health lagotto romagnolo Archives - Page 3 of 3

Dysplasia in the dog

Hip dysplasia (HD) is a pathology borne by the COXO-femoral joint that affects many dog breeds and may have often severe arthrosic evolution. It was the first skeletal and hereditary pathology studied in the dog.

Elbow dysplasia (ED) is one of the most important causes of anterior limb lameness of the Young and elderly dog (taken from the site of the official central reading radiographs Celemasche)

Dysplasia in the Lagotto Romagnolo

The Lagotto Romagnolo passes for being a breed that is not afflicted by dysplasia. The reality is very different!

Its light weight well supports light grades of dysplasia. And this is a very positive fact. The difference between withstanding dysplasia well to be free of dysplasia is so much, even too much!

For those who breed, dysplasia puts important stakes. It represents costs, it discards some easy couplings, it forces to remove some dogs from the reproduction. It means dealing with problems and situations.

In some cases even vets do not help. Where there is money there is always someone ready to take advantage. In all categories. And even dysplasia for someone can only be a business.

For those who buy a puppy Lagotto is often “not knowing” that pushes to buy puppies without controls. Just looking at the price can lead to wrong choices. Even worse to pay puppies as selected because the Lagotto Romagnolo passes for being a breed not afflicted by dysplasia.

Our choice is to have litters exclusively from Lagotto Romagnolo whose degree of dysplasia is ascertained by official radiography on hips and elbows.

Only with this information we can determine the right pairings, think of healthy puppies and pursue the improvement of the breed.

The Lagotto Romagnolo dysplasia in the institutions

Enci does not limit the degree of dysplasia within which the reproducers must stand. The limit is on the recognition of selected reproducers.

Only Lagotto Romagnolo with a degree of hip dysplasia A, B, C are recognized as selected breeders.

The breed clubs, all, each for the related breed, have self-limiting.

The Italian Club Lagotto Romagnolo admits only dogs with hip dysplasia degree A, B, C to the list of male breeding males.

For the dysplasia of the elbows the Club does not set limits.

Many Lagotto Romagnolo farms, attentive to the health of their puppies, verify the degree of dysplasia of the elbow of their mares and stallions. Already from these few lines we understand how:

It is ETHICAL to proceed with the reproduction and breeding of the Lagotto Romagnolo with X-rays of dogs whose degree of dysplasia is ascertained OFFICIALMALLY.

These are the reading stations that establish the degree of dysplasia and report it on the pedigree. They issue official certificates such as those reported in all the cards of our Lagotti Romagnoli. All of them!

There are no puppies free from dysplasia

No one can give guarantees of exemption from dysplasia for puppies.

Since polygenic diplasia is a disease, there is no genetic test for it. In order to claim that the genetic heritage of parents is free from dysplasia, they must not be dysplastic, all siblings, grandparents and uncles.

The genetic patrimony of the Lagotto Romagnolo is not so vast.

Pedigree and X-ray dogs also serve this purpose, to qualify the relationship to go in the right direction.

Dogs with dysplasia degree C can give birth to puppies with dysplasia degree A and vice versa.

It also depends on the kinship. It makes no sense to ignore this pathology for those who breed or even for those who buy a puppy of Lagotto Romagnolo.

Welcoming a puppy of Lagotto Romagnolo son of parents and in case tested grandparents, shifts the odds of having a healthy puppy heavily on our side.

Classification of dysplasia

The F.C.I. Fédération Cynologique Internationale classifies hip dysplasia in 5 degrees, whose medical definition is described in Italian on the FSA Foundation Animal Health Website:

Grade A-no sign of dysplasia
Grade B-almost normal hip joint
Grade C-Light hip dysplasia
Grade D-Medium hip dysplasia
Grade E-Severe hip dysplasia

The F.C.I. Fédération Cynologique Internationale classifies elbow dysplasia in 5 degrees.

Grade 0 – no alterations found
BL grade – (borderline, transition): minimal joint changes
Grade 1 – presence of osteophytes with an amplitude < 2 mm, and/or subtroclear sclerosis of the ulna and/or joint incongruence < 2 mm
Grade 2 – presence of osteophytes with a width of 2 to 5 mm
Grade 3 – presence of osteophytes with an amplitude > 5 mm

The Lagotto Romagnolo is an Italian breed with ancient origins. It was born as an aquatic carry dog. Following changes in the territory of origin it has seen its use change.

The Lagotto Romagnolo has become the recognised and undisputed specialist in the search for truffles.

For years, perhaps even decades, the Lagotto Romagnolo has been crossed with dogs of other breeds. Mainly truffle hunters in search of the dog with wide and meticulous search characteristics when needed. The Lagotto Romagnolo has risked extinction.

The work to recover the purity of the Lagotto Romagnolo began in the 70s. There were not many specimens. By analysing the pedigrees with the highest degree of genealogy, we can easily see how dogs are often recurrent.

From these few lines on the origins of the breed, we can understand why pedigree and health must be taken into consideration when we talk about the Lagotto Romagnolo dog.

Lagotto Romagnolo: Health

The Lagotto Romagnolo is a rustic and resistant dog, but in the genesis of the breed there are some pathologies that we take into consideration.

We only breed Lagotto Romagnolo with genetic tests and official X-rays for hips and elbows.

Lagotto Romagnolo: Pedigree

In a breeding farm, pedigree is not a piece of paper to add to the dog. It is a work and selection tool. It is important for the morphology, character, health and working attitude of the dog.

The pedigree is the identity card of your dog, the pedigree is its history and therefore its future.

Having a Lagotto Romagnolo puppy without pedigree is to all intents and purposes like not having a Lagotto Romagnolo. From the pedigree it is possible to obtain information on bloodlines and degrees of kinship.

Lagotto Romagnolo: Character

Character is one of the strong points of this breed. To form the character of a puppy it is decisive how it is raised in its first weeks of life. Happy and socialised puppies is our main goal.

Choosing the Lagotto Romagnolo means having a clear idea of the dog we want.

In our amateur kennel we have few litters per year. We choose the matings to have also in the puppies excellent character potential.

To breed the Lagotto Romagnolo we need to know the breed. The blood lines, the morphology and how to raise Lagotto Romagnolo puppies with a special character.

Continuous Behavioral Availability

Having a puppy from us means having a contact person who can follow the development of the puppy even when it has left the breeding farm.

For the love of each of our puppies we will always be available. At the disposal of new owners with competence and experience.

We have been living with our Lagotto Romagnolo for years and we study every aspect of the breed.

With the Lagotto Romagnolo we go truffle hunting. We have trained many Lagotto Romagnolo truffle breed. Experience that we make available to the owners of our puppies.

Puppies are not all the same. Each one has its own personality. We know each of our puppies since birth and this can help in their education.

In the family we have the expertise of a dog instructor and a veterinarian.

Knowing how our puppy grows is always a pleasure and never a nuisance.

Lagotto Romagnolo: Choice of puppy

It is his talent as a truffle hunter that endangers the quality of life in the Lagotto Romagnolo. At certain times of the year, the white truffle season, it is precisely his life that is at risk.

These are the reasons that push us to select the owners of our puppies.

They are very happy if our puppies give vent to their hunting skills. But only if they are run by people who love them first.

The Lagotto Romagnolo is a dog that adapts well to the most varied situations and often our support for the choice of puppy is not necessary.

Other times, the space available, the composition of the family or the expectations of the owners lead to choosing the puppy together.

Truffle Italia water Dog

Lagotto Romagnolo is the recognised specialist in truffle hunting. This is its temperament. In our breeding we introduce all our puppies to the scent of truffles.

They like it, and we like to give them it.

Often the owners of our puppies make unexpected discoveries. After the purchase, for the love of their dog and out of curiosity, they decide to start the hobby of truffle hunting. What could be better!

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