 This is a healthy breed. They are exceptionally springy and agile for their size and energetic without being hyperactive. Outside of heart abnormalities or other generic development problems, the breed seems to have two issues you want to always be aware of:
Patella Luxation
Patellas are the rear "knees" of the dog. It's kind of a ball that slides along a groove. There are two
fundamental reasons a bone will come out of that groove, or luxate. One is that the groove deteriorates, causing a shallowness so that the bone slides off the track, so to speak. The other is due to the tendon holding the bone into the groove to pull it out. What causes breeders so much concern is that the causes for either of these things to happen are manyÖthe main one being genetic. Breeders try to be very careful about ensuring that dogs with a
predisposition to patella luxation are not bred because it's a painful, debilitation condition, not unlike hip dysplasia in larger breeds.A dog can damage the patella the same way a human can pull a muscle. Sometimes it all at once and sometimes it's due to strain over a period of time. A breeder should have enough data on their lines to tell if there is a patella
problem or not Being a recessive gene, it is possible to eradicate, but not easily. It also may be in a line but not necessarily obvious. Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy, plainly, causes blindness. PRA is probably a bigger problem because there is not currently a test to identify it genetically. You may not know your dog has it until it presents itself! Again, as with Patella Luxation, breeders are very careful about dealing with this condition and try not to allow it to continue in
the breed. Unfortunately, some dogs don't actually display symptoms until middle age ñ after they've been bred.For the best information on this disease and what is being done about it, please visit the Papillon Club of America's PRA Project site.General care of your Papillon is mostly just an awareness you need to have, They are small and can over-extend themselves. For instance, Mars doesn't seem to realize that he has legs ñ he thinks they are spring loaded rockets and that he can get up onto anything if he tries hard enough. Visions of canine chiropractic
care fairly dance through the room when he's playing. Brush their coats often and keep them away from weeds ñ that silky coat can pick things up that you won't see until it mats thoroughly. As a small dog, they can and do get under your feet so be careful when walking ñ especially with food! Those dainty little toes and feet can break with not a lot of pressure. |
