{"id":107,"date":"2024-01-18T11:30:43","date_gmt":"2024-01-18T11:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/?page_id=107"},"modified":"2024-01-20T12:16:24","modified_gmt":"2024-01-20T12:16:24","slug":"specific-health-concerns","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/?page_id=107","title":{"rendered":"Specific Health Concerns"},"content":{"rendered":"\n \n
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SPECIFIC HEALTH CONCERNS<\/h2>\n

SPECIFIC HEALTH CONCERNS <\/b> <\/b><\/b>\n
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FOR\nMANY YEARS, <\/b>since the introduction of the breed\ninto the UK (and other countries), a few health problems have been noted. \nAs with all canine health issues, no one concern is restricted to the\nBGV.  some of the disorders are known to be congenital, whether inherited\nor caused by the environment.  A congenital condition therefore may nor\nmay not be heriditary.\n \nHere\nare a few of the known conditions.  All are monitored within the\nbreed.  Although none is severe enough to currently cause undue concern,\nthe Health Committee invites anyone whose BGV has a health problem to contact\nthem, as submission of cheek swabs to the Animal Health Trust now may prove\ninvaluable in the future should any health issue warrant further  research\nand investigation. \n \n  
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Craniomandibular Osteopathy<\/b>  \nHopefully\nnow under control with no cases reported in 2020, early 2012 the BGV Club\nbecame aware of instances of craniomandibular osteopathy in\nBGVs.  Known cases were mainly in GBGV puppies, though a couple\nwere also been reported in PBGVs.\n\u200b\nThe\nBGVC Health Sub-Committee has been monitoring the condition in the breed and\nthe Third World Congress at Warwickshire in November 2012 gave the opportunity\nto make representatives worldwide aware of the problem.\n  
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WHAT\nIS CRANIOMANDIBULAR OSTEOPATHY?<\/b>\n
Sometimes known as \"Lion Jaw\", craniomandibular osteopathy (CMO) is a\nbone disease of growing dogs.  There is excessive, abnormal bone\ngrowth of the skull and lower jaw.  Irregular enlargement of the\naffected bones results in extra bone growing on the surface of the lower jaw,\nmaking it wider and thicker.  It may also affect the jaw joint. In severe\ncases, the excess bone may prevent the jaw joint from opening and closing\nnormally.  <\/b> 
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WHAT\nCAUSES CM0 AND WHICH BREEDS DOES IT AFFECT?<\/b> The\ncause of CMO is unknown. It is neither cancerous nor caused by\ninflammation.  It is an inherited condition known mainly in several\nterrier breeds, though has been reported in a few other breeds.  <\/b> 
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WHAT\nARE THE SIGNS OF CMO?<\/b> The\nsigns of disease usually occur between 4-8 months of age. There is swelling of\nthe jaws, difficulty eating and pain on opening the mouth.  Sometimes\nopening the mouth proves difficult or practically impossible.  Dogs may\ndrool and be depressed.  Often the body temperature will fluctuate over\ntime, with fever occurring in phases every 10-14 days. In severely affected\ndogs, the muscles used for chewing may atrophy and there may be swollen glands.\n \nX-rays\nof affected dogs demonstrate irregular thickenings of the various facial bones.\nIt may be necessary to sedate or lightly anaesthetise the dog to obtain good\nx-rays, since it is a painful condition and the dog may not lie quietly.\n  
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IS\nCMO INHERITED?<\/b> Although\nthe mode of inheritance is known to be autosomal recessive in West Highland\nWhite Terriers, in other breeds including the BGV the mode of inheritance has\nyet to be determined.\n  
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WHAT\nDOES CMO MEAN TO YOUR BGV AND YOU?<\/b> Your\npuppy may have a swollen and painful lower law, or have trouble opening the\nmouth or eating, or drool excessively. You may not notice all of these problems\ncontinuously; the signs may seem to flare up at times then get better. This\ndisease is \"self-limiting.\" Abnormal bone growth will typically stop\nand begin to regress by one year of age.  So, after your puppy is a year\nold, the condition will probably not get worse - and should get better.\nHowever if there has been severe bone growth, especially involving the jaw\njoint, the excess bone may not go away on its own. In some cases, particularly\nif the jaw joint is not working properly, your BGV may need surgery. Your\npuppy's condition is more serious and the prognosis is guarded if there is\nexcessive bone growth on the base of the skull.\n  
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HOW\nIS CMO DIAGNOSED?<\/b> Your\nvet will diagnose this disease based on physical examination, history and\nx-rays.\n  
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HOW\nIS CMO TREATED?<\/b> There\nis no treatment to stop the disease from getting worse; it will usually get\nbetter as your puppy grows up. Pain can be relieved with anti-inflammatory\ndrugs. Your puppy may need surgery in certain severe cases.\n  
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WHAT\nYOU CAN DO<\/b> If\nyou have a BGV affected by this health problem, contact Health Sub-Committee\nmembers Peter Marks or Vivien Phillips who will help you to send cheek\nswabs to Canine Genetics (formerly at the Animal Health Trust). \nThese need to go with pedigree and a report from your vet.  There is no\ncharge for this research.\n  
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Eye Problems, other than POAG<\/b> While\nPOAG and cataracts remain the main problem in the breed, there is some minor\nevidence of Persistent Pupillary Membranes (PPMs) and Lens Luxation.\n  
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Persistent\nPupillary Membranes<\/b> are strands of tissue in the eye. They\nare remnants of blood vessels which supplied nutrients to the developing lens\nof the eye before birth. Normally these strands are gone by 4 or 5 weeks of\nage. Generally they cause no problems. However if attached to the cornea\nor lens, the strands can cause opacities which may interfere with\nvision. Cataracts that may possibly occur with PPM usually don't worsen.
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Depending upon the location and extent of these strands, they may interfere\nwith vision. They may bridge from iris to iris across the pupil, iris to cornea\n(may cause corneal opacities), or iris to lens (may cause cataracts), or they\nmay form sheets of tissue in the anterior chamber of the eye. In many dogs\nthese tissue remnants cause no problems. \n\u200b\n 
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  Lens\nLuxation <\/b>is the dislocation or complete\ndisplacement of the lens within the dog's eye. The lens is the clear structure\nin the eye, consisting of two rounded or convex surfaces, that focuses light\nrays to form an image onto the retina. Normally the lens is suspended between\nthe iris (the coloured portion of the eye) and the vitreous (the clear gel in\nthe back of the eye), and is held in place by small fibres or suspensory\nligaments.\n \nCauses\nof lens luxation may be primary or secondary.  Where the lens luxation is\nnot associated with trauma (secondary) it is assumed to be \"primary\"\nand therefore an inherited disorder and treatment varies on the position of the\nlens, the presence of acute glaucoma and the potential for sight.  The\nmain aim is to reduce the pressure in the eye and subsequently monitor\npressures, with medication to help.\n  
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Cushing's<\/b>   
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WHAT\nIS CUSHING'S DISEASE?<\/b> Cushing's\ndisease, or hyperadrenocorticism, which has been known to a small degree in the\nBGV for many years, is a condition where the body overproduces the\ncortisol steroid hormone.  It's a fairly common condition in middle aged\nand older dogs. \n \nDogs\nnormally need some steroids for their bodies to function properly and they are\nproduced by the adrenal gland, which sits next to the kidney. The adrenal gland\nis sent messages to produce cortisol by the pituitary gland, which sits at the\nbase of the brain. If a dog gets a growth on either of these glands, this can\nsend hormone production into overdrive which leads to a number of\nsymptoms.  However the majority of Cushing\u2019s cases are caused by a benign\ntumour on the pituitary gland. Tumours on the adrenal gland also cause this\ndisease but are less common. High level use of steroids, used to treat\nimmune disorders or allergies, can also cause Cushing\u2019s disease.\n  
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SYMPTOMS<\/b> Most\nowners will notice excessive thirst and urination. One of the first\nsigns is that their dog suddenly begins needing to go out to the toilet in\nthe middle of the night.\n \nThere\ncan also be hair loss, weight gain, panting, skin changes, lowered immunity and\nabdominal swelling, which can make the stomach appear to sag. A lack of\nenergy is another symptom you may notice.\n \nIn\nmost cases the symptoms are quite mild and for this reason \u2013 along with the\nfact that there could be other causes of these signs \u2013 getting a confirmed\ndiagnosis can be difficult.  Keep in mind that all symptoms are not\napparent in every patient and that many of the signs can also be associated\nwith other diseases.\n \nTo\ndetermine whether or not a dog has Cushing\u2019s disease, a vet will need to\nlook not just at the symptoms but also at the results of several\ndifferent diagnostic tests.\n  
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TREATMENT<\/b> It\nIs not always necessary to treat Cushing\u2019s disease.  This in itself is not\nwithout risks so you should discuss the right course of action with your\nvet.  Treatment also depends on the type of Cushing's your dog has\nbut medication can be used in most cases.\n \nIf\nyour dog\u2019s illness is due to the most common cause, a benign pituitary tumour,\ndaily medication will help manage the disease. Such treatment may not be\nnecessary if symptoms are mild and, in any case, your vet may want to\nmonitor your dog closely for a while first.  Specialist surgery to remove\na pituitary tumour may also be an option.\n \nWhere\nthe Cushing\u2019s disease is caused by a growth on the adrenal gland, the dog will\nneed a scan to see whether the condition is benign or malignant. If there\nis just one tumour, your vet may advise a course of medication to shrink it,\nfollowed possibly by surgery to remove it. In some cases, further tumours may\nspread through the body and in severe cases are unfortunately untreatable.\n \nDogs\nwho have developed Cushing\u2019s due to taking steroids for other health conditions\nsuch as allergies or immunity issues will needs to be weaned off those steroids\nunder the advice of a vet. Coming off steroids too quickly can lead to further,\npotentially fatal, problems.\n  
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MANAGING\nCUSHING'S<\/b> While\nCushing\u2019s disease cannot be cured, in most cases it can be managed but it is a\ncostly condition to treat.\nMedication\nwill be needed for the rest of the dog's life, accompanied\nby regular vet checks, which often includes blood tests.\n  
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Hypothyroidism<\/b>  \nHypothyroidism\nhas been reported in a few BGVs. An inadequate or subnormal thyroid gland\nfunction results in immune destruction of the thyroid gland.  Clinical\nsigns include obesity, lethargy, mental sluggishness, hair loss, change in coat\ntexture, infertility and hyperpigmentation of the skin.  While\nhypothyroidism cannot realistically be prevented, it is not particularly\ndifficult to diagnose and treat. \n \nThere\nis no evidence at present that this is hereditary in BGVs but obviously, if the\ncondition is diagnosed, it is prudent not to breed from that individual.\n  
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Pancreatitis<\/b>  \nThe\npancreas is part of the endocrine and digestive system, which is integral for\nthe digestion of foods, producing the enzymes that digest food, and producing\ninsulin. When a condition occurs to cause inflammation of the pancreas, the\nflow of enzymes into the digestive tract can become disrupted, forcing the\nenzymes out of the pancreas and into the abdominal area.\n \nIf\nthis occurs, the digestive enzymes will begin to break down fat and proteins in\nthe other organs, as well as in the pancreas. In effect, the body begins to\ndigest itself. Because of their proximity to the pancreas, the kidney and liver\ncan also be affected when this progression takes place, and the abdomen will\nbecome inflamed, and possibly infected as well. If bleeding occurs in the\npancreas, shock, and even death can follow. \n \nInflammation\nof the pancreas (or pancreatitis) often progresses rapidly in dogs, but\ncan be treated without any permanent damage to the organ.  \nAlways consult your vet who will begin a course of treatment but you can\nhelp your BGV by feeding bland, low fat, high carbohydrate, easily\ndigestible food until the condition has cleared thoroughly.  <\/b> 
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Steroid Responsive Meningitis<\/b>  \nSteroid\nresponsive meningitis, sometimes known as juvenile pain syndrome, aseptic\nmeningitis or spinal meningitis, is a condition which has attracted\nconsiderable concern among Petit owners in a few countries. It has been known\nto crop up in the UK in Petits and occasionally in Grands but usually affects\nyoung dogs up to two years. Most cases respond to treatment with drugs that\ninclude analgesics, antibiotics and corticosteroids. A vet is likely to warn\nthat relapses can occur but, beyond the age of about four years, these are\nunlikely. Although no genetic predisposition has been established, clearly it\nis unwise to breed from any affected individuals., \n 
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WHAT\nYOU CAN DO<\/b> Although\nnumbers are quite small, the BGV Club will arrange for DNA samples of\naffected BGVs to go to Canine Genetics (formerly at the Animal Health\nTrust). If you have a BGV affected by this health problem, contact Health\nSub-Committee member Fiona Buchanan who will help you to take cheek\nswabs.  Once Canine Genetics is up and running, hopefully in the not too\ndistant future, these will need to go with a pedigree and report from your\nvet.  There is no charge for this research.  
 
Remember - if you have any concerns about your BGV's well-being which appear to\nbe related to any of the known health problems in the breed, let us know. \nWe are here to support you.\n \n
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WE WILL HELP YOU  ......<\/h2>\n

If you have any concerns about your BGV's well-being which appear to be related to any of the known health problems in the breed, let us know.  We are here to support you.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n \n \n \n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SPECIFIC HEALTH CONCERNS SPECIFIC HEALTH CONCERNS   FOR MANY YEARS, since the introduction of the breed into the UK (and other countries), a few health problems have been noted.  As with all canine health issues, no one concern is restricted to the BGV.  some of the disorders are known to be congenital, whether inherited or caused by … Continue reading “Specific Health Concerns”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-107","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=107"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":130,"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/107\/revisions\/130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}