OVERALL HEALTH
The Japanese Chin is generally a healthy little dog with a life expectancy of 10 – 12 years, or longer.
The Japanese Chin is generally a healthy little dog with a life expectancy of 10 – 12 years, or longer.
Each individual breed has specific health issues that they may be predisposed to and the Japanese Chin is not any different. Although the majority of Japanese Chin experience few significant health issues, we feel that it is imperative that breeders test their breeding stock regularly against heritable disorders. Of course this is not a guarantee that these issues will be completely eliminated but careful health testing demonstrates that breeders are actively trying to minimize health problems.
Of the genetic hereditary disorders that we currently know Japanese Chin to be prone to, the most common are:
- Cataracts can develop at any age and can cause blindness or may grow slowly and never actually progress to blindness. Routine eye examinations by a registered ophthalmologist are highly recommended for early detection and treatment.
- Heart disease may start at an early age or not appear for several more years. Symptoms may include lethargy, sudden weight loss, coughing, shortness of breath or fatigue. Early diagnosis is essential so treatment can begin as soon as possible. Examination by a registered cardiologist is highly recommended for early detection and treatment. It is interesting to note that the Japanese Chin Club of America (JCCA) Health Committee now recommends that Chin breeders follow a similar strategy of screening for heart disease as that used by Cavalier breeders, for more information please read Screening hearts in the Japanese Chin, Cavalier & English Toy Spaniel - Japanese Chin Club of America.
- Patella luxation - the kneecap dislocates or moves out of its normal position. This is a common condition in dogs, especially small breeds. Animals can be affected as early as 8 weeks but usually becomes evident between the ages of 4 to 6 months. Grades 1 and 2 generally do not cause discomfort however grades 3 and 4 may require surgery. Luxation, while not yet scientifically proven, is highly suspected to be hereditary.
- Brachycephalic Syndrome - refers to the combination of elongated soft palate, stenotic nares, and everted laryngeal saccules, all of which are commonly seen in brachycephalic breeds. Some dogs with brachycephalic syndrome may also have a narrow trachea (windpipe), collapse of the larynx (the cartilages that open and close the upper airway), or paralysis of the laryngeal cartilages. It is exciting that the test for BOAS, the RFIG test is now available in our area. We have had the opportunity to test several of our chin and will continue to do so as tests are offered.
- Gangliosidosis, or GM2 - a recessive hereditary lysosomal storage disease. It is sometimes referred to as either Tay-Sachs disease or Sandhoff's disease. As it takes time for the storage material to build up enough to interfere with the brain cell’s function, dogs with Gangliosidosis are normal at first. Somewhere around a 1-1½ years of age, they become mentally dull, may not come when called or ask to go out to potty. They may develop a goose-stepping gait and have problems with their balance. Their head may shake especially when they try to eat. As the disease progresses, their coordination worsens and they become weak. Eventually, they become totally unaware of their surroundings and their quality of life deteriorates until euthanasia must be considered. A simple DNA test is used to screen for GM2.
Of the genetic hereditary disorders that we currently know Japanese Chin to be prone to, the most common are:
- Cataracts can develop at any age and can cause blindness or may grow slowly and never actually progress to blindness. Routine eye examinations by a registered ophthalmologist are highly recommended for early detection and treatment.
- Heart disease may start at an early age or not appear for several more years. Symptoms may include lethargy, sudden weight loss, coughing, shortness of breath or fatigue. Early diagnosis is essential so treatment can begin as soon as possible. Examination by a registered cardiologist is highly recommended for early detection and treatment. It is interesting to note that the Japanese Chin Club of America (JCCA) Health Committee now recommends that Chin breeders follow a similar strategy of screening for heart disease as that used by Cavalier breeders, for more information please read Screening hearts in the Japanese Chin, Cavalier & English Toy Spaniel - Japanese Chin Club of America.
- Patella luxation - the kneecap dislocates or moves out of its normal position. This is a common condition in dogs, especially small breeds. Animals can be affected as early as 8 weeks but usually becomes evident between the ages of 4 to 6 months. Grades 1 and 2 generally do not cause discomfort however grades 3 and 4 may require surgery. Luxation, while not yet scientifically proven, is highly suspected to be hereditary.
- Brachycephalic Syndrome - refers to the combination of elongated soft palate, stenotic nares, and everted laryngeal saccules, all of which are commonly seen in brachycephalic breeds. Some dogs with brachycephalic syndrome may also have a narrow trachea (windpipe), collapse of the larynx (the cartilages that open and close the upper airway), or paralysis of the laryngeal cartilages. It is exciting that the test for BOAS, the RFIG test is now available in our area. We have had the opportunity to test several of our chin and will continue to do so as tests are offered.
- Gangliosidosis, or GM2 - a recessive hereditary lysosomal storage disease. It is sometimes referred to as either Tay-Sachs disease or Sandhoff's disease. As it takes time for the storage material to build up enough to interfere with the brain cell’s function, dogs with Gangliosidosis are normal at first. Somewhere around a 1-1½ years of age, they become mentally dull, may not come when called or ask to go out to potty. They may develop a goose-stepping gait and have problems with their balance. Their head may shake especially when they try to eat. As the disease progresses, their coordination worsens and they become weak. Eventually, they become totally unaware of their surroundings and their quality of life deteriorates until euthanasia must be considered. A simple DNA test is used to screen for GM2.
Health resources available to breeders and owners:
Embark advanced DNA testing for breeders - Embark screens for 270+ genetic health risks - US based
Betagene - Canadian Genetic Testing
University of Cambridge BOAS Research - Respiratory Function Grading Scheme (RFGS) is now available in Canada and registered with OFA.
Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) - The OFA's mission "is to promote the health and welfare of companion animals through a reduction in the incidence of genetic disease".
Health tests recommended for Japanese Chin / CHIC Program Requirements
- Eye Examination once 36 months old. Results registered with OFA
- Veterinary Evaluation of Patellar Luxation. Results registered with OFA. Minimum age 1 year.
- Gangliosidosis (GM2) - DNA test results from an approved lab
- Cardiac Evaluation - One of the following:
Advanced Cardiac Exam
Basic Cardiac Exam, minimum age 4 years, to be performed by a board certified cardiologist
Why submit to OFA databases and participate in the CHIC program?
The benefits of submitting tests to OFA and participating in the CHIC program are twofold. Firstly, OFA and CHIC provide a reliable source of health information regarding dogs. OFA requires that health results come from reputable labs, and submissions must show the lab name and date of testing for verification. For breeders, this may help in the selection of dogs to use in their breeding program. Potential owners can obtain accurate information on a breeder’s dogs’ health to assist their search for their future family member. For parent clubs and health foundations, OFA and CHIC provide a health database with no upfront cost. OFA maintains health data securely and independently from commercial labs, which prevents issues seen when the latter go out of business, leading to the loss of invaluable health data. The database is not subject to time, technology, or resource constraints, and allows parent clubs and health foundations such as the CHF to focus on identifying health concerns, educating their membership, and encouraging participation in these programs.
The OFA website itself has a wide range of useful tools and resources. Breed and disease-specific statistics are available publicly through the CHIC program and show trends for all breeds as well as individual breeds. The Advanced Search tool allows one to view results with breed- and disease-specific filters. Moreover, health information pedigrees are also available: the combined health pedigree shows testing done on a dog’s parents and grandparents, and the vertical testing pedigrees show, for each disorder, the test results for all those dogs’ siblings and offspring.
But more importantly, using OFA is paying it forward to future generations. The health data and statistics obtained thanks to these public databases are invaluable.
Embark advanced DNA testing for breeders - Embark screens for 270+ genetic health risks - US based
Betagene - Canadian Genetic Testing
University of Cambridge BOAS Research - Respiratory Function Grading Scheme (RFGS) is now available in Canada and registered with OFA.
Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) - The OFA's mission "is to promote the health and welfare of companion animals through a reduction in the incidence of genetic disease".
Health tests recommended for Japanese Chin / CHIC Program Requirements
- Eye Examination once 36 months old. Results registered with OFA
- Veterinary Evaluation of Patellar Luxation. Results registered with OFA. Minimum age 1 year.
- Gangliosidosis (GM2) - DNA test results from an approved lab
- Cardiac Evaluation - One of the following:
Advanced Cardiac Exam
Basic Cardiac Exam, minimum age 4 years, to be performed by a board certified cardiologist
Why submit to OFA databases and participate in the CHIC program?
The benefits of submitting tests to OFA and participating in the CHIC program are twofold. Firstly, OFA and CHIC provide a reliable source of health information regarding dogs. OFA requires that health results come from reputable labs, and submissions must show the lab name and date of testing for verification. For breeders, this may help in the selection of dogs to use in their breeding program. Potential owners can obtain accurate information on a breeder’s dogs’ health to assist their search for their future family member. For parent clubs and health foundations, OFA and CHIC provide a health database with no upfront cost. OFA maintains health data securely and independently from commercial labs, which prevents issues seen when the latter go out of business, leading to the loss of invaluable health data. The database is not subject to time, technology, or resource constraints, and allows parent clubs and health foundations such as the CHF to focus on identifying health concerns, educating their membership, and encouraging participation in these programs.
The OFA website itself has a wide range of useful tools and resources. Breed and disease-specific statistics are available publicly through the CHIC program and show trends for all breeds as well as individual breeds. The Advanced Search tool allows one to view results with breed- and disease-specific filters. Moreover, health information pedigrees are also available: the combined health pedigree shows testing done on a dog’s parents and grandparents, and the vertical testing pedigrees show, for each disorder, the test results for all those dogs’ siblings and offspring.
But more importantly, using OFA is paying it forward to future generations. The health data and statistics obtained thanks to these public databases are invaluable.
How to Interpret OFA Certification Numbers
The following key will be of assistance in interpreting OFA numbers for the various databases.
Cardiac Example: JS-BCA250/12M/C-PI
- JS = Breed Code, in this case a Japanese Chin (Spaniel)
- BCA or ACA = OFA Basic or Advanced Cardiac Database, in this case Basic Cardiac (BCA)
- 250 = Ascending numerical identifier given to each animal with a breed evaluated as normal and given a number, in this case the 250th Japanese Chin to be given a cardiac number
- 12 = The age in months when the testing was done, in this case 12 months
- M = Sex
- C = Suffix indicating the area of specialty of the attending veterinarian, in this case Board Certified Cardiologist. Could also be:
P = General Practitioner
S = Specialist - PI or VPI = Indicates that the animal has been permanently identified in the form of tattoo or microchip. If the dog is permanently identified AND the ID has been verified and signed off by the attending veterinarian, a suffix of VPI is applied. If the animals lacks permanent identification, a suffix of NOPI is applied.
