Purebred Problems: Are Pedigree Pooches a Ticking Health Timebomb?

There are strict rules about how every purebred dog should look, from the length of their muzzle to the width of their eyes, from how it stands to how it walks. The Kennel Club has set these standards to judge which dog is "the best in show".

This focus on purebred dog standards has led to a wide variety in canine appearances. The truth is that some dogs barely look like the same species. A recent study revealed there is more difference between the skulls of a Pekinese and a collie than those of a walrus and a South American raccoon called a coati.

However, this focus on standardised purebred appearance of each breed has another side: health problems related to inbreeding.

Let's look as some of the most common health problems found in purebred dogs.

Difficulty Breathing

Some breeds of dog have a short muzzle (this is called being "brachycephalic"). Brachycephalic breeds can develop Brachycephalic Airway Obstruction Syndrome (BAOS). In these dogs, the skull length is reduced, but the airway isn't. This causes breathing problems, as the airway is compressed into a smaller area.

Dogs with BAOS often have narrow nostrils, an overlong palate and a collapsed trachea, which make breathing difficult. Treatment often aims to correct these defects and so make it easier for the dog to breathe.

Dog breeds that are typically brachycephalic include: Pekinese, pug, Chihuahua, bulldog, boxer, and Shih Tzu

Hip Dysplasia

Hip Dysplasia is a disease that causes the ball and socket joint of the hip to be deformed. Multiple genes appear to be involved in the development of the disorder, which is a painful condition, causing: malformation, deterioration, and loss of function of the hip joint.

Hip Dysplasia begins while dogs are still puppies, or young dogs. It's a very common genetic complaint in purebred dogs, and it appears that large breeds suffer more than smaller breeds. The breeds that experience Dysplasia most often are: Labrador Retriever. Great Dane, Saint Bernard, Rottweiler, and German Shepherd.

Hip Dysplasia is a diagnosed by X-ray, and may require surgery, particularly if your dog is less than a year old. Other treatment options include anti-inflammatories, prescribed by the vet.

Birthing Difficulties

Some purebred dogs face a problem called Obstetric Dystocia. This is where the bitch is in labour, but cannot give birth to her pups because their heads and shoulders are too large. This is particularly common in Bulldogs, Pugs, and Boston Terriers, who have all been bred for head size. In these cases a caesarean section is required, as it would be unsafe for the bitch to attempt to give birth naturally.

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The inability to pass the puppy's head through the dog's pelvis is called "cephalopelvic disproportion". This is a medical emergency for both mother and pups, so you need to contact your vet, if your dog has been in labour for two or more hours and has yet to give birth to a puppy. Mother and pups could die.

If your bitch has had a previous Dystocia, think long and hard before subjecting them to another pregnancy.

Further Health Problems in Purebred Dogs

Eye Problems

Pugs are at real risk of eye problems. Due to their flat faces and bulging eyes, their eyes can actually fall out. They may or may not lose vision depending on how long their eyes are detached before the vet puts them back (yes, really; just keep it in a cold, damp cloth to prevent it drying out and get straight to your vet!).

Samoyeds, cocker spaniels, poodles, chow chow's, and Siberian Huskies are all prone to developing glaucoma. Glaucoma is a painful build-up of fluid in the affected eye. It necessitates medication, and - sometimes - the removal of the affected eye.

Approximately 70% of rough and smooth Collies are affected by an eye-defect called the Collie Eye Anomaly. "Collie Eye" is a genetic condition that causes underdevelopment of the cells that detect light. Some collies are barely affected, but Collie Eye can make some collies blind. 3% of Border Collies are also affected, as are some Australian Shepherds, Shetland Sheepdogs, and other herding dogs.

Skin Problems

Many breed standards require dogs to have folds of excess skin or wrinkled skin. This puts dogs at a risk of painful and itchy dermatitis (inflammation and infection of the skin). Common complaints include:

• Dermatitis in the folds of the face: suffered by brachycephalic breeds, such as Bulldogs, Pugs, Pekinese, and Boston Terrier
• Dermatitis in the tail fold: Bulldog; Pug
• Dermatitis in the leg-fold: found in short-legged breeds, like the Basset House
• Dermatitis in the fold of the labia: Spaniel, Setter, Labrador Retriever, Saint Bernard
• General Dermatitis: the Shar Pei

Some breeds also breed selectively for long, overhanging ears. The ears can be a site of hard-to-treat infection, causing pain and diminishing the dog's quality of life. Breeds where this is a problem include: Basset Hound, Poodle, Springer Spaniel, American Cocker Spaniel. The Shar Pei is also prone to ear infections due to a narrowed ear canal.

Dalmatians have a particular skin problem, which is believed to be linked to their abnormally high urate excretion. Urate is the salt produced by Uric Acid, and also linked to the development of bladder stones (another problem particular to the Dalmatian breed). It's believed this tendency to high urate excretion is linked to a gene in the Dalmatian, perhaps even the same one responsible for their black spots.

What Do We Do About Purebred Dogs?

Long-term, the only way for purebred pooches to survive is for the official organisations to change breed standards so features are less exaggerated, which would be better for the dogs. Some breeds are already modifying their standards to make them less extreme, but there's still a way to go. 

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In the meantime, if you want a purebred dog, read-up carefully about the potential health problems of the breed, and always go through a reputable breeder and not a puppy-farm. A reputable breeder screens their animals for disease, and will not breed a dog with a genetic-illness. Puppy-farms breed indiscriminately. Always insist on seeing the mother; see both parents if possible.

Alternatively, why not go down to your animal rescue centre, where hundreds of healthy happy mutts are begging for you to take them home?