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English Pituitary dwarfism: a bigger problem than expected! As much as 15-20% of the dogs that have been tested appear to be carrier of this defect, which occurs with the German Sheperd, the white shepherd, the Saarloos wolfdog, the Czech wolfdog and the Karelian beardog. Dwarfism is a simple recessive hereditary defect. This means that if both parents are carrier of the defect, 25% of the litter will be dwarfs, 50% will be carrier and 25% will neither be carrier nor have the defect. In case a carrier and a non-carrier breed, 50% of the litter will be carrier of the defect. It is assumed that 1% of the puppies are dwarfs. This would amount to approximately 40 German shepherd puppies a year in The Netherlands alone! However they are seldom seen, as about 90% of these puppies die during or shortly after birth and puppies that stay behind a lot compared to their siblings are often put to sleep. Therefore it is very difficult to convince breeders, breeding associations, Kennelclubs and animal protection societies to have breeding animals tested for pituitary dwarfism. In the Netherlands animals are tested at the AVLS (SWH) and the TSW club. Other associations (until now) refuse to discuss the matter, as they do not see this defect as a substantial problem or claim that the problem does not occur with their population of dogs. What does Pituitary dwarfism imply for the dog? Although it is suggested on some websites that dogs which have the defect can live a normal life and have a normal life expectation if they only take medication for the thyroid gland, things are very different in practice. Puppies are often still lively and gay, but the dogs will gradually start to feel worse as a result of a bad functioning thyroid gland and a decreasing functioning of the kidneys. Increasing formation of cysts in the pituitary gland could reduce the still existing release of hormones. The fur of the puppy remains for a long time, often over a year, but as soon as the puppy starts to shed it the dog will become bald and the itching and inflammation starts. Most common abnormalities in dwarf dogs: reduced growth, development disorder of cervical vertebrae, delayed closure growth drives, dental problems, muscle atrophy, cryptorchidie, deranged fertility cycle, underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism sec.), mental retardation, chronic kidney and/or liver failure, complete baldness, susceptibility to bacterial skin infections, itching, itchy ears, abnormal blood vessels, metabolic problems. The Faculty of veterinary medicine in Utrecht has been carrying out scientific research into pituitary dwarfism for about 20 years now and is still discovering new defects that are caused by this genetic disorder. Just recently neurological problems were discovered in several dogs who suffered from dwarfism. After doing an MRI/CT/X-ray of head and neck it became clear that pituitary dwarf growth sometimes also has an effect on the development of the vertebra of the neck. A very instable top vertebra of the neck causes restraint of the spinal cord and could cause pressure on the little brain in severe cases. Faith, a TsW-puppy of only 8 months old was euthanized for that reason. Possible symptoms: putting the `head in the neck`, lifting the front paws in an exaggerated way , not being able to walk straight on, falling, having difficulty standing up, crossing of the front legs, insufficient recovery after a clinical test (by a neurologist), non tactical reactions and clumsy behaviour. If you have a dog suffering from pituitary dwarf growth which has one or more of the symptoms above, please inform us about it. Name/descend are of no importance to us and will certainly not be made public. Recommendation: as a precaution it is better to use a harness instead of a leash. Try to prevent wild play and sudden violent movements of the neck (such as a somersault). This could cause instant paralyses. St. Saartje is treating dogs with pituitary dwarf growth in cooperation with the Faculty of veterinary medicine with GH (growth hormones) and theroxine. GH causes better development of liver, kidneys and skin and prevents shedding of the fur. Theroxine is essential because of the malfunctioning thyroid gland. Even though dogs that have been treated often do not reach a high age, the quality of life is improved considerably. Should one keep a dog with such a serious defect alive in the first place? YES, because if dogs with dwarf growth are never shown in the media, no one will know of their existence and breeders and the breeding associations will be able to continue pretending that this defect is not a threat to their breed. It goes without saying that only dogs which have a good quality of life and are also showing this by a happy and active behaviour are kept alive. Defects that occur in dogs with pituitary dwarf growth: Less growth, development disorder of the vertebrae of the neck, delayed closure of the growth discs, problems with teeth, atrophy of the muscles, cryptorchism, disturbed fertility cycle, slow functioning of the thyroid gland (secondary hypothyreoidea), mental retardation, chronic kidney and/or liver failure, complete baldness, sensitivity to inflammation of the skin caused by bacteria, itching, itching ears, defects of the vessels, problems with metabolism. What can you do? In case you decide to breed with one of the above mentioned breeds, please have your animal tested! This prevents al lot of misery for the animals and financial loss for you as a breeder. The way a test/examination is carried out For a genetic test 4 ml of blood is needed. This should be collected in a blood tube with EDTA used as an anti-clotting remedy. This blood sample should be send by mail for the attention of: Dr. H.S. Kooistra Departement Geneeskunde van Gezelschapsdieren Yalelaan 108 3584 CM Utrecht Besides the blood sample a copy of the pedigree must be included. Your vet must stand surety for the identification of the dog. The cost for this (rather labour-intensive) test amount to Euro 100 (excluding VAT). In case your dog is not a carrier of this hereditary defect you will receive a certificate stating this. It goes without saying that such a certificate will give your dog a surplus value. Only the owner will be given notice of the test results. If you have no intention of breeding, but you would like to support us, all help will be appreciated: advertising the defect, (helping to find) financial support or possibly taking care of a dog with dwarf growth in your home. Stichting Saartje provides information/lectures on site.