Siberian Husky - Hip Health
This is for those who love their Siberian Huskies and are tempted to breed them.
For centuries man has been supervising the breeding of dogs, and exercising his power to choose the characteristics he wished to preserve and eliminate. This process, known as selective breeding, resulted in the many individual breeds of dogs that are known today. Gradually, as breeders became aware of the concepts of genetics, they applied basic genetic principles to their breeding programs. By combining the art of selection with the knowledge of science, breeders were able to refine the breeds of their choice.
Much importance has been placed on pedigrees and much success has been derived from the breeding of closely related dogs that share desirable genetic traits. It was inevitable that, along with the desirable traits, there have come undesirable traits which may take several generations of breeding to manifest themselves. When these undesirable traits finally do surface, breeders must acknowledge that their seemingly normal dogs may transmit defective genes to their offspring and perpetuate the undesirable trait in the breed.
No breed of dog is totally free from inheritable genetic defects, but few breeds have had the good fortune of the Siberian Husky. Not only is the individual dog generally healthy and of good temperament, but throughout the years there has not been an abundance of genetic issues. Additionally, the national breed club, the Siberian Husky Club of America, Inc. (SHCA), has maintained a watchful eye for potential genetic problems and has taken positive action in those instances when the general health and well-being of the breed has been challenged.
Since 1965, the SHCA has maintained a committee whose task is to be aware of the start of genetic problems in the breed and to alert breeders before the defect has begun to spread. Two major conditions have been uncovered in this manner and, in each instance, the board of directors of the SHCA has instituted practical guidelines in order to enable breeders to decrease the spread of the inheritable disorder. These two areas of greatest concern are canine hip dysplasia and inheritable eye disease.
Canine Hip Dysplasia
What is canine hip dysplasia? Hip dysplasia is an abnormality of the hip joint in which the head of the thighbone (femur) does not fit properly into its pelvic joint socket (acetabulum). This condition, while not present at birth, develops during the first two years of the dog's life. It is often progressive, causing inflammation, pain, and arthritis of the affected hip. It is aggravated by strenuous exercise and, sitting up, lying down, or climbing stairs.
This disorder afflicts dogs of both sexes, and may be present in one or both hips. The condition may range from mild to severe, and clinical signs may become more evident in dogs under one year of age. It is regarded with utmost concern in our breed because the dysplastic Siberian Husky cannot do the work for which it was bred, nor can it exhibit the freedom and effortlessness of movement so highly prized in the show ring and on the sled.
What is the cause of hip dysplasia? Canine hip dysplasia is an inheritable disease. Its mode of inheritance is termed "polygenic," meaning that it is due to a combination of multiple genes. Because of the polygenic nature of this disorder, some normal dogs produce a percentage of dysplastic offspring. The breeding pair, although physically normal, may each transmit some of the dysplastic genes to their offspring, thus the offspring may receive a combination of complementary genes from both parents which may cause hip dysplasia. The division of defective genes is very uneven, with one parent contributing more defective genes than the other. Environmental factors such as a high caloric diet during the rapid growth phase of a puppy can exacerbate the changes in dysplastic hips, but cannot create a dysplastic dog.
How is hip dysplasia diagnosed? Accurate diagnosis can be established through radiographic examination by a veterinary radiologist. The dog is sedated and the hind limbs are rotated and extended to allow the proper positioning of the hips and femurs. It is recommended that bitches in heat or in pregnancy not be radiographed since the hormones may interfere with joint laxity. After the films are taken, they are mailed to a hip registry organization such as the OFA or Penn Hip. Since the OFA has been the most commonly used hip registry in the world, only the OFA will be discussed.
What is OFA? The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is a private, non-profit organization which disseminates information on orthopedic and genetic diseases to the public. It is the world's largest all-breed hip registry, with over 475,000 dogs. After a veterinarian takes an x-ray of the dog's hips, the x-ray is submitted to OFA for hip evaluation. The radiograph is then evaluated independently by three board certified veterinary radiologists. The final hip grade is decided by a consensus of the three independent radiologists. Only dogs over 24 months of age that receive "excellent," "good," or "fair" evaluations will receive an OFA registry number. This number is reported to the AKC and parent breed club. Abnormal hips are only reported to the owner and referring veterinarian. Dogs under 24 months of age can have a preliminary hip evaluation, but a registry number will not be assigned until new radiographs have been resubmitted at 24 months of age.
How common is canine hip dysplasia in the Siberian Husky? From January 1994 through December 1998, a total of 12,087 Siberian Huskies have been evaluated by OFA for hip dysplasia. Out of this total, 30.5% of the dogs have received "excellent" hip ratings, and only 2.2% have been dysplastic. (Please note that radiographs showing hip dysplasia may not have been mailed to the OFA on the advice of the referring veterinarian.)
Out of the 114 breeds of dogs at risk for hip dysplasia, the Siberian Husky is one of the breeds least affected ranked at #111 out of a possible 114 based upon evaluations from 1974 through 1994. This impressive ranking has been achieved through the cooperation of breeders who followed the breeding program guidelines established by the OFA and the SHCA to decrease the incidence of hip dysplasia.
The Siberian Husky has been one of the few breeds that had a dramatic decrease in the incidence of hip dysplasia from 1980 through 1995. The breed has experienced a change of + 42.1% in the number of OFA "excellent" dogs, and a - 55.6% change in the number of dysplastic dogs.
All potential puppy buyers should ask to see the OFA registry papers of both the sire and dam of the litter.
How can I find out if a dog has an OFA number? The OFA maintains a hip registry open to the public and is available on the OFA website at the following address:
What are the guidelines for preventing dysplasia? Only those dogs which have been certified free from hip dysplasia by the OFA should be used for breeding. Whenever possible, close relatives to dysplastic dogs should not be used for breeding even if they are physically normal. Vital to the program is the establishment of "pedigree depth" for each individual stud dog or brood bitch. In order to establish pedigree depth, the parents, grandparents, and all close relatives of the stud dog or brood bitch should also be certified by the OFA. Many breeders have already adhered to this protocol and have had an admirable record of dysplasia-free stock for generations of dogs.