The Pharaoh Hound is a comparatively healthy breed but there have been reported incidence of luxating patellae (slipping knee caps) since Pharaoh Hounds were first imported into the UK in the mid 1960s.

 

The Pharaoh Hound Club took steps in the late 1980s to establish the extent of this health problem, which was almost certainly inherited, in order to reduce the incidence and ultimately to eradicate the condition in the breed if possible.

 

A test was developed that could easily be carried out by a veterinary surgeon without recourse to anaesthetic. The Pharaoh Hound Club has blank certificates available for anyone – breeders or individual owners of Pharaoh Hounds – that can be obtained from the Secretary. Testing should only be carried out on animals over the age of twelve months.

 

This is a voluntary scheme and can only work with the co-operation of everyone who owns a Pharaoh Hound and has the health of the breed at heart. With a limited gene pool it is imperative to identify individual dogs that are affected by this serious condition and remove them from the breeding programme. Thereafter care should be taken when selecting potential mates to ensure, as far as possible, that there is no patella luxation in closely related animals.

 

The test certificates are available from the Secretary and should be returned, completed by a veterinary surgeon, after testing. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to return all test certificates, regardless of the result. We can only hope to keep this condition under control if we have all relevant information available to us. Your co-operation is essential and will play a valuable part in overcoming this debilitating condition in the breed we all love. The Pharaoh Hound Club urges everyone with a Pharaoh Hound to take part in this scheme.

 

Blank certificates are available from: - Mr David Morris, Kelb Tal Fenek, Guilsfield Welshpool POWYS SY21 9DJ.

 

PATELLA LUXATION IN THE PHARAOH HOUND