Condition reference
Hereditary diseaseHealth-conscious breeding practices
Explore the linked guideline and related drug references. A matching drug entry does not establish a treatment recommendation.
WSAVA guideline
The Role of Health-Conscious Breeding and Genetic Testing
The HDC frames hereditary disease as "an important welfare issue in companion animals" and urges adoption of 'health-conscious' breeding with optimum pre-breeding examinations, genetic testing and counselling. Selection criteria must include the ability to reproduce naturally and exclude anatomy predisposing to hereditary disease — extreme size, skin folds, angulation and short faces (brachycephaly) — selecting towards "a moderate and less extreme anatomy." Pre-breeding screening combines medical history, physical examination and breed-specific genetic testing, guided by breed clubs, kennel/cattery clubs and animal health organizations. The preventable end-state is shown by the GPC DJD sheet: developmental joint disease needing multimodal, life-stage-tailored care in which NSAIDs are "the most predictable analgesics at all stages."
WSAVA Hereditary Disease Committee (HDC) Position Paper "The Role of Health-Conscious Breeding and Genetic Testing in Reducing the Impact of Hereditary Disease" (no year stated; wsava.org upload 2020) + WSAVA Global Pain Council DJD sheet (adapted from Mathews K et al., JSAP 2014; 55: E10–E68)
Key findings
- Selection criteria: must include ability to reproduce naturally and exclude "extreme conformations including size, skin folds, angulation and extremely short faces (brachycephaly)" (p.1).
- Direction: "selection should be towards a moderate and less extreme anatomy" (p.1).
- Screening triad: (1) medical history, (2) physical examination, (3) breed-specific genetic testing — to select animals likely to produce healthy offspring (p.1).
- Breeders: use pre-breeding screening; breed-specific recommendations from "many reputable sources including parent breed clubs, kennel and cattery clubs and animal health organizations" (p.1).
- Veterinarians: "educate themselves as to the availability and proper use of genetic tests on their patients" (p.1); HDC web page: educate vets, veterinary teams and breeders in dogs and cats.
- DJD end-state: multimodal management (surgery, analgesics, local therapy, exercise, weight, nutraceuticals, acupuncture); "DJD presents differently in growing versus middle-aged versus older" patients; surgery may be first-line in the growing dog (DJD sheet, p.1).
- Evidence hierarchy (DJD sheet): "the greatest weight of evidence for efficacy is for weight management, NSAIDs, dietary optimization (amount and content), and exercise"; NSAIDs the most predictable analgesics at all stages; hip/elbow/knee replacement — the dysplasia-classic joints (p.1).
Drugs named in WSAVA’s own guideline text
As printed in WSAVA’s document, not this app’s own extracted data — see “Related drugs in this reference” below for that.
— [dose not printed in source]
Base DJD/OA analgesia — "most predictable analgesics at all stages"
— [dose not printed in source]
Base DJD/OA analgesia — explicitly "[not in cats]"
— [dose not printed in source]
Underlying immune-mediated disease resulting in polyarthritis
Recommendations
Adopt 'health-conscious' breeding with pre-breeding examinations, testing, counselling
"WSAVA… urges" — Expert consensus (HDC)
Include ability to reproduce naturally in selection criteria
"calls on…" — Expert consensus (HDC)
Exclude extreme conformations (size, skin folds, angulation, brachycephaly)
Expert consensus (HDC)
Select towards a moderate, less extreme anatomy
"selection should be towards…" — Expert consensus (HDC)
Use the pre-breeding triad (history + exam + genetic testing)
"calls on breeders to utilize" — Expert consensus (HDC)
Breed-specific recommendations from reputable bodies (breed/kennel/cattery clubs, health organizations)
"available from many reputable sources"
Veterinarians: educate themselves on availability/proper use of genetic tests
"calls on veterinarians" — Expert consensus (HDC)
(Clinical context) NSAIDs most predictable at all stages; strongest evidence: weight management, NSAIDs, diet optimisation, exercise; surgery first-line in the growing dog
Expert consensus (WSAVA GPC)
Related drugs in this reference (3)
The quoted line under each drug is its own already-extracted indication text that matched this condition — the reason it’s listed, not a paraphrase. Open a drug for its full species/route breakdown, calculator, and complete adverse-effect list.
Showing 3 of 3 linked drug records. Open a record for species, route and source details.
FLURALANER
“Cochliomyia hominivorax Rhipicephalus microplus Exzolt Cattle-CA1 is indicated for the prevention and treatment of infestations caused by New World screwworm ()…”
Adverse-effect notes: In a well-controlled U.S. field study, 225 dogs were administered two doses of BRAVECTO QUANTUM at a 1-year interval and 96 dogs were admini…
PRADOFLOXACIN
“Cattle: Mannheimia haemolytica Pasteurella multocida Histophilus somni Mycoplasma bovis Pradalex is indicated for the treatment of BRD associated with,,andin ca…”
Adverse-effect notes: Table 1 In a multi-site field study, 282 cats (ages 0.3 to 19 years) were evaluated for safety when given either VERAFLOX at a dose of 7.5 m… · Mild to moderate inflammatory changes of the injection site may be seen in cattle and swine treated with Pradalex.
PROSTAGLANDINS LUTEOLYTIC
“Estrus manipulation (short-cycle/breeding scheduling); **induction of luteolysis — NOT for pregnant mares unless abortion intended**”
Source dose preview: **500 µg (2 mL) IM** — luteolysis (sync programs: 2 doses 11 days apart classic), Per protocol, IM (Cattle)
Adverse-effect notes: Uterine contractions/straining, discomfort — Expected pharmacology · **Bronchospasm (human exposure)** — Class effect
From summaries/08-hereditary-disease.md vs the HDC position paper, DJD sheet and web page. No year/journal on the position paper [verify]; DJD sheet from Mathews K et al., JSAP 2014; 55: E10–E68. No dysplasia scoring scheme (OFA link only). Testing: T19. No doses printed.