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Animal Genetics
Laboklin
Animal Health
Trust
Overview
For the most
part,
Shelties are
athletic and
healthy.
Like
the Rough
Collie,
there is a
tendency
toward
inherited
malformation
and disease
of the eyes.
Each
individual
puppy should
have his
eyes
examined by
a qualified
veterinary
ophthalmologist.
Some lines may
be
susceptible
to
hypothyroidism,
epilepsy, hip
dysplasia,
or skin
allergies.
Compared to
other dogs,
Shetland
Sheepdogs
have a
four-fold
increased
risk of
developing transitional
cell
carcinoma,
a cancer of
the bladder.
Dermatomyositis may
occur at the
age of 4 to
6 months,
and is
frequently
misdiagnosed
by general
practice
veterinarians
as sarcoptic ordemodectic
mange. The
disease
manifests
itself
as alopecia on
the top of
the head,
supra- and
suborbital
area and
forearms as
well as the
tip of the
tail. If the
disease
progresses
to its more
damaging
form, it
could affect
the autonomic
nervous
system and
the dog may
have to be
euthanised.
This disease
is
generation-skipping
and
genetically
transmitted,
with
breeders
having no
clear
methodology
for
screening
except clear
bloodline
records.
Deep
tissue biopsies are
required to
definitively
diagnose
dermatomyositis.
Von
Willebrand
disease is
an inherited
bleeding
disorder. In
Shelties,
affected
dogs as a
general rule
are not
viable and
do not live
long. The
Sheltie
carries type
III of von
Willebrands,
which is the
most severe
of the three
levels.
There are
DNA tests
that were
developed to
find von
Willebrands
in Shelties.
It can be
done at any
age, and it
will give
three
results:
affected,
carrier and
non-affected. Shelties
may also
suffer
from hypothyroidism,
which is the
under-functioning
thyroid
gland. It is
an Autoimmune
disease where
the immune
system
attacks
the thyroid
gland.
Clinical
symptoms
include hair
loss or lack
of coat,
over or
under-weight,
and
listlessness.
Although
small breed
dogs are not
usually
plagued
by hip
dysplasia,
it has been
identified
in Shelties.
Hip
dysplasia
occurs when
the head of
the femur and
the acetabulum do
not fit
together
correctly,
frequently
causing pain
and/or
lameness. Hip
dysplasia is
thought to
be
genetic. Many
breeders
will have
their dogs'
hips x-rayed
and
certified .
The two
basic forms
of inherited
eye
diseases/defects
in Shelties
are Collie
eye
anomaly (CEA)
and progressive
retinal
atrophy (PRA).
Collie eye
anomaly: An
autosomal
recessive
inherited
trait which
results in
incomplete
closure of
the
embryonic
fissure;
seen almost
exclusively
in Collies,
Border
collies and
Shetland
sheepdogs. CEA
can be
detected in
young
puppies by a
veterinary ophthalmologist. The
disease
involves the
retina. It
is always
bilateral although
the severity
may be
disparate
(unequal)
between
eyes. Other
accompanying
defects
(ophthalmic
anomalies)
may wrongly
indicate a
more severe
manifestation
of CEA. CEA
is present
at birth and
although it
cannot be
cured, it
doesn't
progress.
Signs of CEA
in shelties
are small,
or deepset
eyes. That
is, the
severity of
the disease
at birth
will not
change
throughout
the dog's
life. CEA is
scored
similar to
the way hips
are.
CEA is
genetic,
inheritance
is autosomal
recessive,
this means
that even a
dog that
shows
no phenotypic signs
of the
condition
may be a
carrier.
Breeders
should
actively try
to breed
this disease
out by only
breeding
with dogs
that have
"clear" eyes
or very low
scoring
eyes. A CEA
score
considered
too high to
breed with
may still be
low enough
not to
affect the
dog's life.
These dogs
live happy
and healthy
lives as
pets but
should be
not used for
breeding.
The recent
development
of a DNA
test for CEA
makes
control of
this disease
much more
likely as
more
breeders
take
advantage of
the test.
PRA can be
detected at
any time but
usually does
not show up
until the
dog is
around two
years of
age.
Breeding
dogs should
be tested
for genotype for
this
condition
before
breeding and
only animals
found
"clear"
should be
used for
breeding.
PRA can
occur in
most breeds
of dog
including
mix breeds.
In Most
breeds it is
also an autosomal
recessive condition,
however it
has been
found in
other breeds
to be autosomal
dominant and sex-linked in
others. As
the name
suggests, it
is a
progressive
disease
which will
eventually
result in
total
blindness. Like
CEA, an
affected dog
should not
be bred with
but these
dogs can
live happily
as pets.
Currently
there is no
treatment
for either
disease, but
as both
diseases
(CEA and
PRA) are
hereditary
it is
possible to
eliminate
them using
selective
breeding.
MDR1 Gene
Mutation -
According to
the College
of
Veterinary
Medicine at
Washington
State
University,
the Shetland
Sheepdog,
and many
other
herding
breeds, have
a risk of
being born
with a MDR1
Gene
Mutation,
with about
15% of
individuals
affected.
Cross-breeds
are also
affected. Dogs
carrying
Mdr1-1 share
a common
ancestor
that
experienced
remarkable
evolutionary
success,
having
contributed
genetically
to at least
nine
distinct
breeds of
dog. Due to
this genetic
mutation,
affected
dogs may
exhibit
sensitivity
or adverse
reactions to
many drugs.
including
Acepromazine,
Butorphanol,
Doxorubicin,
Erythromycin,
Ivermectin,
Loperamide,
Milbemycin,
Moxidectin,
Rifampin,
Selamectin,
Vinblastine,
and
Vincristine. |
For more on these conditions, and more, see
this page
|