CH. TASHI TUI CHUI

11 years, winning the Over 10 year Veteran Dog class

Co-Owner handler Marianne Minks

Judge Karen Williams

ORTHOPEDIC FOUNDATION FOR ANIMALS

 

The OFA is an organization that does evaluations for hip, patella & elbow in dogs & cats. They also have certification for cardiac, thyroid & eyes, congenital deafness, Legg-Calve Perthes, sebaceous adenitis, & should OCD, when done by an approved lab or specialist. Their database now includes CERF certifications. There are also pilot databases, for select Breeds with specific conditions. Anyone can access their database on the internet & find out which dogs have been certified free of these hereditary defects & at what age. There are wonderful features on their website, where you can do reverse pedigrees & find out the certification status on any particular dog’s relatives. Hereditary defect statistics, by Breed, are also available. There is so much information on this website & it keeps getting better all the time! Any results published here are proven & dogs are specified if they were positively identified by tattoo or microchip. The requirements for identification & precise handling of all aspects, including verifying positive identification, How Xrays must be tagged at time they are taken, veterinarian signatures, etc. Of these certifications, below are which apply to Tibetan Spaniels.

 

 

HIP DYSPLASIA

Even though the Tibetan Spaniel is a small breed, hip dysplasia does exist in Tibbies. In the most current statistics published by OFA, from Jan. 1974 through Dec. 2010, only 307 Tibetan Spaniel Xrays had been submitted for evaluation. Of those, 7.8% were found to be dysplastic & not eligible for OFA certification. These do not include Xrays that were taken by a veterinarian where the owner chose not to submit them for evaluation. This is usually because the defects are obvious & did not feel the need for an expert evaluation when their own vet told them they would not pass the OFA certification.

 

Xrays submitted are evaluated by 3 different expert vet radiologists. The vets give their opinion on a rotation basis, so different panels are used.They make their decision as to whether the dog’s hips should certify & what the rating should be.  How well the hip joint fits into the socket, with careful measurements taken at each point. How deep the socket is. Formation of the bones. It is not just one thing that can make a dog dysplastic & fail to pass the certification process. Any & all defects are listed, with copies sent to the owner & to the vet who took the Xrays. Both owner & vet receive the evaluation & know why the dog did or did not pass & certify. Hip problems can cause pain, crippling, the early onset of arthritis. Complex surgical procedures or euthanasia may result.

CH. DUD-LEE’S BER-NA’S BLACK-PEARL

CH. DUD-LEE’S BER-NA’S SWEET-SUE

15 1/2 year old sisters

The dog’s X-ray is compared to other dogs of the same breed & age. If no evidence if hip dysplasia is recognized, the owner receives a certificate with the rating of the hip joint conformation as being Excellent, Good or Fair.  A dog must be 24 months of age or older at the time of the hip X-ray to be eligible for OFA certification. Preliminary evaluations are available on dogs less than 24 months old when X-rayed, & an opinion is given, but no actual certification is given until age 24 months, to be assured the bones have completed their growth. The owner & their vet will receive a Hip Concensus Report if the dog is ineligible for an OFA certification number & will list the reasons why.

 

It is prudent for all breeders & owners to submit ALL X-rays for their evaluation. That way the dogs who do not pass are listed in the statistical database. This gives a more correct indication of the incidence in each breed. There is no fee for evaluation of affected dogs.

There is a fee for submission of an application for OFA certification, which is refunded if dog does not pass.  

PATELLAR LUXATION

 

OFA maintains a patellar luxation database for all breeds of dogs.

 

Any veterinarian can examine a dog using the OFA specifications & their application that their owner submits to OFA, with the fee, for certification of normal results. There is no charge for submission of results other than normal & the classification of luxation & inclusion in the database.Patella luxation is commonly known as “slipped stifles” & is a problem with the kneecap of  dog’s hind legs. There is a grading system to classify the severity of the luxation, with grade 1 being the mildest &  grade 4 being the most severe. It can cause dislocation, lameness & pain for the dog. Surgical correction may be required. It is found more commonly in small dogs.  A dog must be at least 12 months old at the time of the exam to qualify for certification.

 

Other OFA certifications & evaluations for Cardiac Registry, Elbow Dysplasia & Thyroid has thus far shown no incidence or a small incidence. However, so few Tibetan Spaniels have been checked & results submitted that remains to be seen.

CH. ZEN TAO THE ARCHANGEL

CANINE HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER

 

CHIC is an AKC sponsored registry, in conjunction with OFA, has a DNA repository. Owners may submit DNA of their dogs, which later may be used as a test group for research on genetic disease.

 

Individual Breed Clubs, who are Member Clubs of AKC may join this program & select certain tests or screening for genetic disease or hereditary defects for the dogs of their Breed. These are the tests or screening that Parent Club is the most concerned about the testing & reporting of results. The Tibetan Spaniel Club of America participates in the CHIC program. The 2 health screenings currently required for a Tibetan Spaniel to receive a CHIC certification & number are the CERF eye exam & the OFA patellar luxation exam. Tibbies who have these health screening & whose results are submitted to CERF & OFA, receive a CHIC number at no charge, from AKC. This number, which proves the health screenings, becomes part off the dog’s “permanent record”. The American Kennel Club is very concerned about the health of purebred dogs & this program rewards the owners who do the testing for their dogs.

ZEN TAO CHARLY COONEY

The most current OFA published statistics for Tibetan Spaniels, through Dec. 2010, are:

 

                    Registry (which tests performed)    Rank of incidence in breeds    Number of evaluations     % Abnormal      % Normal

 

Baer Hearing for congenital deafness                                      N/A                                         2                                   0.0              100.00

Cardiac                                                                                         N/A                                        28                                  0.0              100.00

Elbow Dysplasia                                                                          N/A                                        65                                  7.7                92.3

Hip Dysplasia                                                                               111                                      307                                  7.8                90.6

Patella Luxation                                                                             13                                        64                                  9.4                90.6

Thyroid                                                                                         N/A                                        12                                  8.3                83.3

 

As of the end of the 3rd Quarter in 2011, there were 593 entries in the OFA databases for Tibetan Spaniels. This total of 593 entries represent 320 actual dogs. Many of these 320 Tibbies were tested for 1 condition. Others were tested for 2 or more conditions. It is interesting to note that of these 320 Tibetan Spaniels, only 38 were eligible & received a CHIC number.

 

Statistics for the year ending Dec. 2011 will be posted here to keep this info as current as possible & for comparison to previous year.

 

I also find it interesting that other small Breeds, with similar conformation & origination as the Tibetan Spaniel, are being found to have many problems with hips. The Pug is currently 64.3% for hip dysplasia, Pugs also have a 53.3% incidence of elbow dysplasia & 6.8% for patellar luxation. . The Shih Tzu is at 19.4% for hip dysplasia & only 3.8% for elbows & 2.1% for patellar luxation.

 

Statistics for Tibetan Spaniels, through Dec. 2011 are:

 

                  Registry                                         Rank of incidence in breeds    Number of evaluations     % Abnormal         % Normal

 

Baer Hearing for congenital deafness                                   N/A                                           2                                   0.0             100.00

Cardiac                                                                                      N/A                                         29                                   0.0             100.00

Elbow Dysplasia                                                                       N/A                                         69                                   7.2                92.8

Hip Dysplasia                                                                            112                                       319                                   8.2                90.3

Patella Luxation                                                                            6                                         93                                  11.8               88.2

Thyroid                                                                                       N/A                                        12                                    8.3               83.3

 

PLEASE NOTE; ZEN TAO TIBETAN SPANIELS IS THE ONLY TIBETAN SPANIEL BREEDER WHO HAS SUBMITTED REPORTS FOR PATELLA LUXATION TO OFA FOR 4 TIBBIES WHO DID NOT CERTIFY & WHO ALLOWED PUBLICATION OF THOSE DOGS ON THE OFA WEBSITE & ALSO PUBLISHED THE RESULTS ON MY OWN WEBSITE. ONE OF THOSE DOGS, FU, DEFINITELY HAD NO PATELLAR LUXATION AT AGE 2 YEARS, AS CHECKED BY THE VET WHO DID HIS OFA HIP XRAYS & NOTED ON HIS RECORDS. HOWEVER, NO FORMAL APPLICATION WAS MADE AT THAT TIME OR 3 YEARS LATER WHEN THE SAME VET FOUND HIS STIFLES TO BE 2/0. BY THE TIME I WAS DOING THE OFA PATELLAR LUXATION EXAMS, 2 YEARS LATER, HIS EXAMS RESULTS WERE 2/1. I CAN’T EXPLAIN WHY. IF THERE WAS AN INJURY, HE SHOWED NO SIGNS OF IT. BUT I DO HAVE DOCUMENTATION OF THIS & FIND IT INTERESTING.

 

While it appears there is a problem with patellar luxation in Tibetan Spaniels, due to the statistics, this may be true or it may be misleading. Total submissions through Dec. 2010 were only 64 dogs. In the next full year, only 29 other applications were submitted. Of those 29, 16 were submitted by me - 12 on dogs with normal patellas that did certify & 4 were submitted that did not certify. These dogs classifications were: one at 0/1, one at 1/1, & two at 2/1. While I would prefer all my Tibbies to be normal at 0/0, please read the descriptions of the classifications below. A Grade 1 can be a judgement call, as the patella may only luxate at full extention & not EASILY - but it still can be manipulated to luxate. My examiner marks it as a Grade 1 if it can be forced to luxate. Only those that absolutely cannot be made to luxate are classified as Normal or 0. That is correct & going by the requirements for the classification. It may annoy me, but it will also help me in my breeding program.

 

If owners of Tibetan Spaniels who do not certify would publicly release their results, we would know what the classifications are of those dogs & be better able to determine if there is indeed a problem in the breed. Are the others Grade 3 or Grade 4? Are these other Tibbies who did not certify related? Or are they isolated instances of occurences in individual dogs who come from lines where most are normal? Is the abnormal classification affecting the quality of life of the Tibbie? I just had a 15 1/2 year old Tibbie examined & found to be 1/0. He can still outrun me! Without more information, it is difficult to fully make use of the statistical results.

 

OFA PATELLAR LUXATION CLASSIFICATION

 

A method of classifying the degree of luxation and bony deformity is useful for diagnosis, and can be applied to either medial or lateral luxations by reversing the medial-lateral directional references. The position of the patella can easily be palpated starting at the tibial tubercle and working proximal along the patellar ligament to the patella.

 

Grade 1

Manually the patella easily luxates at full extension of the stifle joint, but returns to the trochlea when released. No crepitation is apparent. The medial, or very occasionally, lateral deviation of the tibial crest (with lateral luxation of the patella) is only minimal, and there is very slight rotation of the tibia. Flexion and extension of the stifle is in a straight line with no abduction of the hock.

 

Grade 2

There is frequent patellar luxation, which, in some cases, becomes more or less permanent. The limb is sometimes carried, although weight bearing routinely occurs with the stifle remaining slightly flexed. Especially under anesthesia it is often possible to reduce the luxation by manually turning the tibia laterally, but the patella reluxates with ease when manual tension of the joint is released. As much as 30 degrees of medial tibial torsion and a slight medial deviation of the tibial crest may exist. When the patella is resting medially the hock is slightly abducted. If the condition is bilateral, more weight is thrown onto the forelimbs.

Many dogs with this grade live with the condition reasonably well for many years, but the constant luxation of the patella over the medial trochlear ridge of the trochlea causes erosion of the articulating surface of the patella and also the proximal area of the medial lip. This results in crepitation becoming apparent when the patella is luxated manually.

 

Grade 3

The patella is permanently luxated with torsion of the tibia and deviation of the tibial crest of between 30 degrees and 50 degrees from the cranial/caudal plane. Although the luxation is not intermittent, many animals use the limb with the stifle held in a semi flexed position. The trochlea is very shallow or even flattened.

 

Grade 4

The tibia is medially twisted and the tibial crest may show further deviation medially with the result that it lies 50 degrees to 90 degrees from the cranial/caudal plane. The patella is permanently luxated. The patella lies just above the medial condyle and a space can be palpated between the patellar ligament and the distal end of the femur. The trochlea is absent or even convex. The limb is carried, or the animal moves in a crouched position, with the limb flexed.

 

*NOTE: Patellar luxation classifications may be published as 0/0, (meaning no luxation in right or left patella), or, for example, 0/2, (no luxation in left patella, grade 2 in right patella), etc. This method of publishing results is used more often in European Countries. You may see this in Health Registries or on websites in reference to individual dogs. I have this method also, in the descriptions of each of my individual dogs who have had the veterinarian exam & OFA application for patellar luxation completed by that veterinarian.

 

Zen Tao began submitting X-rays for OFA hip certification in 2001 on all foundation dogs. Examinations for the patellar luxation  began in 2006.

While breeding & showing Cocker Spaniels from 1976 to 2002, Marianne Minks had yearly eye exams on all Cockers aged 2 years to after 8 years old, at which time those dogs became eligible for Permanent Certification through The American Spaniel Club Health Registry. OFA hip X-rays & evaluations began in the mid 1980s. Blood testing was also done on all foundation dogs for VWD & Factor 10 blood clotting deficiencies that are hereditary in the Cocker Spaniel Breed. We invite you to go online to The American Spaniel Club website & look for the Minks Cocker Spaniels in the Permanent Health Registry. Minks Cocker Spaniels are also published on the OFA website for hip certifications, as are Zen Tao Tibetan Spaniels. Please enjoy these websites. It is so wonderful to have such information readily available.