Genetic Welfare Problems of Companion Animals

An information resource for prospective pet owners

Dog welfare

Dogs

To help tackle genetic welfare problems, UFAW recommends that anyone buying a puppy should ensure that it is accompanied by an RSPCA/BVA AWF Puppy Contract and Puppy Information Pack (PIP). See www.puppycontract.org.uk

The Royal Veterinary College held a conference, part funded by UFAW, to draw attention to welfare issues that can affect brachycephalic dogs (short muzzle breeds). A report of the meeting can be downloaded here.

The collection of information and development of this site is a 'work in progress'. Non-inclusion of a breed or condition at this time does not necessarily mean that the breed has no genetic disorders or that the condition is not a problem.

NB. Conditions are described on a breed-by-breed basis. It should not be assumed that the conditions listed here occur only in the breed in which they are described. They may occur in other breeds (and in cross-breeds) also. We hope to be able to develop the website to give broader coverage in due course.

Introduction to Brachycephalic Obstructive Airways Syndrome Featuring Dr John Bradshaw (University of Bristol) and Dr David Sargan (University of Cambridge)

Click on a breed to go to the list of conditions for which information is available on this site:

Alaskan Husky

Basset Hound

Beagle

Bedlington Terrier

Bernese Mountain Dog

Bloodhound

Border Collie

Border Terrier

Boston Terrier

Boxer

Bull Terrier

Cairn Terrier

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (CKCS)

Chihuahua

Chow Chow

Cocker Spaniel

Corgi

Dachshunds

Dalmatian

Doberman Pinscher

Dogue de Bordeaux

English Bulldog

English Springer Spaniel (ESS)

Fox Terrier

French Bulldog

German Shepherd Dog (Alsatian)

Giant Schnauzer

Golden Retriever

Great Dane

Irish Setter

Irish Wolfhound

Labrador Retriever

Lhasa Apso

Maltese

Miniature Poodle

Miniature Schnauzer

Newfoundland

Pekingese

Pomeranian

Pug

Rhodesian Ridgeback

Rottweiler

Samoyed

Scottish Deerhound

Scottish Terrier (Scottie)

Shar Pei

Shiba Inu

Shih Tzu

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Standard Poodle

Toy Poodle

Welsh Springer Spaniel

West Highland White Terrier

Yorkshire Terrier

Credits for photos above:

Alaskan Husky By Asigglin (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Basset Cali1008 (Own work) [Public domain],via Wikimedia Com

Beagle http://depositphotos.com/23562631/stock-photo-the-typical-beagle-on-the-green-grass.html ©Depositphotos.com/CaptureLight

Bedlington Elf at en.wikipedia [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

Bernese Ocmey http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilisateur:Ocmey [CC-BY-SA-2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons

Bloodhound Claudia Krebs, modyfikacja Pleple2000 [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

B Terrier http://depositphotos.com/33769317/stock-photo-border-terrier-on-a-green-grass-lawn.html ©Depositphotos.com/CaptureLight

Boston Elf at en.wikipedia [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

Boxer Corporalen (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Cavalier Philippe Brizard (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Chihuahua http://depositphotos.com/6580482/stock-photo-chihuahua-longhaired-dog-portrait.html ©Depositphotos.com/Foto-front

Chow Remigiusz Józefowicz (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-2.5-pl (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/pl/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons

Dachsund http://depositphotos.com/19209111/stock-photo-portrait-of-standard-smooth-haired-dachshund.html ©Depositphotos.com/CaptureLight

Dalmatian Mark Berbezier (Daisy the Dalmatian) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
or CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Dogue de B StBrecht at de.wikipedia [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons

Eng Bulldog Asmadeus (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Eng Springer http://depositphotos.com/7961864/stock-photo-working-english-springer-spaniel.html ©Depositphotos.com/chrisga

Giant Schnauzer Bohemianroots (Own work) [Public domain],via Wikimedia Commons

G Retriever Golden dust [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Gt Dane Fainomenon (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)],
via Wikimedia Commons

Ir Setter Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez (Lmbuga Commons)(Lmbuga Galipedia) Publicada por/Publish by: Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

Ir Wolfhound Tirwhan [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Lab Erikeltic at English Wikipedia [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL
(http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Lhasa Apso. http://depositphotos.com/10901379/stock-photo-lhasa-apso-3-years-old. html ©Depositphotos.com/lifeonwhite

Min Poodle http://depositphotos.com/13189816/stock-photo-poodle-puppy-lies-on-the-grass.html ©Depositphotos.com/Belyaev71
Min Schnauzer Psiara at pl.wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], from Wikimedia Commons

Newfoundland SKern at the German language Wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

Pekingese Rickshido [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Pug Beckilee (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

R Ridgeback Gulik (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Rottweiller rostdi (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons

Sc Terrier Walescot (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)],
via Wikimedia Commons

Staff BT mrs staffies (licence libre) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

St Poodle B. Schoener (Flying Spark at de.wikipedia) (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Toy Poodle http://depositphotos.com/10575590/stock-photo-toy-poodle-puppy-on-green-grass.html ©Depositphotos.com/FotoJagodka

Welsh Springer Udo Tjalsma (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

West Highlnd White Terr Mider [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Yorkshire Terr http://depositphotos.com/13265541/stock-photo-yorkshire-terrier-in-city-park.html ©Depositphotos.com/tandemich

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