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Category: GeneticsINBREEDING AND DIVERSITY - PART 1Most breeders keep records (pedigrees) of their animals and their animals’ performance. Information such as litter size, milk production, and slaughter weight are collected when such information is of importance. The more information we have, the more informed and accurate our decisions become. This chapter will show us how to use the information at our disposal to make good decisions. (Read more...)
INBREEDING AND DIVERSITY - PART 2PART 2 - Most breeders keep records (pedigrees) of their animals and their animals’ performance. Information such as litter size, milk production, and slaughter weight are collected when such information is of importance. The more information we have, the more informed and accurate our decisions become. This chapter will show us how to use the information at our disposal to make good decisions. (Read more...)
INBREEDING AND DIVERSITY - PART 3Part 3 - Most breeders keep records (pedigrees) of their animals and their animals’ performance. Information such as litter size, milk production, and slaughter weight are collected when such information is of importance. The more information we have, the more informed and accurate our decisions become. This chapter will show us how to use the information at our disposal to make good decisions. (Read more...)
Immune System Problems in the GSD and Other BreedsThe German Shepherd Dog is a very popular breed. In fact, it is Number One worldwide although in the U.S. it ranks much lower partly because of AKC clubs' non-adherence to the international Standards - usually in the AKC top ten, though. As a result of there being so many GSDs, veterinarians and others typically see more cases of most disorders than they do in other breeds. Popularity has its drawbacks, and undeserved notoriety is one of them. (Read more...)
LEGG CALVÉ PERTHES DISEASEA disorder sometimes easily mistaken for hip dysplasia is Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, perhaps more frequently referred to by the dog fancier as "Legg-Perthes". This is an aseptic (not infected), developmental necrosis (dying of tissue) of the femoral head and neck, found almost entirely in toy or other small breeds. On radiographs, it often looks as if the bone is "rotting away", and lameness is the major or only symptom. (Read more...)
Hip Dysplasia, the LMX FormulaMany German Shepherd lovers have seen, known, or loved a dog that suffered great pain, even had to be put down at a young age due to Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD). Though we love this huge breed, the question begs to be asked-Is it worth the risk to purchase and fall in love with a dog only to watch is struggle to stand up when it should be in the prime of its life? (Read more...)
HD in the German Shepherd Dog — a Statistical StudyHD in the German Shepherd Dog — a Statistical Study. Jan Demeyere study & presentation of Hüftgelenksdysplasie (HD) in German Shepherd Dogs. Translation by Fred Lanting, approved by Jan Demeyere, and Fred’s own notes were then added: (Read more...)
Basic Genetics of Chocolate (Liver) Coloration in the Canine.Most black, brown, and yellow colorations are due to the presence of melanin class pigments. The word melanin is derived from the Greek word for black, and is commonly used to refer to the two or three known chemicals similar to each other, which produce the above color families. (Read more...)
The Shoulder in the Working DogWhen we speak of a shoulder in a dog, we usually include a lot more than just the scapula (shoulder blade) — although the flat, broad bone is often the center of attention. No part of a dog exists alone, not even those “floating” bones such as... (Read more...)
Options in Treatment for the Dysplastic DogI am frequently approached by people who have bought “the love of their lives” or a show or working-prospect puppy, only to find out it does not have what most responsible fanciers would call “breedable” hips. (Read more...)
The Nature of Genetic DiseaseMany people label any problem that appears to be inherited a "genetic disease." However... (Read more...)
Guide to Hereditary and Congenital Diseases in Dogs Part 2 (Read more...)
Guide to Hereditary and Congenital Diseases in DogsA list of 148 purebred dog breeds, each of which is accompanied by a number or series of numbers that correspond to the genetic diseases identified and described in Section II. (Read more...)
TREATMENTS FOR ELBOW DISORDERSOften, the dog that is diagnosed with mild ED of one sort or another belongs to someone active in the sport end of the dog game, having no plans to breed but wanting to do obedience or schutzhund work. (Read more...)
ELIMINATING MUTATION:
THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAMThough it is not practical to eliminate all deleterious mutation, the incidence of affected individuals may be significantly reduced through a combination of intelligent breeding practice and the development of DNA tests. (Read more...)
INBREEDING AND DIVERSITY - PART 5 (Read more...)
INBREEDING AND DIVERSITY - PART 4 (Read more...)
INBREEDING AND DIVERSITY - PART 3 (Read more...)
INBREEDING AND DIVERSITY - PART 2 (Read more...)
Cryptorchidism in the German Shepherd DogThe most common congenital anomaly of the scrotum and testicles is the apparent absence of one or both gonads. I use the word “apparent” because the missing testicle(s) usually are actually present inside the body cavity of the dog. (Read more...)
Birth Defects: Cleft Palate Why and WhenHope that you never have a litter with cleft palates. But if you do, this may explain the cause of at least some cases. (Read more...)
Breeding SchemesBreeders often talk about inbreeding and outcrossing as though they were the only possibilities -- and generally with negative comments about the latter. There are other possibilities, and I have long been a proponent of assortative mating. It is not a theoretical concept that doesn't work in practice; I know several breeders who do it and achieve good results. This essay will attempt to explain why it is a good idea, but first I need to define the aternatives. (Read more...)
Purebred Dog Breeds into the Twenty-First Century: Achieving Genetic Health for Our Dogs Part 2The difference between the fittest genotype of a population and the average fitness of that population is known as genetic load. [Muller, 1950] It is, of course, caused by the presence of lethal, sublethal and subvital alleles. (Read more...)
Purebred Dog Breeds into the Twenty-First Century: Achieving Genetic Health for Our DogsA correct and full understanding of these simple truisms is vital to the proper functioning of the entire canine fancy and to the health and well being of the animals which are the object of that fancy. (Read more...)
Back Pain in DogsDisorders of the spinal vertebrae and their associated backaches belong therefore to any list of most frequent illnesses in many breeds, particularly the German Shepherd Dog. (Read more...)
Canine Autoimmune Thyroid Disease And Symptoms OfMost of the confusion about the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease in purebred or mixed breed dogs today stems from the expectation that affected animals must show clinical signs of inadequate thyroid hormonal production (i.e. hypothyroidism) in order to have the disease. The term hypothyroidism has been loosely applied to describe all stages of this disease process whereas strictly speaking it should be reserved for the end-stages when the animal's thyroid gland is no longer capable of producing sufficient hormone(s) to sustain clinical health. At this point, the dog can express any number of the non-specific multisystem signs of thyroid dysfunction. But let's start at the beginning. (Read more...)
Autoimmune DiseasesThe term "Autoimmune disease" is currently making the rounds among dog breeders and exhibitors and in the veterinary community. Diseases caused by a defective immune system are of particular concern among many purebred fanciers. (Some people use the abbreviation AID for (A)uto (I)mmune (D)isease. Due to possible confusion with AIDS,(acquired immune deficiency syndrome), a completely different disease, I have not used this acronym.) (Read more...)
Angles Front and RearThe Front variously called the front assembly, forequarters, or shoulder, the whole combination made by the shoulder blade (scapula), upper arm (humerus), breastbone (sternum), and their related soft tissues is at the heart of much poor movement in German Shepherd Dogs the world over. (Read more...)
Anatomy of the German ShepherdFor breed judges, Koermeister and breeders the evaluation of the German Shepherd dog is a daily activity. For all others, it is likely of interest to know how a dog - especially your own - is evaluated. (Read more...)
The New Knowledge of DM (“GSD Myelopathy”)Chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy (CDRM) is a well-recognised neuro-degenerative disease of unknown aetiology which affected large breed dogs, primarily the German Shepherd Dog (GSD). (Read more...)
Update on Hip Registries, 2003This article is slightly more than an update on the hip registries operating in the U.S. (and Canada, to a great extent). (Read more...)
Let’s Talk Breeding and TrainingThe title of this article stems from a discussion list or website group in the U.K. with the name “Let’s Talk Breeding”. One of its subscribers said she couldn’t “sit by and listen to foolishness without speaking up.” (Read more...)
POPULATION GENETICS AND BREEDINGWhen Mendel's work was rediscovered at the beginning of the twentieth century, the new field of Genetics went in several directions. (Read more...)
HYPERTROPHIC OSTEODYSTROPHY (HOD)The pup the Smiths bought was a very promising individual with a great pedigree. Here, they hoped, was the foundation of their successful showing and breeding future. But in a matter of a couple of weeks, a previously unnoticed cowhocked condition developed and worsened. (Read more...)
The Ins and Outs of Pedigree Analysis, Genetic Diversity, and Genetic Disease ControlAs dog breeders, we engage in genetic "experiments" each time we plan a mating. The type of mating selected should coincide with your goals. To some breeders, determining which traits will appear in the offspring of a mating is like rolling the dice - a combination of luck and chance. (Read more...)
Special to the Swiss SENNtinelBetter progress can be expected when leaders of various major breed clubs take their blinders off and encourage selection for control of these disorders of the elbow. (Read more...)
INBREEDING AND DIVERSITY PART 1Jay Lush, father of modern animal breeding, stated that variation is the raw material with which breeder works. The focus of this article is on the use of variation and measures of variation, in making breeding decisions. (Read more...)
BREED VALUE ASSESSMENT : HD What is it?The right answers to the most prevalent questions. "Where can I take my dog to have his breed value assessed?" , or "Which Breed Value is better, over 100 or under 100?" These are the questions about the Breed Value Assessment HD, that are put to the Head Office time and again. (Read more...)
Looking at Hips — How Various Organizations Do ItSince the 1950s, there has been a growing awareness of the genetic nature of HD (hip dysplasia, often called CHD or canine HD by vets in order to distinguish it from HD in man and other species, although very little difference exists). (Read more...)
SABLES: GENETICS AND MYTHSSome time ago, a GSD breeder-judge in Germany wrote an article that was carried on the Internet, entitled “The Sable Shepherd… A Museum Piece?” (liberal translation). (Read more...)
Hip DysplasiaCanine hip Dysplasia (CHD)---the most common orthopedic problem in dogs---is caused by a loose hipbone-thighbone connection. (Read more...)
Dealing With Wrong Ideas about Hip DysplasiaThe important thing about hip-joint laxity that the people of Schnelles day knew intuitively in the 1930s, the OFA proclaimed via deductive reasoning... (Read more...)
The Genetic Cul-de-sac Dogs as an endangered species Part 2If both copies of the gene are mutated, then each gene can make the right protein about 5 to 10% of the time. Affected Dobermans are thus producing von Willebrand factor. (Read more...)
The Genetic Cul-de-sac Dogs as an endangered species Part 1Why the dog opted to share his fate with men, may never be known, we suspect it had something to do with filling his stomach, but when he did, mankind took on a moral and ethical obligation. (Read more...)
Elbow Disease In Growing DogsElbow disease is the preferred term to be used when talking about elbow problems in growing dogs. Unfortunately "elbow displaysia" was the name given to the condition of ununited anconeal process and this term is closely linked in this way in the minds of most veterinarians and some dog breeders. (Read more...)
Canine Hip Dysplasia Part VIII Surgical Management of Canine Hip Dysplasia-Part IIThis is the eighth and final article in a series on canine hip dysplasia. What follows is written from the perspective that the readers of the series are serious and conscientious breeders who are the guardians of the genetic pools that constitute their breeds. (Read more...)
Canine Hip Dysplasia Part VII Surgical Management of Canine Hip DysplasiaSurgery may be recommended for suitable candidates, taking into account expected activity level, longevity and use and value of the dog. (Read more...)
Canine Hip Dysplasia Part VITreatment of this disease must be tailored specifically to the needs of your pet, whether using conventional or alternative medicine. (Read more...)
Canine Hip Dysplasia Part VAn evaluation method is needed that is not only diagnostic but which can predict the probability of canine hip dysplasia. (Read more...)
Canine Hip Dysplasia Part IVThe Role of Orthopedic Registries in Fighting Canine Hip Dysplasia; Registries, although essential in documenting CHD, have not been used to their full potential. (Read more...)
Canine Hip Dysplasia Part IIIThe authors assess the pros and cons of standard diagnostic methods for hip dysplasia. (Read more...)
Canine Hip Dysplasia Part II - Causative Factors of Canine Hip DysplasiaOwners must separate fact from myth when examining theories on genetic, nutritional and environmental factors that influence CHD. (Read more...)
Canine Hip Dysplasia Part ITo understand this genetically transmitted disease, we must first understand
the workings of the normal canine hip. (Read more...)
So You Are Looking for a Brood Bitch? Part 1I once had a dog, an expensive dog, she was. An import, yes siree. Superb specimen she was, with an immaculate family tree, starting with a famous father and a mother who in turn was a daughter of another famous one. How could one go wrong? (Read more...)
THE DOWNSIDE OF INBREEDING:
IT'S TIME FOR A NEW APPROACHInbreeding (which, for the purposes of this article, includes "linebreeding") has been the rule in dog breeding for the better part of two centuries. (Read more...)
The World Union of German Shepherd Dog Clubs (WUSV) Breed StandardThe German Shepherd Dog is medium sized. With the hair pressed down, the height at the withers is measured by stick along the vertical as it follows the line of the elbow from the withers to the ground. (Read more...)
The Genetic Tide Continues to Swell:The tide of concern about genetic health continues to swell within the purebred dog fancy, driven on by scrutiny from without. The threat of punitive legislation, already a reality in Europe, is widespread in the USA and the contagion seems certain to reach Canada as well. (Read more...)
SOCIAL BEHAVIORThroughout the dog's twelve thousand-year relationship with man, its behavior has been carefully molded to distinguish the dog from its wild ancestor, the wolf. (Read more...)
Canine Genetic PrimerThe purpose of this article is to provide a mini-course in genetics that will serve the reader well during upcoming articles on open registries and the Canine Genome Project, and why they are so important to the future of the breeds we love. (Read more...)
THE PRICE OF POPULARITY:
POPULAR SIRES AND POPULATION GENETICSConsider the hypothetical case of Old Blue, Malthound extraordinaire. Blue was perfect: Sound, healthy and smart. (Read more...)
Constancy and Repeatability in Hip EvaluationsSome questions have been raised about how long the PennHIP reading, and the two-year-old OFA (or one-year old "a" stamp, OVC, or GDC) results are good for. (Read more...)
You be the Judge.PennHIP: Misconceptions and Misinformation, OFA Update: The Issue of Joint Laxity and Stress Radiography. (Read more...)
Genetic Testing: A Guide for BreedersBy now today's breeders have heard about genetic testing, and DNA, but what is really involved in finding a mutation, and what do the results of the test mean? What is a gene?
(Read more...)
HeritabilityPerhaps no term is more misunderstood by dog fanciers when talking about inherited characteristics and environmental effects than the concept of heritability. (Read more...)
BASIC GENETIC CONCEPTSMost of you are undoubtedly aware that color and certain diseases such as progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) are inherited — that is, passed down from one or both the parents. (Read more...)
Looking at OFA and PennHIP in 2003 and 2004Back in the early days before PennHIP had many years and studies under its belt, the first and third statement may have had a little credence, but never has the second, even though for a time... (Read more...)
Purebred Dog Breeds into the Twenty-First Century: Achieving Genetic Health for Our Dogs Part 3The foregoing prescriptions may sound like a canine revolution. If so, the revolution would consist mainly of integrating many facets of the fancy which now exist in ghetto isolation, or of importing good ideas from other parts of the cynological world. (Read more...)
BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO GENETICSNature prevails enormously over nurture ...English scientist Francis Galton in the late 19th Century. (Read more...)
Eliminating Genetic Diseases in Dogs: A Buyer's PerspectiveThis article is intended to be an objective exposition on the subject of genetic diseases in domestic dogs. (Read more...)
DDR Sieger & SiegerinDDR Sieger & Siegerin 1949 - 1989. (Read more...)
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