Health Testing
- gudariboxers
- Feb 14, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 15, 2022
All Boxers bred in the Gudari program go through extensive health testing before breeding. Read here to find out more about Health Tests ran and what the results mean. **All of the following information was taken directly from the OFA website and are not paragraphs written by the Gudari Breeder**
"Whether you’re buying for the show ring or to serve as a companion, health screenings are among the key factors potential owners should consider before choosing a puppy.
Why should a buyer and breeder care about Health Testing?
Increasingly, breeders are turning to health testing to ensure they are doing all they can to create strong matches between dogs that result in healthier puppies."
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/health-testing-for-a-stronger-breed/
Degenerative Myelopathy Degenerative Myelopathy is a debilitating disease that causes gradual paralysis in many dog breeds. It is caused by a degeneration of the spinal cord that onsets typically between 8 and 14 years of age. It presents first with the loss of coordination of the hind legs. It will typically worsen over six months to a year, resulting in paralysis of the hind legs. If signs progress for a longer period of time, loss of urinary and fecal continence may occur and eventually, weakness will develop in the front limbs. An important feature of Degenerative Myelopathy is that it is not a painful disease.
DM Test Results
Normal (N/N):This dog is homozygous N/N for the mutation that is the most common cause of Degenerative Myelopathy, with two normal copies of the gene. Among the hundreds of dogs studied so far at the University of Missouri, only two dogs with test results of N/N (Normal) have been confirmed to have DM. The N/N (Normal) dog can only transmit the normal counterpart of the common mutation to its offspring, and it is unlikely that this dog or its offspring will ever develop DM. | Carrier (A/N):This dog is heterozygous A/N, with one mutated copy of the gene and one normal copy of the gene, and is classified as a carrier. Carriers are far less likely to develop DM, but we have confirmed DM in a few carrier dogs. They may be used carefully in breeding programs to keep their good qualities while reducing the risk of DM in future generations. | At-Risk (A/A):This dog is homozygous A/A, with two mutated copies of the gene, and is at risk of developing Degenerative Myelopathy (DM). Dogs testing At-Risk (A/A) can only pass the mutated gene on to their offspring. |
Click the Link below to read more on the OFA Website.
Echocardiogram ........
Yearly Holter ..........
. Hip Dysplasia Canine Hip Dysplasia typically develops because of an abnormally developed hip joint, but can also be caused by cartilage damage from a traumatic fracture. With cartilage damage or a hip joint that isn’t formed properly, over time the existing cartilage will lose its thickness and elasticity. This breakdown of the cartilage will eventually result in pain with any joint movement. Hip Screening: Grade Classifications The OFA classifies hips into seven different categories: Excellent, Good, Fair (all within Normal limits), Borderline, and then Mild, Moderate, or Severe (the last three considered Dysplastic).
Excellent: Superior conformation; there is a deep-seated ball (femoral head) that fits tightly into a well-formed socket (acetabulum) with minimal joint space.
Good: Slightly less than superior but a well-formed congruent hip joint is visualized. The ball fits well into the socket and good coverage is present.
Fair: Minor irregularities; the hip joint is wider than a good hip. The ball slips slightly out of the socket. The socket may also appear slightly shallow.
Borderline: Not clear. Usually more incongruency present than what occurs in a fair but there are no arthritic changes present that definitively diagnose the hip joint being dysplastic.
Mild: Significant subluxation present where the ball is partially out of the socket causing an increased joint space. The socket is usually shallow only partially covering the ball.
Moderate: The ball is barely seated into a shallow socket. There are secondary arthritic bone changes usually along the femoral neck and head (remodeling), acetabular rim changes (osteophytes or bone spurs) and various degrees of trabecular bone pattern changes (sclerosis).
Severe: Marked evidence that hip dysplasia exists. The ball is partly or completely out of a shallow socket. Significant arthritic bone changes along the femoral neck and head and acetabular rim changes. Click the link to read more of the OFA report.
Spondylosis
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Thyroid What is Hypothyroidism? With Hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland is not making enough of a hormone called thyroxine that controls metabolism (the process of turning food into fuel). Hypothyroidism causes a wide variety of symptoms, but is often suspected in dogs that have trouble with weight gain or obesity and suffer from hair loss and skin problems. The good news is this disease isn’t life-threatening, it’s easy to diagnose with a blood test, and it’s fairly easy and inexpensive to treat. Treatment is typically a thyroid supplement taken daily. Thyroid Classifications: The method for classifying the thyroid status will be accomplished using state-of-the-art assay technology. Indices of Thyroiditis
Free T4 (FT4)—this procedure is considered to be the “gold standard” for assessment of thyroid’s production and cellular availability of thyroxine. FT4 concentration is expected to be decreased in dogs with thyroid dysfunction due to autoimmune thyroiditis.
Canine Thyroid Simulating Hormone (cTSH)—this procedure helps determine the site of the lesion in cases of hypothyroidism. In autoimmune thyroiditis the lesion is at the level of the thyroid gland and the pituitary gland functions normally. The cTSH concentration is expected to be abnormally elevated in dogs with thyroid atrophy from autoimmune thyroiditis.
Thyroglobulin Autoantibodies (TgAA)—this procedure is an indication for the presence of the autoimmune process in the dog’s thyroid.
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