Heart

Health Condition:

The PWDCA Heart Committee is concerned with any health condition involving the heart and circulatory system of PWD's. Heart murmurs, congestive heart failure, Tetralogy of Fallot, and Pulmonic Stenosis are among the conditions reported to the committee. Currently the most critical issue facing Portuguese Water Dogs is Juvenile Dilated Cardiomyopathy, JDCM. This is a recessively inherited disease which causes sudden death in puppies between the ages of five weeks and seven months. At this time, there is no cure and no way to determine if a puppy will be affected with the disease. The only way for breeders to prevent producing affected puppies is to avoid breeding carriers of the gene. The only way to know who the carriers are is for owners and breeders to come forward with the names of dogs who have produced puppies who have died of the disease.

Action Taken By The PWDCA:

The PWDCA is fortunate to have the financial assistance of the Portuguese Water Dog Foundation in supporting research projects dealing with JDCM. Drs. Meg Sleeper and Paula Henthorn at the University of Pennsylvania are involved in a major research study into developing a DNA test for this hereditary disease while Dr. Joseph Alroy at Tuft's University is studying the effects of taurine on the development of the disease. Dr. Sleeper is also looking into the cases of Pulmonic Stenosis.

The PWDCA and the PWDF continue to raise funds to support these projects. The PWDCA continues to provide educational material on JDCM through its magazine, The Courier. Two 2003 issues provide a complete explanation of JDCM and a visual pedigree showing the progression of the gene through a typical pedigree. Refer to May/June 2003, pages 24-25 July/August 2003, page 34. Articles on heart murmurs, congestive heart failure and other topics will be found in future issues of The Courier.

Recommendations:

Please report all instances of heart conditions to the PWDCA Heart Committee. In the event of the sudden, unexplained death of a young Portuguese Water Dog, a correct diagnosis is imperative.

Only the researchers at the University of Pennsylvania can definitively diagnose the JDCM seen in our breed. See the JDCM Explanation & Instructions for an explanation of what to do if you have a puppy that dies suddenly, know of a puppy that died suddenly, or have a close relative of a puppy who died suddenly.

Contacts:

PWDCA Heart Committee Co-Chairs and Members (see above)

Dr. Meg Sleeper, vet.upenn.edu,sleeper, U of PA Primary Researcher - JDCM in Portuguese Water Dogs

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Last Edited:  September 22, 2009