxation: This condition is commonly referred to as slipping stifles. It’s an abnormality of the stifle (the knee joint) that leads to dislocation of the kneecap. The problem is particularly prevalent among the small breeds. Normally the kneecap is located in a groove at the lower end of the thighbone. It’s held in this position by strong elastic ligaments. If the groove is insufficiently developed, the kneecap leaves its normal position and slips to one side or the other of the track in which it is normally held. The dog may exhibit an intermittent but persistent limp or have difficulty straightening out the knee. In some cases, the dog may experience pain. Treatment may require surgery.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.