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Mastiff FAQs:
Welcome to the Frequently Asked Questions about the Mastiff. The good people at the Mastiffs Club of America where nice enough to create a list of FAQs to help Mastiff owners (or soon to be owners) answer questions concerning the breed. Please follow the links below to learn more about this breed. If you still have unanswered questions about the breed, breeding program, training or anything else Mastiff, please call or email me. I love talking Mastiff and sharing my knowledge.
Mastiff FAQS
For more information about the MCOA please visit www.mastiff.org or this article from the Mastiffs Breed FAQ, by mmcbee@access.mountain.net (Mike McBee)
Why Health Test your Mastiff? What to test for?
Glossary:
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PRA - Progressive Retinal Atrophy - refers to retinal diseases that cause blindness. Some breeds have blindness by abnormal development of the retina and this is called dysplasia. Other breeds have a slowly progressive degeneration or death of the retinal tissue and this is degeneration. These two types of diseases affect many breeds. In general these diseases are thought to be inherited but inherited differently in each breed.
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Hip Dysplasia - Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) is an orthopedic problem which can result in remodeling of the femur, wearing away of the acetabulum, and other arthritic changes. Although CHD is primarily an inherited defect, the severity of the disease is influenced by environment, e.g., growth rate, diet, and exercise. Based on MCOA Health Surveys, CHD is one of the primary health problems in Mastiffs.
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Cystinuria - Cystinuria is an inherited disease that has been found in Mastiffs. Cystinuria is caused when the kidneys cannot properly filter and transport certain amino acids, including cystine, in the kidney tubules. This causes abnormally high levels of cystine in the urine. The cystine isn't able to break down in acidic urine and the excess urinary cystine may cause cystine crystals (sandy grit) and possibly cystine stones to form in the kidney and/or bladder.
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VWD - Von Willebrand's Disease - is a common inherited bleeding disorder, which can lead to clotting.
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Epilepsy Seizure - Mastiffs with Epilepsy generally present subtle to severe signs of seizures under the age of five years, and most often under the age of three years. Often subtle, strange behavior changes may foreshadow seizures in later months; some owners notice these behaviors but do not know what to make of them. Some of the behaviors include depression and/or aggression, whining, sudden fears of normal every day things, and excessive running in sleep.
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OFA - Orthopedic Foundation for Animals - is a non-profit organization that collates and disseminates information concerning orthopedic and genetic disease of animals. For more information please visit http://www.offa.org
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Patellar - The patella, or kneecap, is part of the stifle joint (knee). In patellar luxation, the kneecap luxates, or pops out of place, either in a medial or lateral position.
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CERF - Canine Eye Registration Foundation - is a centralized, national registry of dogs certified free of heritable eye disease by members of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. For more information please visit http://www.vmdb.org/cerf.html
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PRA DNA - Means that the dog has been proven free of the dominant Mastiff PRA gene mutation either by DNA test or having both parents cleared by DNA
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CHIC - The Canine Health Information Center - is a centralized canine health database jointly sponsored by the AKC/Canine Health Foundation (AKC/CHF) and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). For more information please visit http://www.caninehealthinfo.org
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AKC - American Kennel Club - The "clubs of clubs" provides coverage on all accepted dog breeds, as well as information on registration, pedigrees, and dog shows. For more information please visit http://www.akc.org
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AKC/CHF - American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation - Develops resources for basic and applied health programs with emphasis on canine genetics to improve the quality of life for dogs and their owners. For more information please visit http://www.akcchf.org
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RFI - The Rescue Foundation, Inc. Helping Mastiffs in Need. Organization created to help generate fundings for Rescue Groups across the United States. http://www.mastiffhelp.org
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MCOA - The Mastiff Club of America - Information about their National Specialty, rescue and health committees, frequently asked questions, and breed information. For more information please visit http://www.mastiff.org
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