AKSC Health Statistics
The following information and health statistics are available to view for those who are interested.
Detailed Littermate Information or LMIF on all past litters of AKSC registered King Shepherds (breeding pairs and individual dogs' offspring), AKSC Recommended Breeders and AKSC Breeder Members is available to all AKSC Inc. Members and can be accessed via the AKSC Yahoo Group King Shepherd Board under Database - "AKSC Health Records and Litter Information".
The detailed health report information not only includes health records siting the status of hips, elbows, heart, eye, and any health concerns such as digestive issues and Mega E if present; but also touches on temperament and structural (breed type and conformation) reports of indivdual puppies produced from a breeding pair or all AKSC registered King Shepherds (past and present). The reports will aslo note if the breeding was recommended to repeat or not recommended to repeat based on the health, conformation and temperament of the resultant offspring.
It has always been the recommendation of the AKSC for all breeders to screen for health related issues prior to breeding their Kings. Below you will find health ratings, scores or reports on the most common issues concerning the King Shepherd breed. King Shepherd names will be added to this list and to the AKSC Database on a continual basis. As mentioned above, more detailed information can be found by accessing the Health Database at the AKSC King Shepherd Yahoo Board.
King Shepherd Hip Evaluations
All Kings should be screened for dysplasia prior to being bred. In the past, a screening could be constituted as a Preliminary X-Ray, an OFA Report or a Penn Hip Evaluation. Penn Hip is the preferred method for hip evlauation, by the AKSC.
Penn Hip scores and additional screening for hips of King Shepherds are listed below. For Penn Hip evaluations, the breed median for the King Shepherd is .54. The AKSC considers any King above .70 to be excessively loose and ideally should not be bred. A King that is closer to .30 or below would be considered to have "excellent hips".
Name DI Other Findings
Chateau De Chief's Thunder .39/.40 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Bustah .67/.48 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Katie .33/.38 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Bunny .59/.48 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Ashley .50/.48 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Panda .58/.56 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Dara .41/.39 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Chelsey .54/.46 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Kota .42/.54 Confirmed DJD/ Mild Dysplasia
Chateau De Chief's Charley .48/.44 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Bustah Bruin II . 37/.33 N/A
Shadow of Woodtop .45/.38 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Wolf Prelim X-Ray Good
Chateau De Chief's Tia .50/.54 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Brittney Prelim X-Ray Good
Chateau De Chief's Buca .29/.62 N/A
Chateau de Chief's Badger .46/.33 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Bella .67/.69 N/A
Warrior King's Wolverine Prelim X-Ray Excellent
Royal Majesty's Dutchess CDC .39/.46 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Simba Prelim X-Ray Fair
Royal Majesty's Boda CDC Prelim X-Ray Good
Chateau De Chief's Ember .38/.46 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Sabre .44/.38 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Striper .88/.87 Confirmed DJD/Moderate Dysplasia
Chateau De Chief's Jaque Prelim X-Ray Good
Royal Majesty's Max CDC .39/.32 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Willow .34/.48 N/A
Le Chien Royal's Derek CDC .63/.63 Confirmed DJD/Moderate Dysplasia
Chateau De Chief's Bianca .28/.24 N/A
Chateau De Chief's Simeon .30/.37 N/A
Royal Majesty's Meika .56/.52 N/A
Royal Majesty's Argus Von Rommel .44/.44 N/A
Duchess Mahogony Star of Excalibur .32/.28 N/A
Royal Majesty's Cosmo .65/.67 N/A
Excalibur's Stella by Starlight (Penn Hip done, but no numbers or information ever disclosed.)
Chateau De Chief's North Star Kipling (Penn Hip done but no numbers or information ever disclosed.)
Chateau De Chief's Xena Warrior Princess (Penn Hip done but no numbers or information ever disclosed)
King Shepherds and Elbow Dysplasia:
King Shepherds have a very low incidence of Elbow dysplasia. The AKSC has on record 1 dog in the last 15 years who has had a confirmed diagnosis of Elbow dysplasia.
Elbow Dysplasia:
Elbow dysplasia is a general term used to identify an inherited polygenic disease in the elbow of dogs. Three specific etiologies make up this disease and they can occur independently or in conjunction with one another. These etiologies include:
- Pathology involving the medial coronoid of the ulna (FCP)
- Osteochondritis of the medial humeral condyle in the elbow joint (OCD)
- Ununited anconeal process (UAP)
Studies have shown the inherited polygenic traits causing these etiologies are independent of one another. Clinical signs involve lameness which may remain subtle for long periods of time. No one can predict at what age lameness will occur in a dog due to a large number of genetic and environmental factors such as degree of severity of changes, rate of weight gain, amount of exercise, etc. Subtle changes in gait may be characterized by excessive inward deviation of the paw which raises the outside of the paw so that it receives less weight and distributes more mechanical weight on the outside (lateral) aspect of the elbow joint away from the lesions located on the inside of the joint. Range of motion in the elbow is also decreased.
King Shepherds and the Eyes:
Although King Shepherds as a rule typically have healthy eyes, the AKSC has come across seven instances of eye problems within the last 15 years:
Pannus:
Chronic superficial keratitis (CSK), also known as pannus or Uberreiter’s disease, is an inflammatory condition of the cornea in dogs.
CSK is immune-mediated in nature, characterised by an infiltration of white blood cells into the superficial stroma of the cornea. These cells are predominately CD4-expressing T lymphocytes and to a lesser extent CD8-expressing T cells.[3] The CD4-expressing T-cells secrete gamma interferon, which causes expression of the major histocompatibility complex class II molecules in the cells of the cornea. These class II molecules cause further inflammation by interacting with the T cells and triggering an immune response.[4] Ultraviolet light is important in the genesis of the disease which is seen at higher prevalence at elevated altitude[5] and has a seasonal variation with most cases occurring in the summer. There is likely also a genetic component to the cause of CSK due to its predominance in certain breeds. As of this date, there have been three documented cases of King Shepherds who have Pannus.
Cataracts:
Cataracts are one of the most common problems affecting the eyes of the dog. There are many different forms and causes of cataract formation. They affect all breeds and ages of dogs, but certain types show up more commonly in certain breeds. Despite the fact that they are very common, there is still a lot that we do not know about canine cataracts. The only current treatment option is surgery, but with correct patient selection the outcome is very good. This article will explain some of the different forms of cataracts including their age of onset and their treatment options.
There has been one known case of cataracts in a King Shepherd.
Extra hairs or membrane in the eye:
Distichiasis - Distichiasis is the term used to refer to extra hairs growing on the edge of the eyelid. Distichiasis causes irritation. This usually shows itself in the dog as an increase in blink rate, holding the eye partly closed and increase in tear production showing itself as tear overflow or a "tear streak".
There have been three cases of King Shepherds who have had extra lashes or an extra membrane in the eyes, which needed to be surgically removed.
Kings Shepherds and the Heart:
King Shepherds have a very low insidence of heart related issues. The AKSC has documented only one case of a severe heart problem (requiring surgery; not an innocent murmur), over the last 15 years.
Heart Disease:
Heart disease is tragically common in dogs. Though dogs don’t suffer heart attacks like people do, weak heart muscle and other heart problems cause fatigue, shortness of breath and other problems in dogs. Broadly speaking, there are three types and causes of canine heart problems:
- Heart defects found at birth
- Weakening or breaking down of heart muscle, usually in old age
- A canine parasite known as heart worm
The symptoms are easily mistaken for other diseases, but may include those below. If you think your dog is suffering from heart disease, it’s a good idea to consult with a veterinarian.
Common Symptoms of Canine Heart Disease
- Difficult, labored breathing
- Reduced energy levels
- Persistent coughing
- Reduced appetite / weight
- Swelling in abdomen
- Discolored (blue/gray) gums
- Partial paralysis in hind legs
You can help promote a healthy heart in your dog by ensuring he gets regular exercise. Try to ensure he eats well and does not become obese.
Heart Murmurs:
Heart murmurs are abnormal sounds, heard while listening to the heart with a stethoscope. The normal heart sounds or beats (lub-dub) are caused by vibration occurring during the colsure of 4 valves within the heart. Murmurs are typically caused by a change in the blood flow through the heart or outflow vessels that causes turbulence. There are many causes and most can be catagorized into congenital/pathologic, physiologic, or benign/innocent. Murmurs are typically graded by intensity on a scale of 1 to 6, with 1 being mild and 6 being severe.
Congenital/pathologic murmurs are caused by physical abnormalities present at birth. Examples are a narrow outflow vessel, abnormal communication between vessels or chambers, and faulty valves. Many congenital heart problems do not cause clinical signs (especially in very young puppies), but some display serious symptoms (stunting, failure to thrive, exercise intolerance, etc...). Congenital murmurs also appear to be more common in purebred dogs.
Physiologic murmurs occur as a result of an abnormal condition unrelated to the heart. This condition causes an increased heart rate or increased blood flow velocity resulting in an audible murmur. Causes can be fever, pregnancy, anemia, and hyperthyrodisim. The murmur should disappear when the condition resolves.
Benign/innocent murmurs typically occur in puppies and are usually caused by an alerted flow in blood exiting the heart chambers. The intensity of these murmurs can increase with exercise or excitement. These murmurs are usually low grade (grade 1-2), show no clinical signs, and often disappear spontaneously in weeks to months.
King Shepherds and EPI:
Presently there are three King Shepherds on record with the AKSC that have been diagnosed with EPI over the last 15 years. Although we believe that this is a low incidence for this breed, we can not overlook this very serious illness.
Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI):
EPI is a disorder which affects the production and secretion of the enzymes in the pancreas which are essential for the digestion of protein in to the small intestine.
EPI is characterised by a progressive loss of the pancreatic cells that normally produce powerful enzymes required for the initial degradation of food in the small intestine. In EPI, fewer and fewer of these digestive enzymes are produced, which ultimately leads to maldigestion and malabsorption of nutrients. The situation is compounded by the fact that there may be secondary gut damage, whereas EPI also predisposes the animal to the development of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), which has an additional negative effect on intestinal function.
What causes EPI?
EPI in dogs is most frequently due to pancreatic acinar atrophy and recurrent inflammation of the pancreas or chronic pancreatitis
There is a high prevalence of EPI in German Shepherd Dogs including White Shepherds, in which breed the disease is reported to be heritable in an autosomal recessive manner.
A recent study has indicated that the pancreatic atrophy is preceded by lymphocytic-plasmacytic inflammation, which suggests that the disease may have an immune component. However, these are very preliminary findings.
What are the symptoms of EPI?
- Weight loss despite the possibility of an increase in appetite.
- Diarrhoea
- Steatorrhoea. Steatorrhoea is the presence of excessive amounts of fat in in the faeces. Increased amounts of faecal fat give it a grey colour and a greasy appearance which will leave an oily spot on paper it comes into contact with.
- Increased gut sounds are often present on auscultation(called borborygmi). Auscultation is the examination of internal organs by listening. Usually this involves using a tool to magnify the sound - such as a stethoscope, but internal sounds can be detected by placing the ear over the region of body closest to the organ under examination.
- If the condition has been present for any length of time signs of nutritional deficiency might become obvious, including poor hair condition (dry and brittle) and sometimes pallor due to anaemia and low circulating blood protein concentrations - hypoproteinaemia.
If any of these signs are evident in your dog, please consult a vet.
Diagnosis
EPI is commonly diagnosed via the TLI-test. This is a blood test which measures the amount of a pancreatic digestive enzyme (trypsinogen) in the blood stream, providing an indirect assessment of pancreatic function.
Dogs with EPI can be identified by a low blood TLI concentration. Marked reductions in serum TLI concentration may precede the onset of clinical signs of EPI, and assay of serum TLI has been useful for the early identification of affected dogs.
TLI is the most common test used to diagnise EPI but other tests are often used, and are still needed in complicated cases with more than one concurrent disease.
Once an EPI diagnosis has been established, a vet might also check for diabetes mellitus as the pancreas is also involved in the production of insulin and a lack of insulin leads to the condition.
Treatment
EPI which has not been complicated by the presents of diabetes can often be treated by a modification of diet and the addition of pancreatic enzyme supplements. Modification of the diet may involve lowering the fat and fibre intake, mild cases of EPI can sometime only require a change in diet to overcome.
Vets may also advise antibiotics if a bacterial overgrowth is present.
With adequate treatment, the outlook for dogs with EPI is usually good, although the dogs will require life-long treatment.