Beagles are a very healthy breed overall, and Lane Rae Beagles takes every precaution to produce the healthiest puppies possible.

Our breeding program is pretty clean of health issues, but even when using available testing and careful planning, issues can still arise.

That is just the nature of breeding and producing living animals.

If a breeder tells you that the puppy they are offering you, or their breeding lines, are completely clear of genetic issues please be careful. They are either not being honest with you, have not bothered to track what issues they have produced or have not been breeding long enough.

We always use common sense, DNA screening (when available) and are wise to avoid lines/dogs we feel are a high risk. Below are the most common health concerns in the Beagle breed, in my opinion and through the experience I have gained about Beagles as a whole. All dogs, pure breeds and breed mixes, have just as many health concerns. Please keep in mind that besides looking and acting very differently, Show Bred Beagles will normally have completely different health issues than Field Bred Beagles. The results below apply to my own breeding program as I cannot speak for the occurrence of any health issue in other breeding lines.

INBREEDING - Before we go over the health concerns of the Beagle breed, I feel I must say a few words about inbreeding. Though I rarely breed closely related Beagles together, Inbreeding (in itself) can not CAUSE genetic issues. The genetic issues that can be present, in both pure breed dogs and mixed breeds, are mutations that have been there for many generations. Inbreeding, itself, can be a contributing factor to smaller litter sizes, sterility and neonatal survival. It is incorrect information that inbreeding CREATES these genetic issues. With the use of new DNA testing, breeders are able to identify dangerous recessive traits and breed away from them to produce healthier puppies. If you would like more information about my point of view on this topic, or any listed here, please contact me directly.

CONCERNS :

Musladin Lueke Syndrome (MLS) - Also known as Chinese Beagle Syndrome (CBS). MLS is a genetic disease that affects the development and structure of connective tissue and has involves multiple organs, bone, heart, skin and muscle. Signs that a puppy is affected show up at around seven weeks of age and may include small size, skin that is thick and taut, reduced joint mobility, broadened skull with slanted eyes set wide apart, and an abnormal "tiptoe" gait. We can avoid producing puppies with MLS using available DNA testing and affected individuals should not be bred. -HEALTH CONCERN : Extremely low risk

Intervertebral Disc Disease (CDDY/IVDD) - CDDY/IVDD, or herniated discs in the spine, can happen to any breed but the shorter legged and long backed breeds are more prone. CDDY and IVDD do have genetic components and there is a DNA test currently available, but it is very deceptive. With 99.9% of Beagles being at risk or carriers, and the vast majority not showing physical signs, the test has given little insight as to what dogs, if any, will be affected by the condition. Normally this is an extremely rare condition, and more research must be done before the DNA test would be considered accurate. - HEALTH CONCERN : Extremely low risk

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) - PRA is an inherited eye disease that is identifiable through DNA screening and/or an eye examination by an Ophthalmologist. Using the DNA test we can avoid producing puppies with PRA but, even if a dog is tested and found to be affected by PRA, there is only a small chance that they will develop the disease. If they do, progression tends to be relatively slow, later in life, and progress to complete blindness. Even though this is a very rare disease, we still do everything we can to avoid producing puppies that will have this. It is considered “Non-Progressive” or “Non-Activated” disease in Beagles. - HEALTH CONCERN : Extremely low risk

Dwarfism (Chondrodystrophy) - Beagle puppies that are affected appear normal at birth, but within two weeks are noticeably shorter and smaller than their littermates. As they grown their legs are normally short and misshapen, their necks appear shorter and more “stuffy” and they will grow to be approximately half the height and weight than normal adults. Affected dogs often experience hearing loss, require frequent dental cleanings due to crowding of the teeth in their shortened jaw, have incomplete closer of the frontal sinuses and many other serious health issues. Beagles affected with Dwarfism are easily recognizable by unusual physical features but there is currently no DNA test available to identify the possibility of producing this genetic issue in breeding pairs. Affected individuals should not be bred. - HEALTH CONCERN : Extremely low risk

Heart Murmur - Heart murmurs are very rare but can occur. Sometimes a puppy can have a heart murmur at a young age and as they grow it corrects. This is called an “innocent murmur” as the connecting tissue that should have dissolved before birth is still present. As the puppy grows the tissue releases and the heart is normal. Other, more serious, murmurs can happen due to the dam being exposed to an unknown virus or bacteria during pregnancy, application of dangerous flea/tick mediation, administering dangerous oral medications, environmental toxins or the or it can simply be genetic. - HEALTH CONCERN : Extremely low risk

Diabetes Mellitus - Diabetes mellitus is a condition that affects the amount of glucose, or sugar, in your dog's blood. Diabetes occurs when your dog's body makes too little insulin, stops producing it completely, or has an abnormal response to insulin. Excessive thirst, increased urination, weight loss and increased appetite are the initial symptoms with cataracts, enlarged liver, urinary tract infections, seizures, kidney failure and ketoacidosis being the more advanced symptoms. Canine diabetes is more common in middle-age and older dogs, but it is also seen in young dogs. There is no DNA test available to identify the possibility of producing this genetic issue in breeding pairs, and the primary cause of canine diabetes is largely unknown. Experts suggest that genetics may play a role as it is more prevalent in specific family lines. - HEALTH CONCERN : Extremely low risk

Factor VII Bleeding Disorder (F7) - F7 deficiency is a mild to moderate inherited blood clotting disorder that stops the blood from clotting properly during trauma and surgery. Affected dogs may appear mostly healthy but may be prone to increased bleeding tendency and must have a blood clotting test completed. A DNA test available to identify the possibility of producing this genetic issue in breeding pairs and affected individuals must be bred carefully, if at all, to produce puppies that are clear of the disorder. - HEALTH CONCERN : Extremely low risk

Epilepsy - Epilepsy is a very broad term that means that the dog has moments where brain activity becomes abnormal which causes seizures. There are many types of seizures, and not all cases of epilepsy are inherited. Sometimes a spontaneous gene mutations cause epilepsy, other times it is found in a family line or caused by the environment with genetic factors. The application of dangerous long term flea/tick pesticides can cause seizures. LaFlora is currently the only seizure causing, recessively inherited disease that can be tested for. We have, to date, not produced any cases of epilepsy. - HEALTH CONCERN : Extremely low risk

Cancers - Statistics show that, as a whole, around 23% of Beagles over the age of 10 years old will have some form of cancer. This takes into account all Beagles regardless of their breeding line and some Beagle mixes as well. Cancer is a broad area to cover, and even with careful breeding it can come out of nowhere, but I am very mindful and doing all I can as a breeder to prevent any forms of cancer. So far cancer has not been a reported concern or cause of death under the age of 10 years of age and rare over the age of 10 years of age. - HEALTH CONCERN : Very low risk

Hypothyroidism/Hyperthyroidism - The thyroid gland. located in the neck, controls the metabolic rate of the body. When the gland is not functioning improperly it can cause weakness, lethargy, weight gain to the point of obesity, skin and coat problems, behavioral abnormalities, and infertility and other issues. There is some controversy as to whether environmental toxins and vaccines cause thyroid issues, but genetics do play a role in this condition. Studies on the mode of inheritance of hereditary hypothyroidism/autoimmune thyroiditis in dogs have been inconclusive to date and unfortunately there is no DNA test available to identify the possibility of producing this genetic issue in breeding pairs and no active research into the mode of inheritance of canine hereditary hypothyroidism. - HEALTH CONCERN : Very low risk

Hip Dysplasia (HD) - Hip dysplasia is a condition that occurs during the growth stage in dogs and is caused by both genetic and environmental factors. HD is most common in larger breeds and results in the loosening of the hip joint, which causes dysfunction and pain. As the dog grows, the cartilage and bone of the hip begin to wear down. Over time, this causes arthritis, muscle atrophy, and limited mobility. There is no DNA test for HD and I can continue to manage HD through wise breeding practices. - HEALTH CONCERN : Very low risk

Cherry Eye (prolapsed nictitating membrane glands - PNMG) - In my opinion, Cherry Eye is the first most common disorder in show bred Beagles and is usually seen at around 4-8 months of age. The small glad, normally located behind the eyeball, pops out causing a pea sized pink ball to be seen in the inner corner of the eye. Most often, cherry eye is due to eye allergens (mold, sand, dirt, bacteria, high winds), increased blood pressure (pulling on a lead, running hard, hard panting) and/or weak connective tissue. Though this issue is most commonly seen in “family lines” it can also affect individual dogs that have no genetic predisposition to it. If noticed as soon as it happens, the gland can be massaged back into place and steroidal drops and antibiotic ointment can be applied to reduce swelling. Normally, with reduced activity for a couple of weeks, the gland stays in place with no surgery needed. If it is not able to be massaged back into place there are two surgical procedures that are normally recommended. The first is removal of the gland and this is what we would recommend. Though the removal of the gland may cause an approximate 8% reduction of tear production, it is not a significant amount to be noticeable. The other method is to tuck the gland back into place and tack it with sutures. This procedure is much more expensive and only has an approximate 50% chance of success. - HEALTH CONCERN : Low risk

Allergies - Having an allergy means that the immune system is overreacting to a substance and are most often due to contact with insecticides, pollens, insect bites and food ingredients. Allergies can cause redness, swelling, itching and hair loss as well as a secondary bacterial skin infection due to scratching or biting. Allergies are common in all dogs, regardless of breeding or background, but in some cases, there can be a predisposition to it in some family groups. - HEALTH CONCERN : Low risk

Retained Testicles (Cryptorchidism) - I would consider Cryptorchidism, or retained testicles, the second most common concern in Beagles. This issue is also most often found in family groups and there can be environmental causes as well. Though there has been forward progress with research, there is not a genetic test available yet for Cryptorchidism. There may be more than several modes of inheritance and it is still undetermined how much of a role the female/mother has, if any, in the production of retained testicles. Retained testicles will not affect a dog’s ability to become a great family companion. We still recommend that any male with retained testicles be neutered no sooner than 12 months of age. Reproductive cancers in Show Bred Beagles are almost non-existent and testicular cancers normally appear after 8 years of age. - HEALTH CONCERN : Low risk