Discoveries Issue 39 • Winter 2012 MISSION THIS ISSUE AT A GLANCE The Foundation is dedicated to Intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) ..........2 Champion of Canine Health: Joye Neff .. 10 advancing the health of all dogs What is Posture and Why Should We Donate Your Vehicle to CHF ................. 11 and their owners by funding sound Care about it? .................................. 4 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show scientific research and supporting Focus on Research ............................ 6 Poster Will Benefit the AKC Canine Health the dissemination of health Spotlight on Genetic Tests: Musladin-Leuke Foundation ..................................... 11 information to prevent, treat, Syndrome in the Beagle ..................... 8 and cure canine disease. U P O D E A C TE E Update From the AKC Canine Health Foundation FROM TH CEO, Terry T. Warren, PhD, JD Happy New Year from the AKC Canine Liaisons to assist you in understanding of death in golden retrievers, so it’s Health Foundation! Together, we are the new grants and encouraging important for us to support this type advancing the health of all dogs and support. The details of all the new of research,” said David Kinghorn, GRF their owners. Because of your generous grants are listed on page 6. past president. CHF is very excited to contributions, the Foundation has partner with GRF in this large funding increased its funding of research With the New Year, we are energized initiative that will help the golden grants and educational programs for as we move forward with the recently retrievers and all dogs live longer, 2012. We are announcing 21 new announced joint venture of the AKC healthier lives. Oak grants. This new research will Canine Health Foundation (CHF) advance our understanding of canine and the Golden Retriever Foundation 2012 is the time to renew our cancers, lymphoma, melanoma, (GRF) to fund a $1 million canine commitment to clipping weight circles and osteosarcoma, and will expand cancer research project by 2013. The and sending them into Nestlé Purina. our understanding of other canine Foundations are partnering to solicit, Parent Club Partnership Program diseases such as epilepsy, liver disease, review and ultimately select a canine (PCPP) participants who are proactive dermatitis, and inflammatory diseases cancer research project focusing on and clip the weight circles off Purina of the canine respiratory tract. golden retrievers and potentially dog food bags and send them in Samantha Wright, CHF’s Program benefitting the health of all dogs. are directly benefiting research to Manager, will be contacting Health “Cancer is the number one cause (continued on page 9) AKC CANINE HEALTH FOUNDATION © Copyright 2012 AKC Canine Health Foundation. All rights reserved. H EDUCA H EDUCA LT T LT T A IO A IO E N AKC CANINE HEALTH FOUNDATION AKC CANINE HEALTH FOUNDATION E N H H Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVDD) INTERvertebral DISK DISEASE (IvDD) continued from page 2 them to bulge or rupture over hip dysplasia. None of her research Acute traumatic injury is not the same Ms. Tjader hopes that by sharing time. This rupture leads to two indicated that Cardigan Welsh Corgis as IvDD, although the symptoms Ieuan’s story, more dog owners will types of damage to the spinal were at high risk of developing IvDD. can be very similar. IvDD involves understand that while keeping your cord, compression and concussion. Ieuan was a happy dog, full of pep. a degenerative process and does dog fit and healthy are important Compression is the physical pressure He was never overweight and was not result merely from sudden steps, awareness of genetic conditions exerted over time against the spinal always in excellent condition with trauma, although sudden trauma can like IvDD is critical in order to cord which leads to slow degeneration good muscle tone, facts that were cause rupture or herniation of an seek appropriate medical care and and loss of neurons (nerve cells). noted by every veterinarian Ieuan intervertebral disk in a dog whose consultation. As Ms. Tjader discovered, Intervertebral disc rupture that is visited over the years. disks already are weakened by IvDD. IvDD can affect many different breeds purely compressive usually begins of dogs and canine health alone is not slowly and leads to gradual worsening Shortly after Ieuan’s 7th birthday, he Treatment always an accurate indicator of the of neurologic function. Concussion suffered a ruptured disc in his back Definitive diagnosis of IvDD is made presence of a degenerative, genetic force is the physical damage caused and was diagnosed with IvDD. Ieuan by a veterinarian through physical disease. “Ieuan was a wonderful dog,” by a rapidly extruded disc impacting underwent successful surgery at Tufts exam and x-rays. In less severe cases said Ms. Tjader, “above and beyond the spinal cord causing profound University Hospital in North Grafton, all our expectations as a pet and I will swelling and degeneration and loss of MA and Ms. Tjader followed the never forget him.” In less severe cases medication The intervertebral discs neurons. Purely concussive forces are post-op recovery plan set out by the Symptoms may be provided for pain relief (the cushion that resides usually rapidly progressive and have veterinary surgeon. Ieuan improved The observable signs of IVDD vary. References an acute onset. Most intervertebral and recovered nearly all function And while the following list of with a combination of crate rest. The Merck Veterinary Manual in the space between symptoms associated with IVDD is not disc ruptures are a combination of in his hind limbs with only a slight, If IVDD has progressed and the adjacent spinal vertebrae) exhaustive, affected dogs may show American College of Veterinarian compressive and concussive forces occasional ‘knuckling’ in one back dog has ruptured a disc, surgery are subject to a number of one or more of the following signs Surgeons (ACVS) is the normal course of treatment, degenerative conditions that lead to the rapid degeneration of paw. In an effort to prevent injury, which can be sudden, intermittent http://www.acvs.org/AnimalOwners/ nervous tissue in the spinal cord. Ms. Tjader had always made or gradual in onset: along with pain medication and forces that predispose HealthConditions/SmallAnimalTopics/ sure Ieuan followed the advice of • Neck and/or back pain and and crate rest. In any case, IntervertebralDiscDisease/ them to bulge or rupture stiffness (reluctance to move the Breeds at risk the breeder and veterinarians to it is recommended that if your neck and head) over time. This rupture Chondrodystrophoid (dwarfed) breeds avoid stairs. The only stairs Ieuan WiggleLess • Lowered head stance dog seems to be suffering from leads to two types of of dogs with a short, stout appearance encountered regularly were the two http://www.wiggleless.com/ • Abdominal tenderness or tenseness IVDD symptoms a veterinarian chondrodystrophic-dog-breeds/ damage to the spinal —ie: Dachshund, Beagle, Shih Tzu, leading into Ms. Tjader’s home—stairs • Arched back (hunched posture, is consulted to determine the cord, compression and Lhasa Apso, and Pekingese—are most that the veterinarian, after Ieuan was called “thoracolumbar kyphosis”) best course of treatment in order PetWave concussion. commonly affected. well recovered—indicated would be • Sensitivity to touch (possible http://www.petwave.com/ to help the dog live comfortably ok for him to handle. Unfortunately, aggression) Dogs/Dog-Health-Center/ Other chondrodystrophic breeds one evening Ieuan came up the two • Weakness, stiffness, and/or and free from pain. Bone-Joint-Muscle-Disorders/ sensitivity to movement Overview of Intervertebral that may be affected by IvDD stairs into Ms. Tjader’s home and was Intervertebral-Disk-Disease/ (yelping unexpectedly) disk disease Symptoms.aspx include Corgis, Cocker Spaniels, suddenly in pain. After consultation • Impaired, incomplete or Intervertebral disk disease is Pekingese, Shih-Tzu and Poodles. with an emergency room veterinarian inappropriate urination medication may be provided for pain degeneration and protrusion of the Nonchondrodystrophic breeds that are and Ieuan’s regular veterinarian, • Lameness and/or paralysis in one relief with a combination of crate rest. intervertebral disk that results in commonly affected by IvDD include Ms. Tjader declined more surgery or more limbs If IvDD has progressed and the dog compression of the spinal cord, the German Shepherd, Labrador and opted instead to begin a slow • Dragging one or more legs when has ruptured a disc, surgery is the spinal nerve, and/or nerve root. Retriever and Doberman Pinscher. and cautious recovery plan similar walking normal course of treatment, along with • “Toeing over” or “knuckling over” It is a common cause of spinal cord Obese dogs of predisposed breeds are to what Ieuan had experienced a few pain medication and crate rest. In any when walking or standing disease in dogs. especially likely to suffer from IvDD. months earlier. Sadly, Ieuan’s pain • Stilted gait; tentative gait case, it is recommended that if your grew much worse over the weekend • Reluctance to rise and/or collapse dog seems to be suffering from IvDD The intervertebral discs (the cushion After researching a breed of dog to add and after returning to the emergency • Tremors, trembling, shaking symptoms a veterinarian is consulted that resides in the space between to her family, Helen Tjader decided on veterinarian, it was agreed that there • Lack of coordination (“ataxia”)