Osteogenesis Imperfecta (Discovered in the Beagle)

The clinical signs of osteogenesis imperfecta include pain, factures and lameness due to brittle bones, joint laxity, and brittle, opalescent teeth. Other possible signs are loss of hearing, stunted growth, and blue tinted sclera. The clinical signs are already evident in puppyhood. Bones of affected dogs fracture easily, for example during the course of normal puppy play.

Treatment is supportive care and activity restriction to prevent fractures. Affected puppies are typically smaller than littermates and are often euthanized by 3 months of age due to welfare concerns.

There are many responsibilities to consider when breeding dogs. Regardless of test results it is important that your dog is in good general health and that you are in a position to care for the puppies if new responsible owners are not found. For first time or novice breeders, advice can be found at most kennel club websites.

This disease is autosomal dominant meaning that one copy of the mutation is needed for disease signs to occur. Use of dogs with one or two copies of the disease mutation is not recommended, as there is a risk that the resulting litter will contain affected puppies. For example if a dog with one copy of the OI mutation is bred with a clear dog with no copies of the OI mutation, about half of the puppies will have one copy and half will have no copies of the OI mutation. Please note: It is possible that disease signs similar to the ones caused by the OI mutation could develop due to a different genetic or clinical cause.