 |
| Is it Genetic? |
There is a saying "if you have been breeding dogs long enough you will have seen every problem". Perhaps an exaggeration but often unexplained health problems will appear in dogs you breed and you are often left scratching your head, wondering where it came from…. There are literally hundreds of diseases in dogs and not every time a Cavalier develops a health problem need it be considered inherited. If a specific disease or condition is seen in a breed recurring at a high frequency then it may be considered to be or suspected to be inherited. Some conditions can be familial or occuring with frequency in certain lines, in other cases the condition can occur in all lines in a breed such as MVD in Cavaliers.
In Cavaliers there are certain conditions considered inherited within the breed: Cataract Mitral Valve Disease Luxating Patellas Retinal Dysplasia There are other conditions that have been known to occur in the Cavalier and that appear in numbers above the norm for all breeds so would be listed as a breed disposition to the condition. It is uncertain that these conditions are inherited in the breed until further research, but are suspected to be: Epilepsy and Fly Catcher's Syndrome Episodic Falling Syndrome Early onset deafness Elongated Soft Palate Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca Hip Dysplasia Syringomylia
Corneal Dystrophy Corneal Ulcers Diabetes Mellitus Dilated Cardiomyopathy Liver Shunt Megasophogus Pancreatitis Heart Arrhythmia Hypothyroidism Inflammatory Bowel Disease Progressive retinal atrophy Pyometra Breeders always need to be aware of the various health conditions considered inherited in their breed and those that could become a problem in the future. They should also be aware of recommended testing, any breeding guidelines and if known, the inheritance factors for the condition. By having as much knowledge as possible a breeder can make informed realistic decisions in their breeding programs with confidence. |
