Samoyed

Health

Samoyed Hereditary Glomerulopathy
Samoyeds can be affected by a genetic disease known as "Samoyed Hereditary Glomerulopathy", a renal disease. The disease is known to be caused by an X-linked dominant faulty allele and therefore the disease is more severe in male Samoyeds. Carrier females do develop mild symptoms after 2-3 months of age, but do not go on to develop renal failure. The disease is caused by a defect in the structure of the type-IV collagen fibrils of the glomerular basement membrane. As a consequence, the collagen fibrils of the glomerular basement membrane are unable to form cross-links, so the structural integrity is weakened and the membrane is more susceptible to "wear-and-tear" damage.

As the structure of the basement membrane begins to degenerate, plasma proteins are lost in the urine and symptoms begin to appear. Affected males appear healthy for the first 3 months of life, but then symptoms start to appear and worsen as the disease progresses: the dog becomes lethargic and muscle wastage occurs, as a result of proteinuria. From 3 months of age onwards, a reduced glomerular filtration rate is detected, indicative of progressive renal failure. Death from renal failure usually occurs by 15 months of age.

As yet there is no genetic screening test available for Samoyed Hereditary Glomerulopathy. Therefore, female Samoyeds known or suspected of being carriers of the disease should not be bred from. If a carrier female is mated with a healthy stud dog, the female offspring have a 50% chance of being carriers for the disease, and any male offspring have a 50% chance of being affected by the disease. The littermates of any affected Samoyeds should not be bred from in order to prevent the disease being passed on to future generations.

Other Health Concerns
Hip dysplasia is also a concern for Samoyeds as are eye problems such as cataracts and glaucoma and other retinal problems. Like other purebred dogs, Samoyeds are prone to diabetes and other diseases if their owners are not careful. Life expectancy is about 12-15 years.

Care
When a Samoyed "blows" their coat, the majority of the undercoat sheds and is renewed; the old coat can come out in large clumps, leading to bald spots in some extreme cases. One can comb it deeply, with a metal comb, which will speed up the shedding process and allow the Samoyed to regain its usual appearance more quickly. Frequent combing during a blow will be a great help in preventing matting. Giving a Samoyed a bath is a somewhat time consuming process as the coat is semi-weatherproof and will take some time to get completely wet, then completely rinsed.

The Samoyed coat should be dried with cool, forced air (which can be done with a canister dryer, shop vacuum or blow or kennel dryer) as water can be trapped in the very thick undercoat, has difficulty evaporating and may remain in the fur for some time, possibly leading to a "hot spot." Drying the Samoyed coat will also reduce matting caused by dampness in the undercoat. It is important to rinse well, as any shampoo or soap left in the coat after bathing can lead to a "hot spot" or a fungal infection, which is difficult to cure without shaving the affected location. To keep the Samoyed's coat gleaming, dedicated grooming and a healthy diet cannot be overlooked.