Health test results of ALL puppies (both "show" AND "pet") in every litter, are VERY important. You can make a big difference in the future of the Shetland Sheepdog breed's health, by health testing your Sheltie and relaying the information to the breeder and Orthopedic Foundation for Animals/CERF.
For a detailed explanation of vertical pedigrees and using phenotypic data to minimize disease, visit: http://www.offa.org/pdf/hovanart.pdf.
Shetland Sheepdogs should be screened for inheritable genetic diseases before breeding: CHIC (Canine Health Information Center) Requirements for Shetland Sheepdogs.
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HEALTH ISSUES:
Dermatomyositis (DM): a devastating inherited inflammatory disease of the skin and/or muscle, which most commonly afflicts Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs and their crosses. There appears to be a defect in the immune system that prediposes dogs to this disorder.
Hip Dysplasia: is a terrible genetic disease because of the various degrees of arthritis (also called Degenerative Joint Disease, Arthrosis, Osteoarthrosis) it can eventually produce, leading to pain and debilitation. Both parents should be OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) cleared prior to breeding.
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease (LCP): a disorder of hip joint conformation. Shetland Sheepdogs are one of the 25 breeds at risk for LCP.
Hypothyroidism: a condition caused by the under-activity of the dog's thyroid gland.
Eye Diseases - Both parents should be registered with the CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation) and have a CERF Evaluation annually every year until 5, then every 2 years thereafter until age 9.
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) a hereditary progressively degenerative eye disorder.
- Sheltie Eye Syndrome (SES)/Collie Eye Anomaly/Choroidal Hypoplasia (CEA): a recessively inherited eye disorder that affects all three layers of the eye, resulting in a blind spot to full blindness.
- Corneal Dystrophy (CD): a hereditary eye disease affecting only the cornea.
- Genetic cataracts (juvenile cataracts): generally found in young dogs and can lead to blindness or remain small and not interfere with vision.
- Distichiasis: caused by the hairs that grow from the oil glands of the eyelids and protrude onto the edge of the eyelid. Dogs with distichiasis may show signs of discomfort which can range from slight squinting and/or rubbing of the eyes, to severe squinting and discomfort.
- Persistent Pupillary Membranes (PPMs) are strands of tissue in the eye. They are remnants of blood vessels which supplied nutrients to the developing lens of the eye before birth. Normally these strands are gone by 4 or 5 weeks of age. Depending upon the location and extent of these strands, they may interfere with vision. They may bridge from iris to iris across the pupil, iris to cornea (may cause corneal opacities), or iris to lens (may cause cataracts), or they may form sheets of tissue in the anterior chamber of the eye. In many dogs these tissue remnants cause no problems.
von Willebrand's Disease (vWD): a hereditary bleeding disorder that impacts the dog's ability to clot blod (similar to hemophilia).
Multiple Drug Sensitivity (MDR1 Gene): Collie breeds, including shelties, have been discovered to have a mutation in the multi-drug resistance gene (MDR1) which causes the brain to become overrun with certain drugs such as Ivermectin resulting in abnormal neurologic signs which can result in death. According to the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University, frequency of the MDR1 Gene Mutation in the Shetland Sheepdog is stated at 15%.
Drugs Affected by the MDR1 Gene Mutation include:
Acepromazine (tranquilizer and pre-anesthetic agent)
Butorphanol (analgesic and pre-anesthetic agent)
Doxorubicin, Vinblastine, Vincristine (chemotherapy agents)
Emopepside (Profender)
Erythromycin
Ivermectin (antiparasitic agent)
Loperamide (Imodium, antidiarrheal agent)
Selamectin, Milbemycin, Moxidectin (antiparasitic agents)
Rifampin
Epilepsy: a hereditary seizure disorder.
Drugs Affected by the MDR1 Gene Mutation include:
Acepromazine (tranquilizer and pre-anesthetic agent)
Butorphanol (analgesic and pre-anesthetic agent)
Doxorubicin, Vinblastine, Vincristine (chemotherapy agents)
Emopepside (Profender)
Erythromycin
Ivermectin (antiparasitic agent)
Loperamide (Imodium, antidiarrheal agent)
Selamectin, Milbemycin, Moxidectin (antiparasitic agents)
Rifampin
Epilepsy: a hereditary seizure disorder.
Deafness: inherited deafness in one or both ears occurs due to degeneration of sensory inner ear structures (sensorineural deafness) within a few weeks of birth. The Shetland Sheepdog is a breed with a relatively high incidence of deafness.
Patent ductus arteriosus: the most commonly diagnosed congenital heart defect in dogs. The Shetland Sheepdog is one of the breeds at most risk for this disorder.
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Surgical Debarking
American Veterinary Medical Association policy: Canine devocalization should only be performed by qualified, licensed veterinarians as a final alternative after behavioral modification efforts to correct excessive vocalization have failed.
American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Position Statement: The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) is opposed to the practice known as debarking, canine devocalization or vocal cordectomy.
Devocalization for inappropriate and excessive vocalization is often ineffective in achieving the desired results and can deprive canines of the ability to perform a normal behavior. Appropriate behavioral modification efforts should be employed that avoid the use of punishment or aversive methods. When deemed necessary, devocalization should only be performed by qualified, licensed veterinarians as a final alternative to relinquishment or euthanasia. Exceptions to this statement would be in the rare case of airway obstruction or laryngeal paralysis which cannot be addressed through other surgical procedures.
Association of Pet Dog Trainers Position Statement: The following statement reflects the opinion of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.
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Surgical Debarking
American Veterinary Medical Association policy: Canine devocalization should only be performed by qualified, licensed veterinarians as a final alternative after behavioral modification efforts to correct excessive vocalization have failed.
American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Position Statement: The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) is opposed to the practice known as debarking, canine devocalization or vocal cordectomy.
Devocalization for inappropriate and excessive vocalization is often ineffective in achieving the desired results and can deprive canines of the ability to perform a normal behavior. Appropriate behavioral modification efforts should be employed that avoid the use of punishment or aversive methods. When deemed necessary, devocalization should only be performed by qualified, licensed veterinarians as a final alternative to relinquishment or euthanasia. Exceptions to this statement would be in the rare case of airway obstruction or laryngeal paralysis which cannot be addressed through other surgical procedures.
Association of Pet Dog Trainers Position Statement: The following statement reflects the opinion of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.
New Jersey recently joined the growing list of state and local jurisdictions that have introduced and/or passed legislation prohibiting the surgical debarking of dogs. The New Jersey measure (A-1586) will allow surgical silencing to be performed by a veterinarian only in cases to protect the life or health of a dog. Government interest in debarking rises from the belief that the surgical technique has been employed for criminal purposes to silence attack dogs so they will not bark and warn their intended victims.
APDT’s interest in debarking rises from a behavioral foundation, not a criminal one.
The APDT recognizes that dogs bark for a reason, frequently because they are bored, lonely, threatened, or otherwise distressed. Debarking silences the dog without addressing the environmental issues that are causing the stress and the barking. The owner then has less reason to be aware of the environmental stressors, and little or no motivation to reduce or correct them, thus leaving the dog still distressed, but silent.
Therefore, the APDT encourages the implementation of dog-friendly behavioral solutions to barking problems, and is opposed to the debarking of dogs except as a last resort and unless and until all appropriate behavioral solutions have been explored and exhausted.
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