Genetics
With DNA testing through EMBARK, Wisdom Panel a.o. a lot of information is available about genetic abnormalities. On the website of Embark you can find information about the most common genetic diseases in White Swiss Shepherd.
When one of the parents is a carrier and the other not, there is a risk that a pup gets the disease but it’s a very small risk. However breeding with both parents carrier of the same genetic abnormality gives you a dog that might get from both parents a copy of this abnormality and is then at a serious risk that he or she gets this disease.
I personally don’t breed with carriers of the EMBARk tested genetic abnormalities:
Because DNA testing is still at the beginning of what might be possible, unknown genetic abnormalities might already be in my dogs, why add some knowingly?
When one of the parents is a carrier and the other not, there is a risk that a pup gets the disease but it’s a very small risk. However breeding with both parents carrier of the same genetic abnormality gives you a dog that might get from both parents a copy of this abnormality and is then at a serious risk that he or she gets this disease.
I personally don’t breed with carriers of the EMBARk tested genetic abnormalities:
- Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) which is a disease that affects the spinal cord in dogs, causing progressive muscle weakness and loss of coordination.
- Multidrug Resistance 1 (MDR1) drug sensitivity which is the result of a genetic variant that can place dogs at risk of severe or life-threatening complications after taking particular medications at specific doses.
Because DNA testing is still at the beginning of what might be possible, unknown genetic abnormalities might already be in my dogs, why add some knowingly?
Health: in mind and body
In 2018 the Dutch White Swiss Shepherd (WSS) clubs held a health inventory of the White Swiss Shepherd (Zwitserse Witte Herder). All NHSB-registered WSS owners with White Shepherds born in the years 2013 and 2014 were approached with the request to provide information about their dog and their perception of the animal's physical and mental health. Four hundred (400) owners filled in the survey and the WSS clubs compiled the results in a report. Based on this data, conclusions were drawn about the 2018 situation of the breed.
Although this report is already some years old, it's my opinion that the then health issues within the breed still exist. And because I think that this report gives a pretty complete picture of all the health issues, and not only the most important ones we test the dogs on, I will first give a oversight of the breed specific health issues and their score in the Dutch inventory.
Although this report is already some years old, it's my opinion that the then health issues within the breed still exist. And because I think that this report gives a pretty complete picture of all the health issues, and not only the most important ones we test the dogs on, I will first give a oversight of the breed specific health issues and their score in the Dutch inventory.
Breed Specific Health Issues
In all dog breeds (hereditary) abnormalities occur. In preparing the survey, an inventory was made of which abnormalities could be White Swiss Shepherd specific. In the survey was then explicitly asked whether the dog in question suffered or had suffered from one or more several of these so-called breed-specific abnormalities.
In all dog breeds (hereditary) abnormalities occur. In preparing the survey, an inventory was made of which abnormalities could be White Swiss Shepherd specific. In the survey was then explicitly asked whether the dog in question suffered or had suffered from one or more several of these so-called breed-specific abnormalities.
Health problems broken down by system
Experience shows that the average dog owner is only partly familiar with the specific diagnoses made by veterinarians. In almost all cases, however, the system (the functional part of the dog) in which the health disorder occurred is known. That is why the survey provided a list of systems with the question of indicating in which of these systems the health problems occurred (table 11, page 14). This overview provides a picture of 'possible weak spots' for the White Swiss Shepherd, aspects to which attention should be paid in possible follow-up studies and breeding policy. Each dog in the group studied could develop problems in one or more of the systems mentioned during the period covered by the study. The 177 White Swiss Shepherds that had health problems scored a combined 267 times in the table below. On average, this amounts to 1.50 times per dog with health problems. Apparently more than one problem occurs in part of this group. Most health problems are found in the 'Digestive system' category. One in seven or eight animals (13.6%) has problems with this, a significantly higher percentage than with many other breeds. With a few exceptions, the percentage is somewhere between 3 and 10 percent for most previously studied breeds. These are food processing disorders for which a specific diagnosis is only reported in a limited number of cases. The problems are usually referred to as food allergy, food intolerance, digestive problems, chronic diarrhea, sensitive intestines or sensitive stomach. This partly concerns the consequences of (accidental) infections such as Giardia, and partly it concerns hereditary forms of inadequate functioning of the gastrointestinal system. 13 To the extent that there is a specific diagnosis, Giardia infections (7 times), perianal fistulas (5 times) and esophageal paralysis (2 times) are mentioned. As with many previously researched breeds, we also find many health problems in the 'Skin & Hair' category. This concerns 13.4% of the dogs in the study group. We also see a similar percentage in many other previously researched varieties. Three quarters of the skin disorders (41) are caused by allergies (atopy), in 5 cases a parasitic infection (fleas, mites or fungi) is mentioned. For the rest, unknown or other underlying causes are responsible for the problem.
Experience shows that the average dog owner is only partly familiar with the specific diagnoses made by veterinarians. In almost all cases, however, the system (the functional part of the dog) in which the health disorder occurred is known. That is why the survey provided a list of systems with the question of indicating in which of these systems the health problems occurred (table 11, page 14). This overview provides a picture of 'possible weak spots' for the White Swiss Shepherd, aspects to which attention should be paid in possible follow-up studies and breeding policy. Each dog in the group studied could develop problems in one or more of the systems mentioned during the period covered by the study. The 177 White Swiss Shepherds that had health problems scored a combined 267 times in the table below. On average, this amounts to 1.50 times per dog with health problems. Apparently more than one problem occurs in part of this group. Most health problems are found in the 'Digestive system' category. One in seven or eight animals (13.6%) has problems with this, a significantly higher percentage than with many other breeds. With a few exceptions, the percentage is somewhere between 3 and 10 percent for most previously studied breeds. These are food processing disorders for which a specific diagnosis is only reported in a limited number of cases. The problems are usually referred to as food allergy, food intolerance, digestive problems, chronic diarrhea, sensitive intestines or sensitive stomach. This partly concerns the consequences of (accidental) infections such as Giardia, and partly it concerns hereditary forms of inadequate functioning of the gastrointestinal system. 13 To the extent that there is a specific diagnosis, Giardia infections (7 times), perianal fistulas (5 times) and esophageal paralysis (2 times) are mentioned. As with many previously researched breeds, we also find many health problems in the 'Skin & Hair' category. This concerns 13.4% of the dogs in the study group. We also see a similar percentage in many other previously researched varieties. Three quarters of the skin disorders (41) are caused by allergies (atopy), in 5 cases a parasitic infection (fleas, mites or fungi) is mentioned. For the rest, unknown or other underlying causes are responsible for the problem.
