Health Testing
Hip & Elbow Dysplasia
This issue is basically a problem with the ball and socket in the hip and elbow. Often times the ball is too big for or is misaligned in the socket causing wear and tear on the joint which will evenually present as lameness when walking, bunny hopping when gaiting and difficulity in getting up from a lay down position and eventually ends up in arthritis.
Although this issue has a genetic component which can be passed on from generation to generation, this can also be contributed to by diet and allowing your puppy and or young growing dog to become overweight and or encouraging too much and inappropriate exercise such as jumping in and out of a vehicle or off a deck and or slippery surfaces like polished concrete etc. Inadequate diet and uneven growth are also contributing factors.
This means that 2 dogs with excellent hip and elbow scores can produce a dog that does not have good hip and elbow scores although the risk for the genetic component of this disorder is reduced with parents with acceptable scores.
Research has shown that the development of this condition is and can be affected by nature and nurture and as such talk to your breeder about what you can do to minimise risk and follow the diet plan provided by your breeder.
The condition is known have an inherited conponent, but the development and severity of the symptoms if they develop can be greatly enhanced by the environment that the dog is living in.
The contributing factors for this disorder are many and complex which is why with over 30 years of screening we see very little or slow improvement overall in the outcomes for this condition.
X-rays to provide a Hip and Elbow Score are a must to my mind before any breeding should take place, even though dogs with fabulous scores can produce pups that can go on to develop this condition, the testing should allow us to minimisie risk from the genetic side of the equasion
Once again this testing is a useful tool to make informed decisions in a balanced breeding program and is another test that your breeder should be able to provide you in their puppy packs.
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