Health Issues
At Summit Farm our focus will always be to breed Swissys that will live a long healthy life. We will screen all of our Swissys prior to breeding. We will make sure they are free from hip and elbow dysplasia and eye diseases. By screening all of the Swissys we want to incorporate into our breeding program and knowing the pedigrees from both parents we hope to produce sound, healthy Swissys. Of course this is not a guarantee that our breeding stock or their puppies will never develop these hereditary health issues. At this point science is unable to locate and destroy the genes that cause these probems. Scientists continue to research and we hope it will be in the near future that they will be able to locate and destroy the genes that cause these issues before they get passed along.
If you are interested in obtaining a Swissy the following list is of health issues that can be of concern in this breed. Be sure and do your research to be absolutely sure that you are willing and capable to take on one or more of the following problems should they arise.
Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GDV) also Splenic Torsion:
Deep-chested dogs are susceptible to gastric torsion; the dreaded "bloat". Whatever it is called this is a very serious condition and it needs immediate attention as it can be fatal. Researchers still do not know the exact cause of bloat.
A Swissy's risk of getting bloat increases with age.
Bloat can occur with or without torsion of the stomach and/or spleen, just as torsion can occur with or without bloat.
Symptoms can be distended abdomen, excessive salivating, depression, lethargy - there are so many symptoms that you would just have to know your dog and know that something was not right.
When Bloat occurs it cuts off the esophagus and the blood supply to the heart is lessened causing low blood pressure as well as other cardiac problems. This causes the dog to go into shock. Organ damage can occur as well and the stomach may rupture causing peritonitis to set in. This can also affect the stomach and spleen and cause torsion. If not treated, the dog may die.
All Swissy owners need to research this condition to have knowledge about this serious condition. To do further research go to the following site: http://www.vet.purdue.edu/epi/bloat.htm
Canine Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a term used to discribe repeated siezers. Seizures may occur as a one time event from many causes, but if the seizures are repeated again and again over a period of time do we call it epilepsy. Seizures are a sign of brain disease. Saying an animal has epilepsy is saying it has a problem which isn't going away. Anything which damages the brain in the right area can cause epilepsy. If we can identify the reason there are seizures, like a brain tumor or a stroke, then that pet has symptomatic (or secondary) epilepsy. Meaning, the seizures are a symptom of a disease process we've been able to identify. If can't find the cause, then we call it idiopathic (or primary) epilepsy. The term idiopathic simply means that we don't know the cause.
If your dog has idiopathic epilepsy it is probable it has inherited epilepsy: caused by a mutation in a specific gene which which was passed through their parents. Idiopathic epilepsy usually begins between one and three years of age. Some breeds, like the Swissy are predisposed to develop epilepsy. For more reading on epilepsy go to the following site:
http://www.canine-epilepsy.net/basics/basics_index.html
Distichiasis
(extra eyelashes or row of lashes growing from the lid margins):
A distichia is an eyelash that grows on the eyelid in an abnormal spot. It will usually grow at the eyelid margin. They are usually multiple and sometimes more than one arises. They can affect either the upper or lower eyelid and are usually bilateral. The lower eyelids of dogs usually have no eyelashes. Distichiae usually cause no symptoms because the lashes are soft. They can irritate the eye and cause tearing or damage to the cornea. If surgery is required , this is usually done with minor surgery and is usually successful.
This as well as other eye problems can be screened for by the Canine Registration Foundation (CERF). http://www.vmdb.org/cerf.html
Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD):
Hip Dysplasia is a terrible genetic disease because of the various degrees of arthritis (also called degenerative joint disease, arthrosis, osteoarthrosis) it can eventually produce, leading to pain and debilitation.
The very first step in the development of arthritis is cartilage (the type of cartilage lining the joint) damage due to the inherited bad biomechanics of an abnormally developed hip joint. Traumatic articular fracture through the joint surface is another way cartilage is damaged. With cartilage damage, lots of degradative enzymes are released into the joint. These enzymes degrade and decrease the synthesis of important constituent molecules that form hyaline cartilage called proteoglycans. This causes the cartilage to lose its thickness and elasticity, which are important in absorbing mechanical loads placed across the joint during movement. Eventually, more debris and enzymes spill into the joint fluid and destroy molecules called glycosaminoglycan and hyaluronate which are important precursors that form the cartilage proteoglycans. The joint's lubrication and ability to block inflammatory cells are lost and the debris-tainted joint fluid loses its ability to properly nourish the cartilage through impairment of nutrient-waste exchange across the joint cartilage cells. The damage then spreads to the synovial membrane lining the joint capsule and more degradative enzymes and inflammatory cells stream into the joint. Full thicknescontact nerve endings in the subchondral bone, resulting in pain. In an attempt to stabilize the joint to decrease the pain, the animal's body produces new bone at the edges of the joint surface, s loss of cartilage allows the synovial fluid to joint capsule, ligament and muscle attachments (bone spurs). The joint capsule also eventually thickens and the joint's range of motion decreases.
No one can predict when or even if a dysplastic dog will start showing clinical signs of lameness due to pain. There are multiple environmental factors such as caloric intake, level of exercise, and weather that can affect the severity of clinical signs and phenotypic expression (radiographic changes). There is no rhyme or reason to the severity of radiographic changes correlated with the clinical findings. There are a number of dysplastic dogs with severe arthritis that run, jump, and play as if nothing is wrong and some dogs with barely any arthritic radiographic changes that are severely lame.
Although OFA or PennHIP certified dogs may produce dysplastic offspring, studies have shown that breeding dogs with radiographically normal hips will significantly reduce the prevalence of hip dysplasia.
Read more at the OFA site: http://www.offa.org/index.html Elbow Dysplasia (ED):
Elbow dysplasia is a general term used to identify an inherited polygenic disease in the elbow of dogs. Three specific etiologies make up this disease and they can occur independently or in conjunction with one another. These etiologies include:
Pathology involving the medial coronoid of the ulna (FCP)
Osteochondritis of the medial humeral condyle in the elbow joint (OCD)
Ununited anconeal process (UAP)
Studies have shown the inherited polygenic traits causing these etiologies are independent of one another. Clinical signs involve lameness which may remain subtle for long periods of time. No one can predict at what age lameness will occur in a dog due to a large number of genetic and environmental factors such as degree of severity of changes, rate of weight gain, amount of exercise, etc. Subtle changes in gait may be characterized by excessive inward deviation of the paw which raises the outside of the paw so that it receives less weight and distributes more mechanical weight on the outside (lateral) aspect of the elbow joint away from the lesions located on the inside of the joint. Range of motion in the elbow is also decreased.
Osteochondritis Dissecans/OCD:
While how this is inherited is unknown, osteochondrosis is considered to be an inherited disease. In affected individuals there is a disruption in ossification of the cartilage mold beneath the articular cartilage of the joint. This results in aseptic necrosis and when the weakened area collapses, the articular cartilage fractures resulting in lameness.
OCD has been reported to occur in the shoulder, elbow, stifle, hock, and spine, and can be unilateral or bilateral. Most affected dogs that develop clinical signs are less than one year of age.
OCD is seen in many breeds but appears to be more common in the larger body type breeds. It is also seen more frequently in males than females.
There are many other diseases that occur within the breed, the above are the most common. If you have any questions on these health issues or others please feel free to contact us.
Helen & Stuart Kramlich
Tacoma, Wa
253-535-0783