HEALTH

Our breeding dogs are extensively health tested beyond the requirements set forth by our national breed club, the White Swiss Shepherd Club of America (WSSCA). Although White Swiss Shepherds are a generally healthy breed, they are still affected by a number of health problems, including hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, transitional vertebra, heart disease, eye disease, and occasionally allergies or food sensitivities. Unfortunately there is not yet any genetic test for allergies or food sensitivities, but there are tests for the other conditions listed. 

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HIP DYSPLASIA*

Hip dysplasia is early degeneration of the hip joint, usually caused by abnormalities in the hip joint conformation. While dogs with mild dysplasia are unlikely to have symptoms, dogs with severe hip dysplasia may require surgical intervention and can have immense pain from osteoarthritis. Our dogs are screened for hip dysplasia utilizing the ANKC's (Australian National Kennel Council) unique numeric system that considers nine areas of the hip joint. Radiographs are submitted for grading - hip dysplasia cannot be diagnosed or excluded without well-positioned radiographs. The dogs are scored 0-6 on their Norberg angle, subluxation, cranial acetabular edge, dorsal acetabular edge, cranial affect acetabular rim, acetabular fossa, caudal acetabular edge (this one is scored 0-5), femoral head/neck exostosis, and femoral head re-contouring. Each hip is graded individually and a lower total score (the sum of the two individual scores) is preferred. The system is not pass/fail like most others, and the detailed report is more useful, in my opinion, for understanding a dog's hip status as it will indicate hip imperfections, such as lack of coverage (Norberg angle) or subluxation without diagnosing the dog with hip dysplasia, which is a major flaw amongst other grading systems. Of course, it will also indicate if there are changes present, the degree of the change, and the location of the change, something no other grading system offers. For these reasons, ANKC is the only system we will be using moving forward, although we do have active breeding dogs with scores from OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), FCI, and PennHIP. On a global scale, hip dysplasia is widely screened for in breeding White Swiss Shepherds.

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ELBOW DYSPLASIA*

Elbow dysplasia is a lot like hip dysplasia, although it is even more complex. There are some cases in which a dog may have an osteophyte (new bone formation) indicating osteoarthritis, and then there are three additional, more complex forms of elbow dysplasia, including fragmented medial coronoid process (FCP) of the ulna, osteochondritis of the medial humeral condyle (OCD), and ununited anconeal process (UAP). While it is generally acceptable to breed a dog which has a grade 1 elbow due to an osteophyte, which could be hereditary or caused by environmental factors and is unlikely to ever cause problems for the dog, it is not acceptable to use a dog for breeding which has FCP, OCD, or UAP of the elbow joint. Our dogs have their elbows rated under ANKC also, which scores more harshly than OFA, which has on three occasions scored our dogs "Normal" when ANKC gave them grade 1 on one or both elbows. On a global scale, elbow dysplasia is widely screened for in breeding White Swiss Shepherds.

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TRANSITIONAL VERTEBRA

Lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LTV) is a malformation of the lumbosacral joint in the spine. There are five grades for LTV; type 0 is considered normal, type 1 indicates a divided median crest and is considered clinically insignificant, type 2 is a symmetrical form of LTV where the changes are similar on both sides - the vertebra can resemble a lumbar or sacral vertebra, type 3 is an asymmetrical form of LTV where one side resembles a lumbar vertebra and the other resembles a sacral vertebra, and type 4 indicates an extra vertebra or a missing vertebra. In terms of potential problems for the dog, LTV3 is the worst form, then LTV2, then LTV4. At this time, more research is needed, especially on LTV4 to determine heritability and clinical significance. LTV3 can be associated with unilateral hip dysplasia due to the asymmetry of the pelvis. The Finnish Kennel Club, one of the leaders in LTV, recommends breeding dogs with LTV2-4 to dogs free from LTV. Transitional vertebra has a similar heritability to hip dysplasia, and for hip dysplasia, the most effective strategy for reducing incidence is by utilizing EBVs (Estimated Breeding Values). An EBV is statistical data based on a dog's result and the results of their relatives, which gives the most accurate risk factor of a disease in a pedigree. Unfortunately, because LTV testing is relatively new, we do not have pedigree data to make such a conclusion based on relatives. Therefore, at this point in time, it would be unwise to rule out dogs with LTV until we have a more accurate picture including multiple generations of tested dogs. On a global scale, transitional vertebra testing is slowly becoming more common, with Finland and Germany being the frontrunners for this testing.

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HEART DISEASE*

Heart disease may be congenital (present from birth) or adult-onset. There are a number of various heart defects, ranging from mild and unlikely to affect the dog to severe and life-threatening. While our CHIC (Canine Health Information Center) health testing requirements only require a basic cardiac test (auscultation), the more extensive and ideal test is the echocardiogram, which can detect problems that could be missed by auscultation. All of our dogs have basic cardiac certification, and we are actively working to schedule advanced cardiac (auscultation + echocardiogram) for our breeding dogs. On a global scale, heart disease is rarely tested for using echocardiogram, but all dogs should have an auscultation done annually as part of their vet exam, and I would hope no one is breeding dogs with heart murmurs.

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EYE DISEASE*

Where eye disease is concerned, there is inadequate research to determine if most anomalies are hereditary or not. In these situations, testing serves mostly as a means of collecting the data needed over several generations to learn heritable patterns or lack thereof. Regardless, the OFA lists ten disorders which are an automatic fail across all breeds.

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"Conditions that prevent eligibility for an OFA CAER Number

There are currently ten disorders for which there is an unequivocal recommendation against breeding in all breeds. These diagnoses are ineligible for OFA Eye Registry certifications. These are conditions which frequently result in blindness and for which there is definite evidence of heritability in one or more breeds.
*Note: The prudent approach to these disorders is to assume they are hereditary except in cases specifically known to be associated with trauma, other causes of ocular inflammation, specific metabolic diseases or nutritional deficiencies.

1. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) – Breeding is not recommended for any animal demonstrating keratitis consistent with KCS. The prudent approach is to assume KCS to be hereditary except in cases suspected to be non-genetic in origin. See above note.

2. Cataract – Breeding is not recommended for any animal demonstrating partial or complete opacity of the lens or its capsule unless the examiner has also checked the space for “significance of above cataract unknown” or unless specified otherwise for the particular breed. See above note.

3. Lens luxation or subluxation – See above note.

4. Glaucoma – See above note.

5. Persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV)

6. Retinal detachment – See above note.

7. Retinal dysplasia – geographic or detached forms – See above note.

8. Optic nerve coloboma

9. Optic nerve hypoplasia

10. Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) – Breeding is not advised for any animal demonstrating bilaterally symmetric retinal degeneration (considered to be PRA unless proven otherwise)."

​https://ofa.org/diseases/eye-disease/

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On a global scale, eye disease is rarely screened for in breeding White Swiss Shepherds--I have only seen eye testing results for dogs in the Netherlands and Finland.

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THYROIDITIS*

Although every White Swiss Shepherd tested for thyroiditis with OFA has had a Normal or equivocal result, the test is still required for a CHIC number so that we will be aware if problems do begin showing up over time. However, given that this is not currently known to be an issue, I will not dive deeper into it. On a global scale, I have never heard of thyroiditis being screened for in breeding White Swiss Shepherds outside of the USA.

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CONDITIONS FOR WHICH THERE IS A DNA TEST

In addition to the conditions listed above, all of which are presumed polygenic or not fully understood at this point in time, there are a few DNA testable diseases. These conditions are (almost) completely preventable via DNA testing.

 

MDR1* (Multi Drug Resistance 1; ABCB1 gene) is a condition in which the dog is sensitive to certain drugs, including many popular deworming or heart worm prevention medications. MDR1 has an incomplete penetrance dominant mode of inheritance, meaning dogs with a single copy can be mildly affected, while dogs with two copies of the disease can have severe reactions, up to and including death, if given certain medications. At this time, we do not have any dogs with any copies of the MDR1 gene in our program, although it is considered acceptable to use dogs which have a single copy of the condition. On a global scale, MDR1 is widely screened for in breeding White Swiss Shepherds.

 

DM* (Degenerative Myelopathy; SOD1 gene) is an autosomal recessive disease that causes degeneration of the spinal cord, eventually leading to rear-end paralysis. There is no cure for DM, only prevention by breeders testing their breeding stock and not breeding carriers together. Because this disease is recessive, a dog must have two copies of the gene to be affected. That being said, the DM test only considers one gene (SOD1) while DM is likely polygenic, and this test represents likelihood of a dog getting DM. In rare cases, dogs with two normal copies of the gene have developed DM, and some dogs affected by both mutated copies of the gene never seem to develop DM. In any case, it's "better to be safe than sorry," and no reputable breeder would cross two DM carriers together. On a global scale, DM is widely screened for in breeding White Swiss Shepherds.

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Pituitary Dwarfism (LHX3) is an autosomal recessive disorder of the pituitary glands that leads to a deficiency of hormones associated with growth and development. Affected dogs are notably smaller than their normal siblings by 2-3 months old, and never grow to normal adult size. Aside from their small size, this condition is associated with various skin problems, including alopecia, and most dogs die or are euthanized by 5 years of age (Paw Print Genetics). This gene is relatively uncommon in White Swiss Shepherds, but it does exist in the breed. On a global scale, pituitary dwarfism is sometimes screened for in breeding White Swiss Shepherds in certain European countries such as France.

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CEA (Collie Eye Anomaly; NHEJ1 gene) is an eye disease that leads to a choroid that is thinner than normal which has an autosomal recessive with variable expressivity mode of inheritance. In mild cases, the disease may only be visible on an eye exam preformed around 5-12 weeks old, and then the eyes may be indistinguishable from normal eyes as the pup ages. However, in severe cases, the disorder is visible in adult dogs and can lead to blindness (Paw Print Genetics). On a global scale, CEA is sometimes screened for in breeding White Swiss Shepherds in certain European countries such as France. Almost all of the White Swiss Shepherds in the USA have been tested for this because it is included on Embark and Optimal Selection DNA panels.

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CH (Cerebellar Hypoplasia; RELN gene) leads to incomplete development of the cerebellum (part of the brain). Affected puppies have difficulty with coordination and movement and are typically euthanized by 1 month of age. The genetic testing for this condition is new and there is not yet any lab in the USA testing for it. As far as I am aware, only descendants of one South African line have been tested as carriers or produced this disease, and since I do not have this line, I have not sent DNA samples to Europe or New Zealand for testing on my breeding dogs. 

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*Indicates testing requires for a CHIC number as of the time this is written (May 2025).

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All of our breeding dogs have their results listed on their pages and recorded publicly on ofa.org where applicable. Each dog also has a complete Embark DNA panel where you can find results for over 200 additional genetic health conditions.