04/22/2024
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There has long been debate about which dogs are healthier, pure breeds or mixed breeds, but science is shedding light on anecdotal evidence that has created much misinformation. Recently, a huge 15-year study at University of California-Davis was concluded. The researchers studied 27,254 dogs with inherited disorders to find some answers.
Unfortunately, many people misunderstand the term 'hybrid vigor'. They believe this means that mixing breeds creates healthier pets. But they are incorrect.
Hybrid vigor is created when you cross two different species. Take the mule for example. A cross of two different species, the horse and the donkey. However, designer/mixed breeds are not a cross of different species. In fact, when you cross two breeds, you can double up on health issues. This is especially likely when you have the same disease tendency in both breeds.
Anita Oberhauer PhD was on the UC-Davis research team. Here’s what she says about the labradoodle, for example …
…“It’s a Lab and a Poodle crossed. A Labrador has the same likelihood of having epilepsy, hip dysplasia, Addison’s disease as a Poodle. So if the sire has the ‘disease liability genes’ for any of those conditions … and the mother has the liability genes for Addison’s, epilepsy, hip dysplasia, you breed them together and the offspring will have it.”
Study Results?
The theory that purebred dogs are more prone to disease doesn’t really hold up.
Of 24 disorders the researchers monitored, more than half (13) were about the same in purebred vs mixed breed dogs. Ten disorders were more prevalent in purebred dogs than in mixed breed dogs. Every disorder was seen in the mixed-breed population...every...single...one.
But in this study … only one disorder was more likely in mixed-breed dogs than purebred. That one disorder was cranial cruciate ligament rupture. And it was significantly higher … 30%. The researchers didn’t really know why this might happen. It’s possible combining different physical conformations reduces the resilience of the ligaments.
Learn more here > https://bit.ly/AVMApurebreedsVSmixedbreeds
