Elbow dysplasia in dogs - British Veterinary Association.

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The greater the degree of ED in the parents, the more likely they are topass the disease on to their offspring (as shown in this study ofSwedish Rottweilers)ParentsPer cent of offspring affectedNormal x Normal 31Normal x Mild ED 43Normal x Moderate ED 48EDxED 56Dogs in which elbow dysplasiacauses lameness are only the 'tipof the iceberg'. These animals areobvious because of their lameness.However, there are many dogs withsubclinical disease that have anincreased risk of producingoffspring with elbow dysplasia.These animals are not obvious andcan only be located by screeningCONTROL OF ELBOW DYSPLASIAAs the genetic make-up of the dog is the overwhelming influence on thecause of ED, the disease can be controlled by minimising the 'problem' genesin the population. This means selecting sires and dams with the best geneticmake-up. There is no laboratory genetic test available, like a DNA 'fingerprint',to show which animals have the best genetic make-up for elbows. However,dogs can be screened by radiographing (X-raying) their elbows, and lookingfor the signs of ED.If sires and dams are only selected from animals with minimal ED, most of theclinical and subclinical animals can be eliminated from the breedingprogramme, which prevents them passing their defective genetic make up onto the next generation. Success of such control depends on a high proportionof any breed participating, and making the information public, so that low-riskanimals can be selected by anyone wishing to breed. In other countries,screening schemes like this have been successful in significantly reducing theED problem. There is an international standard for such schemesadministered by the International Elbow Working Group (IEWO), whichencourages a coordinated approach to the problem.
1. 2.2/3. Secondary changes - theradiograph on the left shows asmooth bump of osteoarthritic newbone (arrowed).This is mild (grade1) elbow dysplasia. The radiographbelow shows gross irregularosteoarthritis in the three arrowedareas. This is severe (grade 3)elbow dysplasia1. Primary abnormality - thiscranio-caudal radiograph showsan enlarged joint space (darkline) on one side. In this gap youcan see a large detachedfragment (white). This is anosteochondrosis OCD) lesion.When removed it was the size ofa little fingernail!3.The breeds that have a higher incidence of elbow displasia are:Basset Hound, Bernese Mountain Dog,English Mastiff, German Shepherd Dog, Golden Retriever, Great Dane, Irish Wolfhound,Labrador Retriever, Newfoundland, RottweilerTHE NEW UK ELBOW DYSPLASIA SCHEMETo provide an opportunity for the control of ED in the UK, the BritishVeterinary Association and the Kennel Club (BVA/KC) have introduced ascreening scheme run along IEWO guidelines. Previously the only elbowschemes running in this country have been set up by individual groups suchas the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Great Britain and the Guide Dogs forthe Blind Association. These have been successful in helping to avoidbreeding from animals with a high risk of producing ED in their offspring.The grading system is simpleGradeDescription0 Normal1 Mild ED2 Moderate ED or a primary lesion3 Severe ED
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Page 6 and 7: THE GRADING PROCEDUREInitially the
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