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Common Ailments of Labradors
Hip Dysphasia
Labs have a tendency to develop different joint degenerative diseases; one of them is hip dysphasia. Any dogs used to breed need to be x-rayed and certified free from hip dysphasia by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, the Wind-Morgan program or the Penn Hip techniques. Most breeders get their animals certified by the OFA. Others use the other two options or a combination. The breeder needs to have these documents on hand and should give duplicates to you for the dam and the sire. They tend to develop OCD and arthritis. Try to find breeders the also have the elbows OFA certified. If you find one that uses the Wind-Morgan program too that is even better.
Useful web address:
http://www.offa.org/
Eye Disorders
The common eye disorders that Labs develop are: progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, and retinal dysphasia. Every dog used for breeding needs to be examined by a veterinarian that is a board certified ophthalmologist. A breeder who is responsible will report the evaluation to CERF to help them follow the occurrence of different eye disorders in Labs. Those breeders will get CERF numbers for their dogs that have a one-year expiration. Request a duplicate of the evaluation breeder turned into CERF. It may contain information about the dog of interest, though it didn’t stop the dog from getting a CERF number.
PRA
PRA isn’t easy to diagnose. The diagnosis can be made through taking an electroretinogram. It will find the onset of the disorder in advance of the dog going blind by close to two years before it happens. Normally, this test should be given when the Lab is five years of age. If the Lab’s line develops this problem early, it is advised to get the test earlier. This is a hard test to perform. Some AVCO vets aren’t able to perform this test because they don’t have the necessary ability to handle such delicate work. The test necessitates anesthesia.
It is a difficult disease to eliminate. The aliment doesn’t usually show up until the dog is eight years old or older. If you think your Lab is going blind have a veterinary ophthalmologist test him. If the diagnosis is PRA, please let the breeder know. Also, sending your Lab’s pedigree to the Data Books of the PRA would be very helpful.
The studies of Dr. Gus Aquirre concerning the Lab genes that cause PRA are encouraging. He reports that in the near future a DNA test should be ready. He has also studied the genes of other dog breeds; he has isolated the markers of the disease for Irish Setters.
The number for VetGen is 800-4-vetgen; their fax is 313-669-8441. The contact person is Michele Feitler. The team at VetGen is working to discover the gene responsible for PRA. They can use more DNA samples of the Labs that have these genes and their line. A cure for the illness can be found, if enough information is gathered and researched.
Useful web addresses:
http://www.vetgen.com/
Tricuspid Valve Dysphasia of TVD
There is a newer disorder in Labs that is a problem with their hearts. The medical name is Tricuspid Valve Dysphasia. A dog on the west coast sired numerous pups that had this illness and died. He was found to have a lesser form of the disease. It was discovered by testing with an echocardiogram, whereas, the examination using the stethoscope didn’t find the defect. This is a problem that breeders are starting to recognize. They don’t know if this defect is going to be common or how it is inherited. Question the breeder about his dogs. Find out if he had them tested with an echocardiogram. Presently, not many dogs have been tested for this defect.
Infections of the Ear
Labs get ear infections easily; it is because their ears drop and they really like to swim. Though a lot of Labs get ear infections, it doesn’t happen to all of them. If your Lab does, it will become a chronic problem, if you don’t use prevention techniques on a regular basis.
Examine your Lab’s ears often. Notice if the skin is the correct color. The color should be pale pink. If the Lab is yellow, the ears will be pinker. Does the ear have a bad smell? It shouldn’t. The ears should be kept clean. Don’t use a Q-tip to clean the ears. It is best to clean his ears with a cotton ball. You can use a tissue. He may produce a good bit of wax. Cleaning his ears out once per month should be sufficient. When he goes swimming wipe his ears out. When his ears are odorous carry him to his vet. He probably has an ear infection of which different kinds do occur. Once he is cured, clean his ears routinely.
A popular solution to use for cleaning his ears is two tablespoons of boric acid, four ounces of rubbing alcohol, and one tablespoon of glycerin. Shake the mixture well. Fill a small eyedropper and squirt the solution into one ear and another eyedropper full into the other ear. This should be a weekly procedure. This normally prevents ear infections. It makes the Lab’s ear inhospitable to the bacteria that cause ear infections. It accomplishes this goal by increasing the pH level somewhat. This is prevention not a cure for an ear infection. If your Lab’ ears are infected take him to the vet. Using the solution when his ears have an infection or he acts like they are sensitive might cause more irritation to his ears.
Wash Tail
Wash tail is sometimes called cold tail or limber tail. If your Lab’s tail becomes limp, he will probably bite it as if it weren’t part of his body. If you notice this behavior it is caused by cold tail. It only last a couple of days, perhaps three. The reason some people call it cold tail is this usually occurs after a dog has swam in cold water. Don’t worry, if this happens to your Lab; it isn’t a serious problem. It may be a response by a gland residing at the juncture of his tail to his body. Another theory is that it is a muscle spasm. The majority of vet books don’t discuss wash tail. It is discussed in the book Peak Performance written by M. Christine Zink.
Typical Injuries
Labs have a tendency to an injury to the ligaments called ruptured cruciate ligaments. The reason isn’t known. Normally, the way this injury occurs is that the dog is twisting his legs somehow. One way is when he is catching a ball or Frisbee in the air by leaping up for the catch. There are several options for surgery to treat the problem. The dog’s activity will be restrained for six weeks or more following the surgery. The rehabilitation can take up to six months.
Laryngeal Paralysis
This type of paralysis causes either both or one side of larynx to dysfunction by not opening and closing correctly. The extent of the impediment dictates whether or not the Lab can breathe in enough oxygen. When a dog has laryngeal paralysis he cannot pant well enough to cool himself off. So he will get over heated. Normally, this is a problem that older dogs develop, but a few younger dogs have this problem. It isn’t a congenital condition in Labradors. Some other breeds inherit this as a congenital problem.
The first symptom of laryngeal paralysis is a coarse breathing noise and the Lab’s bark changes. When the vet diagnoses this problem, the dog will be slightly anesthetized so the vet can examine the movement of the larynx. To correctly diagnosis this dysfunction the vet needs some previous experience. If he thinks that is the problem, but hasn’t has any experience in detecting this problem, request a referral to an experienced vet.
To treat laryngeal paralysis surgery must be performed that tacks one of the laryngeal folds causing it to stay open. Now the dog will be able to breathe and get sufficient oxygen. A new problem arises because of the surgery. He is now at a higher risk of aspiration pneumonia. This is because he is more likely to inhale food or water. His food and water should be put in a raised bowl. He shouldn’t swim in water that isn’t chlorinated. The Lab’s bark will change. That is because the surgery he had is like debarking surgery.
The only other way to handle this condition is not to get the surgery for the Lab. Some dog owners have tried this and they closely watched over their dog’s health problem. They had to take extra care on warm or hot days. Sometimes Labs thus watched can do without the surgery for a while. See what your vet advises. There is a range of the condition. Some instances aren’t as severe as others. Your vet can help you decide what to do.
Other Difficulties
Some other problems to talk with your breeders about are: skin allergies, thyroid function, and epilepsy.
If you need to dose your Lab with Rimadyl be very cautious. The biggest side effect is making the liver toxic. Labs have been known to have this side effect that might be caused by the number of Labs using the medication. It could be that Labs are more prone to this effect. Have a full discussion of this effect when your vet proscribes this medication for your dog.
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