Heritability of canine hip-dysplasia score and its components in Gordon Setters

Hip dysplasia (malformation of the hip joint) is an important health proble m in dogs. The condition and the control scheme for Gordon Setters was orga nised by the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the Kennel Club befor e 1976 and use hip scores. Our analyses of hip dysplasia in Gordon Setters used both hip scores and the scores for the nine components (which collecti vely defined the hip score). The scores for all nine components were availa ble for 732 females and 420 males. These clinical data were merged with the Kennel Club pedigree database (animal's identity, date of birth, and also similar data for its parents, including hip scores if the parent had been t ested). Regression models showed strong positive relationships between offs pring and parental hip scores as well as for some component scores. The her itability of hip dysplasia (assessed using both hip scores and the major co mponents) was significant, particularly from darns. Our research emphasizes the need for both sires and darns - particularly dams, to have zero or sma ll hip scores. Tested parents have been used increasingly in recent years, but greater reduction in offspring hip score will require stricter selectio n of potential breeding stock. The models reported here provide quantitativ e predictions of likely health benefits from selective breeding. (C) 2000 E lsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.