Corgi Forums - View Single Post - Pems vs Cardi genetics and hereditary issues

glencorgi · 03-06-2006, 10:23 PM

The primary health concerns in both breeds are hip dysplasia and eye problems.

In Pembrokes there is also vWD (vonWillebrand's Disease) - a bleeding disorder where the blood doesn't clot, similar to hemophilia in humans. Unfortunately, we are once again at something of problem with the reliablity of vWD testing. Old blood tests were not reliable, although they are better now and the DNA marker test has proven to be inaccurate in some cases.

In Cardigans there is also PRA (progressive retinal atrophy) which leads to blindness. Fortunately the DNA marker test is reliable, so while you might not see test results on the parents, you can find proof that pups are cleared by parentage or line cleared.

These apply to both breeds:
What you want to see is the certificates on the parents. Eyes are cleared by CERF exams which can only be done by certified veterinary opthmalogists. Hips are x-rayed and the two main screening organizations are OFA (ratings of parents can be found in the database at <http://www.offa.org>if parents are tested. Penn Hip is somewhat different, does not have a database, but a breeder should be able to provide the results for you.

A breeder who says "my vet says such and such isn't a problem in the breed" or "my vet said they were healthy" is a breeder to avoid.

I think you were leaning towards and more interested in the Cardigans from what I gathered in some of your earlier posts. I hope you have checked with the breeder referral contact for the CWCCA <http://www.cardigancorgis.com> Also I'd recommend attending some local dog shows if possible and after the breeds have finished showing see if you can spend some time around the breeds/dogs and talk to some breeders and owners. A list of shows can be found at <http://www.infodog.com> under the show information link. AKC also has a listing of shows now too and there are searches available by state. Also check out <http://www.corg-l.org>. There are some good articles there about breed differences as well as an article on what to look for in a responsible breeder that might help with your side of the "interview" process.

Good luck!
Debbie

	(#2 (permalink))
glencorgi Senior Member Status: Online Posts: 2,380 Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Piedmont Triad, NC	03-06-2006, 10:23 PM The primary health concerns in both breeds are hip dysplasia and eye problems. In Pembrokes there is also vWD (vonWillebrand's Disease) - a bleeding disorder where the blood doesn't clot, similar to hemophilia in humans. Unfortunately, we are once again at something of problem with the reliablity of vWD testing. Old blood tests were not reliable, although they are better now and the DNA marker test has proven to be inaccurate in some cases. In Cardigans there is also PRA (progressive retinal atrophy) which leads to blindness. Fortunately the DNA marker test is reliable, so while you might not see test results on the parents, you can find proof that pups are cleared by parentage or line cleared. These apply to both breeds: What you want to see is the certificates on the parents. Eyes are cleared by CERF exams which can only be done by certified veterinary opthmalogists. Hips are x-rayed and the two main screening organizations are OFA (ratings of parents can be found in the database at <http://www.offa.org>if parents are tested. Penn Hip is somewhat different, does not have a database, but a breeder should be able to provide the results for you. A breeder who says "my vet says such and such isn't a problem in the breed" or "my vet said they were healthy" is a breeder to avoid. I think you were leaning towards and more interested in the Cardigans from what I gathered in some of your earlier posts. I hope you have checked with the breeder referral contact for the CWCCA <http://www.cardigancorgis.com> Also I'd recommend attending some local dog shows if possible and after the breeds have finished showing see if you can spend some time around the breeds/dogs and talk to some breeders and owners. A list of shows can be found at <http://www.infodog.com> under the show information link. AKC also has a listing of shows now too and there are searches available by state. Also check out <http://www.corg-l.org>. There are some good articles there about breed differences as well as an article on what to look for in a responsible breeder that might help with your side of the "interview" process. Good luck! Debbie