Health & Temperament

vWD is extinct within the current kooikerhondje population. No dog has tested as a carrier of vWD in over 20 years. vWD is a hereditary clotting disorder caused by a defect or deficiency of a blood clotting protein, called von Willebrand Factor, protein that is required for platelet adhesion. This condition makes those afflicted likely to bleed abnormally and severely. This can lead to potentially life threatening consequences in situations such as accidental injuries, spaying, or neutering. Testing is available through Van Haeringen Laboratories in the Netherlands by cheek swab. As long as parents test CLEAR, puppies cannot have this disease.

EMN is functionally extinct within the current kooikerhondje population. Since the creation of the DNA test for ENM, carriers are easily identified and the gene has been bred away from. ENM carriers in the kooikerhondje population are quite rare now. Also called Kooiker Paralysis or Leukodystrophy. It affects currently only 0.2% of the population approximately. ENM is a devastating disease that is still undergoing intense study. It is a recessive degenerative spinal disease. The disease breaks out between the third and 12th month of life. Noticeable is a change in movement and muscle weakness that starts in the hind legs and progresses to the front legs until there is a complete paralysis of the body. Affected dogs die of asphyxiation if they are not euthanized. ENM is not painful and is not treatable. ENM is always lethal. After the first physical signs have started, Kooikers will die within 2 weeks to 11 months. The cause is a destruction of the spinal cord. Post mortem examination has revealed a symmetrical bilateral necrotizing myelopathy with malacia in the ventral and dorsal white matter. The disease resembles the hereditary myelopathy seen in Afghan Hounds and the leucoencephalomyelopathy in Rottweilers. A research article from 1993 has concluded that it is an autosomal recessive disease. Currently, the only way to effectively eliminate ENM is to use preventative selection when choosing a sire and dam to breed. Your breeder should know about ENM! A DNA cheek swab test is available to screen for carrier status of ENM through Van Haeringen Laboratories in The Netherlands. The first analysis were performed beginning of July 2012 at the University of Utrecht. A dog that has been identified as carrying ENM does not necessarily mean that it is unhealthy. However the result does help with the selection of sire and dam. A carrier can be mated with a non-carrier or two non-carriers can be mated. Two carrier should NEVER be mated since their offspring can get the disease. Please follow this link (http://www.kooikerhondje.nl/en/fokkerij/data-vwd-enm-onderzoek/) to learn more about the test and research that has been done in the Netherlands.

PM affects only 1-2% of kooikerhondjes. Available testing for PM is still in development. At this time the University of Utrecht has identified 2 markers for PM that can be tested for to give a general risk assessment of whether or not you kooiker is likely to develop PM. This is not a definitive test as dogs that test clear could still develop the disease and dogs that test as having both markers might not be affected at all. You can find more information about the test here. There is currently a cheek swab test available through Van Haeringen Laboratories in The Netherlands. It is assumed to be an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of one or more muscle groups resulting in loss of functionality and muscle weakness in the affected areas. Myositis is a progressive form of the disease with a very poor prognosis. We see two groups. The first group consists of relatively young dogs with swallowing or eating problems. The second group consists of dogs that are young to middle aged and have more musculoskeletal problems and sometimes a combination with swallowing problems. Depending on the location , the most common symptoms are: reduced endurance muscle weakness swallowing problems fever general fatigue lack of drive to play or walk lameness stiffness walking with curved back salivation vomiting poor appetite. Because many symptoms are also features of other disorders, this condition is often difficult to recognize. If left undiagnosed, myositis is lethal; if diagnosed early, available treatments are immunosuppression and management with steroids. Kooikers with myositis seem to pass away at 3 or 4 years after being diagnosed. Myositis in general can be hereditary or caused by infections, autoimmune diseases and toxins. It can be misdiagnosed as Myasthenia Gravis, for example, by veterinarians. In order to make a definitive diagnosis, a muscle biopsy by a qualified veterinarian is required. This tricky disease has been found more often in the Kooikerhondje population in recent years. We hope that current research in the Netherlands will give us a better understanding of the disease in the near future. Professor Paul J.J. Mandigers from the Veterinary Faculty at the University in Utrecht gave a lecture about polymyositis during the Symposium of the VHNK on 11/16/2012. There is no gender disposition which means males and females are affected equally. It is difficult for general veterinarians that are not specialized to make the diagnosis. The medical work-up includes an electro-myography (test to measure the muscle reaction after a stimulus is given) and a muscle biopsy (tissue sample taken from the affected muscle group). If the dog has difficulty swallowing, a bronchoscopy (internal exam with a camera visualizing the lungs and bronchial tree) as well. Before starting steroid therapy, the diagnosis of Polymyositis needs to be confirmed because steroids can alter test results. Professor Mandigers thinks that Polymyositis in the Kooiker is a breed specific disease that is familial and hereditary. There is most likely a trigger that causes Polymyositis to break out.

Eye problems in kooikers are relatively rare. Like patella luxation all dogs, mixed or purebred are susceptible to hereditary eye abnormalities and deformations such as cataracts, retinal dysplasia or distichiasis (where the eye lid grows towards the lens). It is important to have Kooikers examined by a board certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist and registered with CERF, the Canine Eye Registration Foundation. Dogs used for breeding should carry a valid CERF certificate.

The incidence of Patellar Luxation in kooikerhondjes has dramatically decreased since the development of the test for it in the 1990s. The patella, or kneecap, is part of the stifle joint (knee). In patella luxation, the kneecap luxates, or pops out of place, either in a medial or lateral position. This can be a hereditary defect, it can also be caused by malnutrition and over-exercise. Kooikerhondjes, as well as all mixed dogs or purebred, are susceptible to this structural defect. It is prevented through selective breeding and by use of a licensed canine orthopedic specialist’s diagnosis. The official evaluation normally occurs after 12 months, once most of the growing of the dog is done. However you may have your dog inspected earlier by a veterinarian for symptoms. Find out more on the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals’ (OFA) website. Dogs used for breeding should be free or only minimally affected with patella luxation (grade 1) and should carry a valid OFA certificate.

Hip dysplasia is a relative non-issue in the breed. The majority of countries do not test for it because of it's rarely an issue, but it is a required test for an OFA CHIC number in the US. Hip dysplasia is a skeletal condition, most often seen in large or giant breed dogs. The hip joint functions as a ball and socket. In dogs with hip dysplasia, the ball and socket do not fit or develop properly, and they rub and grind instead of sliding smoothly. This results in deterioration over time and an eventual loss of function of the joint itself (i.e. loose hip socket to thighbone connection). Hip dysplasia can cause pain and lameness that can range in severity. Most kooikers that test positive for it are mild cases and are asymptomatic. Hip dysplasia can be caused by and inherited structural defect or environmental variables such as obesity and physical over-exertion. Like patella luxation, hip dysplaysia can be screened for. Ask a qualified veterinarian to x-ray your dog under sedation and submit results to OFA. Although hip dysplasia is not a prevalent problem in the breed, it is always good to test for and to avoid breeding kooikers that have poor hip testing results.

vWD is extinct within the current kooikerhondje population. No dog has tested as a carrier of vWD in over 20 years. vWD is a hereditary clotting disorder caused by a defect or deficiency of a blood clotting protein, called von Willebrand Factor, protein that is required for platelet adhesion. This condition makes those afflicted likely to bleed abnormally and severely. This can lead to potentially life threatening consequences in situations such as accidental injuries, spaying, or neutering. Testing is available through Van Haeringen Laboratories in the Netherlands by cheek swab. As long as parents test CLEAR, puppies cannot have this disease.

EMN is functionally extinct within the current kooikerhondje population. Since the creation of the DNA test for ENM, carriers are easily identified and the gene has been bred away from. ENM carriers in the kooikerhondje population are quite rare now. Also called Kooiker Paralysis or Leukodystrophy. It affects currently only 0.2% of the population approximately. ENM is a devastating disease that is still undergoing intense study. It is a recessive degenerative spinal disease. The disease breaks out between the third and 12th month of life. Noticeable is a change in movement and muscle weakness that starts in the hind legs and progresses to the front legs until there is a complete paralysis of the body. Affected dogs die of asphyxiation if they are not euthanized. ENM is not painful and is not treatable. ENM is always lethal. After the first physical signs have started, Kooikers will die within 2 weeks to 11 months. The cause is a destruction of the spinal cord. Post mortem examination has revealed a symmetrical bilateral necrotizing myelopathy with malacia in the ventral and dorsal white matter. The disease resembles the hereditary myelopathy seen in Afghan Hounds and the leucoencephalomyelopathy in Rottweilers. A research article from 1993 has concluded that it is an autosomal recessive disease. Currently, the only way to effectively eliminate ENM is to use preventative selection when choosing a sire and dam to breed. Your breeder should know about ENM! A DNA cheek swab test is available to screen for carrier status of ENM through Van Haeringen Laboratories in The Netherlands. The first analysis were performed beginning of July 2012 at the University of Utrecht. A dog that has been identified as carrying ENM does not necessarily mean that it is unhealthy. However the result does help with the selection of sire and dam. A carrier can be mated with a non-carrier or two non-carriers can be mated. Two carrier should NEVER be mated since their offspring can get the disease. Please follow this link (http://www.kooikerhondje.nl/en/fokkerij/data-vwd-enm-onderzoek/) to learn more about the test and research that has been done in the Netherlands.

PM affects only 1-2% of kooikerhondjes. Available testing for PM is still in development. At this time the University of Utrecht has identified 2 markers for PM that can be tested for to give a general risk assessment of whether or not you kooiker is likely to develop PM. This is not a definitive test as dogs that test clear could still develop the disease and dogs that test as having both markers might not be affected at all. You can find more information about the test here. There is currently a cheek swab test available through Van Haeringen Laboratories in The Netherlands. It is assumed to be an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of one or more muscle groups resulting in loss of functionality and muscle weakness in the affected areas. Myositis is a progressive form of the disease with a very poor prognosis. We see two groups. The first group consists of relatively young dogs with swallowing or eating problems. The second group consists of dogs that are young to middle aged and have more musculoskeletal problems and sometimes a combination with swallowing problems. Depending on the location , the most common symptoms are: reduced endurance muscle weakness swallowing problems fever general fatigue lack of drive to play or walk lameness stiffness walking with curved back salivation vomiting poor appetite. Because many symptoms are also features of other disorders, this condition is often difficult to recognize. If left undiagnosed, myositis is lethal; if diagnosed early, available treatments are immunosuppression and management with steroids. Kooikers with myositis seem to pass away at 3 or 4 years after being diagnosed. Myositis in general can be hereditary or caused by infections, autoimmune diseases and toxins. It can be misdiagnosed as Myasthenia Gravis, for example, by veterinarians. In order to make a definitive diagnosis, a muscle biopsy by a qualified veterinarian is required. This tricky disease has been found more often in the Kooikerhondje population in recent years. We hope that current research in the Netherlands will give us a better understanding of the disease in the near future. Professor Paul J.J. Mandigers from the Veterinary Faculty at the University in Utrecht gave a lecture about polymyositis during the Symposium of the VHNK on 11/16/2012. There is no gender disposition which means males and females are affected equally. It is difficult for general veterinarians that are not specialized to make the diagnosis. The medical work-up includes an electro-myography (test to measure the muscle reaction after a stimulus is given) and a muscle biopsy (tissue sample taken from the affected muscle group). If the dog has difficulty swallowing, a bronchoscopy (internal exam with a camera visualizing the lungs and bronchial tree) as well. Before starting steroid therapy, the diagnosis of Polymyositis needs to be confirmed because steroids can alter test results. Professor Mandigers thinks that Polymyositis in the Kooiker is a breed specific disease that is familial and hereditary. There is most likely a trigger that causes Polymyositis to break out.

Eye problems in kooikers are relatively rare. Like patella luxation all dogs, mixed or purebred are susceptible to hereditary eye abnormalities and deformations such as cataracts, retinal dysplasia or distichiasis (where the eye lid grows towards the lens). It is important to have Kooikers examined by a board certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist and registered with CERF, the Canine Eye Registration Foundation. Dogs used for breeding should carry a valid CERF certificate.

The incidence of Patellar Luxation in kooikerhondjes has dramatically decreased since the development of the test for it in the 1990s. The patella, or kneecap, is part of the stifle joint (knee). In patella luxation, the kneecap luxates, or pops out of place, either in a medial or lateral position. This can be a hereditary defect, it can also be caused by malnutrition and over-exercise. Kooikerhondjes, as well as all mixed dogs or purebred, are susceptible to this structural defect. It is prevented through selective breeding and by use of a licensed canine orthopedic specialist’s diagnosis. The official evaluation normally occurs after 12 months, once most of the growing of the dog is done. However you may have your dog inspected earlier by a veterinarian for symptoms. Find out more on the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals’ (OFA) website. Dogs used for breeding should be free or only minimally affected with patella luxation (grade 1) and should carry a valid OFA certificate.

Hip dysplasia is a relative non-issue in the breed. The majority of countries do not test for it because of it's rarely an issue, but it is a required test for an OFA CHIC number in the US. Hip dysplasia is a skeletal condition, most often seen in large or giant breed dogs. The hip joint functions as a ball and socket. In dogs with hip dysplasia, the ball and socket do not fit or develop properly, and they rub and grind instead of sliding smoothly. This results in deterioration over time and an eventual loss of function of the joint itself (i.e. loose hip socket to thighbone connection). Hip dysplasia can cause pain and lameness that can range in severity. Most kooikers that test positive for it are mild cases and are asymptomatic. Hip dysplasia can be caused by and inherited structural defect or environmental variables such as obesity and physical over-exertion. Like patella luxation, hip dysplaysia can be screened for. Ask a qualified veterinarian to x-ray your dog under sedation and submit results to OFA. Although hip dysplasia is not a prevalent problem in the breed, it is always good to test for and to avoid breeding kooikers that have poor hip testing results.