GENETIC CONDITIONS OF THE CHIHUAHUA

• Cleft palate: a condition where the roof of the mouth is not closed and the inside of the nose opens into the mouth.

• Collapsed trachea: a condition where the cartilage rings that make up the trachea are malformed and tend to collapse easily.

• Corneal dystrophy: an abnormality of the cornea usually characterized by shallow pits in the surface.

• Dislocation of shoulder: a condition where the bones of the shoulder joint are out of proper position.

• Entropion: an abnormal rolling in of the eyelid.

• Factor VIII deficiency or hemophilia A: the most common severe inherited clotting disorder of humans and non-human animals. Inherited as a sex-linked recessive trait (carried by females and manifested in males). Affects most dog breeds.

• Glaucoma: abnormally high pressure in the eye.

• Hemophilia A: a blood clotting disorder due to deficiency of coagulation factor VIII (this is the most common type of hemophilia in dogs).

• Hepatic portosystemic shunt or arteriovenous fistula: a malformation of blood vessels in the liver or an abnormal communication between the arteries and veins in the liver.

• Hydrocephalus: a condition where there is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the ventricles of the brain.

• Hypoglycemia: a syndrome where the animal has abnormally low blood glucose.

• Hypoplasia of dens: a condition where part of the second vetebra fails to develop fully and leads to instability.

• Hypothyroidism: a common endocrine disease where the body produces an abnormally low amount of thyroid hormones. An autoimmune destruction of the thyroid gland, which affects more than 50 dog breeds.

• Iris atrophy: a condition where the iris (the colored part of the eye) shrinks and becomes non-functional.

• Keratitis sicca: a condition where one or both eyes do not produce a normal amount or type of tears.

• Keratoconjunctivitis sicca: a condition where one or both eyes do not produce a normal amount or type of tears.

• Lens luxation: a condition where the lens in the eye is displaced into an abnormal position.

• Mitral valve defects: a group of abnormalities of the mitral valve of the heart.

• Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis: a congenital disease where fatty pigments are deposited in the brain and cause brain dysfunction.

• Osteochondritis dissecans: a specific form of inflammation of the cartilage of certain joints which causes arthritis.

• Osteochondrosis: a group of developmental diseases resulting in abnormal formulation of joint cartilage. Commonly involves the shoulder, stifle, hock or elbow.

• Patella luxation: a condition where the knee caps slide in and out of place.

• Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA): a disease where the retina slowly deteriorates, producing night blindness.

• Pulmonic stenosis: a condition where one of the valves of the heart does not open properly.