HEALTH

The parents of a litter must have a hip and elbow screen statement before mating. The threshold value for registering the parent's litter is hip dysplasia grade C and elbow dysplasia grade 1. The dogs that have elbow dysplasia with grade 1 can only be combined with a dog that has a result 0. This rule is not valid with matings abroad. The number of registered offspring for one dog is 21 puppies at maximum. However, the last litter exceeding this number will be registered in whole . Lisäksi tulee olla astutusta kyynärkuvauslausunto. 

Hip Dysplasia (HD)

Abnormal formation of the hip socket - hip dysplasia, HD, is a hereditary development disorder and its severity is also affected by factors in the growth environment. Factors affecting the disease are the amount of exercise, nutrition and speed of growth.

Elbow joint osteochondritis and elbow dysplasia

Elbow joint dysplasia, a developmental disorder of the elbow joint, can be divided into several different forms. One of these is osteochondritis dissecans, i.e. a developmental disorder of the articular cartilage cells where the ossification of the surface of the articular cartilage is disturbed during the fastest growth stage. The disorder can lead to osteoarthritis. Two other forms of elbow problems in dogs are ununited anconeal process (processus anconeus) and/or fragmented coronoid process of the ulna (processus coronoideus). These forms can occur together or separately. More attention should be paid to elbow joints in the future.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy can be defined as a condition where the dog has recurring seizures due to an unknown cause. This means that when no other cause is found for seizures, the remaining diagnosis is epilepsy. The exclusion of other diseases requires thorough clinical tests. Epilepsy can be divided into two different types. One is epilepsy acquired during the dog's life, so-called secondary epilepsy, and the other is hereditary, i.e. primary (="actual") epilepsy. Only a few unrelated cases of epilepsy have been diagnosed in Finland.

Type 1 von Willebrand's bleeding disorder

Type 1 von Willebrand's bleeding disorder is a hereditary disorder found in many dog breeds. A dog will get the disease if it inherits a gene mutation from both parents. The bodies of affected dogs have a deficiency of a protein called the von Willebrand factor, which is essential in the blood clotting process. Lack of this protein can cause lethal bleeding following a surgery or a large wound, for example. The mutation causing the illness can be identified with a DNA test, making it possible to positively determine dogs that are free of the illness (having two copies of the normal gene), dogs that are carriers of the disease (having one copy of the normal gene and one copy of the deficient gene), and affected dogs (having two copies of the deficient gene). Therefore the test makes it possible to remove the gene causing this disease from the population quickly and completely, but it also gives the possibility to mate dogs free of the disease with carriers without any of the puppies getting the disease. (Text from Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc)

Our club started the vWD1-testing at 2009 even in the Netherlands or in other countries the Stabijhouns aren't tested. Most of the tested dogs are carriers and a carrier cannot get affected. Nowadays it has been agreed that the ones that are used for breeding will be tested.

Results of tested dogs

Neurological disorder, Cerebral Dysfunction

In April 2009, abnormal behaviour was reported in several puppies from one litter in Holland. After this report, issues were reported about earlier litters as well as litters born later on. All in all, the problem has occurred in five litters.

At an age of c. 5-6 months, the puppy starts to behave compulsively. This behaviour increases in frequency, is repetitive and it cannot be stopped. The puppy has become "stuck" in a specific movement model: it runs around in a circle around itself or furniture; it never runs backwards or back and forth. Affected puppies have an increased need for moving and exercise and they are not able to eat independently, so they lose a significant amount of weight. There is no treatment for the condition, so the puppies must be euthanized.

The Dutch Staby-and Wetterhoun Association the NSWS started to co-operate with the University of Utrecht to find a reason for the abnormality of the puppies behaviour. In the beginning of 2015, the genetic markers for this condition were discovered and it is now possible to test parent to prevent sufferers from being born again. This DNA-test is mandatory for all breeding dogs in Finland. Within the last four years there has been born only 6 litters who have had the CD.

Cerebral Dysfunction is a single recessive inherited disorder. This means that puppies only get symptoms when both the father and the mother have the mutation. Carriers that have inherited one of the gene mutation from either of their parents aren't clinically ill but can inherit it. Over time we can hopefully eliminate the condition entirely from our breed.

Results of the tested dogs

Aseptic Meningitis SRMA 

Aseptic meningitis is a disease that occurs for example in the Bernese mountain dog, Beagle,
Boxer, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (and lately also in the Stabijhoun), with a various
frequency. For this disease there are abbreviations AM or SRMA (Steroid Responsive Meningitis Temporal). In this article both abbreviations are used next to each other. As the name suggests, it is not an "ordinary" meningitis, but an autoimmune disease. With an autoimmune disease the immune system responding on healthy cells of the body; "it goes crazy".In the case of AM it is responding to the immune system against the meninges, which are stimulated and inflammatory signs show up. This disease is not contagious to other dogs or people.

The cause of AM or SRMA is unknown. There is thought to be hereditary factors, because in
certain lines it appears to be more. Currently there is research done into the possible heredity
and how, in that case, it's inherited. The disease is not more common in males or females. For
getting an attack of SRMA, a nudge or trigger, is needed. This can be, for example, vaccination,
infection, heat, stress, tick bite, etc. Because that trigger is necessary for getting SRMA, it may
be that only 1 dog from a litter will develop the disease, sometimes more, but sometimes none,
while the heredity genes are present. AM is especially for young adult dogs (age ±8 months - 2 years). After the age of 2 years, rarely a relapse will occur.

About the use of brood mates for breeding, opinions differ. If they will, you need to be very carefully to search for a partner. Not one breeder can guarantee that he/she will never breed a dog breed with autoimmune disease. By researching this disorder, more knowledge, good
policies and careful parent combinations, these diseases will hopefully occur to a minimum in the future.

Always contact your breeder about the autoimmune disease of the dog and the breeding committee of your club.

PDA, Patent ductus arteriosus

Is quite common heart condition. It is more common with bitches than males, about 2:1. Usually its found when the puppy is 6 weeks of age and it can be taken care of in early stage. The cause is that a major blood vessel does not properly close shortly after birth. The occurrence may be spontaneous and an isolated case, but it is also genetically determined. If not treated, the patient eventually dies from heart failure. With timely surgery, the prognosis is excellent.

If PDA is noticed at the puppy check-up when the puppy is 6-8 weeks it hasn't yet done any damage to the hearth. At about 12 weeks of age the puppy can be operated and the blood vessels closed. PDA is the easiest heart condition that can be fixed. The prognosis is excellent. If it is not treated f.e. if it is not noticed in time the prognosis is bad and cn leave serious problems.

PRA

PRA is an acronym of the words progressive retinal atrophy, i.e. progressing atrophying of the retina. Due to the slow progress of the atrophy, the impact on the dog's vision is usually not noticed as the dog learns to adapt to the situation and compensates its weakening vision with other senses. There is no treatment, but the process of becoming completely blind takes such a long time that the dog will usually become accustomed to blindness fairly well and be able to cope in everyday life. The illness is slowly becoming more common. In Holland, only a few isolated cases have been diagnosed.