Lakota Australian Cattle Dogs, Central Oregon Cattle Dog Breeders

Jeff and Carrie Griffith
PO Box 485
Redmond, OR 97756

E-mail

ACD Health Concerns, Terms and Testing Information

Diagnosis Methods

Clinical	Diagnosis is done by veterinary's physical exam, and listed as normal or abnormal with notations. Vets certify results and those are then submitted to OFA for posting.
DNA	Testing is done by submitting DNA cheek swabs to a lab. Results are Clear (dog carries NO copies of the gene being tested for), Carrier (dog has one copy of the gene being tested for, this does not affect the dog at all but dog needs to be bred to a clear dog for this gene) or Affected (dog carries two copies of the gene being tested for. They will be affected by that gene at some point in their life. Some diseases / traits are not to bad, some are horrific. Most will develop over time, such as PRCD, or the dog may not ever show clinical symptoms at all. Every dog is different, but the goal is to prevent diseases where we have a genetic marker and can test to prevent in the future.)
X-Ray	X-rays are submitted to the appropriate health institutes, with gradings posted by that health institute and submitted to OFA for posting.

OFA and CHIC

OFA

OFA stands for Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. They started with hip and elbow displasia certifications and over time have become the testing and result registration center for all breeds. It is always a good idea to verify all information given, and you can do a search by dog at the OFA main site.

CHIC

CHIC stands for Canine Health Inforation Center and is a program within the OFA. The goal of the CHIC program is to "test and tell" on dogs to make the information available to others so that more knowledgeable breeding choices can be made. a CHIC number does not indicate a passing grade on any test, it simply means that all the dogs testing has been completed and that the information has been made public, regardless of the results. Breeders that wish to have a CHIC number on their dogs must complete the required list of tests and submit the results to OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), rather passing or failing to obtain a CHIC number.

OFA Main site | CHIC main site | Current CHIC requirements for ACDs

Cardiac

Cardiac

Heart issues are not common in ACDs, however many breeders like to make sure nothing pops up in their dogs.

Testing is done by veterinarian exam, and listed as normal or abnormal with notations.

OFA Cardiac Info

Degenerative Myelopathy

Degenerative Myelopathy

Degenerative myelopathy is extremely rare in ACDs but now that we have a DNA test, many breeders are opting to make sure their breeding dogs are clear. DM is a progressive disease of the spinal cord in older dogs. The disease has an insidious onset typically between 8 and 14 years of age. It begins with a loss of coordination (ataxia) in the hind limbs. The affected dog will wobble when walking, knuckle over or drag the feet. This can first occur in one hind limb and then affect the other. As the disease progresses, the limbs become weak and the dog begins to buckle and has difficulty standing. The weakness gets progressively worse until the dog is unable to walk. The clinical course can range from 6 months to 1 year before dogs become paraplegic. If signs progress for a longer period of time, loss of urinary and fecal continence may occur and eventually weakness will develop in the front limbs. Another key feature of DM is that it is not a painful disease.

Testing is done by DNA analysis with a result of clear, carrier or affected.

OFA DM Info

Eye Issues

PRCD-PRA	Progressive retinal atrophy, progressive rod-cone degeneration (PRA-prcd) is a late onset, inherited eye disease affecting many breeds of dog. PRA-prcd occurs as a result of degeneration of both rod and cone type photoreceptor cells of the retina, which are important for vision in dim and bright light, respectively. Evidence of retinal disease in affected dogs can first be seen on an electroretinogram around 1.5 years of age for most breeds, but most affected dogs will not show signs of vision loss until 3 to 5 years of age or later. The rod type cells are affected first and affected dogs will initially have vision deficits in dim light (night blindness) and loss of peripheral vision. Over time affected dogs continue to lose night vision and begin to show visual deficits in bright light. Other signs of progressive retinal atrophy involve changes in reflectivity and appearance of a structure behind the retina called the tapetum that can be observed on a veterinary eye exam. Although there is individual and breed variation in the age of onset and the rate of disease progression, the disease eventually progresses to complete blindness in most dogs. Other inherited disorders of the eye can appear similar to PRA-prcd. Genetic testing may help clarify if a dog is affected with PRA-prcd or another inherited condition of the eye. Testing is done by DNA analysis with a result of clear, carrier or affected.
PRA-RCD4	Progressive retinal atrophy, Rod-cone dysplasia 4 (PRA-RCD4) is a late-onset inherited eye disease affecting dogs. Affected dogs begin showing clinical symptoms related to retinal degeneration between 7 to 12 years of age. Initial clinical signs of progressive retinal atrophy involve changes in reflectivity and appearance of a structure behind the retina called the tapetum that can be observed on a veterinary eye exam. Progression of the disease leads to thinning of the retinal blood vessels, signifying decreased blood flow to the retina. Affected dogs initially have vision loss in dim light (night blindness) and loss of peripheral vision, eventually progressing to complete blindness in most affected dogs. Testing is done by DNA analysis with a result of clear, carrier or affected.
PLL	Primary Lens Luxation is a painful and blinding eye condition where the fibers supporting the lens break down, causing the lens to fall into the wrong position within the eye. The lens of the eye normally lies immediately behind the iris and the pupil, and is suspended in place by a series of fibers, called zonular ligaments. It functions to focus light rays on the retina, in the back of the eye. When partial or complete breakdown of the zonular ligaments occurs, the lens may become partially dislocated (Lens Subluxation) or fully dislocated (Lens Luxation) from the lens’ normal position. Primary Lens Luxation is a heritable disease in many breeds, including many terrier breeds (Jack Russell, Bedlington, Fox, Manchester, Miniature Bull, Scottish, Sealyham, Welsh, West Highland White), Tibetan Terrier, Border Collie, Brittany Spaniel, German Shepherd and Welsh Corgi. In these breeds, spontaneous luxation of the lens occurs in early adulthood (most commonly 3-6 years of age) and often affects both eyes, although not necessarily at the same time. Primary Lens Luxation is caused by an inherent weakness in the zonular ligaments which suspends the lens. Testing is done by DNA analysis with a result of clear, carrier or affected.
CERF	CERF stands for Canine Eye Registry Foundation. It is the original visual eye exam done by a veterinarian opthalmologist to detect eye anomolies. Testing is done by a visual examination and marked normal, suspect or abnormal.

Hearing / Deafness

BAER

Deafness is not uncommon in the breed, though it is getting less and less common with proper breeding practices. All pups should be hearing tested to determine their hearing prior to being sent to new homes.

Testing is done by BAER testing (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response), and results are listed as normal hearing, uni-lateral deaf (one ear) or bi-lateral deaf (both ears).

Hip and Elbow Displasia

Hip and elbow displasia are painful degeneration of the hip and elbow joints, also known as Degenerative Joint Disease.

OFA Hips	OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) grades hips based on the conformation of the joint and looking to see if any DJD is evident. Testing is done by radiographic submission. Passing grades are: Excellent, Good, Fair. Failing grades are: Borderline, Mild, Grade I and Grade II displasia.
OFA Elbows	OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) grades elbows based on the conformation of the joint and looking to see if any DJD is evident. Testing is done by radiographic submission and graded as Normal (passing), Grade I or Grade II displasia (failing).
Penn-Hip	PennHip (University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program) Grades hips based on the laxity of the joint and looking to see if any DJD is evident. Radiographs are taken under general anesthesia and are not harmful to the dog. They do not use aggressive distraction, only passive distraction. PennHip measures to see how much passive laxity (looseness) is evident in the joint. Testing is done by radiographic submission of 3 views: the standard OFA view, the compressed view and the distracted view. The results are given as an exact measurement of laxity called a Distraction Index. The tighter the hip joint is the better, which will be a lower DI and a higher percentile of dogs they are tighter than. This means that a dog with a very low DI will be tighter than a higher percentile of the dogs of their same breed tested.

OFA Hip Displasia Info | OFA Elbow Displasia Info | AIS PennHip Main site

NCL - Neurological

	The neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are a class of inherited neurological disorders that have been diagnosed in dogs, humans, cats, sheep, goats, cynomolgus monkeys, cattle, horses, and lovebirds. Among dogs, NCL has been reported in many breeds, including English Setters, Tibetan Terriers, American Bulldogs, Dachshunds, Polish Lowland Sheepdogs, Border Collies, Dalmatians, Miniature Schnauzers, Australian Shepherds, Australian Cattle Dogs, Golden Retrievers, and other breeds. NCL is almost always inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. All of the NCLs have two things in common: pathological degenerative changes occur in the central nervous system, and nerve cells accumulate material that is fluorescent when examined under blue or ultraviolet light. Although neurological signs are always present in canine NCL, these signs vary substantially between breeds and can overlap with signs present in other neurological disorders. Until the gene defect responsible for NCL has been identified for a particular breed, a definitive diagnosis can only be made upon microscopic examination of nervous tissues at necropsy. NCL5, NCL8 and NCL12 have been discovered in Cattle Dogs. Testing is done by DNA analysis with a result of clear, carrier or affected.
NCL 5	Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis 5 (NCL5) is a lysosomal storage disease affecting Border Collies. Affected dogs lack adequate activity of a specific enzyme necessary for normal cellular metabolism. As a result, there is an abnormal accumulation of waste compounds primarily in the cells of the nervous system, leading to a range of nervous system disorders. Affected dogs typically present between 15 and 20 months of age with behavioral changes. Symptoms initially include non-responsiveness to commands, loss of interest in play or other dogs, irrational fears, hallucinations, disorientation and aggression. Symptoms become more frequent and severe over time and may include ataxia, falling, seizures, aimless wandering, abnormal gait, lethargy and vision loss. Dogs with this disease rarely live beyond 32 months of age.
NCL 8	Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis 8 (Australian shepherd type) is a lysosomal storage disease affecting dogs. Affected dogs lack a specific enzyme necessary for normal cellular metabolism. As a result, there is an abnormal accumulation of waste compounds primarily in the cells of the nervous system, leading to a range of nervous system disorders. In affected dogs poor vision may be noticed as puppies, but as early as 10-12 months of age symptoms of cognitive decline appear and may include loss of learned behaviors, circling, and pacing. Symptoms progress to blindness, ataxia, behavior changes such as anxiety and aggression, tremors, sensitivity to touch and sound, and seizures by the time the dog is 2 years of age. Affected dogs are typically euthanized due to disease progression.
NCL 12	Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis 12 is an inherited lysosomal storage disease affecting dogs. Affected dogs have abnormalities in cellular metabolism. As a result, there is an abnormal accumulation of waste compounds primarily in the cells of the nervous system. Affected dogs present with progressive neurological disease around 6 years of which may include abnormal gait, anxiety, decreased or absent reflexes, lack of response to learned commands, sensitivity to sounds, sleep problems, inappropriate vocalization, difficulty jumping or climbing stairs, aggression, tremors, seizures, weakness, loss of coordination, and vision loss. Affected dogs typically die or are humanely euthanized by 9 years of age.

Patellas

Patellas

The patella, or kneecap, is part of the stifle joint (knee). In patellar luxation, the kneecap luxates, or pops out of place, either in a medial or lateral position.

Testing is done by veterinary examination and graded as Normal (passing) or given a grade of luxation (failing) on one or both patellas.

OFA Patellar Luxation Info