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Panostetitis

Also known as Shifting Leg Lameness or Pano. This is a spontaneous, self-limiting
inflammatory disease of the long bones in the legs of young, fast-growing breeds. Most
dogs are diagnosed between 5 and 12 months but pano can occur as early as 2 months
and as late as 7 years. The vast majority of pano cases are resolved by by the age of 2
years. The cause of the disease is unknown but it has been associated with reactions
following viral or bacterial infections, von Willebrand's disease and hyperestrogenism in
females in association with the first estrus. Clinical signs are persistent or intermittent
lameness that may shift from leg to leg, hence the term -shifting leg lameness. Deep
palpation of the affected bone will ellicit a painful response. X-rays may demonstrate an
increased patchy density of the bone cavity with a roughened surface. Diagnosis of pano is very important as
acute lameness may signal any of several orthopedic conditions such as OCD or elbow dysplasia. There is no
cure for pano because the disease is self-limiting and hence research on the condition is almost non-existent.
Treatment consists of alleviating the pain with analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs and plenty of rest as
restricted activity can prevent more severe pain from developing. Because this disease is self-limiting and causes
and heredity are not fully understood, most Swissy breeders do not consider it as breeding excluding condition.

Cataracts

This is the loss of normal transparency of the eye's lens. The opacity is usually white but may also give bluish
white cast to the lens behind the pupil. A cataract can be singular or multiple, of any size or shape and may affect
the entire lens. The degree of vision impairment is determinded by the size and location of the cataract within the
lens. While most cataracts are considered to be inherited, some may result from trauma to the eye or from
metabolic disorders such as diabetes. Congenital (present at birth) cataracts may or may not be inherited and
generally do not progress to blindness. Most hereditary forms of cataract occur in dogs under the age of 5 years.
Senile cataracts in older dogs are quite common and are considered to be the result of the aging process. Like any
other ocular abnormality, cataracts can be confirmed by an ophthalmological exam. In general, Swissy breeders
will not breed a dog with cataracts unless trauma has been clearly established as the cause of the condition.

Distichiasis and Entropion

Entropion (eyelid rolled inward),

Distichiasis (extra eyelashes or row of lashes growing from the lid margins): If present in acute clinical form,
both conditions can cause irritation to and possibly damage the
cornea. Signs of these defects are excessive tearing, ocular discharge and squinting.
Clinical entropion and distichiasis can be very successfully corrected by surgery. While
these hereditary conditions are present in Swissys, they are often so minor that they do
not present any clinical evidence. This applies in particular to distichiasis. Many Swissys have extra eyelashes
which are only apparent upon careful examination of the inside of the eyelids. Like with all ocular abnormalities,
Swissys can be screened for these most frequently occuring defects and registered with the Canine Eye
RegistrationFoundation (CERF).

Allergies

An allergic reaction is an unwanted side effect caused by an inappropriate response of the immune system to
various substances such as pollens, mold, dust or insect bites, certain foods, drugs and chemicals. Exposure to
them triggers a reaction, usually through itching, sneezing, coughing, tearing, vomiting or diarrhea. The most
frequently encountered allergies in Swissys are reaction to certain types of food, flea bites and pollen. Food
allergies occuring at a young age sometimes disappear, i.e. the dog outgrows the allregic reaction eventually.
Becaue the cause of an allergy is often difficult and sometimes impossible to determine, allergies can be very
frustrating for the owner, and patience is often the only recourse!

Cancer

Age is the most important risk factor for the development of cancer in dogs, for it is the aging that permits the
long-term events leading to tumor development and progression to occur. For most tumor types, the risk for
cancer increases with increased age. There are many types of cancer occurring in dogs such as: various types of
skin tumors or carcinomas - tumors of the bone such as osteosarcoma - tumors of the lymphoid tissues such as
lymphosarcoma - tumors derived from blood vessel such as hemangiosarcoma. To date, Swissys do not appear
to be predisposed to a certain form of cancer. And although a few cases of cancer in young dogs have been
reported, so far it is clearly the older population that is subject to the various forms of cancer.
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