Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD)
- PCD is like cystic fibrosis in humans. It’s the interference of clearing mucus from the airways which causes chronic inflammation in the nasal cavities, windpipes and lower airways. It causes regular infections in the dog due to the obstruction of fluid moving through the airways. This disorder also renders male dogs sterile as it causes sperm to be immobile. The condition presents with sneezing, nasal discharge, coughing and chronic bronchitis from the upper and lower respiratory infections. Other effects can be hydrocephalus (an increase of fluid around the brain) and infertility in males.
- Affected Breeds: Old English Sheepdog.
Cleft Lip/Palate and Syndactyly (CLPS)
- A cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth where the two sides of the roof of the mouth failed to come together during embryonic development. It leaves an opening between the mouth and the nasal cavities. Symptoms that result from it are a runny nose, coughing, aspiration pneumonia, respiratory difficulty, difficulty nursing (for puppies), slow growth, weight loss, and lack of appetite. Cleft palates can be inherited or have environmental effects, such as vitamin deficiencies when in the embryonic stage. This disorder only affects a minority of the Toller population.
- Affected Breeds: Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Laryngeal Paralysis (LP)
- LP is a breathing disorder usually found in Bull Terriers. It presents with difficulty breathing, especially when exercising. In severe cases, it can cause suffocation, leading to death. Larynx Paralysis may require surgery to relieve any breathing problems. Affected dogs may be less interested in exercising, have a high-pitched, noisy breathing sound, vocal impairments, difficulty breathing and collapsing. For Bull Terriers and Miniature Bull Terriers, a genetic variant has been found as a risk factor for early-onset LP. Dogs with two copies of the gene are 23 times more likely to develop the disorder. Therefore, any dog that carries one copy of the gene should only be bred to dogs clear of the condition to avoid producing affected puppies.
- Affected Breeds: Bull Terrier, Miniature Bull Terrier.