I've been getting in all sorts of various articles to go up on the site, so it will be moving to its own domain in the near future. In the meantime, I'll try to put it up on a webspace that is accessible by all. I know some of you have indicated that you're having trouble accessing it. If you do have problems, please email me and I'll email the articles to you.

I've spent the past few days researching various inherited genetic disorders for all breeds, which is where my request for help arises. I've gotten through the cardiac disorders and am now working on the blood disorders. Hopefully, within the next week, I'll be able to put up a list of all breeds with incidences of genetic disorders noted. I'd like your help in making sure this list covers all the problem areas. If you would please, please email me with a list of noted genetic problems within your respective breeds, I'd really appreciate it.

Leigh, I haven't seen any so for for Braccos. Are there any?

Thanks so much. You guys are the ones making this endeavor possible.

Bracchi, hips and Bending Bones (No technical name yet, still at the research stage).Entropian/Ectropian.

Thanks. They are an exceptionally healthy breed. Let's hope they continue to be that way for many, many more centuries.

With Parson Russell Terriers it is PLL (Primary Lens Luxation) and possibly Luxating Patella.
Bec

Westies can inherit: CMO: Craniomandibular Osteoarthropathy ( phew!) and Demodetic Mange, I have heard other people mention Luxating Patella, but haven't seen it myself.

Legge Perthes is thought to be hereditary, but it is a grey area as it seems it can be brought on by over exersise too, but there is no knowing whether if exersised correctly, they may avoid it. There was a study done by Mr. Robinson many years ago; test matings were done where both parents were affected and around 50% of puppies contracted it, but it can crop up where several generations were free of it. One of them nasty ressesives I guess.

Many Westies also suffer allergy/skin problems, probably a faulty immune system, but again very hard to prove its hereditary, but it might be in some cases .

Though there is no problem recognised by the eye testing scheme, Westies are "under investigation", Junior cataracts have been known, I have had one puppy that had it long ago, but I dont think its a big problem in the breed.

There has also been a spate of Liver Shunts a few years ago, but again this could be congenital rather than hereditary, but it did seem to crop up from dogs of simaliar bloodlines.

After reading this it doesn't sound that helpful!! Sorry there are so many ifs and buts, if Irene's about she may have something more useful to add.

Rough Collies should be tested for eye problems although experts still can't agree on the mode of inheritance. CEA - Collie Eye Anomaly & PRA. Can't say that HD is unknown, but it's not common and very few breeders test for either.

Wasn't able to make the link at all Sierra.

Border Collies are tested for CEA /Pra hipscored and now quiet often hearing tested.Gillian

sharpei suffer from,fevers-[hock attacks] ,also ammolydosis. the usa along with the uk have had these looked into for years trying to find a gene for it, thousands have been spent but its stll not proven, the fevers are caused because the dog cant absorb protein ,so the protien gathers around organs and joints etc ,causing fevers ,these usually only last for a night, the dog will have swollen hocks,muzzle or other and become feverish ,possibly lame, rested up for the night it will seem like nothing happened by the next day usually, ammoloyd is where the protiens lay onto the liver as it cant be absorbed ,at around 3-4 the dog can go into liver failure and die within a day or two, this is in the breed and no-one as far as i know can garauntee not to produce either of the above, its not rampant but it is about,

Stafford's have eye problems and some are now saying that they are showing HD problems but not a lot of people are testing for this yet
bobby

Val, email me and I'll send you all the articles and charts. For some reason some people are unable to access the site; hence, it is being moved. I've come up with quite a few genetic disorders for Collies so far and am only through the cardio, endocrine, blood and some of the eye disorders. I'm trying to decide the easiest way to put up the genetic disorder chart. Anyone with ideas of how they would like to see it? As a complete chart? By breed? By Group?

I think that the incidence of a disorder is important, and I fear impossible to obtain, so that things are kept in Proportion. I remeber reading on the back of the short eye leaflet from the BVA that the incidence of PRA in Border Collies before the Eye schem was higher than 14% and after 20 years testing is less than a 1/4 of one percent!

One would imagine that similar stats would apply to other breeds with PRA, so in a breed like mine where all breeding stock is put through the scheme the size of the problem would be similar, and the successes of limiting the problem too one would hope!

It is all to easy when pointing out the nasty's that the breeds are riddled with cases. I am only full of questions I am afraid, not the answers :(

I would like to see it by breed but separated into groups if that makes sense although if you are intending it for the international market it may best be done just by breed as the groups vary between countries.
Bec

Right now it's sitting at 178 breeds. One of the problems is that every blood disorder has a disclaimer stating that For many breeds and many disorders, the studies to determine the mode of inheritance or the frequency in the breed have not been carried out, or are inconclusive. We have listed breeds for which there is a consensus among those investigating in this field and among veterinary practitioners, that the condition is significant in this breed.

It is interesting to note that one of the blood disorders was practically eliminated in Otterhounds through diligent and careful breeding. That doesn't happen unless someone takes all those nasty things into account and tries like all get out to intelligently breed. I'm all for not putting my head in the sand and being aware, but not terrified of what may lie ahead.

I'm going to beg my husband very nicely to purchase a website for me. That way I'll be able to keep it in both formats.

I was the victim of a breeder who hid epilepsy. Her stud dog was one of the top GSPs in the breed and ironically is also featured in Maxine Collins' GSP book. I bought one of the puppies, paying a fortune at that time for him. Not only did he have juvenille cataracts (back when they were first becoming aware of juvenille cataracts in GSPs, but also had epilepsy that I learned to cope with. The breeder's response? Utter disbelief. She denied to the end of her time on earth that there were epilepsy problems in *her* dogs or in the breed for that matter.

I'm actually learning a lot through this research. The incidence rate is so hard to calculate when people hide it beneath the covers. It also makes it hard to determine how the disorder is inherited.

Back to the grindstone -- I'm actually almost through cardiovascular, endocrine, blood, and eye disorders. Skin, immune systems, gastrointestinal, reproductive, respiratory, urinary, and nervous systems to go!