CORGI HEALTH

Making sure we produce sound, healthy puppies is our priority!

Learn about common genetic diseases for the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, and why health testing is so important to us.

DEGENERATIVE MYELOPATHY (DM)

Degenerative myelopathy (DM) is a hereditary adult-onset spinal cord disease similar to the human disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Dogs with DM experience slowly progressive weakness and an inability to control hind limbs, eventually leading to paralysis. Symptoms usually don’t begin until dogs are around 8 years old, but the range can be anywhere from 4-14 years old.

Learn more about DM HERE

EXERCISE INDUCED COLLAPSE (EIC)

Exercise-Induced Collapse (EIC) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder causing affected dogs to suffer from a loss of muscle control following periods of extreme exercise. Typically, an affected dog begins to show symptoms between 5 months and 3 years of age, usually around the age that more intensive training begins.

Learn more about EIC HERE

VON WILLEBRAND DISEASE I (VWD I)

Von Willebrand's disease (vWD) is the most common inherited bleeding disorder of both humans and dogs. It is caused by a deficiency in the amount of a specific protein needed to help platelets (the blood cells used in clotting) stick together and form clots to seal broken blood vessels. The deficient protein is called von Willebrand factor (vWF).

Learn more about vWD HERE

HIPS & ELBOWS

Hip and elbow dysplasia are painful conditions that can cause swelling, abnormal joint development and eventually arthritis in dogs.

These conditions most commonly affect medium to large breed dogs, and often they inherit them from one of their parents.

The symptoms usually start when the dog is growing as a puppy, but they can cause painful joint problems later in life too.

Learn more about hip and elbow dysplasia HERE

WHY WE TAKE HEALTH TESTING PERSONALLY

Back in 2016 I rescued a dog who's health was completely neglected by their owner.

Her name was Marley. She was a beautiful, brindle, 8 year old Boxer mix - and the happiest, sweetest soul you could ever meet. However, when I brought her into our family, she was severely obese, and struggled to use her back legs. I was told she had suffered an injury but her previous owner didn't take her to the vet.

After a few months, we managed to take the weight off of her - but she was still struggling to walk. It turned out that Marley was in the early stages of DM taking over... I knew this was a death sentence and that our time together was limited... So I stocked up on doggy diapers, cranberry treats, and got her a wheel chair so she could enjoy doing what she loved: RUNNING! She LOVED to play fetch, and with the wheels she could finally play again!

Marley had an unbreakable spirit until the day she left us, a year and a half later. But watching this poor sweet girl lose her ability to truly live her life broke my heart.

Degenerative Myelopathy is a death sentence. But it is also completely avoidable.

I make sure to health test all of my studs and bitches to make sure that everyone is as healthy as possible. I want to make sure that no one else ever has to go through the pain of losing their dog the way I lost Marley. And most importantly, I want to make sure that the puppies we produce can live long, healthy, happy lives and never have to suffer the way Marley did.

I hope you are chasing all the balls and running as fast as you can on the other side of the rainbow bridge, sweet girl. ♥

RIP Marley 2009-2019