Health Conditions in the Finnish Lapphunds
The following Information and views are solely of ARTICMAL KENNELS
|
| My breeding policies with regard to hip dysplasia is to Hip Score all my breeding stock BEFORE mating and make informative breeding decisions from these results. Please feel free to ask me for copies of my dogs hips scores for the parents of your prospective puppy. I advertise all my hip scores, good and bad on my website and will freely supply them for the prospective parents of an upcoming litter. Be wary of those breeders who do not want to share this information. Make sure you ask to VIEW a copy of each parents Hip Results. |
Elbow Dysplasia
This term refers to a range of conditions which involve the
malformation of the elbow joint. Like hip dysplasia, arthritis in the joint develops and
causes pain and inflammation. As with hip dysplasia, both genetic and environmental
factors play a part.
Elbows are X-rayed when the hips are done and each elbow joint
is given a score from 0 to 3. O means there is no sign of arthrosis. A score of 1
indicates minimal arthrosis, 2 indicates moderate arthrosis and 3 severe arthrosis.
There is little evidence of an elbow dysplasia problem in the
Finnish Lapphund breed, although the rare case does arise. However, just to be sure, most
ethical breeders will elbow score their breeding dogs. In the majority of cases the score
is 0/0. However some 0/1, 1/0 or 1/1 scores have been seen, but only very rarely a
worse result.
My breeding policies with regard to Elbow dysplasia is
to Elbow Score all my breeding stock BEFORE mating and make informative breeding decisions from these
results. Please feel free to ask me for copies of my dogs Elbow scores (included on the
Hip Exray report) for the parents of your prospective puppy. I advertise all my Elbow
scores on my website. Be wary of those breeders
who do not want to share this information.
To put your mind at ease regarding these two possible joint
problems, please ask breeders if you can view copies of the X-ray results.
Other breeders in Australia have been known to mate dogs without hip and elbow scores
being done beforehand. A breeder of Finnish Lapphunds has bred two litters from a
bitch who
has the hip score of 40 plus. This to my mind is highly irresponsible and quite
foolhardy. It should be noted that this same breeder does not publish the actual hip
scores of her failed dogs on her website or place the correct results for those that have passed
in the breed data base. In every breed,
there are breeders that hide information from prospective puppy buyers and
other breeders. In every walk of life, there are less than honest people. Please do
not be put off by this, but take this knowledge with you when you look for a puppy
of any breed.
PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy)
As the name would suggest, this is a disease where the retinal
tissue of the eye gradually dies over time, causing gradual blindness in the dog. The
early symptoms in dogs are a loss of night vision, which gradually extends to a loss of
day vision as well. The age of onset varies amongst different dog breeds, but in the
Finnish Lapphund it is quite late, with early signs often not appearing until 5-8 years
of age. The incidence of clinically diagnosed PRA in Finnish Lapphunds in Finland is low,
around 3.0% as of January 2008. There has not been a clinical diagnosis of PRA in
Australia and due to the introduction of a fabulous new DNA test (please read below),
neither should there ever be in the future.
However, because particular breeders in Australia tend towards
extreme views concerning PRA, you may be misled into thinking that some dogs here are at
risk of developing the disease. This is certainly not the case, as I will attempt to
explain to you below.
PRA is inherited through a simple autosomal recessive gene.
In Simple terms, with the DNA test we now have available, we can test ALL our dogs before
breeding to determine their status. The three types of results we can get from these
tests include:
" Normal/Clear - These Lapphunds have the genotype
homozygous normal. They have no diseased gene, with both copies of the gene normal.
They will not develop PRA and cannot pass on the disease to offspring.
" Carrier - These Lapphunds have the genotype heterozygous.
They have one disease gene and one normal gene. Although they will never develop PRA
themselves, they have an equal probability of passing on either their normal gene or
their diseased gene to offspring.
" Affected - also known as an Affected Carrier, these
Lapphunds have the genotype homozygous affected. Both copies of the gene are abnormal.
There is a very high likelihood that they will develop PRA in older age, and they can
only pass on an abnormal gene to their offspring.
Given that a Lapphund has to inherit TWO abnormal genes in order
to develop PRA, it can be seen that as long as one parent is Normal/Clear, the offspring
are safe from developing PRA. So in effect a Carrier crossed with a Normal/Clear will
produce puppies that will NEVER be Affected by prcd/PRA. Some of these pups may be
Carriers of this disease, so will need to be tested before any breeding.
Unless you are purchasing the puppy for breeding purposes,
it will make no difference whatsoever whether the puppy is clear or a carrier, the only
status you need to be concerned with is affected, because these dogs will develop PRA
late in life.
As of February 2008 statistics of Lapphunds born in Australia, we have 83
Clear (or clear by parentage) , 19 tested Carriers and 54 of unknown Status. These dogs
of unknown status have a 50% probability of being Clear.
Following the lead of the major Lapphund breeders in Finland and
the advice of leading world geneticists, I freely breed my Carriers to Clears, now safe in
the knowledge that no puppy I breed can ever suffer from prcd/PRA. By following this
practice and aiming to retain Clear progeny to breed on with, I promote the best of both
worlds - increasing the number of Clears available to the breeding pool, whilst retaining
the precious lines of the Carriers in that gene pool.
Some Finnish Lapphund breeders are freely stating that they will
not and do not condone breeding of carrier dogs. This ultimately will be to the
detriment of the breed, by only considering clear Lapphunds which may not be of high
standard but because of their clear status, as they are currently practicing. To not
breed a wonderful example of the breed that happens to be a carrier, will ruin the breed
in Australia far quicker than throwing these dogs out of the breeding program. I am
following in the experts footsteps (Finnish Breeders where our stock comes from) and
breeding with an EDUCATED view, a TESTED view, in order to breed a correct, sound and
overall healthy Lapphunds.
The following table shows the heriditary probability of various
matings using clears/carrier and Affected dogs.
My breeding policies with regard to prcd/PRA is to test
any potential stud or bitch. I am happy to mate Clear to Clear or Clear to Carrier. All
prcd/PRA test results are published on my Website. If you are after a show/breeding prospect
, I will supply you with your puppies PRA status prior to purchase.
Hereditary Cataracts
The lens of an eye is usually clear and focuses light on to the
retina. A cataract is an opacity (cloudiness) in the lens, usually white, which scatters
the light. The level of impact on vision can vary according to the size of the cataract
(varying from a pinhead to the total lens) and its location on the lens.
There are many forms of cataracts with a variety of causes, which
can be found in many dog breeds. Some of these have been determined to be hereditary,
but unfortunately the genetic inheritance of these is not currently known or understood.
However, to ensure that breeding stock do not have cataracts, breeders should regularly
have their eyes checked by a specialist vet.
Hereditary cataracts in the Finnish Lapphund can appear after the
first year. In Finland, the proportion of hereditary cataracts was 3.26% as of Oct
2006, making it the most common of the eye conditions to impact on the breed. There has
not been a clinical diagnosis in Australia.
All my Finnish Lapphunds have Annual Eye tests to ensure that
any potential problems are picked up straight away. I advertise all my Eye Test results on
my website. Please make sure when contacting
Finnish Lapphund breeders that they have a current AVA Eye Test certificate for the
parents of their litter. This document should be no more than 12 months old.
There is little evidence of an elbow dysplasia problem in the
Finnish Lapphund breed, although the rare case does arise. However, just to be sure, most
ethical breeders will elbow score their breeding dogs. In the majority of cases the score
is 0/0. However some 0/1, 1/0 or 1/1 scores have been seen, but only very rarely a
worse result.
My breeding policies with regard to Elbow dysplasia is
to Elbow Score all my breeding stock BEFORE mating and make informative breeding decisions from these
results. Please feel free to ask me for copies of my dogs Elbow scores (included on the
Hip Exray report) for the parents of your prospective puppy. I advertise all my Elbow
scores on my website. Be wary of those breeders
who do not want to share this information.
To put your mind at ease regarding these two possible joint
problems, please ask breeders if you can view copies of the X-ray results.
Other breeders in Australia have been known to mate dogs without hip and elbow scores
being done beforehand. A breeder of Finnish Lapphunds has bred two litters from a
bitch who
has the hip score of 40 plus. This to my mind is highly irresponsible and quite
foolhardy. It should be noted that this same breeder does not publish the actual hip
scores of her failed dogs on her website or place the correct results for those that have passed
in the breed data base. In every breed,
there are breeders that hide information from prospective puppy buyers and
other breeders. In every walk of life, there are less than honest people. Please do
not be put off by this, but take this knowledge with you when you look for a puppy
of any breed.
PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy)
As the name would suggest, this is a disease where the retinal
tissue of the eye gradually dies over time, causing gradual blindness in the dog. The
early symptoms in dogs are a loss of night vision, which gradually extends to a loss of
day vision as well. The age of onset varies amongst different dog breeds, but in the
Finnish Lapphund it is quite late, with early signs often not appearing until 5-8 years
of age. The incidence of clinically diagnosed PRA in Finnish Lapphunds in Finland is low,
around 3.0% as of January 2008. There has not been a clinical diagnosis of PRA in
Australia and due to the introduction of a fabulous new DNA test (please read below),
neither should there ever be in the future.
However, because particular breeders in Australia tend towards
extreme views concerning PRA, you may be misled into thinking that some dogs here are at
risk of developing the disease. This is certainly not the case, as I will attempt to
explain to you below.
PRA is inherited through a simple autosomal recessive gene.
In Simple terms, with the DNA test we now have available, we can test ALL our dogs before
breeding to determine their status. The three types of results we can get from these
tests include:
" Normal/Clear - These Lapphunds have the genotype
homozygous normal. They have no diseased gene, with both copies of the gene normal.
They will not develop PRA and cannot pass on the disease to offspring.
" Carrier - These Lapphunds have the genotype heterozygous.
They have one disease gene and one normal gene. Although they will never develop PRA
themselves, they have an equal probability of passing on either their normal gene or
their diseased gene to offspring.
" Affected - also known as an Affected Carrier, these
Lapphunds have the genotype homozygous affected. Both copies of the gene are abnormal.
There is a very high likelihood that they will develop PRA in older age, and they can
only pass on an abnormal gene to their offspring.
Given that a Lapphund has to inherit TWO abnormal genes in order
to develop PRA, it can be seen that as long as one parent is Normal/Clear, the offspring
are safe from developing PRA. So in effect a Carrier crossed with a Normal/Clear will
produce puppies that will NEVER be Affected by prcd/PRA. Some of these pups may be
Carriers of this disease, so will need to be tested before any breeding.
Unless you are purchasing the puppy for breeding purposes,
it will make no difference whatsoever whether the puppy is clear or a carrier, the only
status you need to be concerned with is affected, because these dogs will develop PRA
late in life.
As of February 2008 statistics of Lapphunds born in Australia, we have 83
Clear (or clear by parentage) , 19 tested Carriers and 54 of unknown Status. These dogs
of unknown status have a 50% probability of being Clear.
Following the lead of the major Lapphund breeders in Finland and
the advice of leading world geneticists, I freely breed my Carriers to Clears, now safe in
the knowledge that no puppy I breed can ever suffer from prcd/PRA. By following this
practice and aiming to retain Clear progeny to breed on with, I promote the best of both
worlds - increasing the number of Clears available to the breeding pool, whilst retaining
the precious lines of the Carriers in that gene pool.
Some Finnish Lapphund breeders are freely stating that they will
not and do not condone breeding of carrier dogs. This ultimately will be to the
detriment of the breed, by only considering clear Lapphunds which may not be of high
standard but because of their clear status, as they are currently practicing. To not
breed a wonderful example of the breed that happens to be a carrier, will ruin the breed
in Australia far quicker than throwing these dogs out of the breeding program. I am
following in the experts footsteps (Finnish Breeders where our stock comes from) and
breeding with an EDUCATED view, a TESTED view, in order to breed a correct, sound and
overall healthy Lapphunds.
The following table shows the heriditary probability of various
matings using clears/carrier and Affected dogs.
My breeding policies with regard to prcd/PRA is to test
any potential stud or bitch. I am happy to mate Clear to Clear or Clear to Carrier. All
prcd/PRA test results are published on my Website. If you are after a show/breeding prospect
, I will supply you with your puppies PRA status prior to purchase.
Hereditary Cataracts
The lens of an eye is usually clear and focuses light on to the
retina. A cataract is an opacity (cloudiness) in the lens, usually white, which scatters
the light. The level of impact on vision can vary according to the size of the cataract
(varying from a pinhead to the total lens) and its location on the lens.
There are many forms of cataracts with a variety of causes, which
can be found in many dog breeds. Some of these have been determined to be hereditary,
but unfortunately the genetic inheritance of these is not currently known or understood.
However, to ensure that breeding stock do not have cataracts, breeders should regularly
have their eyes checked by a specialist vet.
Hereditary cataracts in the Finnish Lapphund can appear after the
first year. In Finland, the proportion of hereditary cataracts was 3.26% as of Oct
2006, making it the most common of the eye conditions to impact on the breed. There has
not been a clinical diagnosis in Australia.
All my Finnish Lapphunds have Annual Eye tests to ensure that
any potential problems are picked up straight away. I advertise all my Eye Test results on
my website. Please make sure when contacting
Finnish Lapphund breeders that they have a current AVA Eye Test certificate for the
parents of their litter. This document should be no more than 12 months old.
PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy)
As the name would suggest, this is a disease where the retinal
tissue of the eye gradually dies over time, causing gradual blindness in the dog. The
early symptoms in dogs are a loss of night vision, which gradually extends to a loss of
day vision as well. The age of onset varies amongst different dog breeds, but in the
Finnish Lapphund it is quite late, with early signs often not appearing until 5-8 years
of age. The incidence of clinically diagnosed PRA in Finnish Lapphunds in Finland is low,
around 3.0% as of January 2008. There has not been a clinical diagnosis of PRA in
Australia and due to the introduction of a fabulous new DNA test (please read below),
neither should there ever be in the future.
However, because particular breeders in Australia tend towards
extreme views concerning PRA, you may be misled into thinking that some dogs here are at
risk of developing the disease. This is certainly not the case, as I will attempt to
explain to you below.
PRA is inherited through a simple autosomal recessive gene.
In Simple terms, with the DNA test we now have available, we can test ALL our dogs before
breeding to determine their status. The three types of results we can get from these
tests include:
" Normal/Clear - These Lapphunds have the genotype
homozygous normal. They have no diseased gene, with both copies of the gene normal.
They will not develop PRA and cannot pass on the disease to offspring.
" Carrier - These Lapphunds have the genotype heterozygous.
They have one disease gene and one normal gene. Although they will never develop PRA
themselves, they have an equal probability of passing on either their normal gene or
their diseased gene to offspring.
" Affected - also known as an Affected Carrier, these
Lapphunds have the genotype homozygous affected. Both copies of the gene are abnormal.
There is a very high likelihood that they will develop PRA in older age, and they can
only pass on an abnormal gene to their offspring.
Given that a Lapphund has to inherit TWO abnormal genes in order
to develop PRA, it can be seen that as long as one parent is Normal/Clear, the offspring
are safe from developing PRA. So in effect a Carrier crossed with a Normal/Clear will
produce puppies that will NEVER be Affected by prcd/PRA. Some of these pups may be
Carriers of this disease, so will need to be tested before any breeding.
Unless you are purchasing the puppy for breeding purposes,
it will make no difference whatsoever whether the puppy is clear or a carrier, the only
status you need to be concerned with is affected, because these dogs will develop PRA
late in life.
As of February 2008 statistics of Lapphunds born in Australia, we have 83
Clear (or clear by parentage) , 19 tested Carriers and 54 of unknown Status. These dogs
of unknown status have a 50% probability of being Clear.
Following the lead of the major Lapphund breeders in Finland and
the advice of leading world geneticists, I freely breed my Carriers to Clears, now safe in
the knowledge that no puppy I breed can ever suffer from prcd/PRA. By following this
practice and aiming to retain Clear progeny to breed on with, I promote the best of both
worlds - increasing the number of Clears available to the breeding pool, whilst retaining
the precious lines of the Carriers in that gene pool.
Some Finnish Lapphund breeders are freely stating that they will
not and do not condone breeding of carrier dogs. This ultimately will be to the
detriment of the breed, by only considering clear Lapphunds which may not be of high
standard but because of their clear status, as they are currently practicing. To not
breed a wonderful example of the breed that happens to be a carrier, will ruin the breed
in Australia far quicker than throwing these dogs out of the breeding program. I am
following in the experts footsteps (Finnish Breeders where our stock comes from) and
breeding with an EDUCATED view, a TESTED view, in order to breed a correct, sound and
overall healthy Lapphunds.
The following table shows the heriditary probability of various
matings using clears/carrier and Affected dogs.
My breeding policies with regard to prcd/PRA is to test
any potential stud or bitch. I am happy to mate Clear to Clear or Clear to Carrier. All
prcd/PRA test results are published on my Website. If you are after a show/breeding prospect
, I will supply you with your puppies PRA status prior to purchase.
Hereditary Cataracts
The lens of an eye is usually clear and focuses light on to the
retina. A cataract is an opacity (cloudiness) in the lens, usually white, which scatters
the light. The level of impact on vision can vary according to the size of the cataract
(varying from a pinhead to the total lens) and its location on the lens.
There are many forms of cataracts with a variety of causes, which
can be found in many dog breeds. Some of these have been determined to be hereditary,
but unfortunately the genetic inheritance of these is not currently known or understood.
However, to ensure that breeding stock do not have cataracts, breeders should regularly
have their eyes checked by a specialist vet.
Hereditary cataracts in the Finnish Lapphund can appear after the
first year. In Finland, the proportion of hereditary cataracts was 3.26% as of Oct
2006, making it the most common of the eye conditions to impact on the breed. There has
not been a clinical diagnosis in Australia.
All my Finnish Lapphunds have Annual Eye tests to ensure that
any potential problems are picked up straight away. I advertise all my Eye Test results on
my website. Please make sure when contacting
Finnish Lapphund breeders that they have a current AVA Eye Test certificate for the
parents of their litter. This document should be no more than 12 months old.
PRA is inherited through a simple autosomal recessive gene.
In Simple terms, with the DNA test we now have available, we can test ALL our dogs before
breeding to determine their status. The three types of results we can get from these
tests include:
" Normal/Clear - These Lapphunds have the genotype
homozygous normal. They have no diseased gene, with both copies of the gene normal.
They will not develop PRA and cannot pass on the disease to offspring.
" Carrier - These Lapphunds have the genotype heterozygous.
They have one disease gene and one normal gene. Although they will never develop PRA
themselves, they have an equal probability of passing on either their normal gene or
their diseased gene to offspring.
" Affected - also known as an Affected Carrier, these
Lapphunds have the genotype homozygous affected. Both copies of the gene are abnormal.
There is a very high likelihood that they will develop PRA in older age, and they can
only pass on an abnormal gene to their offspring.
Given that a Lapphund has to inherit TWO abnormal genes in order
to develop PRA, it can be seen that as long as one parent is Normal/Clear, the offspring
are safe from developing PRA. So in effect a Carrier crossed with a Normal/Clear will
produce puppies that will NEVER be Affected by prcd/PRA. Some of these pups may be
Carriers of this disease, so will need to be tested before any breeding.
Unless you are purchasing the puppy for breeding purposes,
it will make no difference whatsoever whether the puppy is clear or a carrier, the only
status you need to be concerned with is affected, because these dogs will develop PRA
late in life.
As of February 2008 statistics of Lapphunds born in Australia, we have 83
Clear (or clear by parentage) , 19 tested Carriers and 54 of unknown Status. These dogs
of unknown status have a 50% probability of being Clear.
Following the lead of the major Lapphund breeders in Finland and
the advice of leading world geneticists, I freely breed my Carriers to Clears, now safe in
the knowledge that no puppy I breed can ever suffer from prcd/PRA. By following this
practice and aiming to retain Clear progeny to breed on with, I promote the best of both
worlds - increasing the number of Clears available to the breeding pool, whilst retaining
the precious lines of the Carriers in that gene pool.
Some Finnish Lapphund breeders are freely stating that they will
not and do not condone breeding of carrier dogs. This ultimately will be to the
detriment of the breed, by only considering clear Lapphunds which may not be of high
standard but because of their clear status, as they are currently practicing. To not
breed a wonderful example of the breed that happens to be a carrier, will ruin the breed
in Australia far quicker than throwing these dogs out of the breeding program. I am
following in the experts footsteps (Finnish Breeders where our stock comes from) and
breeding with an EDUCATED view, a TESTED view, in order to breed a correct, sound and
overall healthy Lapphunds.
The following table shows the heriditary probability of various
matings using clears/carrier and Affected dogs.
My breeding policies with regard to prcd/PRA is to test
any potential stud or bitch. I am happy to mate Clear to Clear or Clear to Carrier. All
prcd/PRA test results are published on my Website. If you are after a show/breeding prospect
, I will supply you with your puppies PRA status prior to purchase.
Hereditary Cataracts
The lens of an eye is usually clear and focuses light on to the
retina. A cataract is an opacity (cloudiness) in the lens, usually white, which scatters
the light. The level of impact on vision can vary according to the size of the cataract
(varying from a pinhead to the total lens) and its location on the lens.
There are many forms of cataracts with a variety of causes, which
can be found in many dog breeds. Some of these have been determined to be hereditary,
but unfortunately the genetic inheritance of these is not currently known or understood.
However, to ensure that breeding stock do not have cataracts, breeders should regularly
have their eyes checked by a specialist vet.
Hereditary cataracts in the Finnish Lapphund can appear after the
first year. In Finland, the proportion of hereditary cataracts was 3.26% as of Oct
2006, making it the most common of the eye conditions to impact on the breed. There has
not been a clinical diagnosis in Australia.
All my Finnish Lapphunds have Annual Eye tests to ensure that
any potential problems are picked up straight away. I advertise all my Eye Test results on
my website. Please make sure when contacting
Finnish Lapphund breeders that they have a current AVA Eye Test certificate for the
parents of their litter. This document should be no more than 12 months old.
" Normal/Clear - These Lapphunds have the genotype
homozygous normal. They have no diseased gene, with both copies of the gene normal.
They will not develop PRA and cannot pass on the disease to offspring.
" Carrier - These Lapphunds have the genotype heterozygous.
They have one disease gene and one normal gene. Although they will never develop PRA
themselves, they have an equal probability of passing on either their normal gene or
their diseased gene to offspring.
" Affected - also known as an Affected Carrier, these
Lapphunds have the genotype homozygous affected. Both copies of the gene are abnormal.
There is a very high likelihood that they will develop PRA in older age, and they can
only pass on an abnormal gene to their offspring.
Given that a Lapphund has to inherit TWO abnormal genes in order
to develop PRA, it can be seen that as long as one parent is Normal/Clear, the offspring
are safe from developing PRA. So in effect a Carrier crossed with a Normal/Clear will
produce puppies that will NEVER be Affected by prcd/PRA. Some of these pups may be
Carriers of this disease, so will need to be tested before any breeding.
Unless you are purchasing the puppy for breeding purposes,
it will make no difference whatsoever whether the puppy is clear or a carrier, the only
status you need to be concerned with is affected, because these dogs will develop PRA
late in life.
As of February 2008 statistics of Lapphunds born in Australia, we have 83
Clear (or clear by parentage) , 19 tested Carriers and 54 of unknown Status. These dogs
of unknown status have a 50% probability of being Clear.
Following the lead of the major Lapphund breeders in Finland and
the advice of leading world geneticists, I freely breed my Carriers to Clears, now safe in
the knowledge that no puppy I breed can ever suffer from prcd/PRA. By following this
practice and aiming to retain Clear progeny to breed on with, I promote the best of both
worlds - increasing the number of Clears available to the breeding pool, whilst retaining
the precious lines of the Carriers in that gene pool.
Some Finnish Lapphund breeders are freely stating that they will
not and do not condone breeding of carrier dogs. This ultimately will be to the
detriment of the breed, by only considering clear Lapphunds which may not be of high
standard but because of their clear status, as they are currently practicing. To not
breed a wonderful example of the breed that happens to be a carrier, will ruin the breed
in Australia far quicker than throwing these dogs out of the breeding program. I am
following in the experts footsteps (Finnish Breeders where our stock comes from) and
breeding with an EDUCATED view, a TESTED view, in order to breed a correct, sound and
overall healthy Lapphunds.
The following table shows the heriditary probability of various
matings using clears/carrier and Affected dogs.
My breeding policies with regard to prcd/PRA is to test
any potential stud or bitch. I am happy to mate Clear to Clear or Clear to Carrier. All
prcd/PRA test results are published on my Website. If you are after a show/breeding prospect
, I will supply you with your puppies PRA status prior to purchase.
Hereditary Cataracts
The lens of an eye is usually clear and focuses light on to the
retina. A cataract is an opacity (cloudiness) in the lens, usually white, which scatters
the light. The level of impact on vision can vary according to the size of the cataract
(varying from a pinhead to the total lens) and its location on the lens.
There are many forms of cataracts with a variety of causes, which
can be found in many dog breeds. Some of these have been determined to be hereditary,
but unfortunately the genetic inheritance of these is not currently known or understood.
However, to ensure that breeding stock do not have cataracts, breeders should regularly
have their eyes checked by a specialist vet.
Hereditary cataracts in the Finnish Lapphund can appear after the
first year. In Finland, the proportion of hereditary cataracts was 3.26% as of Oct
2006, making it the most common of the eye conditions to impact on the breed. There has
not been a clinical diagnosis in Australia.
All my Finnish Lapphunds have Annual Eye tests to ensure that
any potential problems are picked up straight away. I advertise all my Eye Test results on
my website. Please make sure when contacting
Finnish Lapphund breeders that they have a current AVA Eye Test certificate for the
parents of their litter. This document should be no more than 12 months old.
" Carrier - These Lapphunds have the genotype heterozygous.
They have one disease gene and one normal gene. Although they will never develop PRA
themselves, they have an equal probability of passing on either their normal gene or
their diseased gene to offspring.
" Affected - also known as an Affected Carrier, these
Lapphunds have the genotype homozygous affected. Both copies of the gene are abnormal.
There is a very high likelihood that they will develop PRA in older age, and they can
only pass on an abnormal gene to their offspring.
Given that a Lapphund has to inherit TWO abnormal genes in order
to develop PRA, it can be seen that as long as one parent is Normal/Clear, the offspring
are safe from developing PRA. So in effect a Carrier crossed with a Normal/Clear will
produce puppies that will NEVER be Affected by prcd/PRA. Some of these pups may be
Carriers of this disease, so will need to be tested before any breeding.
Unless you are purchasing the puppy for breeding purposes,
it will make no difference whatsoever whether the puppy is clear or a carrier, the only
status you need to be concerned with is affected, because these dogs will develop PRA
late in life.
As of February 2008 statistics of Lapphunds born in Australia, we have 83
Clear (or clear by parentage) , 19 tested Carriers and 54 of unknown Status. These dogs
of unknown status have a 50% probability of being Clear.
Following the lead of the major Lapphund breeders in Finland and
the advice of leading world geneticists, I freely breed my Carriers to Clears, now safe in
the knowledge that no puppy I breed can ever suffer from prcd/PRA. By following this
practice and aiming to retain Clear progeny to breed on with, I promote the best of both
worlds - increasing the number of Clears available to the breeding pool, whilst retaining
the precious lines of the Carriers in that gene pool.
Some Finnish Lapphund breeders are freely stating that they will
not and do not condone breeding of carrier dogs. This ultimately will be to the
detriment of the breed, by only considering clear Lapphunds which may not be of high
standard but because of their clear status, as they are currently practicing. To not
breed a wonderful example of the breed that happens to be a carrier, will ruin the breed
in Australia far quicker than throwing these dogs out of the breeding program. I am
following in the experts footsteps (Finnish Breeders where our stock comes from) and
breeding with an EDUCATED view, a TESTED view, in order to breed a correct, sound and
overall healthy Lapphunds.
The following table shows the heriditary probability of various
matings using clears/carrier and Affected dogs.
My breeding policies with regard to prcd/PRA is to test
any potential stud or bitch. I am happy to mate Clear to Clear or Clear to Carrier. All
prcd/PRA test results are published on my Website. If you are after a show/breeding prospect
, I will supply you with your puppies PRA status prior to purchase.
Hereditary Cataracts
The lens of an eye is usually clear and focuses light on to the
retina. A cataract is an opacity (cloudiness) in the lens, usually white, which scatters
the light. The level of impact on vision can vary according to the size of the cataract
(varying from a pinhead to the total lens) and its location on the lens.
There are many forms of cataracts with a variety of causes, which
can be found in many dog breeds. Some of these have been determined to be hereditary,
but unfortunately the genetic inheritance of these is not currently known or understood.
However, to ensure that breeding stock do not have cataracts, breeders should regularly
have their eyes checked by a specialist vet.
Hereditary cataracts in the Finnish Lapphund can appear after the
first year. In Finland, the proportion of hereditary cataracts was 3.26% as of Oct
2006, making it the most common of the eye conditions to impact on the breed. There has
not been a clinical diagnosis in Australia.
All my Finnish Lapphunds have Annual Eye tests to ensure that
any potential problems are picked up straight away. I advertise all my Eye Test results on
my website. Please make sure when contacting
Finnish Lapphund breeders that they have a current AVA Eye Test certificate for the
parents of their litter. This document should be no more than 12 months old.
" Affected - also known as an Affected Carrier, these
Lapphunds have the genotype homozygous affected. Both copies of the gene are abnormal.
There is a very high likelihood that they will develop PRA in older age, and they can
only pass on an abnormal gene to their offspring.
Given that a Lapphund has to inherit TWO abnormal genes in order
to develop PRA, it can be seen that as long as one parent is Normal/Clear, the offspring
are safe from developing PRA. So in effect a Carrier crossed with a Normal/Clear will
produce puppies that will NEVER be Affected by prcd/PRA. Some of these pups may be
Carriers of this disease, so will need to be tested before any breeding.
Unless you are purchasing the puppy for breeding purposes,
it will make no difference whatsoever whether the puppy is clear or a carrier, the only
status you need to be concerned with is affected, because these dogs will develop PRA
late in life.
As of February 2008 statistics of Lapphunds born in Australia, we have 83
Clear (or clear by parentage) , 19 tested Carriers and 54 of unknown Status. These dogs
of unknown status have a 50% probability of being Clear.
Following the lead of the major Lapphund breeders in Finland and
the advice of leading world geneticists, I freely breed my Carriers to Clears, now safe in
the knowledge that no puppy I breed can ever suffer from prcd/PRA. By following this
practice and aiming to retain Clear progeny to breed on with, I promote the best of both
worlds - increasing the number of Clears available to the breeding pool, whilst retaining
the precious lines of the Carriers in that gene pool.
Some Finnish Lapphund breeders are freely stating that they will
not and do not condone breeding of carrier dogs. This ultimately will be to the
detriment of the breed, by only considering clear Lapphunds which may not be of high
standard but because of their clear status, as they are currently practicing. To not
breed a wonderful example of the breed that happens to be a carrier, will ruin the breed
in Australia far quicker than throwing these dogs out of the breeding program. I am
following in the experts footsteps (Finnish Breeders where our stock comes from) and
breeding with an EDUCATED view, a TESTED view, in order to breed a correct, sound and
overall healthy Lapphunds.
The following table shows the heriditary probability of various
matings using clears/carrier and Affected dogs.
My breeding policies with regard to prcd/PRA is to test
any potential stud or bitch. I am happy to mate Clear to Clear or Clear to Carrier. All
prcd/PRA test results are published on my Website. If you are after a show/breeding prospect
, I will supply you with your puppies PRA status prior to purchase.
Hereditary Cataracts
The lens of an eye is usually clear and focuses light on to the
retina. A cataract is an opacity (cloudiness) in the lens, usually white, which scatters
the light. The level of impact on vision can vary according to the size of the cataract
(varying from a pinhead to the total lens) and its location on the lens.
There are many forms of cataracts with a variety of causes, which
can be found in many dog breeds. Some of these have been determined to be hereditary,
but unfortunately the genetic inheritance of these is not currently known or understood.
However, to ensure that breeding stock do not have cataracts, breeders should regularly
have their eyes checked by a specialist vet.
Hereditary cataracts in the Finnish Lapphund can appear after the
first year. In Finland, the proportion of hereditary cataracts was 3.26% as of Oct
2006, making it the most common of the eye conditions to impact on the breed. There has
not been a clinical diagnosis in Australia.
All my Finnish Lapphunds have Annual Eye tests to ensure that
any potential problems are picked up straight away. I advertise all my Eye Test results on
my website. Please make sure when contacting
Finnish Lapphund breeders that they have a current AVA Eye Test certificate for the
parents of their litter. This document should be no more than 12 months old.
Unless you are purchasing the puppy for breeding purposes,
it will make no difference whatsoever whether the puppy is clear or a carrier, the only
status you need to be concerned with is affected, because these dogs will develop PRA
late in life.
As of February 2008 statistics of Lapphunds born in Australia, we have 83
Clear (or clear by parentage) , 19 tested Carriers and 54 of unknown Status. These dogs
of unknown status have a 50% probability of being Clear.
Following the lead of the major Lapphund breeders in Finland and
the advice of leading world geneticists, I freely breed my Carriers to Clears, now safe in
the knowledge that no puppy I breed can ever suffer from prcd/PRA. By following this
practice and aiming to retain Clear progeny to breed on with, I promote the best of both
worlds - increasing the number of Clears available to the breeding pool, whilst retaining
the precious lines of the Carriers in that gene pool.
Some Finnish Lapphund breeders are freely stating that they will
not and do not condone breeding of carrier dogs. This ultimately will be to the
detriment of the breed, by only considering clear Lapphunds which may not be of high
standard but because of their clear status, as they are currently practicing. To not
breed a wonderful example of the breed that happens to be a carrier, will ruin the breed
in Australia far quicker than throwing these dogs out of the breeding program. I am
following in the experts footsteps (Finnish Breeders where our stock comes from) and
breeding with an EDUCATED view, a TESTED view, in order to breed a correct, sound and
overall healthy Lapphunds.
The following table shows the heriditary probability of various
matings using clears/carrier and Affected dogs.
My breeding policies with regard to prcd/PRA is to test
any potential stud or bitch. I am happy to mate Clear to Clear or Clear to Carrier. All
prcd/PRA test results are published on my Website. If you are after a show/breeding prospect
, I will supply you with your puppies PRA status prior to purchase.
Hereditary Cataracts
The lens of an eye is usually clear and focuses light on to the
retina. A cataract is an opacity (cloudiness) in the lens, usually white, which scatters
the light. The level of impact on vision can vary according to the size of the cataract
(varying from a pinhead to the total lens) and its location on the lens.
There are many forms of cataracts with a variety of causes, which
can be found in many dog breeds. Some of these have been determined to be hereditary,
but unfortunately the genetic inheritance of these is not currently known or understood.
However, to ensure that breeding stock do not have cataracts, breeders should regularly
have their eyes checked by a specialist vet.
Hereditary cataracts in the Finnish Lapphund can appear after the
first year. In Finland, the proportion of hereditary cataracts was 3.26% as of Oct
2006, making it the most common of the eye conditions to impact on the breed. There has
not been a clinical diagnosis in Australia.
All my Finnish Lapphunds have Annual Eye tests to ensure that
any potential problems are picked up straight away. I advertise all my Eye Test results on
my website. Please make sure when contacting
Finnish Lapphund breeders that they have a current AVA Eye Test certificate for the
parents of their litter. This document should be no more than 12 months old.
| Following the lead of the major Lapphund breeders in Finland and the advice of leading world geneticists, I freely breed my Carriers to Clears, now safe in the knowledge that no puppy I breed can ever suffer from prcd/PRA. By following this practice and aiming to retain Clear progeny to breed on with, I promote the best of both worlds - increasing the number of Clears available to the breeding pool, whilst retaining the precious lines of the Carriers in that gene pool. |
| Some Finnish Lapphund breeders are freely stating that they will not and do not condone breeding of carrier dogs. This ultimately will be to the detriment of the breed, by only considering clear Lapphunds which may not be of high standard but because of their clear status, as they are currently practicing. To not breed a wonderful example of the breed that happens to be a carrier, will ruin the breed in Australia far quicker than throwing these dogs out of the breeding program. I am following in the experts footsteps (Finnish Breeders where our stock comes from) and breeding with an EDUCATED view, a TESTED view, in order to breed a correct, sound and overall healthy Lapphunds. |
The following table shows the heriditary probability of various
matings using clears/carrier and Affected dogs.
| My breeding policies with regard to prcd/PRA is to test any potential stud or bitch. I am happy to mate Clear to Clear or Clear to Carrier. All prcd/PRA test results are published on my Website. If you are after a show/breeding prospect , I will supply you with your puppies PRA status prior to purchase. |