Promoting Future Generations of Sound Dogs

Many factors are considered in the breeding of good and great dogs. These often include a mixture of temperament and conformational traits. Unfortunately, consideration of the presence and prevalence of congenital disease is frequently ignored in the selection of breeding stock. For the Fila Brasileiro, this would include diseases such as hip and elbow dysplasia. This information should be at least as important as confirmation to breed standard and appropriate temperament in selection of parents for the breeding of sound dogs.

Canine hip dysplaisa and canine elbow dyspalsia are extremely prevalent. First described by Dr. Schnelle in 1935, canine hip dysplasia has become recognized as the most common inherited orthopedic problem of many breeds and is present in all breeds tested. The incidence is approximately 19% in the general population of pet dogs. Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) figures suggest the incidence of canine hip dysplasia to be greater than 27% in the Fila Brasileiro. Canine elbow dysplasia is present in approximately 21% of Filas according to OFA data. The actual incidence is probably significantly higher due to owner and veterinarian prescreening. Sadly, the incidence of hip dysplasia in Filas has not declined as it has in other breeds.

Currently there are no reliable markers for genes responsible for hip or elbow dysplasia. In the US , we have two excellent tools readily available for detection of the phenotype expression of hip and elbow abnormality, the OFA and PennHIP radiological studies. Regrettably, these tools have been under utilized or the results of their use ignored. Production of genetically sound dogs has not proven to be a priority of either of the US Fila breed clubs. Other breed clubs (Chinese Shar-Pei, Portuguese Water Dog, English Setters) have demonstrated it is possible and feasible to significantly reduce the incidence of hip dysplasia through selective breeding. The Fila Brasileiro deserves no less.

The Fila Brasileiro Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded to reduce the incidence of genetic disease in dogs. The primary effort is directed towards reducing the incidence of canine hip dysplasia and canine elbow dysplasia in the Fila Brasileiro. One of the mechanisms for this is to provide verifiable information to those interested in the breed. The Fila Brasileiro Foundation website is designed to make information regarding the OFA scores and PennHip scores of individual dogs available to the reader in a usable manner. At the time of this writing, there are somewhat fewer than seven hundred Filas that have had their hip and/or elbow radiographs submitted to OFA or PennHIP for evaluation. Of those submitted, a lesser number have had normal hips or elbows. At this time the FBF database includes the dogs with normal hips and elbows studied by OFA through June of 2003, along with a few of the abnormals. The PennHIP data is less complete, dependent upon owner submission for inclusion.

OFA hip and elbow results for an individual dog can be verified from the OFA website.

Copies of PennHIP reports, forwarded to FBF by the owners, will be available on the FBF website such that the viewer can link to the report based on the PennHIP report number.

Intelligent use of this tool and other information referrerenced on the FBF site has the potential of significantly reducing the incidence of hip and elbow dysplasia in the Fila Brasileiro. Selective breeding to decrease the incidence of genetic disease is the responsibility of all ethical breeders. To reduce the prevalence of hip and elbow dysplasia in Filas, breeders need access to information regarding dogs with normal hips and elbows, preferably over several generations. This information must be properly utilized in selecting animals for breeding programs. Information on the dysplastic status of sibs of parents and grandparents will ideally become available as information is received. Multiple studies have documented breeding programs using only dogs with normal appearing hips reduce the incidence of hip dysplasia in the progeny.

FBF provides a mechanism for submission of data on individual dogs and their parentage at no charge. When there is a backlog of submissions, priority will be given to members. Preference is given to processing data received in electronic format. Only after data is completed on an individual dog and the web database is updated (monthly), will information be available on the web. Again, your submissions will not immediately be available "on line".

How will you access the data on the website? We suggest the readers first "search" the name of the dog to be studied, generating a printable pedigree. From the pedigree information you can subsequently access information submitted on each individual dog. Predictably, attempts to include all of the OFA or PennHip hip and elbow data for individual dogs in a pedigree format results in clutter. By utilizing a two-step process, more information can be made available on each dog, including photos. Currently we are working on formatting the output of the second step.

FBF will make information available and encourages screening for hip and elbow dysplasia. FBF does not control breeding decisions.

We think responsible breeders of sound dogs will want hip and elbow information on their dogs included in the public domain for future study by serious breeders and owners. Those breeding from untested dogs will probably choose not to participate.

Remember, to reduce hip and elbow dysplasia in the Fila Brasileiro :

1. We must acknowledge inherited disease including hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia is a problem.

2. We must screen all breeding stock for normal hips and elbows using standardized protocols (OFA, PennHIP)

3. We must breed only from stock with phenotypically normal hips.

 

www.filabrasileiro.org