PEDIGREE DOGS,

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PEDIGREE DOGS, THE SHOCKING TRUTH
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Whats it all about?
The Kennel Clubs breed standards such as short
faces, wrinkling, screw tails and dwarfism have
allowed major health problems to develop in many
popular dog breeds. The Kennel Club have now
realised this is causing suffering amongst
certain breeds and are now looking in to changing
breed standards for the better. These health
problems occur when characteristics become
exaggerated for showing and the general
appearance.
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Some of the worst examples are as follows
Neapolitan Mastiffs suffer from exaggerated
folds in the skin and this excessive weight
causes health problems in the future.
Basset Hounds are bred to have shorter legs.
However, now these features are being exaggerated
so much it is causing the stomach to touch the
ground. This results in painful sores and a large
amount of pressure on the legs which causes
illnesses such as arthritis.
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Cavalier King Charles Spaniels suffer from a
severe brain and spinal problem caused by
exaggerated breeding of a small skull. The
disease is called Syringomyelia, it causes
symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to horrific
pain and paralysis. Many dogs suffering from this
may also have uncontrollable fits.

• Pugs are one of the worst effected breeds as they
  have many exaggerated features such as large eyes
  and a flat muzzle. These features have brought
  many health issues upon the breed including
• Cataracts a serious eye disease which could
  result in blindness.
• Pannus an immunologic eye disease
• ESP (Elongated Soft Palate) - snoring is a mild
  form of this condition and more severe cases such
  as gasping for air and the blocking of the dogs
  vocal box are quite common. They cause awful
  suffering.
• Breeds such as Bulldogs and Boxers also suffer
  from breathing conditions.

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German Shepherd Dogs (GSD) suffer from hip and
elbow Dysplasia which is caused by loose joints.
It can result in severe arthritis. German
Shepherd Dogs also suffer from von Willebrands
Disease as in the Doberman. They get these
terrible diseases because of the exaggerated arch
in their back as shown in the picture.
Dobermans suffer from a blood disorder known as
von Willebrands Disease (vWD). The main symptom
is excessive bleeding and some dogs may develop
nose bleeds. This happens because of inbreeding
and exaggerated features.
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Salukis suffer from many heart conditions. One
hundred Salukis were examined at a veterinary
college. Over 1/3 had a heart murmur, over ¼ had
an irregular heart rhythm and many had enlarged
hearts. This is a result of inbreeding and
inherited diseases.
This is a picture of a Salukis enlarged heart
(left) compared to how it should be (right).
Labradors suffer from Canine Hip Dysplasia which
is a skeletal problem caused by looseness of the
hip joint. In severe cases dogs can become lame
in one or both rear legs.
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DOG SHOWS
In 2003 the Pekingese that won Crufts (one of the
worlds most famous dog shows) previously had
part of its throat removed due to an inherited
disease. This disease would have been passed on
to all the puppies it has sired. Dogs like this
should not be allowed to breed and be shown in
the show ring. A lot of breeders breeds dogs for
the show ring and therefore features are becoming
more and more exaggerated. The breed standards
should also be changed as the exaggerated
features in dogs cause unnecessary discomfort and
pain.
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WHATS BEING DONE?
The Kennel Club are introducing new breed
standards to help the welfare of all dog breeds
and provide them with a happier, healthier
future. To qualify for dog shows like Crufts your
dog has to have a clean bill of health. People
who are thinking of buying a new best friend are
encouraged to check the dogs/puppies background
first.
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THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND WE HOPE WE HAVE MADE
YOU MORE AWARE OF THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT
PEDIGREE DOGS!