Important information about the health of the Ragdoll
The time has come to restore the truth about some of the diseases which may affect Ragdolls. As always you can find just about anything on the internet, false information is often spread by badly informed people who should be more rigorous in checking their sources before ciculating rumours.The Ragdoll is a breed that naturally has few health problems. Nevertheless two diseases are often cited in connection with our favorite breed; the HCM and PKD.
The HCM
The HCM (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy) is a disease that affects all cats without exception, including non-pedigree cats.The Ragdoll is less exposed to this disease than certain other breeds, and due to the efforts of breeders a specific DNA test for HCM in the Ragdoll is available.
Before acquiring a Ragdoll it is essential that the kitten and / or the two parents are tested negative for HCM. (Two negative parents will not produce a positive kitten).
The PKD
The PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) is a disease not particulary prevelent in the Ragdoll (estimated at less than one percent). The 'tests' PKD DNA are especially useful for the non-traditional colour Ragdolls having Persians or other outcrosses at risk in their pedigrees..Dr. Guillaume Queney, PhD ANTAGENE (genetic testing). "The PKD test is proposed for the Persian and related breeds, the Exotic, the British and the Maine Coon. None of our documents propose explicitly the test for PKD in the Ragdoll".
The LOOF Scientific Council.
Recommendations concerning polycystic kidney disease (PKD) Polycystic kidney disease or PKD in English, is a disease that affects many breeds, the Persian, the Exotic Shorthair and British Shorthair cats. PKD is a hereditary disease in the Persian and Exotic Shorthair. PDK can be tracked by your veterinarian in two different ways. Firstly, by use of an ultrasound of the kidneys, to see if cysts are present. This ultrasound is reliable. A study has shown that cats with developed cysts can be dected by ultrasound at 10 months in 95% of cases. After one year this percentage increases. On the other hand, the discovery of the gene and mutation (known as PKD1) responsible for PKD in Persian and the Exotic Shorthair now allows to perform a genetic test on these two breeds.
The Ragdoll Club France. The Ragdoll Club France considers that a breeder who sells a cat 'PKD negative' on the basis of a DNA test could exposed to legal action because this test is not validated for the Ragdoll.
Feline leukemia
Insist upon negative testing for Fiv / Felv (the feline enzootic spreads in the same way that AIDS, by blood and sexual contact).FIP. (Feline infectious peritonitis)
FIP is probably the most misunderstood of feline diseases. It is a viral disease which affects principally young cats, (less than 2 years) living in community. Various organs can be concerned: Thorax, abdomen, brain, eyes... The PIF is a very severe and fatal illness. To begin with it is important to establish a very distinct difference between a cat that is positive for coronavirus (which is very common, it is estimated that 90% of the feline population will have been in contact at least once with the coronavirus), and a cat that develops a FIP. Under no circumstances should one think that a cat that is positive for coronavirus is a cat that has FIP or will develop a FIP. It is also important to exclude from ones vocabulary terms "test FIP" or "positive FIP". A test is a 'coronavirus test", a cat is"positive for the coronavirus". A study conducted in England, during cat shows, revealed that 84% of cats were positive for the coronavirus. It is estimated that the situation of the French feline population is the same. The FIP is a disease that affects all cats. To date there is no vaccination or cure or test available.In conclusion.
1 / Insist on having HCM negative tests of Dam and Sire, or if these tests are not available the test of the kitten. (Two negative parents cannot produce a DNA positive kitten). 2 / Insist upon a test Felv / Fiv negative of the kitten. 3 / A PKD negative test by DNA is almost useless, worse it can be misleading. 4 / There is no PIF test. The Ragdoll Club France contributes financially to research concerning this terrible disease, you can do the same by Clicking here.
