Health Testing

Evaluation of the Patella

This is the kneecap found on the hind legs. There is a condition where the knee cap slips out of position repeatedly and does not recover, but in fact tends to get worse over time. This is seen more commonly in other toy breeds and eventually may require surgery. It is actually common for injuries to occur that dogs can recover from. It is also not rare to see a kneecap that slips out and the dog holds up the affected leg until the kneecap slips back in. This is not painful for the dog, more of an inconvenience as they do fine on three legs!! The results are inconclusive in puppies. A true patella abnormality causes a dog some weakness in the rear end. Such a dog is not likely to become a champion although its possible that a dog could become a champion while still a puppy. The club recommends the testing be done no sooner than 12 months of age.   

At MARCHWIND I examine and test all my dogs and of course eliminate any dogs with patella issues from the breeding population.  

Genetic Testing

Marchwind does DNA testing on all adult breeding dogs. This is done through The Veterinary Genetics Lab at UC Davis and requires a mouth swab test mailed to them. The test is for PRA (progressive retinal atrophy) and PCAG (Primary Closed Angle Glaucoma,) which have been found to be hereditary and can lead to blindness in adult dogs at various ages. The right combination of genetic alleles determined before breeding can eliminate the risk in the puppies.

Genetic Diversity Testing

A simple computer calculation is readily available from the Italian Greyhound Breed Archive where your pedigree comes from. It looks at a coefficient of inbreeding. There is no magic number to try to achieve or avoid. A well bred purebred dog should have some linebreeding or common genetic ancestors. It is how the breed type is maintained and how breeders are able to eliminate undesirable traits. The smaller the COI, the less predictable the puppies. Of course direct brother to sister, mother to son, and first generation inbreeding is not desirable.

FEH & Brucellosis

Familial Enamel Hypoplasia (FEH) is also part of the genetic testing available. This is a condition of teeth where the enamel is brown and the teeth have a rough texture. In spite of the appearence, the teeth are not fragile and are otherwise healthy. Certainly its not desirable.

Brucellosis Testing is only needed if a breeder is breeding a sire to an unknown female from an uncertain source, something a good breeder never does. Brucellosis is fortunately rare in the United States.

Hypothyroidism

If I ever encounter thyroid problems in my bloodlines, I will order thyroid testing. In 40 years I have not seen any. Hereditary autoimmune hypothyroidism requires a specific thyroid test and is only possibly inherited, without a definite hereditary dominant/recessive set of genes identified. The treatment is simple and inexpensive so I see no need to be concerned.

Autoimmune Disease

Possibly inherited in some IG bloodlines but there are environmental factors that contribute. I have not seen any autoimmune disease in any bloodlines I am currently working with. Years ago I eliminated anything like that.

Seizure Disorder

I follow one simple rule: there is no excuse for a seizure and any dog that seizes is immediately removed from the breeding population. There are many reasons for seizures in dogs and if your IG ever has one, please contact me and we can discuss a workup.

Stethoscope Evaluation of the Heart and Lungs

I do this exam on all puppies and of course adults as needed. Mostly I am looking for heart murmurs which could then be further evaluated by a vet.

The Bottom Line....

Breeding Is All About Careful Selection.

It's easy to go down the rabbit hole of internet misinformation about subjects as serious as health testing where everyone purports to be an expert. After seeing pretty much everything over the past 40 years of breeding dogs, I'm actually the expert!

Please feel free to contact me directly to discuss these topics and more in detail. There's plenty of confusion around "Health Testing" so we stick to the science and facts. Plus I'm fortunate to be able to rely on unmatched experience and common sense as a Navy Veteran, with an over 40 year career as an ENT Medical Doctor. Being the most world's most experienced Italian Greyhound breeder with more Championship wins in major dog shows including Best of Breed at Westminister certainly helps.