ORTHOPEDIC ISSUES
As a large breed of dog, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are at a higher risk for the orthopedic problems that plague big, fast-growing dogs. Most people are familiar with Hip Dysplasia to some degree. But Swisses are also prone to Elbow Dysplasia and Osteochondrosis (OCD), particularly in the shoulder joint.
All breeding stock should be free of these diseases. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals maintains a database of all dogs who have been x-rayed free of these diseases. It is standard operating procedure for all reputable breeders of GSMDs to obtain Hip and Elbow clearances (which results in a unique number issued to each dog) on all breeding stock. Because Hip and Elbow Dysplasia are often non-symptomatic, there is no way to know a dog is free of these diseases unless they are x-rayed. If you research a dog in the OFA database and find that they may have a hip number, but NO elbow number, you should assume that the dog could not get an elbow number...unless the breeder can prove otherwise. If a breeder is taking their two year old dog in for x-rays, to obtain their clearances, they don't merely x-ray the hips and "forget" to do the elbows (or vice versa). Please keep in mind that non-passing results only show up in the database if the owner of the dog checks a special box, allowing failing results to be published. If they do not check that box, and the dog fails his hips for example, no hip results at all will show up in the database for that dog.
Because OCD is almost always symptomatic and will show up before a dog is a year old, it has been much easier for breeders to identify and eliminate dogs with OCD from the breeding pool. Therefore, shoulder clearances have not been standard procedure in this breed. Also, it wasn't until relatively recently that the OFA even started maintaining a database for shoulder clearances. We are now starting to see more and more breeders obtain official shoulder clearances from the OFA. However, if a dog does not have a shoulder clearance in the OFA database, it should not automatically lead to the conclusion that the dog could not get a shoulder clearance. Instead, speak with your breeder and ask them if the dog ever suffered from any chronic front-end lameness, if the dog's shoulders needed to be x-rayed for that reason, and whether the dog was diagnosed with or suspected of having OCD at any time.
All breeding stock should be free of these diseases. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals maintains a database of all dogs who have been x-rayed free of these diseases. It is standard operating procedure for all reputable breeders of GSMDs to obtain Hip and Elbow clearances (which results in a unique number issued to each dog) on all breeding stock. Because Hip and Elbow Dysplasia are often non-symptomatic, there is no way to know a dog is free of these diseases unless they are x-rayed. If you research a dog in the OFA database and find that they may have a hip number, but NO elbow number, you should assume that the dog could not get an elbow number...unless the breeder can prove otherwise. If a breeder is taking their two year old dog in for x-rays, to obtain their clearances, they don't merely x-ray the hips and "forget" to do the elbows (or vice versa). Please keep in mind that non-passing results only show up in the database if the owner of the dog checks a special box, allowing failing results to be published. If they do not check that box, and the dog fails his hips for example, no hip results at all will show up in the database for that dog.
Because OCD is almost always symptomatic and will show up before a dog is a year old, it has been much easier for breeders to identify and eliminate dogs with OCD from the breeding pool. Therefore, shoulder clearances have not been standard procedure in this breed. Also, it wasn't until relatively recently that the OFA even started maintaining a database for shoulder clearances. We are now starting to see more and more breeders obtain official shoulder clearances from the OFA. However, if a dog does not have a shoulder clearance in the OFA database, it should not automatically lead to the conclusion that the dog could not get a shoulder clearance. Instead, speak with your breeder and ask them if the dog ever suffered from any chronic front-end lameness, if the dog's shoulders needed to be x-rayed for that reason, and whether the dog was diagnosed with or suspected of having OCD at any time.