Congenital changes in Pug puppies due to inbreeding: Case report

Abstract

Crossbreeding between individuals with a high degree of kinship often generate deformities to the fetuses. Inbreeding provides the formation of recessive genes that cause acrosomal defects responsible for malformations that can bring risks to the newborn's life. The objective was to report the follow-up and attendance to a delivery of a female PUG breed whose crossing took place with her grandfather, generating inbreeding and causing two neonates who had congenital malformations. The animal arrived at Tolevet – the veterinary clinic –, located in Toledo - Paraná, in labor, presenting uterine contractions and swelling in the region of the uterus in the abdomen. On physical examination, vital parameters were normal. At birth, seven puppies were born who received the care of removing the placental pouch, clearing the airways and umbilical ligation. Two puppies had congenital deformity; one had concurrent cleft lip with cleft palate (palatoschisis), the second, already in a state of death, presented abnormal fluid accumulation in fully edematous fetal tissue, defined as fetal hydrops. This report demonstrates the importance of avoiding common ancestors consanguineous mating, in order to minimize the incidence of birth defects in neonates that are incompatible with life or that pose a risk to the animal's health and quality of life.