Special concerns to consider when owning a small dog

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Please note: Media Relations is unable to answer questions about pet health problems. Contact your veterinarian.

Sources: Dr. Barret Bulmer, 785-532-5690, bbulmer@vet.k-state.edu
Dr. James Roush, 785-532-4134, roushjk@vet.k-state.edu
http://www.mediarelations.k-state.edu/WEB/News/MediaGuide/jroushbio.html
Pronouncer: Roush is ROWSH
News release prepared by: Amber Haag, 785-532-6415

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

SPECIAL CONCERNS TO CONSIDER WHEN OWNING A SMALL DOG

MANHATTAN -- While you may love the size and facial features of your toy poodle, these characteristics are at the root of many health problems small, purebred dogs face.

Veterinarians at Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine say many health problems that arise with small-breed dogs are present because the dogs are bred to be very small with infantile features. The two most noticeable problem areas are orthopedics and heart.

Dogs considered "small breed" generally weigh less than 20 pounds. Typical breeds include the toy poodle, Lhasa apso, Pekingese, chihuahua and dachshund, among others.

Dr. James Roush, professor of clinical sciences at K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine, said two orthopedic problems commonly seen in small-breed dogs are patella luxation and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease.

In patella luxation, Roush said the knee cap sits on the inside or outside of the leg rather than the front. He said this is a hereditary problem that requires surgical treatment. Roush said the problem develops very early in small-breed dogs. Symptoms of patella luxation are lameness, "skip" walking, crooked back legs and a popping sensation when the knee moves, as well as the inability to straighten knees.

Legg-Calve-Perthes disease is an autosomal-recessive inherited disease of the hip. This means that if both parents are carriers, the puppy has a 25 percent change of having the disease.

The disease occurs when the dog is around 1 year old and leads to arthritis. Symptoms include lameness, reluctance to rise, play or jump into a vehicle and resistance to agility training.

Roush said owners can choose to treat the disease with surgery or pain medication after arthritis sets in

Dr. Barret Bulmer, assistant professor of cardiology at K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine, said small-breed dogs are over-represented in the development of degenerative valvular heart disease.

He said that, as the heart valves undergo degenerative changes, they are no longer able to prevent the "backward" flow of blood. If this insufficiency is severe enough, fluid may begin to accumulate in the lungs, outside the lungs or within the abdomen.

The first indication of a problem is often the presence of a heart murmur detected during a pet's annual veterinary evaluation. Bulmer said it is difficult to predict which dogs will eventually develop heart failure or how quickly the valvular disease will progress. Therefore, most pets with degenerative valve disease require periodic ECGs, chest x-rays and cardiac ultrasounds to follow their disease progression and determine when medical therapy is needed.

Bulmer said the cause of degenerative valve disease is unknown but is believed to be an imbalance in collagen formation and breakdown.

"Our current medical therapy is aimed at alleviating the signs of heart failure via the administration of diuretics, ACE inhibitors, digoxin and several other drug classes," Bulmer said. "Many owners have encountered these exact same drugs when a family member has been treated for heart disease. Investigations into the potential for heart valve replacement/repair and the potential for stopping or delaying the degenerative valvular process represent areas of research throughout the veterinary community."