Leo Health
Leo Watch seeks to identify health concerns, determine their
impact on the breed, research those problems, make recommendations and
educate.
The following factors are used to determine which health problems to
consider:
• the potential threat a disorder may present to the breed
• the severity of the disease
• the number of affected dogs
• known carriers
• the diagnosis by breeding age
Unfortunately, until genetic markers for diseases have been discovered,
which will make routine DNA testing possible, there will be no definitive
way to determine what combinations of dogs/genes will produce a health
problem. For this reason breeders should research the health backgrounds of
both dogs before a planned breeding to make certain that the same problems
are not present in the bloodlines of stud and bitch being bred. But even
with the most intense investigation into the health backgrounds of two dogs,
it is still possible to have problems.
As the population of the Leonberger increases, and there is a higher number
of older dogs, a greater number of dogs may be expected with diseases
already identified and possible new health issues.
