Dog Down Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, and Diagnosis
Dog Down Syndrome
Many disorders are common in all organisms sustaining in this world. Any change in structure or number of an organism result in genetic disorders, as a result of these mutations many severe symptoms occur which leads to a death of an individual.
These syndromes are also common other animals as of humans. Downs syndrome is a condition where there is addition of one number of chromosomes in the cell. It often occurs in chromosome number 21.
Does Dogs Have Down Syndromes?
Yes! definitely; each and every living organism even plant is supposed to many diseases and all of us take medications and treatment as all, we want is to have a healthier life.
Before knowing whether dogs have this syndrome it is necessary to understand about down syndrome.
The addition or extra number of chromosomes present in the chromosome number 21 causes down syndrome.
In humans, it is generally categorized by flattened nose, protruded tongue and mental retardation. Where as they also suffer with other disorders like hearing loss, or eye diseases like cataract.
As given above there are so many ways to find a Down syndrome in humans but it is not so easy to find whether the dog is suffering from any syndrome unless any other syndromes show the physical characteristics.
We all know that the number of chromosomes present in the cells differ accordingly with each species, where we; the humans contain 23 pairs of chromosomes but dogs contain 39 pairs of chromosomes.
Downs syndrome in humans can be diagnosed by having 47 number of chromosomes but where as the dogs contains 78 number of chromosomes.
Dog Down Syndrome Diagnosis
These kind of chromosomal abnormalities leads to early death of dogs. Usually, genetic tests are followed to identify this syndrome. But usually, this condition does not truly exist in dogs.
Does Dog Down syndrome Really Exist?
Downs syndrome does not truly exist in dogs. On the other hand, other congenital and developmental conditions occur in dogs where the symptoms are similar to that of downs syndrome, Congenital hypothyroidism is one of the good examples of this type of congenital disease.
Some of the symptoms that resemble as such of down syndrome is slow growth which eventually results in small stature, protrusion of tongue and also in large tongue than usual.
Short limbs, poor muscle tone, delaying in opening of eyes and ears etc.
The other symptoms which relate the congenital diseases with downs syndrome is pituitary dwarfism, congenital hypo Cephalus, growth hormone deficiencies and portosystemic shunt.
Symptoms That Mimic Dog Down Syndrome
If we find a dog by struggling with growth delays or any other cognitive diseases, apart from genetic diseases there is chances of having other congenital heart or thyroid issue which are due to pituitary dwarfism or any other growth hormone deficiencies where all these disorders and symptoms that results as such of down syndrome.
Dog Down Syndrome Symptoms
Along with above said symptoms the other symptoms that doubts whether it is a down symptom are as follows.
Poor Eye Sight: Hence in this condition dogs have poor health conditions which results in poor eyesight. They also have ahigh risk of developing cataract at least in any one of the eyes. In this case the cloudiness of the eyes should be checked with Veterinarian. Because this condition is the best symptom of forming a cataract.
Unusual Physical Features: Normally dogs with this condition have different facial features and shortened growth. Other common symptoms include shortened neck, flattened face, small structure of head, slanting eyes with a flap of skin above the eyes. And ears are abnormal in structure. Along with these, the affected dogs also have dry noses, patches on skin, incomplete legs, and they start shedding their hair from the fur.
Hearing Deficiencies: The affected dogs also have the hearing problems but which is very difficult to diagnose, because the dog having these conditions follow the commands later and they are always slow in reacting to the situations.
Pain: The dog with these symptoms usually gets it whole body affected which also results in abnormal circulatory system and causes severe and random pains throughout the body of the dog,
Unusual Discharges: These dogs usually with this condition has many diseases along with this congenital disease which results in abnormal blood discharge from their rectum. We can also notice this discharge coming out randomly and often during the later stages of their infection.
Skin Problems: We can see many dogs along the streets that are suffering from skin disease. But the dogs with these associated symptoms forms missing and abnormal patches and causes irritant to the skin and it also led to other health problems.
Thyroid Problems: Dogs with these down syndromic symptoms are usually associated with thyroid problems due to malfunctioning of the thyroid gland, which results in metabolic problems and other effects in controlling the temperature of our body. Generally, the dogs with these symptoms have low temperature when compared to normal healthy dogs.
Behavioral Issues: Dogs who are suffering with this syndrome show odd behaviors, howling or wailing unnecessarily than usual times. So, it finds very difficult to feed and care like other usual dogs. They also cannot control their bladders as well. So, they feel very discomfort and howl deeply.
However, it is still not yet confirmed that downs syndrome is also present in dogs.Â
Care to be Taken
The dog showing all these symptoms can be taken for a veterinarian regularly once in a week and they had to given with proper medications.
They should also be taken for a walk twice in a day. It is also important to observe the emotional and social skills of the dog.
It is also vital to keep in touch with their body languages and to find out the emotion that they want to conquer us.
However, the other symptoms associated with down syndrome with the dogs leads them to death, in many cases it is said that mother itself will kill the dog which is having abnormality.
Or in other cases the mother dog also isolates the affected puppy to prevent the infection passing through other puppies through the affected one’s litter.
But mostly this condition is spelled out as down syndrome because it is till now not clear whether dogs obtain down syndrome.
Down Syndrome Citations
Share