As a dog owner, your dog’s health should be one of your greatest priorities. Learn more about common health issues dogs may face in their lifetime, and information about health testing and screening for your dog. Our dogs depend on us to look after them. Learn more about common health issues found in dogs and the signs breeders and owners should watch out for.

Exercise-induced collapse (EIC)

A syndrome of exercise intolerance and collapse (EIC) has been found in young adult Labrador Retrievers. A comprehensive study is underway to evaluate effective dogs and try to establish an efficient means of diagnosis as well auto gain some insights into the cause of the collapse. The gene has been identified and a DNS test is available. Affected dogs have been found in both show and field trial lines in many countries. This condition leads to a defect in nerve communication during intense exercise. In affected dogs, certain factors can trigger the collapse including type of exercise, temperature and excitement. Dogs clinically affected by EIC will show signs of leg weakness followed by complete collapse after 5 to 20 minutes of strenuous activity. The severity can vary. Severely affected dogs may collapse with mild exercise – other dogs only exhibit collapse episodes sporadically (occurring at irregular intervals). First clinical signs are usually noticed between 5 months and 3 years of age, but can appear later in life. The first sign is usually a rocking or forced gait followed by weakness in the rear rims and the inability to support weight. In some cases, this progresses to forelimbs weakness and occasionally to a total inability to move. Some dogs appear to be uncoordinated and lose their balance. While most dogs remain totally conscious and alert, others may appear stunned or disorientated during the episode.

This disease is described as an autosomal-recessive condition. This means that a dog must inherit two copies of an abnormal gene (one from its mother and one from its father) before its health is affected. A dog that inherits only one copy of the abnormal gene (from either their mother or their father) will have no signs of the disease, but will be a carrier and may pass the gene on to any offspring.

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA prcd)

This is an eye disease in which there is progressive rod cone degeneration which results first in loss of vision in poor light, then to total blindness. The speed of vision loss is very variable with some affected dogs retaining reasonable vision in good light for several years. The cells of the retina receive light from the external environment and transmit the information to the brain where it is interpreted to become vision. PRA causes cells in the retina at the back of the eye to degenerate and die, even though the cells may have developed normally early in life. Find out more about PRA. Owners of affected dogs first notice that their dog becomes night blind, but this eventually progresses to total blindness. The age of onset of first signs varies from breed to breed, however, in all cases puppies are born with perfect vision and their sight begins to degenerate later in life, from around 3 years of age or later. The disease is described as an autosomal-recessive condition. This means that a dog must inherit two copies of an abnormal gene (one from its mother and one from its father) before its health is affected. A dog that inherits only one copy of the abnormal gene (from its mother or its father) will have no signs of the disease, but will be a carrier and may pass the gene on to any offspring. The gene has been identified and a DNA test is available.

Hip and elbow displasia

Hip and elbow dysplasia are developmental, multifactorial, genetically influenced conditions that are characterised by ill-fitting or loosely-fitting hip joints and the development of secondary degenerative joint disease (arthrosis). As hip and elbow dysplasia are developmental diseases, they usually only manifest radiologically after the age of about six months. There is no doubt about the fact that the tendency to develop hip and elbow dysplasia is inherited but environmental factors like excessive protein intake and excessive strenuous exercise at a very young age play a role in the degree of dysplasia that is eventually manifested.

Hip dysplasia is a complex inherited condition where the hip joint does not develop correctly. As a dog gets older, the joint undergoes wear and tear and deteriorates, leading to a loss of function. This can cause varying degrees of pain, discomfort, stiffness and lameness. The breed does have substantial levels of hip dysplasia but the prevalence is not known. It is due to the faulty fitting of the femoral head and the hip joint. Erosions and osteoarthritic changes occur with increasing age. Severe hip dysplasia causes gait problems and exercise intolerance. Commonly first signs of lameness and ‘bunny hopping’ show at seven tot eight months of age. Xray is the only way of making a definite diagnosis. Several genes have been identified each implicated in different aspects of the malformation but as yet no DNA test is available. Exercise, body weight and diet are probably also factors in the disease progress. Currently, the only way to reduce the incidence of hip displysia is to Xray all dogs before they are bred. The lower the score the better.

The grading of a dogs’ hips and elbows according to international standards gives breeders an idea of the hip and elbow status of their dogs which has to be considered when breeding these animals. Find out more here and here.  

Sources: Labrador Breed Council, Labrador Club of South Africa and the Kennel Club (UK)