Overall Breed Condition: Hips - A Theory!
Quote: I also wonder if, since they have been docked for so long, and breeders over time have bred to accentuate the rolling gait and topline on the breed, if a tail were left on now would that cause balance problems, hip problems, spinal problems? We have not bred to accommodate for that large tail, would they even be able to carry it and remain healthy and pain free?
As this now pertains more to breed health I’m taking the liberty to re-locate it to the Medical and Nutrition Forum. (Ron if you can think of a more appropriate forum outside of the polls please feel free to relocate it.) WillowSprite’s thought/concern is very much in line with concerns I have had and posted on other lists over the past year. I have tried to review the mechanics and physics resultant from leaving the dog’s tail on after so many generations of docking and how they will affect the dog’s physical/structural stability. As a result I have developed what I refer to as my “Marginal Hip Theory” which I think has some potential to, at least in part, help explain some of the observations being noted in Europe that “the overall breed quality is declining with poor overall structure” since the docking/cropping bans were legislated and are now becoming increasingly widespread. I’m putting this theory out for general discussion and commentary as just that, a theory. It seems to be in agreement with a number of observations and I would be interested in how the OES community as a whole view these thoughts. I don’t know if there would be any opportunity to test this theory but if anyone has contacts to veterinary college researchers who might have an interest I this please let me know. Hypothesis: That individual OES dogs themselves simply cannot stand the extra stresses that the sudden retention of their a tail would impose on their hips and backs after many generations of tail docking. Discussion: While it is somewhat simplistic to say that a tail “serves as a rudder” it does adequately state the effect of a tail making a significant contribution to a dogs balance and maneuverability. Early in the development of the OES breed the very farmers who docked tails to avoid taxes recognized that their dogs were less agile and needed to regain the maneuverability lost as a result of the tail docking. Over successive generations the breed's maneuverability has been recovered to the point that it is now quite nimble, especially considering that it is such a "large" drovers dog. The distinctive topline and wide spaced hips have played a big part in this "recovery of maneuverability". The OES tail, when left on, is apparently quite long and thick set - somewhere between a Briard's and a Newfoundland's. Such a large tail when left on will/does add significant "balance" to the dog fostering even more agility and nimble maneuverability. On the surface of it this all sounds good; take an already agile dog and by virtue of retaining the tail with its balancing/steering capabilities improve their maneuverability to yet higher levels. But that improved maneuverability introduces much greater loads onto the entire hindquarters of the dog, a simple incontestable fact of physics. The hips and pelvis must now withstand greater lateral forces as the dog turns at even greater speeds and they must also withstand greater combined longitudinal and lateral forces as the dog accelerates. In turn the hips transmit a portion of those new loads to the spine. The back legs, particularly the knees and ankles are also seeing substantially increased loading as it is the leg and feet joints which ultimately transfer those loads into the ground to effect movement. Selective breeding as has been practiced with domestic animals is very much a case of forced and accelerated evolution. Positive attributes, in this case those which the human masters find ideal for the breed as opposed to the natural case where attributes which help the individual better survive and exploit it’s environment, have been developed and “locked” into the breeds genetic identity. Unlike engineered and manufactured objects which have a degree of built-in overcapacity and “safety margins”, natural systems (in this case hips and spines) develop to withstand only the strains they see in daily life/work of the majority of the species population with no excess capacity. Capabilities can be improved over successive generations by breeding the very best high intensity “worked” specimens to capture their strengths. However this is a slow and deliberate process which is carefully controlled, reviewed and constantly corrected. The sudden and often legislated retention of the tail on individuals, which is in effect a re-introduction of the tail to the breed as a whole, fails to meet any criteria of any responsible selective breeding programs. The current state of the breed is one where it as a whole appears ill-suited to bearing these increased stresses as it is now quite "marginal" in it's hip structure (witness the propensity for the breed as a whole to be hip dysplasic). The very maneuverability improvement afforded by the tail remaining on the dog is stressing the hip and back structure to it's very limits and beyond, especially in the dysplasic prone lines. This sudden “re-introduction” of the tail to the breed, is apparently exacerbating dysplasic conditions and it appears to cause more orthopedic problems in the breed. Health problems which are carried and suffered by the individual dogs themselves. Further to the hindquarter problems it is entirely possible (I believe probable) that the dog's front structure is also going to suffer. As the hindquarters become more maneuverable the front end of the dog must also react more quickly, energetically and, quite frankly, violently - withstanding greater g-forces and adsorbing much more energy with each movement. All of this creates significantly increased stresses in the shoulders, elbows, wrists and pastern. Status: Only time will tell if the breed’s basic structure is sound enough to withstand this. I truly hope it is and that this theory is one of unfounded concerns. However anecdotal evidence now coming out of European countries which have imposed docking bans appears, at first glance, to be indicate an increase in the rate of orthopedic problems and generally poor structure in the breed . I’d appreciate any constructive feedback or debate on this issue. Finally a few background thoughts on docking and it’s safety/work implications. When used in their traditional role of droving or even general herding a long thick set tail represents a liability as it does to most herding/working dogs and many sporting dogs. Witness the large number of breeds that are docked or partially docked. Docking was never a fashion statement! In most breeds that are docked the practice developed in response to the dogs working environment and problems which were encountered on a breed-wide scale. (Even if docking had not come about in response to taxation it is almost a certainty that docking would have become a breed-wide practice to protect the dog from “workplace injuries”. The environment in which these dogs work is one of rough hewn pastures, full of brambles, thistles and dense thickets and surrounded by course hedgerows and stone fence-walls. All environmental conditions which can and do cause severe tail injuries. They work with relatively large charges, sheep and cattle who are very capable of inflicting a nasty kick or occasional bite. Such an incident on a tail could cause severe nervous system trauma and cleaning a tail of brambles and burrs can be very painful. Our Afghan Hounds with tails far lighter and less feathered than would be an OES tail are particularly sensitive to it being tugged while grooming/cleaning after they have picked up debris running in groomed fields. Even in a wholly domestic setting large tails are injury prone. Ask any Irish Wolfhound breeder about tail injuries and they will be able to offer an evening's worth of cases. Great Danes with less thick but equally long tails are often involved in post-puppy age tail injuries which all too frequently require outright amputation which is an enormous and very problematic procedure. Remember that the tail is part of the spine and any harm to the spine after the nervous system matures is a significant injury with the potential for long term complications. Talk to a vet about the potential complications from tail injuries. Thanks and Cheers Carl |
|
|
| Does anyone know if there is somewhere to access hip results from any of the countries where tails are now left on? I would be interested to compare. |
| Does anyone know what countries actually leave the tail on?
I think it is England that has opened the stud books recently, would that give the info? Another point that affects bone problems also is over feeding during the first 12 to 20 months or so as it relates to growth rates. I personally am looking forward to the day when we have health info as a part of the AKC or at least a sister organization that accomplishes the same thing. |
Rogers Dad wrote: Does anyone know what countries actually leave the tail on?
I think it is England that has opened the stud books recently, would that give the info? Another point that affects bone problems also is over feeding during the first 12 to 20 months or so as it relates to growth rates. I personally am looking forward to the day when we have health info as a part of the AKC or at least a sister organization that accomplishes the same thing. I'm pretty sure it's illegal to dock tails in the Netherlands. |
| The UK has recently "considered" opening the stud books. It has not yet happened, and will likely take years to come before it does. So far they have a proposal, which is a good start, though that has nothing to do with tails.... |
| docking tails is forbidden in the netherlands since september 2001 and if you bought a oes in a different country which still legalises docking it is forbidden to show the dog in the netherlands. Belgium it is allowed untill 1 jan 2006, but has to be done in the first four days.the dutch breeding club doesn't allow breeding with dogs who have hip problems, the dogs have to be tested. I will look up some more info but becaus it is half past one at night, it will be a little while |
| docking tails is also forbidden in germany, denmark. in 2007 all countries in the EU have to stop docking tails and ears |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|