Health: |
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A ridgeback is generally a very healthy and sturdy dog. It has relatively few |
genetic diseases compared to other breeds. An average life span of a |
ridgeback is 10 to 12 years. |
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Genetic (hereditary) diseases: |
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Degenerative myelopathy (DM) - is a hereditary, genetic disease that |
usually onsets around the age of eight years and leads to paralysis of the |
body. The first symptoms are weakness of the hind legs and hind part of |
the body, tremors, coordination issues. The illness is progressive and the |
dog gradually loses control of the entire body. In the final stages paralysis |
occurs, as well as inability to swallow, heart and lung failure. There is no |
cure or treatment for this disease, but luckily there is a genetic test thanks |
to which transmisson of the disease to progeny can be successfully |
avoided. |
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A dog can have one of the following genotypes: |
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1. N/N - the dog has two normal copies of the gene, i.e. it does not have a |
mutation that causes the disease. The dog is healthy, cannot develop the |
disease, it is not a carrier of the disease and therefore cannot pass it on to |
its progeny. The progeny of the N/N dog can never be affected by DM. |
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2. N/A - the dog has one normal copy of the gene and one copy of the |
mutated gene. Such dog cannot develop the disease but it is a carrier of |
the mutated gene which causes the disease and can pass it on to its |
progeny. |
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3. A/A - the dog has two copies of the mutated gene. Such dog will be |
affected by degenerative myelopathy and will inevitably pass on the |
mutated gene to its progeny. |
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The inheritance pattern is as follows: |
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1. If both parents are N/N, i.e. they are not carriers, all puppies will be N/N, |
i.e. they will be healthy and will not be carriers. |
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2. If one parent is N/N (not a carrier), and the other is N/A (a carrier), all |
puppies will be healthy (not affected) but all of them will have a 50% |
chance not to be carriers (N/N) and 50% chance to be carriers (N/A). |
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3. If both parents are carriers (N/A), all puppies will have a 25% chance of |
being healthy and not carriers (N/N), 25% chance of being affected by the |
disease (A/A), and 50% chance of being healthy (not affected) but at the |
same time carriers (N/A). |
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4. If one parent is not a carrier (N/N), and the other is affected (A/A), all the |
puppies will be carriers but non of them will be affected. |
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5. If one parent is a carrier (N/A) and the other is affected (A/A), all the |
puppies will have a 50% chance of being healthy but at the same time |
carriers of the diease (N/A), and 50% chance of being affected by the |
illness (A/A). |
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6. If both parents are affected (A/A), all the puppies will be affected (A/A). |
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Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) - is a genetic, hereditary disease |
which unlike classic epilepsy appear at a young age - between six weeks |
and 18 months of age. It is characterized by so called myoclonic |
movements, i.e. jerking of the head and the whole body. The myoclonic |
spasms or jerks usually occur when the dog is resting or is relaxed, but |
the seizures can also be caused by bright light. Unlike with the classic |
epilepsy, there is no loss of consciousness, salivation, foaming etc. |
Intensity and frequency of seizures vary from dog to dog. Those with |
milder symptoms have seizures less often and the myoclonic jerks are not |
as strong, while those with severe symptoms have seizures very often |
(several times a day) and the jerks are so strong that a dog awakens from |
sleep, falls down if sitting or standing, cannot normally eat, drink etc. |
Sadly dogs with severe symptoms have a very poor quality of life and |
owners usually decide to have them euthanized. Fortunately, scientists |
have developed a test which helps responsible breeders remove affected |
and carrier dogs from breeding plans. A dog can have one of the |
following genotypes: |
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1. N/N - the dog has two normal copies of the gene, i.e. there is no |
mutation that causes the disease. The dog is healthy, it cannot develop |
the disease and it cannot pass it on to its progeny. The progeny of the |
N/N dog can never be affected by JME. |
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2. N/A - the dog has one normal copy of the gene and one copy of the |
mutated gene. The dog cannot develop JME but it is a carrier of |
the mutated gene which causes the disease and it can pass it on to its |
progeny. |
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3. A/A - the dog has two copies of the mutated gene. Such dog will |
be affected by JME and it will always, without an exception pass on the |
mutated gene to its progeny. |
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The inheritance pattern is as follows: |
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1. If both parents are N/N, i.e. they are not carriers, all the puppies will be |
N/N, i.e. they will be healthy and will not be carriers. |
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2. If one parent is N/N (not a carrier) and the other is N/A (carrier), all of |
the puppies will be healhy (not affected by JME) but each of them will |
have a 50% chance not to be a carrier (N/N) and 50% chance to be a |
carrier (N/A). |
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3. If both parents are carriers (N/A), all puppies have a 25% chance of |
being healthy and not carriers (N/N), 25% chance of being affected by the |
disease (A/A) and 50% chance of being healthy (not affected) but being |
carriers of the disease at the same time (N/A). |
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4. If one parent is not a carrier (N/N) and the other is affected (A/A), all |
the puppies will be carriers (N/A) but none of them will be affected. |
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5. If one parent is a carrier (N/A) and the other is affected (A/A), all the |
puppies will have a 50% chance of being healthy but carriers at the same |
time (N/A) and 50% chance of being affected by the disease (A/A). |
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6. If both parents are affected (A/A), all the puppies will be affected (A/A). |
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Hemophilia B (factor IX deficiency) - is a genetic, hereditary disease. |
Affected animals have a factor IX deficiency. Factor IX (F9) is in charge of |
blood clotting. Due to the disease, the blood cannot clot properly, which |
leads to excessive bleeding, even bleeding to death is possible. Bleeding |
can be caused by injury, trauma or surgery (just like in healthy individuals), |
but sponataneous bleeding in the internal organs is possible in the |
affected individuals. Bleeding is not heavier or faster in the affected |
individuals, it rather lasts too long and cannot be stopped. |
Depending on sex, each dog can have one of the following genotypes: |
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FEMALES |
1. Xn/Xn - the dog has two normal copies of the gene, i.e. there is no |
mutation that causes the disease. The dog is healthy, she cannot be |
affected, she is not a carrier, and cannot pass it on to her progeny. |
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2. Xp/Xn - the dog has one normal copy of the gene and one copy of the |
mutated gene. The individual is healthy, but she is a carrier of hemophilia, |
and she will pass it on to her progeny. 50% of her male progeny is at risk |
of being affected by hemophilia B. 50% of her female progeny is at risk of |
being a carrier of the disease. |
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3. Xp/Xp - the dog has two copies of the mutated gene. This dog is sick |
(affected by hemophilia B), and she will pass on the disease to her offspring |
without an exception. All of her male progeny (100%) will be affected, and |
all of her female progeny (100%) will be carriers of the disease. |
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MALES |
1. Xn/Y - the dog has a normal copy of the X gene. He is healthy, cannot |
be affected and therefore cannot pass it on to his progeny. |
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2. Xp/Y - the dog has a mutated copy of the X gene. He is affected and |
he will pass on mutated X gene to all of his female progeny without an |
exception, i.e. all of his female progeny (100%) will be carriers of |
hemophilia B. |
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The inheritance pattern is as follows: |
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1. Female (Xn/Xn) and male (Xn/Y) - both parents are healthy and are not |
carriers of hemophilia B, and therefore produce healthy offspring. All |
progeny is healthy and not carriers. |
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2. Female (Xn/Xn) and male (Xp/Y) - as the female is healthy and not a |
carrier, all male progeny will be healthy and will not be carriers. As the male |
is affected, all female offsprings will be carriers of the disease. |
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3. Female (Xp/Xn) and male (Xn/Y) - as the female is a carrier, 50% of all |
male progeny is at risk of being affected and being a carrier, and 50% of |
all male progeny has a chance of being unaffected and therefore not a |
carrier. 50% of all female progeny is statistically at risk of being a carrier |
of the disease (Xp/Xn), but as the male is healthy none of the female |
progeny will be affected. |
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4. Female (Xp/Xn) and male (Xp/Y) - as the female is a carrier and the male |
is affected, all female puppies will be carriers, and 50% of those female |
puppies is at risk of being affected (Xp/Xp). 50% of male puppies is at |
risk of being affected (Xp/Y), and 50% of male progeny has a chance of |
being unaffected (Xn/Y). |
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5. Female (Xp/Xp) and male (Xn/Y) - as the female is affected, all male |
progeny will be affected (Xp/Y). But thanks to the healthy male, none of |
the female progeny will be affected, although each female puppy will be |
a carrier of the disease (Xp/Xn). |
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6. Female (Xp/Xp) and male (Xp/Y) - as both parents are affected, all of |
their progeny will be affected by hemophilia B - males will be Xp/Y and |
females will be Xp/Xp. |
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Early Onset Adult Deafness (EOAD) - is a genetic, hereditary disease. |
It is characterized by the hearing loss between the age of one and two, |
and it is therefore different from the deafness puppies are born with and |
old-age deafness. Affected individuals lose hearing completely and the |
condition cannot be treated or reversed. |
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Each dog can have one of the following genotypes: |
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1. N/N - the individual has two normal copies of the gene, it will not lose |
its hearing, it is not a carrier of the disease and therefore cannot pass it on |
to its progeny. |
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2. P/N - the dog has one normal copy of the gene, and one copy of the |
mutated gene. The individual itself is healthy, it cannot lose its hearing, but |
it is a carrier of the disease and will pass on the mutated gene on to its |
offspring. |
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3. P/P - the dog has two copies of the mutated gene. The dog is affected, |
i.e. will develop the disease (hearing loss), and it will pass on the mutated |
gene to its progeny without an exception. |
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The inheritance pattern is as follows: |
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1. If both parents are healthy and not carriers (N/N), all of their puppies |
will be healthy and will not be carriers of the disease (N/N). |
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2. If one parent is healthy and not a carrier (N/N), and the other is a carrier |
(P/N), none of their progeny will be affected but each will have a 50% |
chance of not being a carrier (N/N), and 50% chance of being a carrier (P/N). |
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3. If both parents are carriers (P/N), all of their puppies have a 25% chance |
of being healthy and not being carriers (N/N), 25% chance of being affected |
(P/P), and 50% chance of not being affected but being carriers (P/N). |
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4. If one parent is healty and not a carrier (N/N), and the other is affected |
(P/P), all of their progeny will be carriers but will not be affected by the |
disease (P/N). |
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5. If one parent is a carrier (P/N), and the other is affected (P/P), all of their |
progeny has a 50% chance of not being affected and being carriers (P/N) |
and a 50% chance of being affected (P/P). |
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6. If both parents are affected (P/P), all of their progeny (100%) will be |
affected (P/P). |
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Hip dysplasia (HD) - is a genetic, congenital condition. It is a |
developmental deformity of the hip. The ball of the femur is loose in the |
socket due to weak ligaments, tendons and muscles. Due to the improper |
position of the joint, the cartilage and the bone wear and tear, causing |
pain, lameness and difficulty moving. Hip dysplasia can only be surgically |
treated. |
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A certified radiographic examination (x-rays) which is used to score dog's |
hips should be done once a dog has finished its growth and development |
(for ridgebacks ideally at or after the age of 18 months). |
FCI hip classification is as follows: |
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A - a normal hip without signs of dysplasia. |
B - an almost normal hip (transition from normal toward dysplastic hip). |
C - mild hip dysplasia. |
D - moderate hip dysplasia. |
E - severe hip dysplasia. |
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Each hip is scored separately so the result is displayed as A/A, A/B, B/B etc. |
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FCI allows breeding of dogs with A, B and C hips, while dogs with D and E |
hips must not be used in breeding. Naturally, a breeder should for |
breeding use dogs with the best possible hips (A hips ideally), and avoid |
those with poor(er) hips (B and C) whenever possible. |
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Elbow dysplasia (ED) - is a genetic, congenital condition. It is |
represented by improper and disproportional development of bone and |
cartilage components of the elbow. These lead to mechanical and |
inflamatory changes in the joint which cause pain and lead to degenerative |
changes on the cartilage. The affected elbow is painful and the joint's |
movement is limited and improper. Just like hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia |
can only be surgically treated. |
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A certified radiographic examination (x-rays) which is used to score dog's |
elbows should be performed once dog's growth and development has |
completed (for ridgebacks ideally at or after the age of 18 months). |
FCI classification of elbows is as follows: |
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0 - a normal elbow without signs of dysplasia. |
1 - mild dysplasia (transition from normal to dysplastic). |
2 - moderate dysplasia. |
3 - severe dysplasia. |
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Each elbow is scored separately and results are presented as 0/0, 1/1, 2/3 |
etc. |
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Only healthy dogs with 0/0 elbows should be used for breeding. |
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Other illnesses: |
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Bloat - Just like other breeds with similar built (large dogs with deep chest) |
a Rhodesian ridgeback is prone to bloat (torsion or twisting of stomach). |
This is a serious, potentially fatal condition that requires immediate |
surgery. The bloar occurs when a dog's stomach twists around its own |
axis so the amount of accumulated fluid and gases cannot be reduced by |
burping or vomiting. When a stomach twists the blood circulation in the |
stomach and small intestine gets cut off. The bloat usually happens when |
a dog overeats, gulps down food and air fast, drinks large amount of |
water immediately after the meal or when a dog jumps or runs after the |
meal. Symptoms develop very quickly - the dog tries to vomit but cannot |
throw up the content from the stomach, he is agitated, the stomach swells |
up, mucous membranes become pale, the dog becomes weak and the |
heart rate increases. If left untreated, bloat can quickly cause shock and
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death. |
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This is why it is necessary to take special care while feeding your ridgeback, |
i.e. prevention. The dog should be given several smaller meals during the |
day (at least two) always AFTER a walk or exercise. Do not allow your dog |
to overeat, run or jump at least three hours after the meal. Do not let him |
drink water immediately after eating and wait at least an hour before you |
let him drink.
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Dermoid Sinus - This is a hereditary, genetic disease. A dermoid sinus is an |
abscess (or a tube) that runs from the surface of the skin down to the |
spinal cord. The tube fills with hair and skin debris and fluids accumulate in |
it. It leads to infection that eventually reaches the spinal cord and leads to |
a painful death. The affected puppies have a small lump (usually on their |
necks and backs) and a small hole is visible when the hair is shaved off. The |
only treatment is surgery but it is usually unsuccessful and puppies with |
dermoid sinus are usually put to sleep. Thanks to proper selection and |
breeding, dermoid sinus is not very common anymore. |