Lifespan and Causes of Death in the Irish Wolfhound - Vetsuisse ...

3.5.2 Epizootology
A prospective study of 177 Irish Wolfhounds, of which 10 developed GDV during the
study time, found that the breed has a GDV incidence of 2.6% per year, 3.6% in
males and 1.8% in females. The risk of GDV increased by approximately 20% per
additional year of age (Glickman, Glickman et al. 2000 a). On a more general note,
older, large and giant purebred dogs with a deep and narrow thorax were found to be
at an increased risk (Burrows and Ignaszweski 1990).
Gastric Dilation Volvulus (GDV) accounted for 11.7% of reported deaths in Irish
Wolfhounds (Bernardi 1986). The Hoflin survey found a similar number of 11.5%
(Prokopenko 1998). Contrary to other breed-specific diseases, the comparatively low
lethality of GDV makes it difficult to assess its incidence from death data as used in
these studies as well as the study at hand.
The author hypothesises that to a certain extent, the basic laws of mechanics and
inertia could also be contributing to the higher GDV incidence in large breed dogs:
While the mass of the stomach increases cubically – proportionally to its volume – as
the dog's size increases, the strength of its gastric ligaments only increases
quadratically – proportionally to their cross sectional area. Thus, the larger the dog
grows, the less favourable the relation between stomach mass and ligament strength
becomes.
3.5.3 Heredity and Control Measures
Having a first-degree relative (parent/sibling/offspring) with GDV has been associated
with an increased GDV risk for a long time. In a recent prospective study, dogs that
had at least one first-degree relative affected with GDV had an adjusted risk increase
of 63%, indicating a hereditary component. This hereditary component may be partly
operating through inheritance of a particular body shape or temperament (Glickman,
Glickman et al. 2000 b).
The same study comes to the conclusion that dogs with a first-degree relative with
GDV should not be used for breeding, and that the incidence of the disease could be
reduced by 60% using this approach. Using a proportional hazard risk model, the
data also showed that a 14% overall decrease of GDV cases in the population could
be reached by this selection approach (Glickman, Glickman et al. 2000 b).
3.6 Rhinitis/Bronchopneumonia Syndrome – PCD
3.6.1 Description
Rhinitis/Bronchopneumonia syndrome is a disease of the respiratory tract that usually
affects Irish Wolfhound puppies from the time of birth. Other organs such as the brain
ventricles, middle ear and male reproductive tract can also be affected. The
syndrome was one of the earliest diseases described in the breed, back then as
probably viral in origin (Wilkinson 1969). Only recently has the link been made to the
possible mechanisms of a hereditary immunodeficiency (Leisewitz, Spencer et al.
1997) and/or of hereditary Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (Clercx, Reichler et al. 2003;
Casal 2004).
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