Rottweiler Hip Dysplasia

    While at this time not much is known as to if Hip Dysplasia is a recessive or dominant or poly genetic, what IS known is that it is variable expression.
    Variable Expression means that a dog with HD gene(s) can be crippled, affected but good life quality, have no symptoms at all, or even pass OFA/Pennhip/FCI hip testing depending upon the amount of HD expression. You can have 4 dogs with the HD gene(s) and they all might look very different on x ray. A high expression dog might have horrific hips, a low expression dog might actually certify with a fair or good and the other two might be in between.
    The dog's weight, exercise/fitness level, supplements, lifestyle management and so on can effect the expression of HD in dogs with the HD gene(s) that are low to moderate expression, but they cannot cause HD in a dog without HD gene(s).
    You can reduce expression or increase expression to a point in dogs with low to moderate HD expression.
    High expression dogs will exhibit HD phenotypically no matter what you do.

    Variable expression traits are very hard for breeders to grasp, especially when those traits/ diseases have no genetic test.
    Here are some traits that are variable expression that we DO HAVE genetic tests for:
            *Short coat. Expression can range from a tight slick coat to a heavy coat 2+" long with haunch and belly fringe and a longer neck ruff.
            * Long coat. Expression ranges from a coat visually similar to a heavy short coat, all the way up to a show Newfoundland, Rough collie or Old English sheepdog length.
            *Furnishings. (wire beards etc) range from completely undetectable visually on up to a heavy bearded, brows, leg fringe, stand off wire body coated dog.

    Hip dysplasia and SAS are both conditions that are variable expression, with phenotypic testing only- no accurate genetic test.

    Hip Dysplasia is at this date, not yet able to be tested for via DNA (although University of Missouri is on stage 2 of a promising study- stage 1 results here). Because the only available test is a phenotypic test (what can be seen) and no genetic test is available, a lot of dogs are bred that have low expression.


    Remember, A dog CANNOT express HD without the HD gene(s) AND barring bad accident, you cannot cause a dog without HD gene to have hip dysplasia.

    This is why knowing as much about the family as you can. You MUST be willing to do a lot of research.
    To make any headway you must be able to determine the hip ratings for as many relatives of the dog you are breeding AND the dog you are breeding to as possible. This means siblings, parents, grandparents, great grandparents etc PLUS Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Half Siblings etc.
    The more animals you can get info on the more you know about what the family lines carry.

    Since we have no way of knowing which puppies are affected, by raising every pup to reduce expression as much as possible is the best practice. Proper whelping box footing, proper diets (feed quality food, avoiding diets more than 4g calcium/ 1000 calories and avoiding the animal being overweight), age appropriate exercise, maintaining physical fitness, etc... are VITAL.


    When choosing breeding dogs- An OFA excellent dog from a family of Fair or failing hips is a FAR less desirable breeding prospect than an OFA fair out of a family of all OFA good and excellent hips. The family status tells you what you are up against.
Try to choose families with either all passing dogs or high percentage of good/excellent and very very low incidence of fair or mild.
Families with moderate or severe family members, especially if multiple Moderate to severe members, are going to present a much much tougher challenge in a breeding program.

    Keep good records
    Get as many puppies that you produce evaluated as possible. Yes, even those sold as pets.
    Without this information you will not be successful in breeding away from Hip Dysplasia

    It can be done. It's a LOT of work but it can be done!

Breed	Rank	Evaluations	Normal	Excellent	Equivocal	Abnormal
ROTTWEILER	41	106,054	81,392-76.7%	9,283-8.8%	2,190-2.1%	22,470-21.2%

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