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Welfare epidemiology as a tool to assess the welfare impact of inherited defects on the pedigree dog population

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

LM Collins ,
L Asher ,
JF Summers ,
G Diesel  and
PD McGreevy
LM Collins*
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK
L Asher
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK
JF Summers
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK
G Diesel
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK Veterinary Medicines Directorate, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KTI5 3LS, UK
PD McGreevy
Affiliation:
Faculty of Veterinary Science (B19), University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: lcollins@rvc.ac.uk
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Abstract

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The effect that breed standards and selective breeding practices have on the welfare of pedigree dogs has recently come under scrutiny from both the general public and scientific community. Recent research has suggested that breeding for particular aesthetic traits, such as tightly curled tails, highly domed skulls and short muzzles predisposes dogs with these traits to certain inherited defects, such as spina bifida, syringomyelia and brachycephalic airway obstruction syndrome, respectively. Further to this, there is a very large number of inherited diseases that are not related to breed standards, which are thought to be prevalent, partly as a consequence of inbreeding and restricted breeding pools. Inherited diseases, whether linked to conformation or not, have varying impact on the individuals affected by them, and affect varying proportions of the pedigree dog population. Some diseases affect few breeds but are highly prevalent in predisposed breeds. Other diseases affect many breeds, but have low prevalence within each breed. In this paper, we discuss the use of risk analysis and severity diagrams as means of mapping the overall problem of inherited disorders in pedigree dogs and, more specifically, the welfare impact of specific diseases in particular breeds.

Keywords

animal welfarebreedingdog welfareepidemiologyinherited disordersrisk analysis
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 19 , Issue S1: Proceedings of the UFAW International Symposium ‘Darwinian selection, selective breeding and the welfare of animals’ Bristol, 2009 , May 2010 , pp. 67 - 75
Copyright
© 2010 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

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