Health Issues in Goldens
My Life as a Dog: Health Issues
The vast majority of dogs of all breeds (as well as mixed breeds) can live long, healthy lives
if given proper care and routine veterinary attention. Nevertheless, any dog can fall victim
to a wide range of acquired problems, just as humans can, that range from acne to viral
diseases, from allergies to cancer, and so on. In addition, each pure breed of dogs has its own
particular hereditary problems; some minor, some impairing, and some possibly fatal Some
may show a very strong hereditary basis and others not much more than a tendency to run in
families". The Golden Retriever is no exception and unfortunately, the problems multiply as the
breed continues to increase in popularity and there is an increase in indiscriminate breeding.
Failure to screen for hereditary problems before breeding often results in the " doubling up"'
of unfavorable genes, and the results are distressing for the buyer and dog alike. The following,
while not all-inclusive, are some of the more common hereditary problems that may be
encountered in Goldens.
HIP DYSPLASIA
The term hip dysplasia means poor development of the formation of the hip joint and describes
a developmental disease in young dogs of many different breeds. Unsound hip joints are a
common problem in the larger breeds, and hip dysplasia can be a serious problem in any dog that
is to be trained for a demanding activity.
Hip dysplasia is an inherited defect with a polygenic (" many genes") mode of inheritance. The
degree of hereditability is moderate in nature, meaning that the formation of the hip joints can
also be modified by environmental factors such as overnutrition, excessively rapid growth, and
certain traumas during the growth period of the skeleton. As with any quantitative trait hip
joint conformation can range from good to bad with all shades in between.
Signs of hip dysplasia cannot be detected in the new born puppy, but usually appear in the rapid
growth period between four and nine months of age. Signs of the disease can vary widely from
slight irregularities of gait to crippling lameness. Improvement or even apparent disappearance
of lameness can occur as the dog matures, as a result of the joint stabilizing, inflammation
subsiding, and musculature strengthening. However, the dysplastic dog will usually develop
arthritis later in life.
The only accurate means of determining the condition of the hip joints is by proper radiographic
(X-ray) examination. Sedation or a short-acting anesthetic may be needed to restrain the dog
so that a diagnostic film can be made, as positioning is of great importance. Signs of hip
dysplasia found on X-ray include shallow sockets, irregular shape of femoral heads, looseness
of the joint and degenerative joint disease or osteo-arthritis.
Hip dysplasia may be diagnosed by X-ray between six months and a year of age, but this is not
entirely reliable, and dogs intended for breeding should be X-rayed when fully mature in order
to select for sound hips. Two years of age is considered to be the minimum age for accurate
radiographic determination of desirable conformation.
X-rays should be sent to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) in Columbia, Missouri
(See Appendix H), for a diagnostic evaluation. The Golden Retriever Club of America has
a list of all Golden Retrievers that have been diagnosed free of hip dysplasia by the Orthopedic
Foundation for Animals over the years (which is currently over 28,000 dogs), available for a
small fee.
During the acute phase of the disease, your veterinarian may suggest rest and supportive care.
Moderate and regular exercise, control of weight and perhaps anti-inflammatory are helpful in
the management of arthritis associated with hip dysplasia in the older dog. Many Goldens with
hip dysplasia will show no outward signs at all until perhaps 7 or 8 years of age when muscle
tone decreases and arthritis and wear and tear on the joint become more noticeable.
Goldens and other breeds of retrievers often seem to have high pain thresholds, and do not
show signs of pain when other breeds might be very uncomfortable. An X-ray does not always
show you how your dog feels, as many dysplastic Goldens are completely unaware that they
have a problem !
EYE DISEASE
Hereditary cataracts are a common hereditary eye problem in the Golden Retriever breed.
"Cataract" by definition is any opacity within the lens of the eye. At least one type of hereditary
cataract appears at an early age in affected Goldens, and while these may or may not interfere
with the dog's vision, some do progress into severe or total loss of vision. There are also non-
hereditary cataracts which sometimes occur, and examination by a Board-certified veterinary
ophthalmologist is necessary to determine if the cataract is or is not of concern from a genetic
standpoint If there is any question, the dog is certainly not to be recommended for breeding.
A few families of Goldens carry genes for Central Progressive Retinal Atrophy (CPRA) which
is progressive deterioration of the light-receptive area (retina) of the eye, and may result in
complete blindness at a fairly young age. There are also other eye defects, such as retinal
dysplasia, that prevent consideration of a dog as a breeding animal.
Eyelid and eyelash problems also may occur in the breed-, some with an hereditary basis, and
some sometimes due to other factors. Entropion and ectropion are the turning in or turning out
of the eyelids. Trichiasis and distichiasis involve eyelashes or hairs rubbing on and irritating
the eye. Surgery may be needed to correct these problems, and such dogs should not be bred.
Nuclear sclerosis, the " bluish haze" of the eye seen in older dogs, is a normal part of the age-
related change in the lens of the eye and is NOT a problem.
Examinations should be done annually, until at least eight years of age and referably longer, as
hereditary eye problems can develop at varying ages. The examination should be made by a
Board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist who has the special equipment and training needed
to properly examine the dog's eyes.
Dogs that have been examined by a Board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist and found to be
free of hereditary eye disease can be registered with the Canine Eye Registration Foundation
(CERF). Dogs with hereditary eye disease should not be bred.
HYPOTHYROIDISM
This is a generalized metabolic disease characterized by atrophy or malfunction of the thyroid
gland. Clinical symptoms include obesity, lethargy, and/or coat problems. Affected animals
may also have various reproductive problems, including irregular or absent estrus (heat cycle),
and lack of fertility in both male and female.
Diagnosis of hypothyroidism is by laboratory tests measuring levels of T3 and T4 (produced
by the thyroid gland) in the blood. Treatment consists of daily administration of L-thyroxine
orally and, when successfully treated, the prognosis is excellent and the doles life span is
normal although the dog may require lifelong thyroid supplementation. There is some question
whether dogs requiring supplementation should be bred, as early hypothyroidism may be
hereditable, it is also true that many clinically normal healthy Goldens may test slightly
under the accepted laboratory range of " normal' T3 and T4 levels, and it is quite possible
that the normal values for this breed may be slightly lower than the values used for the
general canine population. In the absence of definite clinical symptoms of a thyroid deficiency
as determined by a veterinarian or of an abnormal response to TSH (thyroid function test),
supplementation is probably not required for the animal with slightly low T3-T4 levels.
Indiscriminate use of thyroid supplementation should be avoided; it can cause problems as well
as remedy them.
OTHER ORTHOPEDIC PROBLEMS
There are a number of orthopedic problems besides hip dysplasia which sometimes occur in the
growing dog. Among these are panosteitis, osteochondritis dissecans, luxated patella, and other
problems. It is suspected that there may well be some hereditary predisposition to such
conditions, so even though surgery may be able to correct some of these problems, there is
some question whether dogs affected with any of these conditions should be considered for
breeding.
EPILEPSY
Seizure disorders may arise from a variety of environmental factors including viral infections,
other diseases, and trauma. In some cases there is no ascertainable cause other than perhaps
some inherent factor resulting in a low threshold to the stimuli setting off the seizures. One
or perhaps two isolated seizures do not necessarily constitute a problem, but dogs subject to
recurring seizures should not be bred. Often the veterinarian can recommend medication which
will control the seizures, although unfortunately medication is not always effective and many
dog owners are not willing to try to live with this problem.
HEREDITARY HEART DISEASE
Goldens are also known to have some incidence of hereditary heart disease, most commonly,
Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis (SAS). A positive diagnosis is sometimes difficult to obtain but
dogs with confirmed heart disease should never be bred.
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