All purebred and mixed breed dogs are prone to hereditary health problems. The Finnish Lapphund is generally a healthy breed, however, several health issues are still present. Fortunately, a number of Finnish lapphund owners and breeders are of aware of these health issues. Many engage in responsible breeding practices to reduce or eliminate
hereditary health problems. The information provided below should help you in your quest for a responsible breeder and a healthy dog. There may be other health issues not specifically identified - ask the breeder if there are any other hereditary issues in their lines.

 

Orthopedic

 

Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) occurs in most breeds of dogs, including mixed breeds, and it can result in debilitating 0rthopedic disease of the hip. A dog that has hip dysplasia is said to be dysplastic and has hip joints that are not formed perfectly. It is caused when the femoral head does not fit properly in the hip socket, which causes instability of the joint. Over time, this malformation can cause degenerative joint diseasecausing increased pain and immobility.
CHD is a common canine inherited condition that is not apparent at birth, the imperfection can be slight or severe. The dysplastic dog may experience no pain or problems from its condition or it may experience
mild to severe discomfort when moving. Veterinary prescribed antiinflammatory medication can control the symptoms in milder cases.

 

 

Management includes keeping weight off, regular moderate exercise, medical management, and, in some cases, surgery. Hip dysplasia can only be properly diagnosed by an x-ray.

The Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph offers a limited number of outpatient appointments directly with the Imaging section for hip and elbow dysplasia evaluation and PennHIP evaluation. A radiology consultation service is provided by Dr. H. Dobson. For more information on outpatient appointments and radiographic referral
evaluation call 519-767 5022 or visit their website.

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is an organization of Veterinary Orthopedists. (see www.offa.org) They evaluate hip x-rays hat are submitted to them. This service is provided for a modest fee. An x-ray taken of a dog less than two years old will receive only a temporary "Preliminary" rating. An x-ray of a dog two years old or older evaluated as not dysplastic will receive permanent certificate with an "OFA number" and rating status of "Excellent", "Good" or "Fair". If the dog is determined to be dysplastic, only a rating as to the degree of dysplasia from "Mild" to "Severe" will be provided.

All dogs considered for breeding should be evaluated at 24 months for CHD.

 

Eyes Conditions

There are various inherited and congenital eye problems found in all breeds of dogs including the Finnish Lapphund breed. Some of these problems are expressed at an early age (eight weeks)and others cannot be diagnosed until well into adulthood. It is recommended that all pups have their eyes examined by a Board Certified ophthalmologist before
going to their new home and that the owner receive a copy of the eye exam form from the breeder before sale is finalized.

 

Some problems that may be diagnosed at eight weeks are: entropion, ectropion, distichiasis, PPM (persistent pupillary membrane), microthalmia, cataracts, and a few others. Some of these diseases may need to be surgically corrected. And for some there is no cure.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is an eye disease that will eventually cause blindness. Progressive rod-cone degeneration (prcd) is the form that affects the Finnish Lapphund. It is a late onset disease, meaning, the disease does not show up until the dog is about 6 years or older. This is quite a difficult situation, since the dog might have been bred several times already and unknowingly passed the gene to its offsprings. Previously, it could not be diagnosed by an eye exam until the dog is an adult. Now, a breeder can screen for a DNA marker gene test than can determine dogs that are normal, carriers or affected. The test is available from Optigen. This might eventually be the standard PRA test protocol due to the fact that the test can be done even to puppies just several weeks old (go to www.optigen.com for additional information). Tests results are indicated by Pattern A or A1 for normal dogs that will never be affected by prcd and that cannot transmit the disease. Pattern B or B1 are carriers of prcd, but will not develop prcd and Pattern C or C1 indicates a dog will be affected with prcd. Pattern C dogs must get a copy of the gene from each parent to be affected. A pup that has at least one parent with an Optigen A rating will never have PRA but could be a carrier. Dogs with B or C ratings should only be bred to pattern A dogs to be sure that no pups will be affected with PRA. All pups from a litter that does NOT have at least one pattern A parent should be Optigen tested so that information can be available to the buyer before purchasing a pup.

Hereditary Cataracts are a common hereditary eye problem in some Finnish Lapphund. "Cataract" by definition is any opacity within the lens of the eye. At least one type of hereditary cataract appears at an early age in affected Finnish Lapphunds, and while these may or may
not interfere with the dog's vision, some do progress into severe or total loss of vision. There are also non-hereditary cataracts which sometimes occur, and examination by a Board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist is necessary to determine if the cataract is or is not of concern from a genetic standpoint. If there is any question, the dog is certainly not to be recommended for breeding.

The other eye problems that are found in Lapphunds can actually be found in puppies. PPM (Persistant Pupilary
Membranes) is not uncommon, a condition that remnants of a fetal structure called the pupillary membrane. This membrane covers the pupil before an animal is born. It is part of the blood supply to the developing lens. Normally the pupillary membrane is partially present and continues to disappear in neonatal dogs. Absorption may not be
complete in puppies when the eyes first open and small strands or a weblike structure may be seen across the pupil. These strands normally disappear by four to five weeks of age. In some dogs these strands do not disappear and become PPMs.

Also found in puppies are Retinal Folds (a known recessive), which does affect vision, but generally not severely. and the affected dog learns to compensate. Retinal dysplasia can also be diagnosed, but so far there
are no cases of the condition in North America.

To ensure the overall health of the eyes, an annual eye exam by a Board Certified ophthalmologist is recommended for dogs to be used for breeding. The Canine Eye Registry Foundation, CERF, issues a certificate to owners for dogs with normal eyes. The evaluation is only valid for one year. Both parents should have a current CERF exam and
Optigen rating, and a copy should be shown to the prospective buyer.