 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
be dealt with. Here we are against close inbreeding and strive to produce healthy pups.
Things can crop up from time to time and this is why we stand behind our pups.
PLEASE NOTE THESE ARE PROBLEMS THAT HAPPEN IN ALL ANIMALS. WE HAVE
RARELY SEEN THESE IN OUR PAPILLONS. WE DO HOWEVER CONSTANTLY MONITOR
FOR ANY HEALTH RELATED PROBLEMS. WE DO NOT BELIEVE IN CLOSE INBREEDING
AND THEREFORE PRODUCE HEALTHY, HAPPY PUPPIES.
In over 20 years of breeding the Paps we have had one case of possible epilepsy (never
confirmed by a vet and 18 years ago) and we have now had our first deaf pup . The vet
says we may never see another, these things happen. All pups will now undergo a
hearing test before leaving for their new home. We just had confirmation from a vet and
human doctor that the medicine given to the mom was the cause of the deaf pups. Our
animals were being treated with Zenequin (even our pregnant bitches). Our deaf pup
was born out of this litter. Beware of this drug if your dog is pregnant.
I am proud of the low incidence of any health problems in over 20 years breeding these
amazing little dogs. If a health issue where to appear after the pup has gone to a new
home I am there to stand behind my guarantee. The pup will be replaced or other
options may be discussed. I try to be flexible and offer you the buyer options to choose
from.
Here is a useful list of issues that are seen in paps (occasionally). Some of these issues
may never be seen by a breeder and our biggest issue is still the over-vaccination of our
little pups. This can cause more harm (more frequently) then any of these health issues.
If you have any questions feel free to contact me.
genetic or be caused by injury. Genetic luxation is usually found in young dogs (3 months to 12 moths).
Sometimes this can be misdiagnosed and may be a growing phase for the pup. In a large number of cases the
addition of Selenium to the diet removed the problem by strengthening the muscles and ligaments that hold the
kneecap in place. We have seen animals teething and females in heat show slightly temporary luxation during
teething and heats or whelping. We have found that the patella problems are normally stress related injury due to
activity.
Reverse Sneezing: Reverse sneezing is when the trachea goes into spasm. This seems to happen when a
Pap is over excited. People have thought the gagging noise the dogs make is the dog chocking. Some mistake this
as kennel cough. It has also been called a backward sneeze. There is no cure for this and no way to prevent it. I
find it occurs most during a growing phase and less when they are adults. When this occurs the owner should
gently massage the throat and calm the dog. Covering the nose also helps.
Dental (Periodontal) : Papillons do have dental problems and good oral care is necessary to prevent these
problems.
Many Papillons do not always successfully lose all their baby teeth and surgical removal becomes necessary. An
owner should talk to their vet about this and arrange that the teeth be removed when the Papillon is neutered.
Papillon's teeth are disproportionately large and numerous for their mouths compared to larger breeds. As a
result, Papillons tend to have heavy tarter buildup on their teeth which leads to bad breath and puts them at risk
for infections. Once an infection forms, it can cause bone decay of the jaw (we've heard of Paps loosing their
entire jaws) and the infection can spread to the heart and cause death.
By the time Paps reach old age, most will have lost most, if not all, of their teeth. Without teeth, eating kibble
becomes challenging and for some, impossible.
To PREVENT the above problems, it is strongly recommended that you brush their teeth from the time that they
are puppies. We recommend you brush your Paps' teeth twice a day.
Most Papillons, especially those whose teeth have not been brushed regularly, will require professional dental
cleanings. The vet should determine when the teeth need professional cleaning. Keep in mind that the teeth will
generally collect tarter faster after a dental cleaning than they did before, so a repeat dental will usually be
needed sooner. This is another reason we strongly recommend brushing their teeth daily at home.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy or "PRA" is late onset (between 6-10 years of age) retinal degeneration. PRA
affects Papillons by the gradual loss of eyesight. An early sign of PRA is the loss of night time vision that causes
your dog to be more cautious in dim light settings and finally leads up to running into objects that are out of place.
Dogs that have PRA can be diagnosed with an eye examination by a Veterinary Ophthalmologist and also by ERG
testing. Consult an ophthalmic veterinarian for expert advice. Because of the large gene pool there are few
known cases of PRA in the United States and Canada. Some European countries, with their smaller gene pools,
are more prone to find this eye abnormality
Hypoglycemia Toy breed puppies are prone to hypoglycemia at young ages because of liver glucose
storage/utilization problems. Most often you will see a puppy experience symptoms of Hypoglycemia after playing
hard and lack of a full tummy. We also call hypoglycemia, in laymen's terms, "Going Down on Sugar". If you find
your Papillon puppy is slightly trembling, lacking in energy, gums colored white, or eyes a bit glassy looking, your
dog could be experiencing some problems with Hypoglycemia. Our immediate treatment is a small amount of
Nutracal in the mouth. If you do not have Nutracal, mix honey, Karo syrup, or sugar with water. Slowly syringe the
mixture, about 3cc's or about 3 teaspoonfuls, into the puppies mouth making sure they swallow. Wrap the puppy
in a blanket, and keep quiet for about 1 hour. A heating pad on low setting can help the puppy feel warmer. When
your puppy's gums start to look pinker and it starts to move around normally, put them in a quite place like a dog
crate and offer them their favorite food, kibble or treat. If no response is made to treatment, immediately take the
dog to the vet
Anesthesia Any breed of dogs that are anesthetized are under the risk of having problems while anesthesia is
being used. As veterinary medicine improves so do the rate of dog reviving from being under anesthesia.
Isoflurane gas is the anesthesia of choice for many Papillons. There are some new types of anesthesia on the
market, and while their costs are rather expensive, they are well worth the peace of mind. Consult with your
veterinarian when making surgery plans. If they do not use Isoflurane or some other reasonable safe anesthesia,
then seeking a second opinion may be advisable
Liver Shunt The incidence of this disease in Papillons is still relatively low, but seems to be on the increase.
There are two types of shunts. Shunts can occur inside the liver, in which case they are referred to as
intravascular shunts and outside the liver, in which case they are extrahepatic shunts. All of the shunts are
portosystemic shunts. Portosystemic shunts include poor weight gain, sensitivity to sedatives (especially
diazepam), depression, head pressing (pushing the head against a solid object), seizures, weakness, salivation,
vomiting, poor appetite, increased drinking and urinating, balance problems and frequent urinary tract disease or
early onset of bladder stones. If the signs of problems increase dramatically after eating this is a strong
supportive sign of a portosystemic shunt.
Extrahepatic shunts include porto-caval shunts which are one of the most common types of extrahepatic
shunts. There are several ways that blood can by-pass the liver and empty directly into the systemic circulation,
though. The advantage to the surgeon of an extra-hepatic shunt is that there is usually a place to surgically
obstruct the shunt and re-route the blood flow to the liver which is where it belongs. Extra-hepatic shunts are
easier to repair due to this.
Intrahepatic shunts are more difficult to repair because the shunt is hidden inside the liver where it is not
easy for the surgeon to work. There are surgical procedures for fixing them, though. These are costly procedures
and are probably done primarily at veterinary teaching hospitals associated with veterinary colleges. The
success rate for surgery for intrahepatic shunts is less than for extrahepatic shunts.
Epilepsy occasionally is talked about by Papillon breeders, though we hear of very few dogs diagnosed as
Epileptic. Epilepsy is a chronic condition characterized by recurrent seizures. Although seizures are always
abnormal events, not all seizures in dogs are caused by canine epilepsy. Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain where
abnormal electrical activity triggers further uncoordinated nerve transmission. This uncoordinated and
haphazard nerve tissue activity scrambles messages to the muscles of your dog's body and the coordinated use
of the muscles is then inhibited. Because there are many causes of chronic recurrent seizures in dogs, canine
epilepsy is not a specific disease or even a single syndrome, but rather a diverse category of disorders. Canine
Epilepsy is broadly divided into idiopathic and symptomatic disorders. Idiopathic Epilepsy, also called primary
epilepsy, means that there is no identifiable brain abnormality, other than seizures. Symptomatic epilepsy (also
called secondary epilepsy) is seizures that are the consequence of an identifiable lesion or other specific cause.
Most dogs with idiopathic epilepsy suffer their first seizure between the ages of one and five years of age. A
genetic basis for idiopathic epilepsy is strongly suspected in several breeds. At this time the Papillon does not
have high incidence for suspicion
Deafness Somewhat rare. This condition is possibly linked to Papillons which carry a Piebald gene. The genes
affect the amount and distribution of white areas on the body. Deafness can be described as (1) congenital or late
onset, (2) hereditary or acquired, and (3) conductive or sensor neural. Congenital deafness is affected by a
Piebald gene. That makes the mismark or almost all white Papillon being a suspect of higher incidence because it
is an extension of the piebald gene. The mechanism of inheritance is not known, and not only mismarks have been
affected by deafness. Unilateral (one ear) and bilateral (both ears) deafness has been diagnosed in Papillons. Not
enough Papillons are routinely tested to compile reliable statistics about deafness.
Behavioral deafness detection with young puppies in the home is difficult, as the deaf young cue off the behavior
of their littermates. Often deafness is not noticed until the puppies are separated from their littermates. A puppy
that does not awaken in response to a loud noise is almost certainly bilaterally deaf, but the unilaterally deaf
cannot be detected with any reliability. As a consequence, behavioral hearing assessment of animals in the clinic
or home is of limited reliability. If deafness is suspected a "BAER" Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (electro
diagnostic) test should be given by a qualified veterinarian.