Skin and Allergies - The Bracco is predisposed to allergies, which may manifest as redness of
the skin, a rash, chronic ear infections, or hair loss. There are four main types of allergies - food
allergy, environmental allergy, contact allergy, and flea allergy. At this time, we do not know
which of these (or combination thereof) is most prevalent in the Bracco.
Environmental allergy (also known as atopic dermatitis or atopy) is often linked to a defect in the
natural barrier of the skin, allowing allergens that should normally be blocked to come in contact
with the immune system. Contact allergy is similar to a poison ivy reaction in humans, and
avoiding contact with the offending source (plants, carpet, cleaners, etc) will prevent this allergy.
Flea allergy is extremely common in dogs, and severe itching can be caused by even a small
number of fleas. Food allergy is rather rare in dogs, and is almost always to the protein source
in the food (ie: chicken, beef, etc) and often occurs after a dog has been on the same diet for a
longer period of time.
Ear Infections - Because of their long, pendulous ears, Bracchi are prone to ear infections
(yeast and/or bacterial). These infections may also be linked to an underlying allergy.
Hip & Elbow Dysplasia - These are hereditary orthopedic conditions that are commonly seen
in large breed dogs. These conditions can be screened for by the OFA and PennHIP
organizations, and BISA recommends that all Bracchi be screened by for hip and elbow
dysplasia before breeding. While two parents with normal hips and elbows can produce
puppies with either disorder, having parents tested reduces the chance of puppies having
abnormal hip or elbow joints.
Hip dysplasia occurs when the acetabulum (the “socket” of the hip joint) does not form properly,
and is too shallow or open, causing the head of the femur (the “ball” of the hip joint) to not fit
snugly into the joint space. This causes the joint to bang around when the dog walks, and the
body tries to stabilize this excessive laxity with more bony growth — leading to arthritis and
lameness.
Elbow dysplasia describes three disorders - Ununited Anconeal Process, Fragmented Coronoid
Process (most common), and Osteochondrosis Desiccans of the Medial Humeral Condyle.
These can occur singularly, or together. They cause instability in part of the elbow joint, causing
arthritis and lameness.
Eyelid Abnormalities - There are two primary abnormalities that are seen in the eyelids of
Bracchi Italiani — entropion and ectropion. These conditions can be screened for by the CERF
and OFA organizations, and BISA recommends that all Bracchi be screened by for these and
other eye abnormalities before breeding. While two parents with normal eyelids can produce
puppies with either disorder, having parents tested reduces the chance of puppies having
abnormal eyelids. Both entropion and ectropion are related to the loose skin around the face of
the Bracco.
These disorders are related to the breed’s conformation and loose skin around the face.
Entropion occurs when the eyelid is rolled inward, and rubs on the surface of the eye, causing
irritation and even ulcers. Ectropion occurs when the eyelid is rolled outward. This causes an
incongruity in the eyelids, and they do not appose completely when the dog blinks. This
“pocket” leaves an area open for air to constantly dry out the surface of the eye, and allows
debris to collect there without being washed away by blinking. Many Bracchi have droopy lower
eyelids, however few have true ectropion.
Incipient Cataracts- Incipient (or very small) cataracts are a common problem in the Bracco
that often goes undiagnosed. In this breed, these cataracts appear in young dogs (< 2 years of
age) and are usually very small. It appears from anecdotal evidence that these small cataracts
rarely progress to larger, more serious cataracts and rarely affect the dog’s vision. Generally,
cataracts in dogs are considered a hereditary disease. At this time, we suspect that these small
cataracts are hereditary, although we do not know how they are inherited in the Bracco. We
also do not know the significance of these small cataracts, or how many of them would actually
progress to cause vision impairment.
Umbilical Hernia - Umbilical hernias occur when the umbilicus (belly button) doesn’t close
properly. It can leave a hole for fat (or even intestines in very large hernias) to poke through.
Small hernias pose no health threat, and many will close by the time the dog is 4 months old.
These so-called “delayed closures” are very common in the Bracco, and the opening in the
abdominal wall is usually not much bigger than the head of a pin before it closes completely. A
large hernia, however, risks strangulation of the tissue and organs that pass through it.
Umbilical hernias are considered a minor health concern, since most are very small and larger
hernias can be surgically repaired usually with no complications. While the hernias can be
caused (or at least exacerbated by) rough handling by the dam at birth, there is probably also a
genetic predisposition in the Bracco.
Sensitivity to Anesthesia - There have been multiple cases of Bracchi that are sensitive to
sedation and anesthesia, the drug Medetomidine (Domitor) in particular. Domitor has mostly
been phased out of use as many dogs had reactions to the drug, regardless of breed.
Unfortunately, there were cases where Bracchi had fatal reactions (including cardiac arrest) to
Domitor in the past.
Domitor is a first generation drug, and while it is no longer used in most veterinary practices, its
successor Dexdomitor (Dexmedetomidine) is very commonly used as a sedative. It is not
uncommon for dogs that are sensitive to Domitor to also be sensitive to Dexdomitor, although
no Bracchi have been reported to have had fatal adverse reactions to the newer drug.
One reason why a veterinarian may choose Dexdomitor is that it can be reversed by the use of
the drug Antisedan. However while Antisedan can help stop the progression of an adverse
reaction by annulling the effects of Dexdomitor, it does not prevent the reaction from occurring
and intense medical intervention may be necessary in severe cases.
We recommends that Bracco owners talk to their veterinarian about avoiding these drugs in the
Bracco Italiano.
In addition, some Bracchi have been reported to have sensitivity to other sedatives. Each dog
will have a different tolerance level for sedation, however multiple Bracchi have taken longer
than expected to recover from anesthesia and sedation, even when given a lower dose. It is
important to talk to your vet about this as well, as they might want to change their anesthetic or
sedative protocol for your Bracco.
As with any breed, individual dogs will respond differently to the use of sedatives and
anesthetics. It’s important to discuss with your veterinarian that the the breed is known to be
sensitive to Medetomidine (Domitor) and see what other options are available for sedation. We
recommend that if Domitor or Dexdomitor is the only drug available for sedation, the reversal
agent and other emergency drugs should be available at all times.
Always make sure your Bracco has appropriate monitoring during anesthesia, so that if a
problem occurs it can be seen immediately and measures can be taken to correct it before it
becomes irreversible. Examples of monitoring parameters include end tidal CO2,
electrocardiogram (EKG), blood pressure, and pulse oximetry. BISA recommends discussing
with your veterinarian what monitoring they are able to provide for your dog under general
anesthesia.
Kidney Disease - “Kidney disease” by itself is not a diagnosis, but rather just a description of
symptoms. Multiple Bracchi have been diagnosed with renal Amyloidosis - a disease that
occurs when abnormal proteins are deposited in the kidney, often causing protein loss in the
urine with severe illness and eventually death. While we suspect there is a genetic factor in the
Amyloidosis seen in the Bracco, there is currently not enough validated information to confirm
which lines of dogs are affected, or the exact nature of the disease.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to differentiate Amyloidosis (or any other hereditary kidney
disease) from other forms of kidney disease (such as from toxins, infection, complication from
medications, etc) without a kidney biopsy or post-mortem examination. Amyloidosis can only be
diagnosed by special staining called Congo Red performed on kidney tissue. This staining is
generally performed at a pathology laboratory. Without that information, a diagnosis of
Amyloidosis is not possible.
Currently, since there minimal information about kidney problems in this breed, and it is
impossible at this time to test for a specific genetic marker for kidney disease in the Bracco.
BISA recommends testing indicators of kidney function - such as BUN and Creatinine (blood
values), in conjunction with a urinalysis to find specific gravity of the urine (the concentrating
ability of the kidneys) and protein (to check for protein loss in the urine). Often changes in the
urinalysis will be visible before the bloodwork values become increased. Unfortunately, most of
these values can be affected by conditions outside the kidney so they must be interpreted
carefully before a diagnosis of kidney dysfunction is made.
Vaccine Reactions - There appears to be a higher incidence in vaccine reactions in the Bracco
Italiano. Allergic reactions to vaccines often occur as facial swelling, hives, itching, or vomiting,
and they usually occur within the first couple of hours after a vaccine is given. As with any dog,
it is important to watch the Bracco for any signs of a reaction after the vaccine is given and take
them to a veterinarian if any problem occurs.
Previously, the Bracco was noted to have a higher incidence of reactions to the Leptospirosis
vaccine and some owners were hesitant to give that vaccine. However, the current
Leptospirosis vaccines have been improved and have fewer reactions for all breeds. BISA
recommends discussing vaccinations with your veterinarian to decide what is best for your
Bracco.