Category archives: Ask The Vet

There are few dog breeds that can match the spirit and spunk of the Norfolk terrier. Prior to the recognition of the Norfolk terrier as its own independent breed, this small, English bred working terrier fell under the Norwich terrier banner, in which either drop or prick ears were recognized as acceptable traits. With time, Norwich breeders began to differentiate dogs based upon ear carriage. The drop eared members of the breed eventually became known as the Norfolk terrier, thereby splitting the breed into two very similar, yet distinct lines. The Norfolk terrier was officially recognized by the English Kennel Club in 1964 and by the American Kennel Club in 1979. Two independent breed standards were established for these breeds and despite their common roots, the breeds have diverged slightly in their physical appearance over the past few decades. The Norfolk terrier is well known for their energy, loyalty, bravery, and affectionate demeanor. Breeders of the Norfolk terrier take pride in producing dogs with great temperament while maintaining the breed’s ability to work. That being said, today’s Norfolk terrier is more commonly found in homes as a companion animal rather than fulfilling its original purpose of hunting rodents and other ...

With a beautiful variety of coat colors and markings in combination with their impressive muscular build, the striking appearance of the American Staffordshire terrier (AST) is one to behold. The modern AST can trace its origins to 19^th century England when bulldogs of the time were bred to terriers in an attempt to create a dog with the most desirable personality traits of each breed (the specific breed of terrier used in the early breedings is in dispute among domestic dog historians and may have actually been multiple terrier breeds). In 1972, the original name of the breed (used from the time of their 1936 acceptance into the American Kennel Club), Staffordshire terrier, was changed to the current, American Staffordshire terrier by breeders to distinguish their breed of heavier, American bred dogs from the original Staffordshire terrier of England.

As the AST has progressed as a breed, so has the understanding of the genetics that underlies the breed we see today. In addition, the discovery of particular genetic mutations responsible for causing inherited diseases has allowed for the development of genetic tests to identify nonsymptomatic carriers and young dogs affected with late-onset inherited disorders. Through the genetic knowledge gained ...

Despite a name which implies an origin “down under”, the Australian shepherd is widely understood to be a breed of American origin. In fact, descriptions of the breed and their importance in the lives of 19^th and 20^th century Basque shepherds who had relocated from Australia to the western US are plentiful. Australian shepherds’ exceptional intelligence, versatility, desire to please, and a natural instinct to herd and guard livestock have made them a common inhabitant of ranches and farms where they have been trained to perform a variety of tasks. Aside from their work on the homestead, their unique abilities have also made them great competitors in stock dog trials, agility events, and other dog sports. Despite their many talents and desirable traits, like many other breeds, the Australian shepherd has developed some inherited disease concerns that can prevent them from performing at their best or otherwise decrease their overall quality of life. One such condition recognized in the Australian shepherd is the genetic eye disease known as collie eye anomaly.

What is CEA?

Collie eye anomaly (CEA), also known as choroidal hypoplasia, is an inherited eye disease caused by a mutation in the canine NHEJ1 gene. Dogs ...

With a personality much bigger than their diminutive size, the toy fox terrier (TFT) is a fun and feisty breed well known for their charming and entertaining personalities. Originally created by the breeding of various toy breeds to the smooth fox terrier, like other terriers, TFTs still love the thrill of the hunt and are at their happiest giving chase to any small mammal willing to run. Though toy fox terriers have occasionally been described as headstrong and have been known to take control of a house, a well socialized and well trained toy fox terrier is a wonderful addition to many families. Still retaining tenacity from their terrier roots, their disposition is also tailored by the variety of toy breeds used to make this fine breed. Unfortunately, like other purebred dogs, the TFT has developed some inherited disease concerns along their path to the modern breed. Luckily, some of these diseases can now be prevented by performing genetic testing on dams and sires prior to breeding and by implementing selective breeding strategies based upon these results. One such genetic condition known to occur in TFTs is congenital hypothyroidism with goiter (CHG), a disease caused by a genetic mutation in ...

Despite its once prominent role as a talented upland gamebird hunting dog, by the mid-1900s the Irish Setter’s popularity in the field was on the decline. Despite developing significant interest and success as a show dog, the breed had nearly disappeared from the hip of gamebird hunters. Around this time, outbreedings to field champion English setters were performed in an effort to resurrect the popularity and improve the talents of the Irish setter as a hunting companion. In many locales, this field bred variety of Irish setter became known as the red setter while the Irish setter name is now most closely associated with the show variety of the breed. In the United States however, red setters still fall under the umbrella of the Irish setter name. Found in multiple colors and coat patterns in its early history, the breed’s modern solid red coat color became entrenched in the breed due to its popularity in the European show ring of the late 1800s.

Like other purebred dogs, the Irish setter has developed some inherited disease concerns along its path to its modern state. However, through the use of modern genetic testing technology and selective breeding practices, some inherited diseases can now be ...

Like other popular retrieving breeds such as the Labrador, golden, and flat coated retrievers, the American bred, Chesapeake Bay retriever can trace its roots back to the St. John’s water dog, a purpose bred dog originating in the Canadian providence of Newfoundland. With its wavy and slightly oily, waterproof coat, the Chessie has become a prominent fixture at the side of bird hunting enthusiasts since its development in the 19^th century. Not surprising to those that have lived and worked with a great Chesapeake, the breed has increased in popularity in the US over the past several years as indicated by their jump in the AKC registration rankings from 49^th in 2009 to 40^th in 2014. Unfortunately, like other pure bred dogs, along its path to modern popularity the Chesapeake has developed some inherited genetic disease concerns that are known to cause medical issues for some dogs and can be a source of heartache for those that love them. One particularly severe, inherited condition unique to the Chesapeake Bay retriever, is a condition known as ectodermal dysplasia or skin fragility syndrome (ED/SFS).

What is ED/SFS?

ED/SFS is a severe, inherited disease in which affected dogs are ...

If an intelligent, alien visitor happened to land on Earth, I can’t help but think they would be fascinated by the relationship between humans and dogs. Developed over thousands of years, our once important working relationship with dogs has given way to a deep friendship built more upon our common needs for social connection and acceptance than a hard day’s work. However, without an understanding of what it means to have a dog, one might think that humans were getting a raw deal. We spend our time and hard earned money feeding, entertaining, providing shelter and medical treatment, and otherwise spoiling our dogs with little expectation of a tangible payoff, other than love. But, as any dog owner can attest, it’s hard to put a value on the love from your favorite fur ball.

One of the most impressive examples of our culture’s commitment to our canines is the AKC’s Responsible Dog Ownership Days (RDOD). This time of year since 2003, the AKC has asked its 5000 affiliated clubs around the country to hold community events in an effort to entertain and educate the public about the best practices in responsible dog ownership. Events vary around the country, however it is ...

The history of the modern border collie is generally regarded to have started with a dog named Old Hemp who was born in late 19^th century England. Old Hemp was a tri-colored sheepdog with unique and extraordinary abilities in herding. According to reports, Old Hemp was a product of his owner, Adam Telfer’s attempts at developing a sheepdog with a milder temperament than other sheepdogs of the time while still maintaining a high level of ability to control livestock. Old Hemp’s success in the field was paramount in him siring over 200 puppies and thus, creating a foundation stock for the border collie we appreciate today.

Widely regarded as one of the most intelligent and obedient dog breeds in existence, the border collie has branched from its roots as a working dog as breeders began showing their dogs in the conformation ring in the last quarter of the 20^th century. The movement of border collies into the show ring has remained controversial as some breed lovers are concerned that border collies bred for aesthetic purposes are at risk of losing their natural abilities as herding dogs. Due to an emphasis on breeding dogs for working ability over form ...

Though reliable sources for the early origins of a holiday to celebrate friendship in the US are scarce, it is probable that the first Friendship Day was proposed by the Hallmark greeting card company in the early 1900’s. Despite Hallmark’s attempt, the holiday’s luster had faded by the end of the century only to be resurrected by citizens of several Asian countries in the early 2000’s. Renewed interest in a day of friendship eventually led the UN General Assembly to proclaim July 30, 2011 the first International Day of Friendship in over 40 countries. Aside from the International Day of Friendship celebrated on July 30 annually, other countries (including the US) celebrate Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August or other dates. In 2015, Friendship Day will be celebrated by the US on August 2.

The ambitious intentions of the UN-established holiday were to promote friendship between cultures, countries, and individuals in an effort to maintain peaceful relationships on a global scale. On a less ambitious level, the holiday gives us a reason to be mindful of the great people in our life that we are privileged to call our friends. For us simple dog lovers, a day of ...

The adorable Yorkshire terrier has become an important fixture in American households since its introduction to the United States in the late 19^th century. Originally bred in Scotland and going by the name “Scotch terrier”, the Yorkshire terrier was given its modern name after great improvements in the breed were made in the county of Yorkshire in northern England.

Like most dog breeds, the Yorkie has developed some inherited diseases on its path to the modern breed. The genetic mutations responsible for some better known, inherited diseases of Yorkies such as primary lens luxation (PLL) and a form of progressive retinal atrophy known as progressive rod-cone degeneration (PRA-prcd) have been identified. The identification of these mutations has made it possible for Yorkie breeders to test their dams and sires prior to breeding and to use informed selective breeding practices to prevent the birth of puppies with these conditions. While most Yorkie breeders are familiar with PLL and PRA-prcd in the breed, another inherited condition known as degenerative myelopathy (DM) is less well known by Yorkie breeders. However, DM may be a concern worth investigating further in the Yorkie as the associated mutation has been identified in the breed.

What ...