Hypertrophic Osteo-Dystrophy (HOD) is a systemic disease that affects young Weimaraners. Common clinical signs include: depression, temperature >103F, reluctance to walk, lameness, painful and palpation sensitive growth plates, anorexia and dehydration. Additional signs are ocular and nasal discharge, interstitial pneumonia, swelling of the jaw, skin rash and diarrhea. (From The HOD FAQ)
Nasty stuff.
Dr. Noa Safra with Shiva and her puppies
Fortunately for us Weimaraner people, we have Noa Safra, DVM, PhD. Noa is veterinary geneticist and a Weimaraner breeder, and she agreed to respond to some questions submitted by the JustWeims community. Pretty sweet, right? So without further ado, here are the questions and her answers.
Is there any way to prevent HOD? What about vaccines, do they cause it?
No. Vaccines are one environmental trigger to HOD; another is stress. A good number of HOD cases do not have a history of vaccines. Some occur prior to the administration of any vaccines at 7 weeks of age.
Can a poor or incorrect diet cause HOD? Can supplementing a puppy’s food cause HOD?
No and no.
Do you think there will be a genetic test for HOD in our lifetime?
YES.
Is HOD in Weims different than HOD in other breeds?
HOD in Weimaraners and Irish Setters may have a more severe form than in the general dog population. It is mainly apparent by lack of response to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the need to administer corticosteroids in order to achieve remission.
Both parents of my Weim are healthy, but my Weim was diagnosed with HOD. How does this happen?
The inheritance of HOD is under research. Current theory is that the disease has a sub clinical form. In other words, it could mean that the parents may have been affected but showed no signs. Together with incomplete genetic penetrance (i.e. not all the individuals that have a mutation will experience the disease; the environment may have an effect too), the observed outcome is different than the expected.
Are crossbred dogs healthier than purebred dogs?
Sometimes.
Why did you choose Weimaraners as your breed?
I think people tend to be similar to their breed of choice in their behavior and personal preferences.
What is your favorite thing about Weimaraners?
To watch them move.
What do you feed your dogs?
A premium brand large breed formula.
Additional questions and answers are located on the Weimaraner Club of America’s site, including the recommended treatment protocol for Weimaraners.
You can also read more about Noa in the October 2008 issue of the Weimaraner Magazine.
Dr. Noa Safra is working in the laboratory of Dr. Danika Bannasch at the school of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis. Samples from Weimaraners diagnosed with HOD and steroid-responsive meningitis are currently been collected. A study of congenital conditions: umbilical hernia, undescended testes (both uni and bi lateral) and cleft palate is also under way in the Bannasch laboratory. You can visit their webpage and contact Dr. Safra in order to participate in these studies.
Geek alert! If you are interested in learning about genetics and how diseases are inherited in dogs, Jackie Isabell’s, “Genetics: An Introduction for Dog Breeders” is one of my favorite dog books. (It might also possibly be geeky that I have enough dog books to have a favorite, but I digress…) Jackie co-wrote the first Weimaraner Ways and was well known for her Arimar line of Weimaraners.
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