health information
Hereditary Diseases and Disorders Advisory Panel
The club has formed a sub committee called the Hereditary Diseases and Disorders Advisory Panel, a.k.a. HDDAP, to work on promoting good health in Australian Shepherds.
Vision
To assist Australian Shepherd owners and breeders with any issues or questions pertaining to the health of the breed.
Mission
To act as a confidential resource to Australian Shepherd owners and breeders on health issues within the breed.
To support Australian Shepherd breeders in improving the health of the breed.
Current issues being discussed are the new Victorian Prevention of Cruelty to Animals legislation Clause 89 and the implications for breeding, health status of the breed in Australia through our anonymous survey, the ACES eye certification scheme and development of information leaflets for new owners and breeders. (Note: Survey results will be published shortly)
The committee is also available for any member or interested Aussie owner/breeder wanting more information or assistance in dealing with health issues that have arisen in their dog or lines. We are totally confidential whenever such requests for assistance are made and strive at all times to be welcoming, supportive and responsible. Our meetings are open to any member but may request closure of the meeting to committee only to discuss any confidential information.
What is MDR1?
MDR1 is a shortening for the "Multi Drug Resistance 1" gene, which is responsible for preventing certain chemicals and microscopic objects from passing through the bloodstream into neural tissue and aiding in their elimination.
Some dogs have a mutation in the MDR1 gene which allows the drug to penetrate the brain causing sensitivity and toxic reactions. Some problematic drugs are common veterinary treatments - the most widely known of which is Ivermectin. MDR1 sensitivity is sometimes referred to as "Ivermectin sensitivity" for this reason, although there are a number of medications known and suspected to cause toxicity. In dogs with the mutation alternative drugs should be used as they are subject to toxicity which can result in death at much lower doses than non-affected dogs. E.G. ivermectin toxicity may occur at as little as 1/200th of the dose.
MDR1 (or "Multi Drug Resistance 1" gene) is something all Aussie owners should be aware of.
Hip and Elbow Scoring
Canine hip dysplasia (HD) is the most common heritable orthopaedic problem seen in dogs. It affects virtually all breeds of dogs, but is especially problematic in large and giant breeds. HD develops into a degenerative condition (osteoarthritis) of the hip joints.
It is therefore recommended, and in the case of Aussies a requirement, to have breeding pairs radiographically accessed for the presence of degenerative changes and/or subluxation of the hip. The current system used for scoring radiographs for hip dysplasia in Australia is based on the system devised and used by the BVA/KC.
Each hip is scored using nine different criteria and given a value between 0-6. Higher scores indicate a greater degree of abnormality. A hip score is usually expressed as the total for each hip. Eg 5:4 means that the left hip was scored at 5, the right at 4. The hip score is the sum of both ie 9.
As a general guideline, if the score for any one hip is greater than 8 or the score for any one of the nine criteria is greater than 3 the dog should not be bred from. (Other factors may be considered when deciding which indivduals are used for breeding)
A comprehensive explanation of the scoring system is provided in the attachement below.
Understanding Hip and Elbow scoring