Medical, Genetic & Behavioral Risk Factors of Bernese Mountain Dogs

By Ross D. Clark DVM

This book (Bernese Mountain Dog) 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: Aug 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499043068

Ross D. Clark DVM

Ross D. Clark, DVM is the founder of Woodland PetCare Centers and a cofounder 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 two 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 forty-five years, Dr. Clark and his partners have cared for show dogs from most states in the United States of America, plus show dogs from Canada, Mexico, and Spain. He is the author of eight books, including Medical, Genetic, and Behavioral Aspects of Purebred Cats and the coauthor of the first and second edition of Medical and Genetic Aspects of Purebred Dogs. He is also author of four 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 twenty-eight years. Dr. Clark is currently owner and managing partner of four small animal practices and three 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 two children, twins Kent and Kimberly Clark.

Book preview

Copyright © 2014 by ROSS D. CLARK, DVM. 622368

ISBN:   Softcover   978-1-4990-4307-5

             EBook       978-1-4990-4306-8

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: 08/07/2014

Xlibris LLC

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ORIGIN AND HISTORY

DESCRIPTION

THE SHOW RING

BREEDING AND WHELPING

GROWTH

RECOGNIZED RISK FACTORS IN BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOGS

CARDIOVASCULAR-HEMATOLOGICAL-RESPIRATORY

DERMATOLOGICAL

ENDOCRINE-EXOCRINE-ENZYMATIC

GASTROINTESTINAL

MUSCULOSKELETAL

NEUROLOGIC

OPHTHALMIC

UROGENITAL

BEHAVIOR

OLD AGE

MISCELLANEOUS FACTS AND RESOURCES

GENETIC TESTS AVAILABLE FOR BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOGS

CHIC REQUIREMENTS FOR BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOGS

NATIONAL BREED CLUB

BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG CLUB OF AMERICA, INC.

REFERENCES

MEDICAL, GENETIC & BEHAVIORAL

RISK FACTORS OF

BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOGS

INSIDE:

I. ORIGIN, HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION

II. SHOW RING REQUIREMENTS

III. BREEDING AND WHELPING

IV. GROWTH

V. RECOGNIZED RISK FACTORS IN BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOGS

CARDIOVASCULAR-

HEMATOLOGICAL-

RESPIRATORY

DERMATOLOGICAL

ENDOCRINE-EXOCRINE-ENZYMATIC

GASTROINTESTINAL

DENTITION

MUSCULOSKELETAL

NEUROLOGIC

OPHTHALMIC

UROGENITAL

VI. MISCELLANEOUS FACTS AND RESOURCES SECTION

NATIONAL BREED CLUB AND WEBSITE

BEHAVIOR

OLD AGE

CHIC REQUIREMENTS

BY: ROSS D. CLARK, DVM

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