Must Know Facts about Congenital Birth Defects in Dogs
by admin
Filed under Dog Breeds, Dog Disease
An aspect of good preventive vet care that shouldn’t go unnoticed is understanding some of the common disorders associated with specific dog breeds. It may be helpful to know that in dogs, the body parts most frequently affected by congenital ailments are the central nervous system (CNS), eyes, muscles, and bones. For example, Beagles, Collies, Miniature Pooldes, German Shepherds, and Keeshonds are prone to congenital epilepsy.
It is also helpful to know that different types of nervous system disorders are often passed on within certain breeds. Examples are paralysis of the front and back legs, which is common in the Irish Setter, a failure of muscle coordination common in Fox Terrier, and abnormal swelling of the brain is common in the Chihuahua, English Bulldog, and Cocker Spaniel.
Many breeds suffer for inheritted eye pathologies such as glaucoma, cataracts, and blilndness.
Hernias are also a common difficulty for many breeds. Inguinal hernias where the gut protrudes into the groin area are more likely to be found in Basenjis, Lhasa Apsos, Pekingeses,and Cairn Terriers. Umbilical hernias, where the gut comes through the navel, are inherited in breeds such as Pointers, Airedale Terriers, Weimaraners, Collies, Basenjis, Pekingeses, Cocker Spaniels, and Bull Terriers.
I’ll mention as well that German Shepherds are well known for being susceptible to hip dysplasia. Other breeds where this is more likely to occur are Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, Great Danes, Golden Retrievers, and Saint Bernards. Hip dysplasia is essentially caused by looseness of hip joint and can resemble osteoarthritis. According to peteductation.com at http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2084&aid=444:
The symptoms are typical for those seen with other causes of osteoarthritis. Dogs may walk or run with an altered gait, often resisting movements that require full extension or flexion of the rear legs. Many times, they run with a ‘bunny hopping’ gait. They will show stiffness and pain in the rear legs after exercise or first thing in the morning. Most dogs will warm up out of the muscle stiffness with movement and exercise. Some dogs will limp and many will decrease their level of activity. As the condition progresses, the dogs will lose muscle tone and may even need assistance in getting up. Many owners attribute the changes to normal aging but after treatment is initiated, they are shocked to see much more normal and pain-free movement return.
For some of the best information on dog health on the market, we suggest the Ultimate Guide to Dog Health.
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[tags]congenital birth defects in dogs,birth defects in dogs,preventive vet care,congenital diseases in dogs[/tags]
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