GUIDE TO CONGENITAL AND HERITABLE DISORDERS
in Labradoodles and Australian Labradoodles

Introduction:

Purebred dogs as well as mixed breed dogs are prone to health disorders which may be familial or genetic in nature. Often, these health disorders are unapparent to the average person but could result in misery for both the dog and their guardians.

The ALAA supports the genetic testing of all breeding dogs in order to reduce the occurrence of these health disorders. To educate potential owners and breeders as to the possible congenital and heritable disorders that can be found in Labradoodles, we have consulted the The Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights (AVAR) directory. This directory lists disorders of all dog breeds, including the disorders found in both Labrador Retrievers and Poodles the main foundation breeds of Labradoodles. We have also consulted with Breeding Specialist Dr. Iyampillai Arun, DVM, PA .

Genetic disorder screening is one tool used by breeders to help reduce the incidence of certain disorders in a breed. Yearly extensive physical exams and consistent contact with puppy owners are two other tools. By judiciously sharing information, screening for genetic diseases, carefully researching the background of all dogs used in a breeding program, a breeder can make significant strides to reducing disorders in future generations of Labradoodles.

The aforementioned study presented an alphabetical listing of congenital and genetically transmitted diseases that occur in purebred dogs. This IALA report was then designed to catalogue the identified congenital and hereditary disorders found in both the Labrador retriever and Poodle (all three sizes).

Part 1, identifies which breed has presented with each disorder
Part 2, identifies each disorder

Part 1, The following identifies, by AVAR study number, congenital and genetically transmitted diseases that occur in the Labrador Retriever and/or Poodle, although all issues should be considered, some health issues found in both breeds.

Labrador retriever: 3, 7, 9, 9a, 10, 22, 40, 42, 52a, 59, 68, 77,78, 85, 88, 89, 94, 95, 103, 109, 121, 122, 129a, 146, 147, 148, 149, 152, 158, 159a, 160, 166, 192, 194a, 197, 204a, 206a, 221, 221a, 244, 245, 256, 257, 258, 269, 270, 276, 282, 304a, 312, 315, 330

Miniature poodle: 5, 10, 22, 26, 27, 42, 49, 78, 81, 85, 88, 92,93, 103, 109, 110, 111, 121, 135, 136, 140, 144, 146, 147, 156,165, 166, 173, 175, 184, 186, 192, 193a, 199, 206, 206a, 220, 221,221a, 223, 226, 230, 235, 236, 250, 256, 269, 273a, 275, 294, 311a,312, 327, 330

Standard poodle: 9a, 10, 21, 22, 27, 31, 42, 61, 81, 88, 103, 109,110, 121, 124a, 135, 140, 144, 146, 147, 152, 159a, 166, 175, 184,186, 192, 199, 220, 221, 221a, 223, 230, 245, 256, 269, 273a, 311a, 312, 330

Toy poodle: 5, 10, 22, 26, 27, 42, 49, 78, 81, 85, 88, 92, 93, 103,109, 110, 111, 121, 124a, 135, 136, 140, 144, 146, 147, 149, 156, 165, 166, 173, 175, 184, 186, 193a, 199, 220, 221, 221a, 223, 226, 230, 235, 236, 256, 269, 273a, 275, 294, 311a, 327, 330

Part 2, includes an alphabetical listing, by AVAR study number, of congenital and genetically transmitted diseases that occur in either Labrador Retrievers or Poodles.

• 3. Abnormal dentition: abnormal placement, number and development of teeth.
• 5. Achondroplasia: abnormal development of cartilage leading to dwarfism (seen aberrantly in most breeds, but that's what makes a Basset hound and other achondroplastic breeds long and low).
• 7. Acral lick dermatitis: a skin disease caused by an animal's licking a localized area excessively, especially on the legs and paws.
• 9. Acute moist dermatitis: known as "hot spots," a localized area of a severely itchy, inflamed and oozing dermatitis exacerbated by the animal's intense licking and chewing at the spot.
• 9a. Addison's disease (hypoadrenocorticism): a disease characterized by inadequate secretion of cortisone from the adrenal glands.
• 10. Allergies: same as in humans. Dogs can be allergic to things they come in contact with, eat or inhale.
• 21. Atopic dermatitis: a skin disease caused by a dog's reaction to an inhalant allergy.
• 22. Atopy: an allergy caused from things dogs inhale.
• 26. Basal cell tumor: a cancer arising from a type of skin cell.
• 27. Behavioral abnormalities: a whole range of abnormal behavior patterns, such as aggression, panic disorders, etc.
• 31. Bloat: a condition where a dog's stomach produces excessive gas and enlarges severely enough to cause death without immediate treatment. Usually associated with gastric torsion.
• 40. Carpal subluxation: a condition where the "wrist" bones are loose and out of alignment.
• 42. Cataract: as in humans, a change in structure of the lens of the eye leading to cloudiness and usually to blindness.
• 49. Cerebrospinal demyelination: a condition where the neurons of the brain and spinal cord are malformed, lacking a specialized sheath, which causes malfunction.
• 52a. Chronic progressive hepatitis: an uncommon disease sometimes called chronic active hepatitis.
• 59. Coloboma: an abnormal development of the eye, usually seen in collies, which can lead to blindness.
• 61. Color mutant alopecia: a condition where certain colored areas of a dog's skin grows less or no fur.
• 77. Dacryocystitis: inflammation of a tear sac.
• 78. Deafness: an inability to hear, due to many different causes.
• 81. Dermatitis, atopic: inflammation and subsequent infection of the skin due to atopy.
• 85. Diabetes mellitus: a metabolic disease caused by insulin deficiency and characterized by the inability to utilize sugars normally.
• 88. Distichiasis: abnormally growing eyelashes.
• 89. Dwarfism: an abnormality of the normal growth pattern resulting in an undersized individual.
• 92. Ectodermal defects: any of a multitude of abnormalities arising from maldevelopment of the fetal ectoderm (e.g., skin, nervous system, eyes).
• 93. Ectopic ureters: the ureters (tubes leading from the kidneys to the bladder) do not empty into the bladder in the normal location.
• 94. Ectropion: an abnormal rolling out of the eyelids.
• 95. Elbow dysplasia: an abnormal development of the elbow joint.
• 103. Entropion: an abnormal rolling in of the eyelid.
• 109. Epilepsy: a disease characterized by convulsions (seizures) and/or disturbances of consciousness.
• 110. Epiphora: abnormal draining of tears often due to overproduction.
• 111. Epiphyseal dysplasia: abnormal development of the epiphysis, a part of the long bones.
• 121. Factor VIII deficiency or hemophilia A: the most common severe inherited clotting disorder of humans and nonhuman animals. Inherited as a sex-linked recessive trait (carried by females and manifested in males). Affects most dog breeds.
• 122. Factor IX deficiency or hemophilia B: same as hemophilia A, but more rare and involves a different clotting factor. Affects about 20 dog breeds.
• 124a. Factor XII deficiency: a clotting factor deficiency that rarely produces clinical signs. Seen in toy and standard poodles and occasionally in other breeds.
• 129a. Fragmented coronoid process: osteochondrosis of the elbow joint.
• 135. Glaucoma: abnormally high pressure in the eye.
• 136. Globoid cell leukodystrophy: abnormal development and/or function of certain types of white globoid cells in the brain.
• 140. Granulomatous sebaceous adenitis: a disease of sebaceous (sweat) skin glands characterized by reactive tissue growth and autoimmune destruction of the sebaceous glands. Hair loss occurs and is poorly responsive to treatment. Common in standard poodles
• 144. Hemeralopia: inability to see in daylight.
• 146. Hemolytic anemia: anemia caused by the destruction of the red blood cells by an autoimmune process.
• 147. Hemophilia A: a blood clotting disorder due to deficiency of coagulation factor VIII
• 148. Hemophilia B: a blood clotting disorder due to lack of coagulation factor IX.
• 149. Hepatic portosystemic shunt or arteriovenous fistula: a malformation of blood vessels in the liver or an abnormal communication between the arteries and veins in the liver.
• 152. Hip dysplasia: a developmental malformation or subluxation of the hip joints.
• 156. Hyperadrenocorticism or Cushing's disease: a disease where the adrenal glands are overactive.
• 158. Hypertrophic osteodystrophy: a condition of rapidly growing giant breeds where there is an abnormal inflammation of bones with pain and development of excessive bony growths.
• 159a. Hypoadrenocorticism: a disease where autoimmune or other causes of destruction of the adrenal glands produces a deficiency of corticosteroids.
• 160. Hypoglycemia: a syndrome where the animal has an abnormally low blood glucose.
• 165. Hyposomatotropism: failure of the body growth hormones (somatomedins) to develop fully. Also known as growth hormoneresponsive dermatosis.
• 166. Hypothyroidism: a common endocrine disease where the body produces an abnormally low amount of thyroid hormones. An autoimmune destruction of the thyroid gland which affects more than 50 dog breeds.
• 173. Intervertebral disc disease: a disease where the discs between the vertebra are abnormal and prone to rupture and misplacement.
• 175. Iris atrophy: a condition where the iris (the colored part of the eye) shrinks and becomes non-functional.
• 184. Lacrimal duct atresia: a condition where the duct draining tears from the eye is too small or not formed.
• 186. Lens luxation: a condition where the lens in the eye is displaced into an abnormal position.
• 192. Lymphocytic thyroiditis: an autoimmune disease causing inflammation and destruction of the thyroid gland, which becomes infiltrated with lymphocytes (white blood cells) and leads to hypothyroidism. This is the most common endocrine disease of the dog and has an inherited predisposition.
• 193a. Lysosomal ‘storage’ diseases: a group of progressive multifocal neurologic disorders caused by specific enzyme deficiencies leading to death of nerve cells and accumulation of their respective enzyme substrates in cells.
• 194a. Malignant hyperthermia: an autosomal dominant trait of black Labrador retrievers. Very high body temperatures develop in response to gaseous anesthesia.
• 197. Melanoma: a rare cancer developing from the type of skin cell which produces pigment (melanin).
• 199. Microphthalmia: a condition where one or both eyes are too small.
• 204. Multiple epiphyseal dysplasia: a condition where many of the long bones develop abnormally due to changes in the growth plates.
• 204a. Muscular dystrophy: a congenital and often inherited form of generalized muscle dysfunction which causes signs such as poor growth, weakness, abnormal gait, difficulty eating and swallowing, and muscle atrophy.
• 206a. Narcolepsy: a neurological disorder characterized by falling asleep suddenly (collapse) which can occur during periods of activity and last for various lengths of time.
• 220. Optic nerve hypoplasia: a condition where the optic nerve going from the eye to the brain is too small.
• 221a. Osteochondrosis: a group of developmental diseases resulting in abnormal formulation of joint cartilage. Commonly involves the shoulder, stifle, hock or elbow.
• 223. Osteogenesis imperfecta: imperfect development of the structure and/or mineralization of the bones.
• 226. Otitis externa: an infection of the external structures of the ear.
• 230. Pannus: an immunologic eye disease characterized by abnormal growth of tissue over the cornea.
• 235. Patella luxation: a condition where the knee caps slide in and out of place.
• 236. Patent ductus arteriosus: failure of the vessel remnant joining the aorta and pulmonary artery in fetal life to close properly at birth, thereby shunting blood away from the lungs.
• 244. Persistent hyaloid artery: a developmental abnormality where one of the fetal blood vessels inside the eye does not atrophy
• 245. Persistent pupillary membrane: a developmental abnormality where the membrane forming the iris does not form properly.
• 250. Pododermatitis: a skin infection of the paws.
• 256. Progressive retinal atrophy: a disease where the retina slowly deteriorates, producing night blindness.
• 257. Prolapsed rectum: a condition where the inside of the rectum protrudes outside the anus.
• 269. Retinal detachment: where the retina is unattached to the back of the eye.
• 270. Retinal dysplasia: a condition where the retina is malformed.
• 273a. Sebaceous adenitis: (See #140.)
• 275. Sebaceous gland tumor: a tumor arising from sebaceous glands of the skin.
• 276. Seborrhea: a skin disease with excess scaling of the skin and often an excess of sebum (oil-like substance) and odor.
• 282. Shoulder dysplasia: a looseness of the shoulder joint.
• 294. Squamous cell carcinoma: a cancer arising from the squamous type of skin cell.
• 304a. Syncope: a brief period of fainting or collapse. (See #206a.)
• 311a. Thrombocytopenia: a reduced number of platelets in the blood which causes pinpoint hemorrhages in the skin and mucosa.
• 312. Thyroiditis: an autoimmune inflammatory disease of the thyroid gland.
• 315. Type II muscle fiber deficiency: a deficiency in form and/or function of a specific type of muscle fiber.
• 327. Ventricular septal defect: an abnormality (usually a hole) in the wall between the two chambers of the heart.
• 330. von Willebrand's disease: a type of bleeding disorder caused by defective blood platelet function. Occurs in 59 dog breeds.