The Kai Ken is still a relatively young breed, especially in the Western world where we are still learning about the issues and concerns that can affect the breed. Whilst it is a common opinion that the Kai is a healthy breed, there are health conditions that breeders need to be screening for and disclosing to those interested in the breed.
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Kai Ken have the potential to be a long-lived breed, with individual dogs regularly reaching their late teens. That said, the current life expectancy is suggested to be between 12 and 15 years.
In order to promote a long and healthy lifespan in our dogs, ensuring breeders are testing their breeding stock through their countries’ health organisation is extremely important. Here in the UK, the breed is not recognised and so far does not have any breed specific tests set out, so instead we can follow the suggestions from European and American breeders. |
Kuro-go, a Kai Ken rumoured to have lived to be 28 years old. Kuro-go was born in January 1913, before the Kai Ken Aigokai was founded.
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Health Screening
As Kai Ken are not yet recognised as a breed in the UK, there are no official British Veterinary Association (BVA) recommended health tests for the breed.
Most Kai Ken owners and breeders enter their health testing results on the fantastic Nihon Ken Database. This dataset is an invaluable resource for Nihon Ken owners and breeders. We highly recommend reporting all results and health conditions here, even if your dog is just a pet and will not be used for breeding purposes. This helps the worldwide community understand these dogs better.
But what should I be testing for? Without having set 'rules' as an unestablished breed in the UK (Kai Ken are not currently registered with the Royal Kennel Club as our numbers are too low), we can look to other countries where the breed is much more established such as Finland and the USA for health testing recommendations.
We recommend testing and screening for the following conditions if you are planning to breed (and even if you are not planning to breed, it's helpful information!):
Once your vet or specialist has taken x-rays for orthopaedic screening, it is not necessary to send them to the British Veterinary Association (BVA) just because we are in the UK. X-rays etc. can be sent to the Orthopaedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) or another country's screening board. This is personal preference. Sometimes you may wish to seek a second opinion. In our eyes, all health testing is informative!
REPORTING
Whilst we work towards gaining breed numbers and Royal Kennel Club recognition it is important for us to keep good health records on breeding (and even non-breeding) Kai Ken in the UK.
The requirements for a Kai Ken to receive a CHIC number are the following:
Most Kai Ken owners and breeders enter their health testing results on the fantastic Nihon Ken Database. This dataset is an invaluable resource for Nihon Ken owners and breeders. We highly recommend reporting all results and health conditions here, even if your dog is just a pet and will not be used for breeding purposes. This helps the worldwide community understand these dogs better.
But what should I be testing for? Without having set 'rules' as an unestablished breed in the UK (Kai Ken are not currently registered with the Royal Kennel Club as our numbers are too low), we can look to other countries where the breed is much more established such as Finland and the USA for health testing recommendations.
We recommend testing and screening for the following conditions if you are planning to breed (and even if you are not planning to breed, it's helpful information!):
- Hip Dysplasia Screening
- Elbow Dysplasia Screening
- Patella Evaluation
- A cardiac evaluation
- A clinical eye test
- DNA Test (to test for Prcd-PRA and Cord1-PRA). Progressival Retinal Atrophy is a genetic eye disease. A carrier will not display symptoms, but a carrier should not be bred with another carrier of the same condition.
- Check the genetic Coefficient of Inbreeding (COI) of a planned litter, which can be calculated if both stud and dam are DNA tested. Despite being a rare breed, Kai Ken breeders have worked hard to keep levels of inbreeding in the population low. Overuse of the same stud is discouraged to reduce 'popular sire effect' and repeat matings (same stud/dam) must be considered based on merit.
- It is likely when DNA testing you will discover other information about your dog too as part of a full health report. If anything odd or unusual pops up, please list it on the Nihon Ken Pedigree Database. Abnormal ALT activity is likely to show up on a DNA test and is considered normal for Kai Ken and does not affect them. You do not need to report this, but you and your vet should be aware of it.
Once your vet or specialist has taken x-rays for orthopaedic screening, it is not necessary to send them to the British Veterinary Association (BVA) just because we are in the UK. X-rays etc. can be sent to the Orthopaedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) or another country's screening board. This is personal preference. Sometimes you may wish to seek a second opinion. In our eyes, all health testing is informative!
REPORTING
Whilst we work towards gaining breed numbers and Royal Kennel Club recognition it is important for us to keep good health records on breeding (and even non-breeding) Kai Ken in the UK.
- As we have already discussed, we would highly recommend using the Nihon Ken Database for reporting health results.
- We cannot report to the Royal Kennel Club, as Kai Ken are not yet a recognised breed here. We can use other testing schemes in other countries that are open to international applicants to collate and store health information in a database. The Canine Health Information Centre (CHIC) program established by the Orthopaedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) in the United States is one such scheme. Once the a series of tests have been performed, the dog can be awarded a CHIC number, which is then be entered into a database so health results can be analysed by other breeders, prospective owners, and anyone else interested.
The requirements for a Kai Ken to receive a CHIC number are the following:
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) DNA Test
DNA based test from an approved laboratory - Cardiac Evaluation (One of the following)
Congenital Cardiac Exam
Advanced Cardiac Exam
Basic Cardiac Exam - Health Elective (One of the following)
OFA Hip Evaluation
OFA Elbow Evaluation
Eye Examination by a boarded ACVO Ophthalmologist – results registered with OFA
Autoimmune Thyroiditis evaluation from an approved laboratory – results registered with OFA
OFA Patella Evaluation
Health Conditions
The following conditions have been found to potentially affect the Kai Ken:
- Hip & Elbow Dysplasia
- Luxating Patella
- Transitional Vertebra
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy
- Epilepsy/Seizures
- Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon Injury
- Hypothyroidism
- Heart Murmurs
- Cancer
- Allergies
- Cryptorchidism
- Hypodontia
- Pacific Rimism
Hip & Elbow Dysplasia
Hip and elbow dysplasia refers to the abnormal formation of the hip and elbow joint and/or socket. It is typically developed from birth, though it can be caused by a traumatic injury to the joint. The condition is typically graded with mild causing minor orthopaedic changes to severe which can cause crippling arthritic joints and lameness.
Hip and elbow dysplasia can easily be screened for with x-rays taken by your veterinarian. In the UK most scoring is taken under full general anaesthesia, but in the US and Europe it may be taken under sedation or even just physical restraint. Once the x-rays are taken, they are evaluated and scored. Each health board will have their own way of evaluating the x-rays, so an ‘OFA Good’ may return as a slightly worse score in the UK or Europe. It is important to know the average for your breed when taking into account the individual results of your dog.
Symptoms for Hip & Elbow dysplasia according to the BVA are:
Luxating Patella
Luxating patella is a common condition in Kai Ken, where the kneecap dislocates out of its usual position within the groove of the stifle joint. The condition is very common in smaller breeds, but has been regularly noted in Kai Ken.
Patella luxation is not typically scored in the UK under the BVA as hips and elbows are, though many breed clubs and veterinarians offer clinics to test the grade of the patella similarly to the OFA or European vet schemes.
The condition is graded from 0 to 4, with zero being a normal healthy patella, and four being a severely, permanently luxated joint.
Symptoms of luxating patella include:
Similarly to hip and elbow dysplasia, surgical or medical management are options for luxating patella. For a higher graded luxation, surgery is recommended, while with a lower grade it may be suggested to manage with pain relief when necessary and careful monitoring for any changes to the condition.
Transitional Vertebra
This is a condition that has been seen in Kai Ken, Hokkaido Ken, Akita Inu and Shiba Inu, it is a spinal deformity which causes an asymmetrical vertebrae in the spine at the fusion to the pelvis. In some breeds it is very common and seems not to cause issues (corgis, French bulldogs), and in others it does (German shepherds). In some breeds such as Rhodesian Ridgebacks, 35% of the breed has it. It is not a condition that is well known, well understood, or well screened in any breed. There are very few studies on the condition.
The current information from the Finnish Kennel Club and the Orthopaedic Foundation for Animals suggests that affected/symptomatic dogs should not be bred, but dogs who are not symptomatic may be bred to unaffected/clear dogs.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
PRA is likely the most known health condition that affects the Kai Ken. At least two types of testable PRA are confirmed to affect the breed (PRA-PRCD and PRA CRD4/CORD1) though it is possible that there are untestable variants of the condition that may also affect the breed.
PRA is a genetic condition which affects the retina and causes progressive, non-painful vision loss with the gradual degradation of the retina and early loss of rod cells, one of the types of photoreceptors in the eye.
The condition is typically late onset, though there have been cases of young Kai showing symptoms from a young age.
Symptoms include:
In a breed with a small gene pool, it is difficult to justify completely ruling out the breeding of affected or carrier dogs, so it is important to continue genetic testing breed carriers or affected dogs to clear individuals where possible.
Seizures
The exact cause of all types of seizures found in Kai Ken is unknown, but the most common cause of seizures in dogs is idiopathic epilepsy, a genetic condition with often unknown causes. Seizures can also have environmental triggers.
Seizures are also found in Shikoku Ken, and seem to be mostly isolated to specific lines of dogs, meaning affected animals and their direct relations should avoid being bred.
As well as diagnosed epilepsy, there are other reasons why a dog may develop seizures, including ingesting poison, blood sugar changes, brain tumours, head injuries and kidney disease. The most common form of seizures in dogs is known as a grand mal seizure, where abnormal electrical activity happens throughout the brain and the dog begins to convulse and may lose consciousness. Alternatively, dogs may suffer from focal seizures, where abnormal activity only occurs in parts of the brain and can present as unusual movements or spasms in limbs. Seizures can last from seconds to a few minutes.
Symptoms of seizures can include:
Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon Injury
The superficial digital flexor tendon extends over the thigh bone and down lower leg as part of the Achilles tendon, and branches out to the toes to form the structure that allows the toes to bend and flex. If the structure is damaged, the superficial digital flexor tendon may slip off the hock and cause luxation. The common cause for the injury is due to a tear in the tendon due to vigorous activity or caused by twisting force that has been applied to the hock joint.
Symptoms include:
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disorder in dogs which happens when the thyroid gland does not produce enough of the hormone thyroxine. The most common cause of hypothyroidism in dogs is Autoimmune Thyroiditis. It tends to manifest between the ages of 2 and 5 years. Dogs may be clinically normal for years as the body can compensate for
Symptoms include:
Heart Murmurs
Heart murmurs are not entirely uncommon in Kai Ken, and are usually found to be small grade and during puppyhood, where they are often innocent and may go away with age. An innocent murmur should have no effect on the dog’s health, though it is important to monitor the condition as your dog ages. They are graded from 1 to 6.
Symptoms include:
Cancer
Cancer is unfortunately extremely common in all dog breeds, and Kai Ken are no exception. Cancerous tumours have been regularly found on eyelids, in mouths and in lungs of Kai Ken, though the most common and most invasive form of cancer seen in the breed is hemangiosarcoma, or HSA.
HSA is an extremely fast growing and invasive type of tumour filled with blood which may present inside or outside of the dog’s body. Dermal HSA, found on the skin, can often be found early enough and treated, though it may regrow or spread. Visceral HSA, found inside the body, are not normally discovered or diagnosed until the tumour has grown or ruptured, and are much more difficult to treat.
Symptoms include:
Allergies
Allergies are very common in many dog breeds, and the Nihon Ken breeds are no exception. Allergies are an immune response due to exposure to certain environmental or food allergens, and they can be difficult to diagnose and treat, as your dog may be reacting to more than one allergen.
Symptoms include:
Cryptorchidism
Cryptorchidism is where one or both testicles do not descend from the body. Cryptorchidism may be linked to infertility in male dogs, though it is possible for an affected dog to produce a litter, though the condition is thought to be hereditary.
Undescended testicles have a much higher chance of becoming cancerous, and as such it is recommended that affected dogs be castrated once they have reached sexual maturity. Dogs with cryptorchidism are otherwise healthy and can live normal, full lives.
Hypodontia
Hypodontia, or congenital missing teeth, is a genetic condition where a dog has an incomplete set of teeth within the mouth. It can range from mild, with only one or two missing teeth, to severe, with further complications such as misaligned teeth and bite, damage to the gums and reduced ability to chew. Most dogs affected by hypodontia do not have any issues, and most dogs will cope well with missing teeth.
Pacific Rimism
Pseudohyperkalemia, or Pacific Rimism, named for its commonness in dogs from the Pacific Rim such as the Nihon Ken, is a condition where the potassium level in the blood appears to be highly elevated. In these breeds, this elevation can be completely normal.
During routine blood tests, it is important to inform your vet as this condition is not well known, and high potassium levels may flag to indicate Addison’s disease, and your vet should run additional tests to ensure there is no misdiagnosis of the condition.
Hip and elbow dysplasia refers to the abnormal formation of the hip and elbow joint and/or socket. It is typically developed from birth, though it can be caused by a traumatic injury to the joint. The condition is typically graded with mild causing minor orthopaedic changes to severe which can cause crippling arthritic joints and lameness.
Hip and elbow dysplasia can easily be screened for with x-rays taken by your veterinarian. In the UK most scoring is taken under full general anaesthesia, but in the US and Europe it may be taken under sedation or even just physical restraint. Once the x-rays are taken, they are evaluated and scored. Each health board will have their own way of evaluating the x-rays, so an ‘OFA Good’ may return as a slightly worse score in the UK or Europe. It is important to know the average for your breed when taking into account the individual results of your dog.
Symptoms for Hip & Elbow dysplasia according to the BVA are:
- Pain
- Lameness on one or both limbs (hindlimbs for hips, forelimbs for elbows)
- Stiffness
- Intolerance or reluctance to exercise
- Difficulty changing position (rising, sitting, laying)
- Difficulty climbing stairs
- Abnormal gait or movement
- Groaning or yelping while moving or getting up
- Protectiveness of the joint during grooming or petting
Luxating Patella
Luxating patella is a common condition in Kai Ken, where the kneecap dislocates out of its usual position within the groove of the stifle joint. The condition is very common in smaller breeds, but has been regularly noted in Kai Ken.
Patella luxation is not typically scored in the UK under the BVA as hips and elbows are, though many breed clubs and veterinarians offer clinics to test the grade of the patella similarly to the OFA or European vet schemes.
The condition is graded from 0 to 4, with zero being a normal healthy patella, and four being a severely, permanently luxated joint.
Symptoms of luxating patella include:
- Pain
- Lameness on one or both hind limbs
- ‘Skipping’ motion when walking or running. This can be continuous or may return to normal after a few steps
- Abnormal extension of the knee joint
- Arthritic changes to the joint
Similarly to hip and elbow dysplasia, surgical or medical management are options for luxating patella. For a higher graded luxation, surgery is recommended, while with a lower grade it may be suggested to manage with pain relief when necessary and careful monitoring for any changes to the condition.
Transitional Vertebra
This is a condition that has been seen in Kai Ken, Hokkaido Ken, Akita Inu and Shiba Inu, it is a spinal deformity which causes an asymmetrical vertebrae in the spine at the fusion to the pelvis. In some breeds it is very common and seems not to cause issues (corgis, French bulldogs), and in others it does (German shepherds). In some breeds such as Rhodesian Ridgebacks, 35% of the breed has it. It is not a condition that is well known, well understood, or well screened in any breed. There are very few studies on the condition.
The current information from the Finnish Kennel Club and the Orthopaedic Foundation for Animals suggests that affected/symptomatic dogs should not be bred, but dogs who are not symptomatic may be bred to unaffected/clear dogs.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
PRA is likely the most known health condition that affects the Kai Ken. At least two types of testable PRA are confirmed to affect the breed (PRA-PRCD and PRA CRD4/CORD1) though it is possible that there are untestable variants of the condition that may also affect the breed.
PRA is a genetic condition which affects the retina and causes progressive, non-painful vision loss with the gradual degradation of the retina and early loss of rod cells, one of the types of photoreceptors in the eye.
The condition is typically late onset, though there have been cases of young Kai showing symptoms from a young age.
Symptoms include:
- Poor vision in low light, which will gradually worsen to daytime vision too.
- Bumping into things such as doors or stairs
- Difficulty following without audio signals
- Eventual complete blindness
In a breed with a small gene pool, it is difficult to justify completely ruling out the breeding of affected or carrier dogs, so it is important to continue genetic testing breed carriers or affected dogs to clear individuals where possible.
Seizures
The exact cause of all types of seizures found in Kai Ken is unknown, but the most common cause of seizures in dogs is idiopathic epilepsy, a genetic condition with often unknown causes. Seizures can also have environmental triggers.
Seizures are also found in Shikoku Ken, and seem to be mostly isolated to specific lines of dogs, meaning affected animals and their direct relations should avoid being bred.
As well as diagnosed epilepsy, there are other reasons why a dog may develop seizures, including ingesting poison, blood sugar changes, brain tumours, head injuries and kidney disease. The most common form of seizures in dogs is known as a grand mal seizure, where abnormal electrical activity happens throughout the brain and the dog begins to convulse and may lose consciousness. Alternatively, dogs may suffer from focal seizures, where abnormal activity only occurs in parts of the brain and can present as unusual movements or spasms in limbs. Seizures can last from seconds to a few minutes.
Symptoms of seizures can include:
- Vacant staring
- Tremors
- Convulsions, which can present as mild or violent
- Aggression
- Disorientation
- Uncontrollable urination or defecation
- Foaming at the mouth
- Loss of consciousness
- Temporary loss of senses
- Vocalisations including barking, growling and whining
- Biting tongues
Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon Injury
The superficial digital flexor tendon extends over the thigh bone and down lower leg as part of the Achilles tendon, and branches out to the toes to form the structure that allows the toes to bend and flex. If the structure is damaged, the superficial digital flexor tendon may slip off the hock and cause luxation. The common cause for the injury is due to a tear in the tendon due to vigorous activity or caused by twisting force that has been applied to the hock joint.
Symptoms include:
- Swelling of the hock joint
- Sudden onset hind limb lameness
- Pain
- A popping sound when the tendon dislocates
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disorder in dogs which happens when the thyroid gland does not produce enough of the hormone thyroxine. The most common cause of hypothyroidism in dogs is Autoimmune Thyroiditis. It tends to manifest between the ages of 2 and 5 years. Dogs may be clinically normal for years as the body can compensate for
Symptoms include:
- Weight gain/obesity
- Hair Loss
- Skin problems
Heart Murmurs
Heart murmurs are not entirely uncommon in Kai Ken, and are usually found to be small grade and during puppyhood, where they are often innocent and may go away with age. An innocent murmur should have no effect on the dog’s health, though it is important to monitor the condition as your dog ages. They are graded from 1 to 6.
Symptoms include:
- Coughing
- Weakness
- Intolerance to exercise
Cancer
Cancer is unfortunately extremely common in all dog breeds, and Kai Ken are no exception. Cancerous tumours have been regularly found on eyelids, in mouths and in lungs of Kai Ken, though the most common and most invasive form of cancer seen in the breed is hemangiosarcoma, or HSA.
HSA is an extremely fast growing and invasive type of tumour filled with blood which may present inside or outside of the dog’s body. Dermal HSA, found on the skin, can often be found early enough and treated, though it may regrow or spread. Visceral HSA, found inside the body, are not normally discovered or diagnosed until the tumour has grown or ruptured, and are much more difficult to treat.
Symptoms include:
- Pale, almost white mucous membranes
- Sudden collapse
- Excessive panting and drooling
- Irregular and abnormal heart rate
- Bloated abdomen due to internal bleeding from a ruptured tumour
Allergies
Allergies are very common in many dog breeds, and the Nihon Ken breeds are no exception. Allergies are an immune response due to exposure to certain environmental or food allergens, and they can be difficult to diagnose and treat, as your dog may be reacting to more than one allergen.
Symptoms include:
- Chewing, biting and licking, mainly in the feet but can be in other areas of the body
- Skin and ear infections
- Red or scaly skin
- Hair loss
- Tear staining
- Rubbing or pawing at eyes and ears
- Sores on the skin
- Sneezing
- Discolouration of the fur
Cryptorchidism
Cryptorchidism is where one or both testicles do not descend from the body. Cryptorchidism may be linked to infertility in male dogs, though it is possible for an affected dog to produce a litter, though the condition is thought to be hereditary.
Undescended testicles have a much higher chance of becoming cancerous, and as such it is recommended that affected dogs be castrated once they have reached sexual maturity. Dogs with cryptorchidism are otherwise healthy and can live normal, full lives.
Hypodontia
Hypodontia, or congenital missing teeth, is a genetic condition where a dog has an incomplete set of teeth within the mouth. It can range from mild, with only one or two missing teeth, to severe, with further complications such as misaligned teeth and bite, damage to the gums and reduced ability to chew. Most dogs affected by hypodontia do not have any issues, and most dogs will cope well with missing teeth.
Pacific Rimism
Pseudohyperkalemia, or Pacific Rimism, named for its commonness in dogs from the Pacific Rim such as the Nihon Ken, is a condition where the potassium level in the blood appears to be highly elevated. In these breeds, this elevation can be completely normal.
During routine blood tests, it is important to inform your vet as this condition is not well known, and high potassium levels may flag to indicate Addison’s disease, and your vet should run additional tests to ensure there is no misdiagnosis of the condition.