- Hip Dysplasia
- Heart Disease
- Cystinuria
- Eyes
- Thyroid
- Von Willebrands Disease
- Bloat
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Health Issues...
The three most serious current health issues in
the Newfoundland breed are hip dysplasia, inherited heart problems and a
relatively new issue by the name of cystinuria.
HIP DYSPLASIA:
Hip dysplasia is a developmental disease of the hip joint whereas the
femur head moves in the socket and wears down the bone surfaces. Hip
dysplasia can vary in severity from a mild/borderline case to a complete
subluxation of the ball and socket.
If you notice on the film below, when a dog is
dysplastic, the femur head doesn't fit nicely into the socket. Now
look at the opposite hip, can you how the femur head fits nice and tight
into it's socket? This is how the femur heads should appear for both
hips while in the OFA required position for x-ray evaluation.
 Hip
Dysplasia can be either unilateral, affecting only one hip; or bilateral,
affecting both hips. Hip
Dysplasia is commonly thought of to be a genetic issue, but there is an
alarming amount of evidence that suggests that hip dysplasia can also be
influenced by environmental and nutritional factors. The
Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, more commonly known as OFA, offers
x-ray evaluations & registries for hips & elbows. They also
offer statistical information for the Newfoundland breed, however, most
severely displastic x-rays are never submitted for evaluation so the statistics
are not accurate. Currently, based on 8,477 number of Newfoundland
x-rays that were submitted for evaluation between 1974 and 1998, 5.7%
obtain an "excellent" evaluation while 27.2% were dysplastic. Through
selectively breeding, breeders have made outstanding strides toward
bettering our breeds hips. OFA documents the trends to show how
x-raying hips can greatly increase our the Newfoundland's health! Breeds
with over 400 dogs evaluated in or before 1980 are compared to dogs born
in 1987-88 and 1994-95. Here are the results!!!
| Breed |
Rating |
1980 |
1987-88 |
1994-95 |
Change
1980-1994-95 |
| Newf |
Excellent |
3.3% |
6.0% |
8.0% |
+142.4% |
|
Dysplastic |
32.4% |
27.0% |
22.0% |
-32.1% |
|
# of Dogs Tested |
1888 |
927 |
742 |
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When a dogs x-rays show no signs of
hip dysplasia, OFA issues a certification number. The evaluation
ratings are either, Fair, Good or Excellent. This rating grade will
also appear in the pedigree of a dog. An example of an OFA number would
be: NF-4877E25M. NF stands for the Newfoundland breed, the
four digit number is the dog's individual number assigned by OFA, E is the
grading of Excellent, the number 25 is the age of the dog in months when
the x-ray was taken, and M denotes that the dog is a female. A
word of encouragement: OFA & PennGen are currently working on trying
to discover which gene(s) actually carry the DNA hip makeup. If
sucessful, a simple DNA test should become available that will conclude
whether or not a specific dog is genetically more likely to pass
dysplastic tendencies on to their offspring. On behalf of future
generations of Newfies, we wish OFA & PennGen the best in their
discoveries and would like to encourage your support in their efforts to
help breeders make better breeding choices. HEART
DISEASE:
The congenital heart defect known as aortic stenosis consists of a narrowed, malformed aortic valve. This is
the valve that leads from the main pumping chamber of the heart (ventricle) to the main artery to the body (aorta).
In aortic stenosis, there is narrowing and partial to near-total blockage of blood flow from the heart to the body.
The blockage may involve thicked, abnormal valve flaps ("leaflets") or webs of tissue just above the valve
(supravalvular aortic stenosis) or just below the valve, within the ventricle (subvalvular aortic
stenosis). Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis (SAS) is a congenital heart problem that can occur sporadically in any
breed. SAS is a defect in the heart valve that will ultimately be fatal to the affected dog. No outward abnormalities
are evident in a dog affected with SAS. Through auscultation with an extremely sensitive stethoscope and
using ultrasound, a veterinarian specializing in cardiology can evaluate
the heart function in dogs in dogs of any age, but it is preferred that a
puppy be initially checked for severe cases around 9 weeks of age.
Because SAS is not present in puppies at
birth and is a complicated defect that develops primarily during the first
six months but up to a year, it is important that each Newf return to a
board certified cardiologist as close to their 1st birthday as possible
for a final evaluation. Responsible breeders
should always test both the sire and dam for SAS before breeding. Again,
all cardiac evaluation for SAS should be done by an American Veterinarian College of Internal
Medicine (AVCIM) board certified cardiologist.
If you're not familiar with board certified cardiologist in your area, try
visiting ACVIM
for a complete listing of their board certified cardiologists. Please
remember that even breeding stock that has been cleared for SAS can still
produce it. Through selective breeding, we hope the chances become
less likely in future generations. CYSTINURIA:
Cystine, an amino acid, is one of the building blocks of proteins. Amino acids are part
of a normal canine diet and are absorbed through the gut. Although they are filtered in
the kidney, amino acids are normally reabsorbed (nearly 100%) by special kidney
transporters and are not lost in the urine.
In dogs with cystinuria, the kidney transporter for cystine is defective. In acid urine,
cystine precipitates to create crystals, which may further precipitate to form calculi
(stones) in the kidney and bladder. These calculi can cause serious illness. Although
cystinuria affects many dog breeds, the most severe form affects Newfoundland dogs.
Cystinuric dogs often show signs of a recurrent urinary tract disorder. Clinical signs may start at almost any age. Affected
dogs may have problems with urination. They may produce blood-tinged urine and pass calculi, or they may be unable to
void urine despite numerous attempts. Because male dogs have a narrower urethra than female dogs, male dogs are more
likely to become completely blocked. In this case, the bladder may distend grossly and rupture if not properly
managed. Urine may then back up into the kidneys, and the resultant pressure on the kidney may cause cell necrosis and kidney
failure. Without appropriate and immediate care, such complications can lead to death. Supported by a grant from the AKC Canine Health Foundation, Dr. Paula Henthorn of the University of Pennsylvania
School of Veterinary Medicine discovered the molecular defect in the Newfoundland and developed a genetic test for
carriers. Because the
testing for cystinuria is relatively new, stastics are limited. However,
of the 500 original samples that were sent in to PennGen, 30% of all
Newfoundland's were carriers. Within
just a few generations, breeders who selectively screen their breeding
stock will make great strides toward the realistic possibility of
eliminating cystinuria in the Newfoundland breed. Carriers should
only be bred to non-carriers, while affected dogs should be eliminated
from breeding programs. PennGen offers testing for cystinuria in
Newfs. All breeders who have screened their breeding stock for cystinuria
should have recorded and registered their results with OFA's cystinuria
registry. If you are
considering a Newfie as part of your life, please try to find breeders
who, at minimum, screen against each of the three major and most
threatening health issues of our breed. Together, responsible
breeders and responsible pet owners can help pave the way for future Newf
generations to live longer, happier, and healthier lives! Other
Health Issues: EYES:
Other health conditions to be aware of are inherited eye diseases, including cataracts and Progressive
Retinal Atrophy (PRA). While cataracts may sometimes be corrected by surgery, PRA is not treatable and
may cause blindness by 4 to 5 years of age as PRA can actually disintegrate
the retina. Neither of these diseases is detectable in a young puppy.
Adults may not display eye problems, but may carry the disease and produce puppies that will develop more
severe problems.
Entropion, Ectropion, and Cherry Eye
are conditions that also effect the over all health of a Newf's
eye.
-
Entropion is the turning in of
the eyelid, allowing the eyelashes to rub on the cornea and can cause
complications. The direct cause of this is some what
complicated, but is primarily due to the massive size of the Newfs
head which commonly has larger eye sockets. While the actual eye
ball can often be of normal size, if the socket is too large, the eye
balls seems to be small but instead is just set back into the
socket. Thus, it is common to find the lower eyelid
"hitting" the lower part of the eye ball instead of gently
rolling up and over to the middle of the eye to meet the upper eyelid
with each blink or squint. Not only can this cause irritation,
but another concern for this condition can occur when the dog reaches
an older age. Because the eye ball has a "fat" layer
behind it, as the dog progressively ages, the "fat" layer
thins and can cause the eye to sink back even deeper. When
considering potential puppies, try to look at their parents
eyes. Although the standard calls for a smaller eyed Newf, it is
important that the eye not be set back into a large deep socket or
problems may arise as the dog ages. A nicely rounded eye like
ours is ideal.
-
Ectropion is an outward turning
of the lower eyelid, which is condition that is mainly inherited due
to the genetic make up of the more massive type Newfoundland
heads. Typically a dog that has a massive head, will also have
extra skin that can accommodate their growing skulls. Since the
head type is genetic, these dogs will often have more elasticity also
which allows their skin to stretch over the head. The
combinations of these issues can lead to ectropion, which leaves the
eye exposed to irritation and/or infection. Surgery can be
performed to correct it. Again, when considering potential
puppies, try to evaluate their parents eyes yourself.
-
Cherry Eye is a mass of red
tissue at the corner of the eye of the third eyelid. It usually
occurs in younger growing puppies/dogs, affecting one eye first, but
then typically the second within a few weeks. Surgical removal
of the entire gland is required, but if corrected, the dog can not be
shown.
THYROID:
Hypothyroidism, or low thyroid levels, is caused by an underactive
thyroid gland. Testing for hypothyroidism is available and results
can be recorded with OFA's Thyroid Registry.
VON WILLEBRANDS DISEASE:
(VWD) is an inherited deficiency of the clotting factors in the blood. VWD
carriers may show no symptoms of the disease, but their offspring can have severe bleeding problems.
Dogs affected with VWD may have symptoms varying from very mild to severe; in some dogs VWD is fatal.
Bleeding problems include prolonged bleeding from toenails clipped too short, extensive hemorrhage from
even mild surgical procedures, lameness, hematomas, still births or early deaths of newborn puppies,
internal bleeding, and so on.
VWD can be detected with a simple blood test, and dogs not afflicted with VWD will be issued certification
stating that they are clear of the disease. Information may be obtained from Dr. W. Jean Dodds, New York
State Department of Health, Division of Laboratories and Research, Albany, New York 12201.
BLOAT:
Acute Gastric Dilation/Torsion, better known as bloat, is a condition when
the stomach suddenly becomes distended with gas and/or fluids. In
severe cases, twisting may occur and cause death. This condition
occurs more commonly in larger breeds with deep bodies. Some
suggestions to help avoid this condition:
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Raise your dogs food bows off the ground
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Feed smaller more frequent meals
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Never exercise your dog before or after meals
But by all means, please consult with your vet &
breeder to make sure that your dog is receiving the proper amount of
nutrition.
Note: Please see our general care
page for nutritional suggestions, but remember to consult with your
breeder and personal vet and follow his/her instructions as they will be
most familiar with your pet & bloodlines. The information
included in this site is intended for basic knowledge only.
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