[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Code of Ethics/ CHD
- From: "Rachel Anderson" <gsdk9rat@xxxxxxxx>
- To: <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2007 17:54:46 -0400
Elsyd1@xxxxxxx
writes:
Requiring us to OFA our dogs is only smart."
I agree with Syd. CHD is a highly inheritable joint deformity, it is the
major cause of canine osteoarthritis, it is invariably painful & progressive
and any dog who carries it should be eliminated from the gene pool just like
dogs who produce missing teeth, cryptorchids, monorchids, epilepsy,
undershot jaw, or anything else harmful to the breed. Who would breed to a
dog that had epilepsy? No one. To me, an insidious, progressively painful
disease is worse, no matter how pretty the show dog. The gene pool is
better off to have healthy, less "pretty" animals.
I'm not trying to sound snotty, but what puppy and owner should have to face
a 75% chance of living with femoral remodeling and arthritis? That's the
stats supported for breeding 2 dysplastic dogs. Breeding 2 normal dogs
brings it down to 25%, and breeding from families with many generations of
siblings, offspring etc. lowers it even more. Doing test breedings of
clinically cleared dogs back to x-rayed parents that have good production
records helps even more.
>From Cornell University:
"Hip dysplasia was once thought to be an abnormality involving only the
tissues in the region of the hip joint. Evidence indicates however that the
shoulder and knee joints and the joints between vertebrae often show similar
changes. This suggests that hip dysplasia may be merely the most conspicuous
and serious manifestation of a more generalized abnormality affecting all
joints.
The pain of hip dysplasia during its early stages is due to stretching of
nerve endings and inflammation in the joint capsule and ligament. In its
advanced stages the disease progresses to the painful condition of
osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease.
Hip dysplasia refers to the development of a poor fit between the femoral
head and the acetabulum that allows loose movement and altered pressure.
These changes result in joint damage, inflammation, and pain. The volume of
synovial fluid in the joint increases, and the round ligament that binds the
femoral head to the acetabulum becomes enlarged. The normally smooth
articular cartilage covering the end of the opposing femoral head and
acetabulum is abraded and weakened, and the joint capsule becomes inflamed
and thickened. Muscles in the region of the hip joint diminish in bulk and
may be affected in other ways as well. As the disease progresses, the bones
become damaged and spurs known as osteophytes develop at the bone-cartilage
interface. The whole joint is structurally weakened and painful."
I do agree with you, Evan, it should be up to the breeder to breed a better,
healthier dog.
But then, I only showed a little for fun so I probably can be ignored, LOL!
Rachel & the Ark
4 Generations of American Working Dogs Doin' Their Part To Take a Bite Out
of Crime!
http://aaronswoodsarabians.homestead.com
http://www.k9-workshop.com
http://segensreich.homestead.com
"Lord, keep Your arm around my shoulder
and Your hand over my mouth"
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