Further information about Sebaceous Adenines on the Standard Poodle Club website

The Standard Poodle Club have an open registry for tested dogs of Sebaceous Adenitis, please use the link above.

Sebaceous Adenitis is an inflammatory skin condition that affects the sebaceous glands which are responsible for producing the substance that keeps the skin supple and coat soft. It is unknown what causes Sebaceous Adenitis in dogs, but the inflammation of these glands lead to a poor coat, with issues including hair loss, dull, brittle hair, scaly skin, matted hair, and secondary infections. The signs of Sebaceous Adenitis include:

• Areas of hair loss that are symmetrical from side to side on the body

• Dull, brittle haircoat texture

• White scales on the skin that do not flake off easily

• Small tufts of matted hair distributed around the body

• Lesions that tend to start on top of the head and along the spine

• In severe cases (common in Akitas), the itching and bacterial infection in the hair follicles may progress to a generalized deep skin infection, which can cause lethargy, fever, and weight loss.

It is recommended that you get your Standard Poodle tested for Sebaceous Adenitis and record your results by following the link above with the Standard Poodle Club.

Or contact the Poodle Council's Standard Poodle Health Co Ordinator representative Carole Grundy caroletgrundy@gmail.com.

For further Information about Addison's Disease

The Standard Poodle Club health rep is requesting that new cases are reported to them, use the link above.

Addison's disease is the common name for hypoadrenocorticism, caused by decreased hormone production from the outer part or cortex of the adrenal gland.

The adrenal glands are small, paired glands located near the kidneys. Each gland consists of an outer cortex and an inner medulla. The glands produce two important hormones that regulate a variety of body functions and are necessary to sustain life. The two hormones are cortisol, a stress hormone, and aldosterone, a hormone that regulates the body’s levels of the minerals sodium and potassium. Sodium and potassium levels are important for maintaining the body’s fluid balance.

List of tested Dogs with their results supplied to the Kennel Club VON WILLEBRAND KENNEL CLUB TESTED LIST

The condition is caused by a quantitative or qualitative deficiency of von Willebrand factor (vWF), a protein that plays a central role in blood clotting. Von Willebrand's disease vWD usually comes in three types, type I, type II and type III. Type III is a severe bleeding disorder with a high risk of spontaneous bleeding as well as a risk of serious bleeding from trauma and surgery. Type I is a less severe form.

Clinical signs

Dogs with vWD are prone to nose bleeds, bleeding from the gums, and prolonged bleeding during heat or after whelping. There may be prolonged bleeding from the umbilical cord at birth or when the pup sheds its baby teeth. Excessive bleeding after surgery or trauma is common, and may be the first sign of this condition in your dog. You may see blood in your dog's urine or stool. The clinical effects reported can range dramatically, with some dogs bleeding profusely, while others hardly showing any signs of bleeding at all.

How is it inherited?

The disease is described as an autosomal-recessive condition. This means that a dog must inherit two copies of an abnormal gene (one from its mother and one from its father) before its health is affected. A dog that inherits only one copy of the abnormal gene (from its mother or its father) will have no signs of the disease, but will be a carrier and may pass the gene on to any offspring.

Laboratories in the UK which test for Von Willebrands Disease

OFA Neonatal Encephalopathy with Seizures Information Neonatal Encephalopathy with Seizures (NEwS) is an autosomal recessive disease. Autosomal recessive diseases are diseases that can be passed from either parent and require two copies of the gene to show symptoms. This means that a copy of the NEwS genetic mutation is needed from both parents for offspring to show symptoms. NEwS is a fatal disease that causes seizures in dogs with two copies of the NEwS gene.

NEwS affects Standard Poodle puppies. When born, puppies are small and weak at birth. The cerebellum (a portion of the brain that controls muscle activity) from affected puppies have been found to be reduced in size. Many die in their first week of life. Those surviving past 1 week develop ataxia, a whole-body tremor. By 4 to 6 weeks of age, puppies develop severe generalized tonic-clonic seizures. None have survived to 7 weeks of age.

This fatal disease affects the brain of newborn puppies causing weakness, seizures, and ultimately death within a few weeks of birth. Neonatal encephalopathy is recessive — both parents must possess the gene mutation in order to produce offspring affected by the disease. Dogs with one copy of this gene do not show symptoms, but are carriers and can pass the gene to their offspring. It is important to test before breeding so as to avoid breeding two carriers together.

Laboratories in the UK which test for Neonatal Encephalopathy with Seizures (NEwS).

List of tested Dogs with their results supplied to the Kennel Club

PRA-rcd4 KENNEL CLUB LIST OF TESTED DOGS

Kennel Club Information on PRA-rcd4

PRA-rcd4 (Progressive Retinal Atrophy Rod-Cone Degeneration 4) is a late-onset PRA mutation that causes bilateral degeneration of the retina which causes progressive vision loss, and eventually blindness. The average age of diagnosis for dogs with this form of PRA is 10 years, though there is considerable variation within breeds.

Clinical signs

The form rcd4 is characterised by puppies being born with perfect vision then developing night blindness in the first instance, before their sight begins to degenerate further later in life.

How is it inherited?

The disease is described as an autosomal-recessive condition. This means that a dog must inherit two copies of an abnormal gene (one from its mother and one from its father) before its health is affected. A dog that inherits only one copy of the abnormal gene (from its mother or its father) will have no signs of the disease, but will be a carrier and may pass the gene on to any offspring.

Laboratories in the UK which test for Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA-rcd4).

The laboratories should automatically send a copy of your dog's results through to the The Kennel Club.

The following laboratories do not send a copy of your dog's results to The Kennel Club, You will need to do this yourself.

Progressive Rod-cone degeneration / Progressive retinal Atrophy - PRCD / PRA

MINIATURE POODLE -

prcd-PRA KENNEL CLUB LIST OF TESTED DOGS

prcd-PRA (linkage test) KENNEL CLUB LIST OF TESTED DOGS

TOY POODLE -

prcd-PRA KENNEL CLUB LIST OF TESTED DOGS

prcd-PRA (linkage test) KENNEL CLUB LIST OF TESTED DOGS

Progressive retinal Atrophy, progressive Rod-cone degeneration, or PRA-prcd, is a disorder in which the cells in the retina of a dog degenerate and die. PRA is the dog equivalent of retinitis pigmentosa in humans. Most affected dogs will not show signs of vision loss until 3-5 years of age. Complete blindness can occur in older dogs. Progressive Rod-Cone Degeneration is a form of PRA known to affect over 40 different breeds.

The retina is a membrane located in the back of the eye that contains two types of cells known as photoreceptors. These cells take light coming into the eyes and relay it back to the brain as electrical impulses. These impulses are interpreted by the brain as vision. In dogs suffering from PRA-prcd, the photoreceptors begin to degenerate, causing an inability to interpret changes in light resulting in loss of vision. Rod cells, which are normally function in low-light, begin to degenerate first, leading to night-blindness. The cone cells, which normally function in bright-light or daytime conditions, will deteriorate next. This often leads to complete blindness over time.

PRA-prcd is inherited as an autosomal recessive disorder. A dog must have two copies of the mutated gene to be affected by PRA. A dog can have one copy of the mutation and not experience any symptoms of the disease. Dogs with one copy of the mutation are known as carriers, meaning that they can pass on the mutation to potential offspring. If they breed with another carrier, there is a 25% chance that the offspring can inherit one copy of the mutated gene from each parent, and be affected by the disease.

Results:

The genetic test verifies the presence of the recessive PRA Gene and presents results as one of the following:

Kennel Club Information on Bloat

Bloating in poodles is a life-threatening health condition that causes the stomach to stretch due to the accumulation of air, food, or liquid. It is extremely painful and and can also result in death if not treated in time. Stretching of the stomach isn’t the only thing to worry about in case of when it comes to bloat. Oftentimes, bloating is accompanied by “volvulus” or twisting of the stomach by 90° to 360° between the fixed attachments at the food pipe and the upper intestine. This twisting of the stomach traps the food, liquid, or gas present and obstructs the veins leading to low blood pressure, shock, and damage to other abdominal organs.

There are two reasons why bloating is considered a serious health condtion:

• The number of resulting deaths due to bloating is only second to cancer.

• The rate of progression is really fast and has the potential to kill a dog in under 15 minutes if left untreated.

Standard Poodles are among one of the top breeds that are at a significantly higher risk of bloating. This does not mean that miniature poodles, and toy poodles will not bloat. Every dog breed regardless of their size is at risk of bloating but larger breed dogs with deep chests such as the standard poodle are more likely to bloat. WHAT TO LOOK FOR ... Primary Symptoms

• Unsuccessful attempts to vomit every five to thirty minutes (most common symptom), oftentimes sounds like a repeated cough

• Changes in behavior/temperament (does not act like their usual self). One of the earliest signs and one that almost always occurs

• Overly anxious behavior

• Standing up with the back hunched up

• A swollen abdomen that may feel firm (like a balloon)

HOW TO TRY AND PREVENT BLOATING ...

Exercising before and after eating may cause bloat. This is especially true when a dog is being exercised right after feeding them as the food hasn’t even started digesting.

Make sure you pick a time when your dog does not have to eat after exercising and keep in mind not to exercise your dog immediately after feeding them. You can take some simple steps that may prevent your dog from bloating. These steps include:

• Do not use a raised food bowl.

• Divide the dog’s food into two or more meals each day.

• After vigorous exercise, allow the dog to rest for an hour before feeding.

• Do not allow the dog to drink large amounts of water immediately after eating.

• Avoid feeding dry foods containing oils or fats being listed as any of the first four ingredients.

BVA Hip Dysplasia Scheme

BVA Leaflet on Hip Dysplasia

Kennel Club Information on Hip Dysplasia

The Hip Dysplasia Scheme was established by BVA and the Kennel Club in 1965 to reduce the incidence and severity of the condition. Hip dysplasia can have serious effects on the health, behaviour and welfare of dogs. The scheme uses X-rays to screen for signs of abnormalities (irregular or poorly shaped hip joints) caused by hip dysplasia. X-rays are reviewed and scored by BVA-appointed expert vets.

Hip dysplasia is a complex inherited condition where the hip joint does not develop correctly. As a dog gets older, the joint undergoes wear and tear and deteriorates, leading to a loss of function. This can cause varying degrees of pain, discomfort, stiffness and lameness.

Hip dysplasia is controlled by a number of different genes and influenced by several environmental factors (e.g. diet, exercise or factors when in the womb before birth etc.). Each of the genes that help to make a dog’s hips may have different possible versions, or variants. Some versions increase the risk of hip dysplasia, while others decrease the risk.

Each dog will have a mix of these “good” and “bad” versions of genes, making it very difficult to predict whether a dog will be affected. The impact one version of a gene has might only be slight, but lots of genes having a small influence have a combined additive effect.

The way in which these conditions are inherited is not straightforward; hence the name complex inherited disorders. These complex diseases are usually seen across many different breeds and are also described in both cross breeds and mixed breeds.

What are the signs?

Signs of hip dysplasia in dogs vary between individuals and breeds. Some visible signs include:

• Lameness (being unable to walk correctly)

• Stiffness after rest

• A reluctance to exercise

• Groaning while resting or getting up

• Difficulty in using the stairs

A vet’s physical examination will provide a more reliable assessment of whether hip dysplasia is present and an X-ray is the only definitive way of diagnosing hip dysplasia.

Kennel Club Information on Epilepsy

Canine Epilepsy Resources

Royal Veterinary College Canine Epilepsy Research

Epilepsy is a condition involving recurrent seizures, which are convulsions caused by abnormal bursts of electrical activity in the brain. Seizures may last from seconds to minutes, and may include jerking of the limbs, anxiety, salivating, vocalizing, and loss of bodily functions (urinating/defecating).

Epilepsy can be caused by metabolic disorders, infectious diseases, brain injury, heatstroke, toxins, or brain tumors. Idiopathic (or inherited) epilepsy refers to a genetic seizure condition of unknown cause. Since a dog with idiopathic epilepsy shows no recognizable abnormalities, it is assumed to be an inherited condition in most breeds and has been demonstrated to be heritable in some breeds.

A number of different underlying diseases and other factors can cause seizures leading to epilepsy. Generally, epilepsy can be classified as 'structural' (where an underlying cause can be identified in the brain) or 'idiopathic' (where no underlying cause can be identified, and a genetic predisposition is often presumed or the cause is unknown). Epilepsy can develop in all ages of dogs, depending on underlying factors.

GM2 Gangliosidosis Poodle Type is a congenital lysosomal disorder affecting the Poodle and it is known as GM2 Gangliosidosis variant 0. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with a fatal outcome. GM2 belongs in a group of lysosomal disorders known as Gangliosidosis, caused by the accumulation of lipids known as gangliosides. In the Gangliosidosis group of disorders, other than GM2, belongs another disorder type, known as GM1. There are three variants of GM2 Gangliosidosis, 0, B and AB. Gangliosidosis variant 0 (GM2) has a human equivalent, known as Sandhoff disease, while in animals, GM2 has been identified in dogs, cats, pigs, deer and flamingos.

GM2 Gangliosidosis is a result of beta-hexosaminidase (Hex) deficiency, an enzyme that catalyzes the biodegradation of lipids gangliosides. This hydrolytic enzyme can be found in lysosomes. Hex is composed of two main isoenzymes, Hex A and Hex B, while only Hex A acts as the GM2 activator protein. Defects in the genes encoding for named proteins causes their improper function. In case of unfunctioning beta-hexosaminidase enzyme, gangliosides start to accumulate, especially in the lysosomes of neurons, causing problems.

Symptoms

Symptoms start to occur in the affected dog around 9 to 12 months of age. Neurological symptoms include stiff gait, loss of balance, falling ataxia, intention tremor, postural deficit, astasia, decreased menace response, vision defect or loss, decreased corneal reflex, and decreased level of consciousness. In most of affected dogs another symptom was vomiting, without known reason. Common finding in affected Toy Poodles was diffuse T2-hyperintensity of the subcortical white matter in the cerebrum, caused by hypoplasia of the myelin or delayed myelination, or both.

In general, clinical signs of GM2 Poodle Type are similar to those recognized previously in a Golden Retriever with GM2, with same age of symptom onset. Main noticed difference between GM2 Poodle type and Golden Retriever type was loss of pupillary light reflexes, which was not recorded in Poodles.