Health Survey Results - 1997 (2)

Reported by Melinda Cumming, DVM

Mid-Year Report (November 1997)

The current number of surveys totals 99 - a improved sample number from our original 45 surveys. Five health areas need special scrutiny over the next two years as the survey population matures. These are hip dysplasia, allergic tendencies, epilepsy, bloat, and eye conformation.

Recommendations

Continue to require documentation of normal hip conformation in all breeding animals.
Adopt OFA breeding principles (below) to continue to reduce hip dysplasia in the breed.
Authorize Breed Health Committee to submit the breed standard to CERF, and require all breeding animals' eyes to be CERF certified.
Continue the breed health survey.

Comments

1) Hip Dysplasia - OFA Breeding Principles:

Breed normals to normals
Breed normals with normal ancestry
Breed normals from litters with low incidence of hip dysplasia
Select a sire that produces low incidence of hip dysplasia
Replace dogs with dogs that are better than the breed average

2) Eyes - What is CERF?

The Canine Eye Registry Foundation is a non-profit registry for eye disease. Registration is through evaluation by a board certified veterinary ophthalmologist (CVO). When a breed standard is submitted by the parent club it is sent to all CVO's to use as a guideline for the breed.

3) Congenital versus Hereditary

Congenital problems occur through developmental abnormalities, occur on a random basis, and generally are not mutations which are passed to any progeny.

4) Allergies

Skin problems, flea and food allergies, and ear infections (otitis) are statistically correlated in this survey. These tendencies are hereditary. This is an area for great vigilance since these are financially and emotionally draining health problems for owners, and inconsistent with a vigorous hunting breed.

Survey Statistics

Total population of 99 completed survey forms since 1995

	Female	Male
SEX:	54%	46%
Age Range 6mo-13yr	67%<5yr	73%<5yr
Height Range	19-26"	19.5-37"
Height Average:	24"	27"
Weight Average:	67 lbs.	79 lbs.
Spay/Neuter:	25%-yes

HEALTH HISTORY:

	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent
Overall Health	2%	2%	26%	70%

SYSTEMS:

Skin:	15% reported problems such as Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD), Demodex (mites), Acral Lick Dermatitis ("hot spots"), or itchiness/dry skin
Neurologic	4 cases of idiopathic epilepsy reported - 2 resulted in euthanasia due to uncontrolled seizures

Musculoskeletal:		Excellent	Good	Fair	Dysplastic
Hip Dysplasia	SCOA Health Survey (35 dogs)	14%	51%	26%	9%
	Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (158 dogs)	14%	48.1%	17.1%	11.4%
	OFA - Italian Spinone ranked 23 of 107 breeds where a ranking of 1 has the highest incidence of Hip Dysplasia
	PennHipTM less than 20 dogs have been evaluated. Scores unavailable unless released by owner.

Vision:	15% report slight to severe drooping of eye lids (ectropion)
	4% report eye infections/conjunctivitis
	1 report of "dry eye" (keratoconjunctivitis sicca)
	1 report of glaucoma and cataracts (10 year old dog)

Ears and Hearing:	9% report recurrent otitis
Endocrine:	1 report of hypothyroidism
Respiratory/Heart:	No reported problems
Digestive:	10% reported food allergies, episodes of diarrhea, or special diets.
	3 reports of bloat (two were mother and son)
Urinary	2% incontinence (females only)
Tumors:	Lipomas and benign cysts 1 report of mammary. tumor in older intact female 1 reported mast cell tumor (successfully excised in a 4 year old dog)
Reproductive:
Females:	Average litter size: 9; Live births: 8; Surviving pups: 7.6 Heat cycle: every 6 months
	All reported breedings via natural cover. No reports of artificial insemination
	Of 16 brood bitches, 4 reported birth difficulties requiring C-sections. Extremely low survival rates of C-section pups were reported as anesthetic death.
	Of 23 intact females, 2 report false pregnancies following each heat cycle.
Male:	All males had breeding soundness exams prior to breeding. No problems reported.

Temperament/ Behavior:	Overall friendly, calm, outgoing reported 11% report shyness, timidity, or dogs being cautious with strangers 2% report dog aggression
	16% report "stool eating" which appears to subside as the dog gets older

Causes of Death:	Accident - hit by car, Infectious disease - parvo, distemper, Cancer - leukemia, osteosarcoma
	Epilepsy- (uncontrolled seizures), Congenital - portosystemic shunt (liver)

Conformation:	3 ARBA champions
	Faults: Bite, coat quality (long, soft, woolly)
Hunting/Fieldwork	45% reported activity in this area with 10% reporting NAVHDA Natural Ability scores
Other Activities:	16% report obedience work
	5% report animal assisted therapy work