Tina
11-02-2000, 01:38 PM
I recently read an interesting article about a study by a Danish veterinarian. She has studied back problems and suggests that all dogs that are used for breeding should be x-rayed for calcified intervertebral discs at the age of 1-4 years. Dogs that have four calcified discs or more, should be excluded from breeding programs. This has a dramatic influence on the number of descendants suffering from back problems in the next generation. The smaller the number of calcified discs is, the better are the chances to get puppies that are not likely to have back problems during their lives (no calcified discs). The vet that takes and studies the pictures needs a great deal of experience, but otherwise this looks to me a promising way to control back problems in the future.