Akks Of Kabo/health

As with any breed, AKK have a few health issues. With careful breeding, we can hopefully breed some of these out of the breed.

Some of the health problems that the Alaskan Klee Kai may have:

Factor VII (FVII)

Factor VII is a mild bleeding disorder that has to do with the clotting of the blood. Clear dogs have no problems. Carriers should have their PT and PTT levels checked before any surgerys as they may have bleeding issues. Carriers may also pass the carrier gene on to their puppies. An Affected dog should not be bred and should definitely have the PT and PTT levels checked as well, so if they have clotting issues the vet may be prepared.

Luxating patellas

A dog may have luxating patells if the groove in the knee for the knee cap to rest in isn't formed right or not deep enough. The knee cap may pop out, depending on the grade of luxation. If severe enough the dog may require surgery to fix the knee. We have had one of ours dog have this surgery and she has come through just fine, you would never know it today. A dog with luxating patella should not be bred. It is a genetic defect but can also be caused by the the dog being very active, environmental luxation. If the dog develops luxating patellas after it turns a year it is probably environmental caused by the dog jumping, falling or injuring itself somehow. Check out www.offa.org for more details on luxating patellas.

Thyroid disease

AKK can have autoimmune thyroiditis a common cause of hypothyroidism. This may not show up until a dog is a few years old. It is recommended you dog be tested every year until the dog is 4 years old and then every other after that. Again a great source for information is www.offa.org .

Cardiac issues

     including juvenile heart murmur

    There have been several cases of heart murmurs in AKK. A great source of information on Cardiac issues is www.offa.org

Cryptorchids ( including bilateral)

This is when a male dogs testicles have not descended in to the scrotal sac. Also known as retained testicles. Both testes should be of equal size or very close, you shouldn't notice a difference. If a male has retained testicles it should not be bred and be neutered, as this is a trait that can be passed on. This is the best thing for the dogs health. Undescended testicles may cause cancer, they may be found as high as in the belly.

Liver disease

AKK should be tested for liver functions. They can have liver shunts which has to do with a blood vessel bypassing the liver so the blood isn't filtered properly before reaching the heart. This test should be part of the adult bloodwork you do on your AKK.

Retained baby teeth

A common problem in several breeds is retained baby teeth, usually the fangs. Just keep an eye on their teeth as they begin to lose them and make sure that the baby tooth comes out before the adult one begins to show. If it doesn't come out you may have to have it removed by your vet. It can interfere with the proper bite.