![]() Purebred Poodle puppy laying down indoors. In fact, the Canine Health Foundation has funded more than $35 million in research to improve the health and well-being of dogs. ![]() In purebred dogs, national breed clubs such as the Golden Retriever Club of America and the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation have worked together to identify breeds with an increased risk of specific health issues and to take steps to minimize the risk. As a result, all dogs share strong genetic tendencies, some of them health-related. This makes sense since most domesticated dogs are believed to be the descendants of just a handful of lines of wolves. Many of those disorders that are often attributed to a specific breed are just as likely to be found in mixed-breed dogs, including common health problems such as lymphoma, mast cell tumor, specific cardiac issues, hip dysplasia, and lens luxation. What researchers found was, “Of the 24 disorders assessed, 13 had no significant difference in the mean proportion of purebred and mixed-breed dogs with the disorder when matched for age, sex and body weight.” One disorder was more frequent in mixed-breed dogs and the other 10 were more prevalent in purebred dogs, although no one breed was dominant in suffering from any particular illness. Despite articles that claim that there is a higher concentration of hereditary disease in purebred dogs, this extensive study proves otherwise. Research utilized more than 27,000 patient cases to determine the likelihood of occurrence of 24 of the most common hereditary diseases in dogs. The study, titled “Prevalence of inherited disorders among mixed-breed and purebred dogs: 27,254 cases (1995-2010),” was reported in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association on June 1, 2013. Despite articles claiming that mixed-breed dogs are healthier than purebred dogs, my extensive first-hand experience, and an important study conducted by the University of California-Davis, tells us otherwise. One thing I’ve learned through my experience is that when it comes to illness, pretty much any dog can get sick. I am also a longtime owner and breeder of Afghan Hounds. As you might guess, I’ve taken care of a lot of dogs and have likely seen just about every type of canine illness you can imagine. ![]() Thousands more see our veterinary specialists. Each year, our hospital treats more than 11,000 cats and dogs in our emergency room. Purebred Berger Picard running in a field.įor more than 30 years, I have served as a veterinarian at one of the largest veterinary emergency hospitals in the country. ![]()
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