Dwarfism in other breeds

[disneyhorse]

The above picture can be found on this website:

Friesian Crazy website

It further links to this page:

Dwarfism in Friesian horses

Here is dwarfism in a donkey, case study:

Romeo's story

I am not sure the "issue" of dwarfism is so prevalent in other breeds... perhaps it IS genetic if so many mini dwarfs are born, as a result for "breeding for" the genes way back when?

I just wanted to post this, for interesting reading, for those who want to learn/know more... in light of the recent posts.

Andrea

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Thanks for the links. I found the info very interesting.

 

[mmmorgans]

deleted

 

[outlawridge]

Disneyhorse and mmmorgans, thank you for posting these links.

 

[nootka]

These are very interesting...thank you!

Liz

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Lots of dwarfism in varying degrees in GSDs too.

The main reason dwarfism is not a problem in other breeds is that they do not breed them.

I do not think the Friesian dwarfs have even been bred as an experiment.

This is one of the reason (IMO) that GSDs do still have dwarfism.

I have seen a lot, and I do mean a LOT of "minimal Dwarf" GSD puppies come into my class and they appear to some degree to grow out of it and appear almost normal.

No way are they a good GSD but in at l;east one case I know the idiot that owned the dog and thought she was "perfect" (but of course would not show her as it was all fixed) was going to breed a litter form her as he had loads of people who would buy a puppy!!!

Hah- I hope he finds out how much work they are and how much puppy poo smells!!

 

[Meavey]

In friesians it it strongly believed to be caused by inbreeding, not enough bloodspread, and honestly I think that in mini´s that could very easy also be the problem.

SometimesI see ads; 10 crosses to "a certain bloodline or horse", and honestly that would be actually make me NOT want to buy it.

 

[bevann]

Questions for Rabbit-From reading the article I am surmising that dwarf Freisian foals do not have monkey mouth and other problems like the Minis. They look like just smaller versions of the full size.I have never seen a live Fels Pony, but from photos they also look like Miniature Freisians.Are they or is it a seperate origin?do people get a dwarf Freisian thinking it is a Fels Pony?

 

[Meavey]

Questions for Rabbit-From reading the article I am surmising that dwarf Freisian foals do not have monkey mouth and other problems like the Minis. They look like just smaller versions of the full size.I have never seen a live Fels Pony, but from photos they also look like Miniature Freisians.Are they or is it a seperate origin?do people get a dwarf Freisian thinking it is a Fels Pony?

Dwarf friesians are deformed just like the mini´s, short crooked legs, big joints, etc.

They can absolutely not be ridden, and are ussually put to sleep.

 

[Margo_C-T]

Interesting material; thanks for the links, Andrea.

Two things I consider notable: 1)the Fresian dwarf strongly appears to me to be an achronplasia dwarf--the kind that in Miniature horses, manifests mainly through abnormally short UPPER LIMBS, some degree of crookedness of said limbs(buck knees and extreme 'toeing out' in front, and 'overbent', extreme cowhocks behind, are notable examples). They sometimes also show extra SHORT legs and extra LONG torsos, but often have normal-appearing length of neck, head size, and a normal to near-normal bite. They also are, I believe, more likely to enjoy a near-normal life span, and one more free of health problems connected to its dwarfism.

2)the Miniature donkey dwarf, Romeo, while it lists SEVERAL of the same characteristics as a BRACHYOCEPHALIC miniature horse dwarf,and I would guess, would be classified as that type, maintained an overall height much closer to that of its parents than is usually the case with miniature horse dwarves of this type. In my observation, Brachyocephalic mini horse dwarves usually end up OVERALL noticably smaller/shorted than its parents, but NOT necessarily having the 'weiner dog' short LEGS in proportion to the rest of them, that the other type(ACHRONDOPLASTIC)dwarves have. Since many believe that miniatures with extremely short legs are indicators of a 'tendency' toward dwarfism, I would suggest that it would appear that this might be the case more for a chance of producing an achrondoplastic dwarf than the usually more 'severe'(IMO) brachyocephalic dwarf..... . Just my thoughts, on reflection.

Margo

 

[Shari]

Dexter cattle also have a dwarfing problem.

Dexter cattle carry a genetic defect causing a dwarf phenotype in the heterozygotes (Dx +/–), while homozygotes (Dx +/+) are stillborn with extreme shortening of limbs and gross craniofacial defects and are described as ‘bulldog’ calves. The heterozygous phenotype has been likened to achondroplastic dwarfism in humans (ACH), which has recently been shown to be the result of mutations in the transmembrane region of the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) gene. We have sequenced the transmembrane region of bovine FGFR3 from normal Dexter cattle (Dx -/-) and bulldog calves (Dx +/+). The sequence from both is identical and therefore excludes mutations in the transmembrane region of FGFR3 as the cause of Dexter dwarfism.

http://www.purebreddextercattle.org/Articl...LongChondro.htm

 

[anita]

We had two dwarf alpacas out of more then over 100, Little people big world on TV they have 3 normal and one dwarf children, d-goats, d- rabbits, in every breed................

I wish we would be that much concerned about human genetics.

This is the last "dwarf" for the next 20 years I write or talk.

A