Medical, Genetic & Behavioral Risk Factors of German Shepherd Dogs

By Ross D. Clark

This book provides you with a through description and positive attributes of this breed including
origin, purpose, history, normal heights and weights, acceptable colors and behavioral traits. Our books
diff er from most books on dog breeds because this book also provides you with a comprehensive and
authoritative source of all the known predisposed hereditary health syndromes for the breed. You will find
extensive references for each problem described. We also provide the breed club address for this breed and
a list of laboratories and organizations that can provide professional help and information.

As a small animal veterinarian, I have always been intrigued by the way dogs have been bred to fill
a purpose in life and further impressed that they also tend to love performing that service. Greyhounds
and other sight hounds are built for speed with aerodynamic bodies consisting of small head, deep chest,
narrow waist and large leg muscles. On the other hand Dachshunds take their name from German words
meaning badger dog and they use their long nose, long body and short legs to both track, enter and dig
into badger dens.

After developing a practice that catered to clients with show dogs, my interest in each breed continued
to grow as I studied and observed more and more about the unique predisposition and incidence of health
problems in each breed. Breeders of purebred dogs for show were a challenge and inspirational for me to
research and help them with their unique health problems. Historically references to hereditary problems
are scattered throughout various Veterinary medical texts and journals such as ophthalmology, neurology,
gastroenterology, cardiovascular and dermatology. This book, as well as the other books and articles I have
written, is researched and compiled with the intention to provide both veterinarians and dog owners with
comprehensive and authoritative predisposition information under the breed name.

At the date of this publication, The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation and the
The Kennel Club of England reports over 400 known hereditary health syndromes throughout the dog
kingdom. At the writing of my fi rst book in 1983, less than 50 hereditary issues are able to be predicted
and or diagnosed. Sequencing of the canine genome, DNA tests, metabolic testing including blood tests
and urine testing; plus, phenotypic examinations such as radiographs, ultrasound, and CERF or OFA eye
registry exams by a Board Certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist have advanced the science of breed related
health and behavioral problems.

This book will provide veterinarians, researchers, pet owners and breeders with a comprehensive
guide to all the known problems veterinarians and dog owners should consider during pet selection and
throughout each life stage of our canine friends.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 30, 2014
• ISBN: 9781493197163

Ross D. Clark

Ross D. Clark, DVM, is the founder of Woodland PetCare Centers and a co-founder of National PetCare Centers. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1963 from Kansas State University. He is Practice Management Editor for Veterinary Economics Magazine and served as president of the Tulsa County Veterinary Medical Association, the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association and also as President of the Western Veterinary Conference the World’s largest continuing education conference for veterinarians. American Animal Hospital Association named him Outstanding Practitioner for the Western Region in 1987 and National Merit Award Winner in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 1991. Veterinary Partners, Incorporated, an organization of veterinarians, lawyers and accountants that do practice management consulting, recognized Dr. Clark with their prestigious Pioneer Award at the Western Veterinary Conference in 2004. He served 2 terms as President of Kansas State University Veterinary Medical Alumni Association from 1990 to 1992 and Kansas State University named him an “Alumni Fellow” in February of 2003. Over the past 45 years, Dr. Clark and his partners have cared for showdogs from most states in the USA plus showdogs from Canada, Mexico and Spain. He is the author of 8 books including, “Medical, Genetic, and Behavioral Aspects of Purebred Cats” and the co-author of the first and second edition of “Medical and Genetic Aspects of Purebred Dogs.” He is also author of 4 management books: first, a practice management manual; second, “The Best of Ross Clark”; third, “Mastering the Marketplace—Taking Your Practice to the Top” and his latest book “Open Book Management for Veterinary Hospital Teams.” He has toured throughout the world as a practice management lecturer and consultant. In addition, Dr. Clark has been a Veterinary Economics “Hospital of the Year” Judge for over 28 years. Dr. Clark is currently owner and/or managing partner of 4 small animal practices and 3 pet resorts in Oklahoma. Dr. Clark and his team have been doing Veterinary practice management consultation, seminars and appraisals since 1981. Ross is married to Linda Clark and they have 2 children, twins Kent and Kimberly Clark.

Book preview

Copyright © 2014 by ROSS D. CLARK, DVM. 602437

ISBN:    EBook    978-1-4931-9690-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Rev. date: 06/23/2014

To order additional copies of this book or other

breed books of the 179 AKC recognized breeds by

this author, contact: Xlibris LLC

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GERMAN SHEPHERD DOGS

ORIGIN AND HISTORY

DESCRIPTION

THE SHOW RING

BREEDING AND WHELPING

GROWTH

RECOGNIZED RISK FACTORS IN GERMAN SHEPHERD DOGS

CARDIOVASCULAR-HEMATOLOGICAL-RESPIRATORY

DERMATOLOGICAL

ENDOCRINE-EXOCRINE-ENZYMATIC

GASTROINTESTINAL

DENTITION

MUSCULOSKELETAL

NEUROLOGICAL

OPHTHALMIC

UROGENITAL

BEHAVIOR

OLD AGE

MISCELLANEOUS

MISCELLANEOUS FACTS & RESOURCES

CHIC REQUIREMENTS FOR GERMAN SHEPHtERD DOGS

NATIONAL BREED CLUB

GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG CLUB OF AMERICA

REFERENCES

NOTES

Medical, Genetic & Behavioral

Risk Factors of German Shepherd Dogs

INSIDE:

I.  ORIGIN, HISTORY AND

DESCRIPTION

II.  SHOW RING REQUIREMENTS

III.  RECOGNIZED RISK FACTORS

CARDIOVASCULAR-

HEMATOLOGICAL-

RESPIRATORY

PREDISPOSITION

DERMATOLOGICAL ISSUES

ENDOCRINE-EXOCRINE-

ENZYMATIC AND/OR HORMONAL

PROBLEMS

GASTROINTESTINAL AND DENTITION

MUSCULOSKELETAL AND NEUROLOGICAL

OPHTHALMIC

UROGENITAL

BEHAVIOR TRAITS

IV.  MISCELLANEOUS FACTS AND RESOURCES

GENETIC TESTS AVAILABLE FOR THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG

CANINE HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER HEALTH SCREENING

FOR GERMAN SHEPHERD DOGS

NATIONAL BREED CLUB

BY: ROSS D. CLARK, DVM

Medical, Genetic & Behavioral

Risk Factors of

German Shepherd Dogs

BY: ROSS D. CLARK, DVM

H. DAVID HAYNES, DVM – LEAD RESEARCH

AND EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

ART J. QUINN, DVM, DACVO – PROFESSOR EMERITUS,

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY CENTER

FOR VETERINARY HEALTH SCIENCES

BRAD HOWARD, DVM – RESEARCH ASSISTANT

PAUL SCHMITZ, DVM – TECHNICAL ASSISTANT

JAN COODY, MBA – TECHNICAL ASSISTANT

NITA RITSCHEL – EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

GERI HIBBLEN JACKSON – PHOTO ACQUISITIONS

LINDA A. CLARK, RVT, AKC JUDGE – PHOTO ACQUISITIONS

PREFACE

This book provides you with a through description and positive attributes of this breed including origin, purpose, history, normal heights and weights, acceptable colors and behavioral traits. Our books differ from most books on dog breeds because this book also provides you with a comprehensive and authoritative source of all the known predisposed hereditary health syndromes for the breed. You will find extensive references for each problem described. We also provide the breed club address for this breed and a list of laboratories and organizations that can provide professional help and information.

As a small animal veterinarian, I have always been intrigued by the way dogs have been bred to fill a purpose in life and further impressed that they also tend to love performing that service. Greyhounds and other sight hounds are built for speed with aerodynamic bodies consisting of small head, deep chest, narrow waist and large leg muscles.