Deliberately Deformed Dog Breeds Suffer Multiple Health Conditions – PETA Calls For Banning Such Breeds At Westminister Kennel Club

1- Is it known why golden retrievers and German shepherds suffer from epilepsy and dysplasias? What trait were breeders seeking when this condition was introduced?

A-German shepherds suffer from hip dysplasia because they’re bred to have sloped backs, which forces them to move asymmetrically by placing more weight on their front legs. Over time, a lack of muscle balance leads to misalignment of the hip socket and the ball of the femur. This condition makes simple things German shepherds love to do—like walking, running, and playing—impossible without severe pain. Some dogs undergo intensive surgeries to ease symptoms.

Elbow dysplasia—that is, when elbow cartilage fails to develop normally—is another painful condition German shepherds suffer from that’s thought to be a genetic condition caused by generations of selective breeding. Treatments can include surgery and painkillers, but dogs with this condition will likely be in some amount of pain for their entire lives, starting at 6 months of age or even younger.

Epilepsy is more common in German shepherds and golden retrievers due to selective breeding. The frequency and severity vary among dogs.

2- What breeding-related conditions do dachshunds suffer from that are fatal, and about what percentage of this breed suffers a fatality?  What percentage overall suffers from a condition requiring treatment?

A-Back issues are especially common in dachshunds due to their disproportionately long spines. At least one in every four of them suffers from intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), a neurological disorder in which the discs between the vertebrae become diseased and compress the spinal cord, leading to pain, weakness, and paralysis. Dachshunds are 10 to 12 times more likely to develop IVDD than other breeds. With their heightened risk of back issues, dachshunds are discouraged from everyday activities like jumping off a bed or into a car, being carried, and running. Controlling the pain from IVDD—which can last for days or weeks—using drugs can be difficult, and it’s a condition that can lead to death or require euthanasia.

3- Can you provide more info on the syringomyelia condition suffered by the spaniels? About what percentage of this breed suffers from this condition, and how fatal is it? When not fatal, is it understood what kind of suffering the condition causes to the dog? Do they express indications of pain or headaches, or do they suffer from seizures due to the condition? Or do they have similar reactions to those experienced by humans, such as muscle wasting and fatigue or loss of reflexes?

A- Syringomyelia (SM) affects more than 90% of all Cavalier King Charles spaniels. It’s a malformation that squeezes their brain through the foramen magnum—the hole at the back of the skull—and blocks cerebrospinal fluid from flowing properly, leading to abnormal pressure that creates fluid-filled cavities, or syringes, near the brain. The disorder causes dogs to yelp in pain after sudden changes in posture and to scratch their ears, chest, neck, and shoulders uncontrollably. Humans suffering from this condition describe feeling like insects are crawling on their skin, with the most extreme pain akin to severe burning. Dogs may also lick and chew their paws, shake or rub their head, and experience weakness, poor coordination, and scoliosis (or curvature of the spine). Once the pain begins, it tends to last throughout a dog’s lifetime.

There’s no cure for SM, and medical management typically doesn’t resolve the clinical signs. The only option for severe cases is surgery, which entails opening the foramen magnum by removing a portion of the occipital bone and usually part of the first vertebrae

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world, and PETA entities have more than 9 million members and supporters globally. PETA opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview, and focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: in laboratories, in the food industry, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment business. We also work on a variety of other issues, including the cruel killing of rodents, birds, and other animals who are often considered “pests” as well as cruelty to domesticated animals. PETA works through public education, investigative newsgathering and reporting, research, animal rescue, legislation, special events, celebrity involvement, and protest campaigns.