Cockapoos are crossbreeds and is it known that there are genetic disorders in their gene pool. These will not be apparent in puppies but can cause serious illness in the adult dogs. If you are intending to welcome a cockapoo into your family, it is important to choose a puppy which has been tested for these conditions. The Cockapoo Club of Great Britain has made tests for some of these conditions mandatory for registered litters whilst tests for all of the conditions are advised

 

Prcd-PRA

 

This is a genetic disorder which causes the cells in the retina to degenerate and then die. Dogs with this condition will suffer issues with night vision at first and then will eventually become completely blind. The disease tends to manifest itself in adolescence and can be difficult to diagnose. There is no treatment available for this condition

 

Prcd-PRA is inherited as a recessive trait which means that the gene must be inherited from both parents in order for the disease to manifest itself. A carrier as opposed to a sufferer will have one diseased gene and one normal gene. The disease could be avoided in the future if all dogs were tested before breeding

 

Glaucoma

 

Glaucoma is caused by pressure in the eye resulting from a build-up of fluid which is unable to drain away. The condition destroys the eye’s structures and can lead to the eye enlarging. Primary glaucoma is an inherited condition which affects several breeds of dog and often leads to complete blindness. Secondary glaucoma is brought on by other diseases of the eye. Treatment and prognosis varies between the two types of glaucoma and so it is important to ascertain which of the two a dog is suffering from

 

Hip Dysplasia

 

This is a common and inherited orthopaedic condition. It basically amounts to abnormal development of the hip joint and leads to deformity and excessive wear. One or both hips may be affected and the condition is painful. The symptoms of HD are changes in gait, obvious lameness, stiffness after rest and exercise intolerance. HD occurs due to both hereditary and environmental factors including the over exercising of puppies. Breeding dogs should be radiographed to assess the condition of their hips and a database is being assembled which records the hip conditions of breeding dogs’ offsprin

 

FN – Familial Nephropathy

 

Familial Nephropathy (FN) is a recessively inherited renal disease suffered by the English Cocker. The onset of renal failure due to FN typically occurs between six and 24 months of age in dogs. Symptoms may include increased thirst and urination, weight loss, lack of appetite, vomiting and diarrhoea. FN is suffered by dogs with a genetic defect that affects the collagen which holds the renal structure together. The condition causes a gradual and progressive degeneration of the renal function and so an affected dog may not appear ill until the latter stages of the disease

 

Phosphofructokinase (PFK)

 

This is an enzyme which is crucial for production of energy from sugar sources in all cells of the body. The lack of this enzyme causes a range of issues including weakness and muscle cramps, discoloured urine, anemia and jaundice. In American Cocker Spaniels, this disease is inherited as an autosomal recessive condition

 

Retinal Dysplasia

 

The majority of canine cases of retinal dysplasia are hereditary. The condition can affect one or both retinas and can be focal, multifocal, geographic, or accompanied by retinal detachment. Cataracts or glaucoma are secondary conditions associated with Retinal Dysplasia and the condition is suffered by American cocker spaniels. In its mild form, it causes no symptoms. Dogs with a more severe case of the condition may avoid dark areas and can bump into things due to their impaired vision

 

Von Willebrand disease Type 1 (vWD 1)

 

This is a common bleeding disorder caused by a lack of von Willebrand factor which is a protein that affects the blood clotting process. The disease can range in severity and results in issues from trivial bleeds to life-threatening haemorages. Symptoms include spontaneous bleeding from the nose, gum and other mucous membranes together with excessive bleeding after an injury. Bleeding may also occur internally. It is a condition which is suffered by poodles

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These are additional tests that all of my cockapoos have had and what I feel are equally as important

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AMS - (Acral mutilation syndrome)

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AMS is the self-mutilation of limb extremities linked with located insensitivity to pain.

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EXON 2 - DM (Degenerative myelopathy)

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This disease is a result of the deterioration of structures in the spinal cord that are responsible for transmission of nerve impulses. Although the changes may be found anywhere in the spinal cord, they are most severe in the lower back.

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NE - Neonatal Encephalopathy

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Neonatal encephalopathy with seizures is an autosomal recessive developmental brain disease. Affected puppies exhibit extreme weakness, those that survive the first week of life generally develop progressively worse ataxia and a whole-body tremor. This is often accompanied by severe generalized clonic-tonic seizures. None have survived to 7 weeks of age.

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PRA (rcd4) (Progressive retinal atrophy)

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PRA-rcd4 (progressive retinal atrophy rod-cone degeneration 4) is a late-onset PRA mutation that causes bilateral degeneration of the retina which causes progressive vision loss, and eventually blindness. The average age of diagnosis for dogs with this form of PRA is 10 years, though there is considerable variation within breeds.

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Patella Luxation

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When a healthy knee bends, the kneecap slides up and down a groove in the thighbone. A healthy kneecap should never slip out of the groove, and if it does, we call it a luxating patella (dislocating kneecap). When the kneecap dislocates, it stops the knee from bending, causes a limp and rubs past the bone as it slips, which over time, can cause pain and arthritis.

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Patella luxation can affect one or both knees, and varies from grade 1 to grade 4:

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Grade 1:  The kneecap is loose, but stays in the correct place when your dog moves around. It will dislocate if forced by your vet, but immediately returns when released. Grade 1 patella luxation doesn’t often cause much of a problem.

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Grade 2:  The kneecap occasionally dislocates when your dog moves around, but usually returns by itself. Grade 2 symptoms range from mild to moderate depending how regularly the kneecap dislocates.

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Grade 3:  The kneecap is permanently dislocated, can be pushed back into place by your vet, but slips straight out again when they let go.

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Grade 4:  The kneecap is permanently dislocated and is impossible to push back into place.

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Paradoxical Pseudomyotoria

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Paradoxical Pseudomyotonia is a hereditary condition that affects English Cocker Spaniels and English Springer Spaniels.

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The disease is characterised by episodes of muscle stiffness that are triggered by exercise. These episodes occur suddenly during exercise and cause a generalised myotonic-like muscle stiffness.

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Symptoms typically manifest between the ages of 3 months and 2 years. During these episodes, muscles take longer to relax after voluntary contraction and remain stiff. However, most episodes resolve spontaneously within a few minutes of rest.

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Episodes can be triggered by various factors such as exercise, excitement, swimming, stress, and extreme temperatures. The severity and frequency of the episodes can vary and are more commonly observed in the summer.

 

Fortunately, as affected dogs age, the severity and frequency of the episodes tend to stabilise or decrease.

 

Avoiding activities that may trigger the episodes can be beneficial for managing this condition.

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