Possible association between abnormal vertebral development and neonatal mortality in bulldogs

Thoracic Kyphosis Associated with Hemivertebra

“…Explanations for the development of this disease include asymmetric formation, failure of fusion of the 2 original ossification centers, or abnormal distribution of the intersegmental arteries . A possible association between abnormal vertebral development and neonatal mortality has been described in Bulldogs …”

Congenital defects in a highly inbred wild wolf population (Canis lupus)

“…Neonatal death (Drew 1974) and cord compression with serious clinical consequences in young puppies exhibiting hemivertebrae have been reported (Done et al 1975;Leyland 1985;Shell et al 1988;Ruberte et al 1995). Most of the reports describe severe clinical manifestation in the hind legs at a juvenile stage and more seldom in older animals.…”

Is this a genetic disease?

“…Congenital heart disease in the dog is perhaps the best example. Epidemiological studies in the USA and Canada have shown that the prevalence of congenital heart disease in dogs presented to university veterinary clinics is greater in purebreds than in mongrels and that the different anatomic defects occur predominantly in particular breeds (Patterson 1968, 1974, Mulvihill and Priester 1973. The anatomic sites of the five most common anatomic defects found in various breeds are shown in Fig 3. For example, patent ductus arteriosus occurred predominantly in poodles, collies, and pomeranians, while subaortic stenosis was found mainly in German shepherd dogs, boxers and Newfoundlands.…”

“…The exact causes of death are usually not determined in puppies and kittens that die before weaning, but they include a number of different lethal structural and metabolic defects that are inherited as autosomal or polygenic traits. A continued search for anatomical abnormalities (Drew 1974) and biochemical derangements (Blunden 1987), will gradually sort out the many causes of the fading puppy complex.…”