Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Robin Camken
All Rights Reserved

CANINE GENETIC DISORDERS

--KNOWN TO AFFECT--
BERNESE MOUNTAINS DOGS

(Based primarily on information from Control of Canine Genetic Diseases by Dr. George A. Padgett)

The following list describes a number of inherited disorders, which are documented as affecting Bernese Mountain Dogs.  Some of these conditions are rare in occurrence, others are relatively common.  These diseases range in severity from what may be considered cosmetic in nature, to those which are crippling or life-threatening.  They are presented in alphabetical order by disease category and not prioritized in any way.  Research has indicated that these disorders are genetically transmitted; however, in some instances, the same condition may also have environmental causes, such as trauma, nutrition or other external factors.  Unless proven to be otherwise,  the causative factor should be considered to be genetics.

Where available, the chart is linked to other websites that provide more information on that specific disorder.

"If people tell you their dogs have never produced a defect, their dogs have probably produced only one litter, they don't follow up on their puppies or what is most likely the case, they are being less than truthful."
-- Dr. George A. Padgett, DVM --

Digestive System 

Gastric Dilatation-Vovulus (Bloat & Gastric Torsion)	Distension and twisting of the stomach. Without immediate treatment, death is common.	Undetermined  / < 7 years
Megaesophagus	Condition in which the oesophagus is enlarged or dilated. Usually dogs with this condition regurgitate food and water.	Undetermined  / < 6 months

Behavioural Disorders 

Excessive Aggressiveness	Extremely assertive or forceful with other dogs and people.  May attack or bite without reasonable provocation.	Undetermined  / < 3 years
Rage Syndrome	Sudden unprovoked and explosive aggression directed at people or objects. More common in males.	Undetermined  / < 3 years

Cancer 

Histiocytosis (Malignant Histiocytosis, Systemic Histiocytosis)	A proliferation of nodules in or under the skin or ulcers on any part of the body, with metastatic lesions in the lungs and other organs.	Polygenic  / < 7 years
Mastocytoma	Masses in the skin and subcutaneous tissue.  Lesions may ulcerate or spread and metastasize to other parts of the body.	Polygenic  / < 7 years

Endocrine 

Hypothyroidism	An autoimmune destruction of the thyroid gland.	Undetermined  / < 2 years
Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's Disease)	Autoimmune or other causes of destruction of the adrenal glands resulting in a deficiency in production of corticosteroids.	Undetermined  / < 5 years

Blood and Lymphatic 

Dysfibrinogenemia  (Factor I Deficiency)

A rare deficiency of a clotting factor (fibrinogen), which causes excessive bleeding.

Recessive  / < 6 months

Heart and Vascular 

Mitral Valve Defect (MVD, Mitral Stenosis)	Abnormalty of the mitral valve of the heart. An excess of valvular tissue that limits proper valve movement.	Undetermined  / < 1 year
Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)	Failure of the vessel remnant joining the aorta and pulmonary artery to close properly at birth, thereby shunting blood away from the lungs.	Polygenic  /  birth
Subaortic Stenosis (SAS)	A tightening of the outflow opening for blood to go from the heart into the aorta.  Causes murmurs, weakness, and sudden death.	Autosomal Dominate or Polygenic  / < 1 year
Tricuspid Value Dysplasia (TVD)	Malformation of the tricuspid valve results in regurgitation of blood back into the atrium. Symptoms include cardiac murmur, exercise intolerance and right-sided congestive heart failure.	Undetermined  / < 1 year

Immune System 

Atopic dermatitis	A skin disease caused by a dog's reaction to an inhalant allergy.	Undetermined  / < 1 year
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA)	The immune system attacks its own red blood cells, causing severe anemia and possibly death.	Undetermined  / < 4 years
Meningitis-Vasculitis  Steroid-Responsive Meningitis-Arteritis (SRMA) Aseptic Meningitis	Immune mediated vascular lesions in the meningeal and coronary arteries.  Symptoms include chronic fever, anorexia, stiff neck and paralysis.	Undetermined  / < 2 years
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)	An autoimmune disease where antibodies form against the nuclear protein of cells. Characterized by skin lesions as well as other organ dysfunctions and blood abnormalities	Undetermined  / < 9 years

Hair and Skin 

Color Dilution Alopecia (CDA) Color Mutant Alopecia (CMA)	A form of follicular dysplasia (FD) symptoms include bilateral balding, hair loss in areas covered by pigmented hair, while the nonpigmented or lightly pigmented areas are not affected.	Recessive  / < 6 months
Pemphigus Foliaceous	Skin disease caused by autoimmune destruction of tissues. Lesions usually begin on the face and ears, then spread and may be generalized. In rare cases only the footpads are involved.	Undetermined  / < 4 years
Primary Seborrhea	Skin disease with excess scaling of the skin and often an excess of sebum (oil-like substance) and odor.	Undetermined  / < 1 year
Sebaceous Adenitis (SA)	A disease of sebaceous (sweat) skin glands characterized by reactive tissue growth and autoimmune destruction of the sebaceous glands. Hair loss occurs and is poorly responsive to treatment.	Undetermined  / < 1 year
Snow Nose (Nasal Hypopigmentation)	A decrease  in pigmentation of the nose, usually during winter.	Undetermined  / < 1 year
Umbilical Hernia	A break in the abdominal muscle wall at the point where the umbilical cord enters the body. May contain abdominal viscera and sometimes regresses spontaneously.	Recessive or Polygenic / < 6 months

Liver Diseases 

Chronic Active Hepatitis, Chronic Canine Inflammatory Hepatic Disease (CCIHD)	A slow, progressive inflammatory disease of the liver, cirrhosis of the liver results.	Undetermined  / < 5 years
Hepatic Portosystemic Shunt (Liver Shunt)	A malformation of blood vessels in the liver or an abnormal communication between the arteries and veins in the liver.	Undetermined  / < 1 year

Neurologic Diseases 

Cerebellar Degeneration Cerebellar and Extrapyramidal Abiotrophy	A condition where the neurons in the cerebellum part of the brain and parts of the spinal cord are malformed and eventually malfunction.  Results in progressive neurologic signs, including incoordination, ataxia, paralysis and generally death.	Recessive / < 20 weeks
Epilepsy	A disease characterised by convulsions (seizures) and/or disturbances of consciousness	Undetermined  / < 1 year
Hepatocerebellar Degeneration	Affected Bernese Mountain Dog puppies develop signs of  progressive cerebellar disease, including progressive ataxia with strength and head bobbing.  Puppies are unable to walk without falling backwards or sideways.	Recessive / < 12 weeks
Hydrocephalus	A condition where there is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the ventricles of the brain.	Polygenic / <3 months
Hypomyelination (Trembler)	A series of Bernese Mountain dogs developed a tremor starting at 2-8 weeks of age. This is a fine tremor which affects both the limbs and head. It becomes worse with excitement and disappears with sleep. There is also mild weakness, high tail carriage and a stiff action of the hind legs.	Recessive / < 10 weeks

Ocular Disease 

Cataracts	A change in structure of the lens of the eye leading to cloudiness and usually to blindness.	Undetermined / Varies
Ectopic Cilia (Aberrant Cilia)	Eyelashes on the inner surface on the eyelid (most often upper  eyelid).	Undetermined  / birth
Ectropion	An abnormal rolling out of the eyelids.	Undetermined  / < 6 months
Entropion	An abnormal rolling in of the eyelid.	Undetermined  / < 1 year
Optic Nerve Hypoplasia	A condition where the optic nerve going from the eye to the brain is too small.	Undetermined  / < 3 months
Progressive Retinal Atrophy	A disease where the retina slowly deteriorates, progressing to  blindness	Undetermined  /  Varies
Uveodermatological Syndrome	A syndrome of bilateral depigmentation may affect the iris, nose, lids, lips, mouth, foot pads, and anus. Ocular pain due to uveitis. Possibility of acute blindness.	Undetermined / < 3 years

Reproductive 

Cryptorchidism

A condition in which one or both testicles do not fully descend into the scrotum. The condition may be presented in two forms: 1.) Unilateral cryptorchidism refers to the normal descent of a singular testis. 2.) Bilateral cryptorchidism results in the retention of both testes.

Undetermined  / < 3 months

Skeletal 

Calcinosis Circumscripta	Abnormal deposits of calcuim in the skin and subcutaneous tissue.	Undetermined / < 1 year
Cleft Lip/Cleft Palate	Cleft lip: the two halves of the upper lip do not join together. Cleft palate: the roof of the mouth is not closed and the inside of the nose opens into the mouth.  Cleft palate and cleft lip are often seen together.	Undetermined / Birth
Crooked Tails	Abnormal bend or crook in the tail	Undetermined / < 3 months
Elbow Dysplasia	An abnormal development of the elbow joint, includes ununited anconeal process (UAP), fragmented medial coronoid process (FCP) and osteochondrosis of the medial condyle of the humerus (OCD).	Polygenic / < 1 year
Hip Dysplasia	Abnormal formation of the hip socket; causes rear-limb lameness.	Polygenic / < 2 years
Intervertebral Disc Disease (IDD)	The discs between the vetebra are abnormal and prone to rupture and misplacement; causes back pain, rear-end weakness and paralysis.	Undetermined / 1 year
Luxating Patella	A condition where the knee caps slide in and out of place. An affected dog may appear knock-kneed  or cow-hocked. Lameness may be evident.	Polygenic / < 1 year
Osteochondritis Dissecan (OCD) (Shoulder)	Developmental diseases resulting in abnormal formulation of joint cartilage.	Undetermined /  < 1 year
Panosteitis (Pano, Enostosis)	A painful inflammatory bone disease of young, rapidly growing dogs, typically 6-18 months of age.	Undetermined / < 18 months

Urinary 

Familial Glomerulonephropathy

A renal disease which has been identified in Bernese Mountain Dogs aged between two and seven years that have been suffering from weight loss, anorexia, apathy, vomiting, polydipsia and polyuria. Chronic kidney failure can result.

Recessive  / < 7 years