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Through good breeding practices and the natural vigor of
the breed, the Kuvasz has very few of the health
problems associated with other breeds, however, like other large, fast-growing breeds, it is
prone to hip dysplasia.
Hip dysplasia (CHD canine hip
dysplasia) is a
development malformation of the hip joints. Some of the
latest research indicates that it is not entirely
genetic. It could be as much as 50 to 60% genetic, with
the balance being environmentally influenced.
When x-raying eight week-old puppies, it is
impossible to determine CHD because all the hips in
puppies appear to be normal. Something happens as the
puppy continues to grow. Research has shown the parents free of
CHD can still
produce CHD offspring. And CHD parents can produce normal
offspring.
A concerted effort to breed only CHD clear
animals was supposed to result in a dramatic reduction
in the incidence and severity of the disease. However,
after all these years, the OFA statistics have only been
marginally improved.
A conscientious breeder will
not object to questions about CHD and should be willing
to produce the hip status of the puppy’s parents on
official OFA, GDC or OVC stationery.
When reviewing health clearances it is important to
look at breadth of clearances—
as well as depth of clearances. An absolute minimum
requirement would be parents and grandparents free of
CHD, but even better would be the majority of the
parent's siblings also free of CHD. Other important
considerations are how many generations of a breeder's
kennel have been officially tested, and how freely the
breeder provides the information to others.
See the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for more
extensive info.
Even though conscientious breeders try to minimize
CHD
by only breeding animals clear of CHD, there are things
that a puppy owner can do to help minimize the chances
of developing CHD, too. Environmental influences such as
injury; keeping a puppy on a slippery floor;
over-exercising; under-exercising; improper exercising;
and especially improper diet are all important
contributors to the problem of bad hips.
OFA and CHIC certification are just
as important for pet/non-breeding dogs as it is for the
dogs being shown and bred. We could eliminate health
risks MUCH faster if we know the status of ALL the
littermates.
No breeder can absolutely promise that every puppy
will have normal hips. But, after offering only puppies
from healthy, certified breeding stock, a breeder should be
also able to
help you with an outline of the proper diet to feed and
environmental things you can do to help
minimize any potential risk your puppy may have.
At Double Ring, we believe it is important for future
hip development to provide good quality footing for
puppies beginning at birth. We use a sheepskin pad with
rubber backing instead of newspapers to provide puppies
with solid footing.
As scary as CHD is, it is also not the end of the
world. Many dogs can live full and happy lives with mild
to moderate HD.
Many dogs never show any clinical
symptoms of the disease until they reach old age. The
sad cases are the severely dysplastic dogs that require
surgery or euthanasia. This is why conscientious
breeders are trying their best to eliminate CHD.
Fortunately, there have been great strides made in
various types of CHD surgery to give dogs with severe
dysplasia
a long and pain-free life.
visit our
KUVASZ HEALTH NEWS
page for newest updates about health, vaccinations,
titers, etc.
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The Kuvasz Breed
Kuvasz History
Behavior & Training
Kuvasz Appearance
Kuvasz Temperament
Kuvasz Care
Kuvasz Health
Right Breed For You?
Working Dog Kuvaszok
Correct Hungarian Type
AKC Breed Standard
CHIC stands for Canine Health
Information Center. There is a separate database
for CHIC, but it is easier to look on the
OFA website for
health clearances. Each breed club decides which tests
should be required for the breeding dogs of their breed.
In 2003, KCA, the Kuvasz Club of America, decided to
require, hips, elbows and thyroid. Eyes, Patellas, and
Cardiac tests are also recommended, but are not required
to get a CHIC certification number.
The purpose of CHIC is to encourage health testing prior
to breeding to help ensure the future integrity of the
gene pool. With enough exposure and education puppy
buyers may begin to look for parents with CHIC health
clearances prior to agreeing to buy a puppy out of that
pair. Puppy mills and most backyard breeders do not care
about the health of the gene pool. Look at some of the
breeds that have been ruined by indiscriminant breeding—
Rottweilers, Cocker Spaniels, etc.—
the list goes on. Hopefully, someday the average puppy
buyer will figure this out. Check out the
searchable database at OFA. You can search or many
levels, one dog or the entire breed just by making your
selections, or NOT, on the initial search page.
Once you find a dog you are interested in checking out,
click on that dog. Another screen will come up showing
you the parents of that dog and their health clearances.
It will also show offspring, siblings and half siblings.
The more health data known of a family, the wiser
breeding choices can be. For example, a dog with OFA
Excellent hips who has all dysplastic litter-mates, is a
far less desirable breeding candidate than a dog with
OFA Fair hips whose litter-mates are all OFA Good and
Excellent!
The CHIC website address is:
http://www.akcchf.org/
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