NZ vets joining movement to choose bet t
Dog owners are being encouraged to think carefully before choosing a pet with extreme conformations - protruding eyes, deep skin folds, and twisted legs - that can lead to long-term suffering and costly veterinary bills.
The New Zealand Veterinary Association Te Pae Kı¯rehe (NZVA) has contributed to a recently released position paper by the International Collaborative on Extreme Conformations in Dogs (ICECDogs) to help owners identify healthy, natural characteristics in dog breeds.
Extreme conformation describes the physical traits in dogs that have been so significantly altered through years of breeding practices to exaggerate certain characteristics, that they no longer resemble their ancestral appearance. These changes to a dog’s natural body shape can seriously affect the health of the animal, for instance, bulging eyes can lead to ulcers; flat-faced dogs (brachycephalic) can experience breathing issues, and excessive folds can contribute to skin conditions.
NZVA head of veterinary services (companion animals) Sally Cory said potential owners can reduce the risk of their pet developing these issues by doing their research and choosing a registered breeder through Dogs New Zealand.
“It’s not about avoiding certain breeds, it’s about understanding the risks associated with extreme conformations,” she said.
“A good breeder will undertake genetic testing to hereditary diseas commended or m testing, and tak based approach breeding practice their best to ensu have good confo o good quality of l
“Unfortunately breeders out ther ingly breeding an that are perceive e yet will result in t a higher risk o throughout its lif animals can’t exe e maintain a norma a ture, can’t smel l nostrils are too chronic pain and s
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