The Rodhesian Ridgeback is a strong, muscular dog with a ridge on the dorsal line. He is short, shiny and smooth. Her dress is more or less light wheaten color. Males measure 63 to 69 cm at the withers for 36,5 kg on average, while females measure between 61 and 66 cm at the withers, for about 32 kg. Its tail is medium in length and carried straight, curving slightly upwards.

The Rodhesian Ridgeback is classified by the Fédération Cynologiques Internationale among hounds (Group 6, section 3). (1)

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is native to the Cape Colony in South Africa. It is to this day the only breed of dog native to this region. The history of the breed dates back to the XNUMXth century with the arrival of the first Europeans. While exploring the interior of the Cape of Good Hope, settlers discovered the Hottentot tribes and their dog with a “crest”, that is, hairs standing forward along the spine. The only other known dog with the same characteristic is found several thousand kilometers away on Phu Quoc Island in the Gulf of Siam.

It was from the XNUMXth century that the colonizers, in lack of efficient dogs for hunting, began to use the Hottentot crested dog to cross it with European breeds.

In 1875, Pastor Charles Helm, undertook the journey from Swellendam in the Cape Province of South Africa to Rhodesia. He was accompanied by two of these dogs. During his stay in this region which forms what is now Zimbabwe, a game hunter named Cornelius von Rooyen borrowed the two dogs to go hunting. Impressed by their abilities, he immediately began breeding. Since then, they have been bred in large numbers in this region which gave their name.

The first breed club was then founded in 1922 in Bulawayo in Southern Rhodesia and in 1924 the Rhodesian Ridgeback was officially recognized by the South African Kennel Union as a separate breed. Today it is one of the most popular dogs in South Africa. (2)

Rhodesian Ridgebacks are intelligent animals. This quality can quickly become a defect in a poorly trained or poorly trained dog. Well trained, on the other hand, he is an ideal companion, a good hunting partner or even a guard dog.

This breed of dog has a natural protective tendency towards its family. It is therefore not necessary to train it as a guard dog. Rather, these natural guardian qualities should be supplemented by basic obedience training. The breed standard also describes him as ” dignified, intelligent, distant with strangers, but without showing aggression and without being fearful ”. (1)

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is an overall healthy dog, and according to the UK Kennel Club’s 2014 Purebred Dog Health Survey, more than half of the animals studied showed no signs of disease. The leading causes of death were cancer (type not specified) and old age. (3)

Like other purebred dogs, however, he is susceptible to developing hereditary diseases. These include, in particular, hip dysplasia, dermal sinus, congenital myotonia and hypothyroidism. (4-6)

Coxofemoral dysplasia

Coxofemoral dysplasia is an inherited defect of the hip joint that results in painful wear and tear, tears, inflammation, and osteoarthritis.

Diagnosis and assessment of the stage of dysplasia is mainly done by x-ray.

The progressive development with age of the disease complicates its detection and management. The first-line treatment is often anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroids to help with osteoarthritis. Surgical interventions, or even the fitting of a hip prosthesis can be considered. A good medication management can be enough to improve the comfort of life of the dog. (4-6)

The dermoid sinus

Dermal sinus is a congenital condition of the skin. The disease is due to an abnormality during embryonic development. This leads to the formation of a kind of tubule connecting the skin and the spinal cord. The sinus (s) are usually located at the ridge of hair on the dorsal line and is characterized by swelling or cysts.

The gravity is variable according to the depth and the type of sinus. In more severe cases, there may be neurological signs and secondary meningeal infections or myelitis. Most often the inflammation or infections are confined to the tubule after a shorter or longer asymptomatic period.

The diagnosis is made by a biopsy and a specific radiographic examination which allows to visualize the course of the sinus, the fistulography. Analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid is also necessary to assess the involvement of the central nervous system.

The therapeutic management consists of an antibiotic treatment to limit the superinfection, as well as a surgery to correct the sinus. The prognosis is generally good if the dog does not have neurological damage. (4-6)

Congenital myotonia

Congenital myotonia is an abnormality in muscle development characterized by an increase in muscle relaxation time after contraction. The first clinical signs appear from the first weeks of life. The gait is stiff, the limbs are abnormally apart and the muscles are enlarged.

The diagnosis is made on a muscle biopsy and there is also a genetic test.

Most often, the disease stabilizes around the age of six months or a year and it is possible to improve the comfort of the dog by drug treatment, but there is no cure. (4-6)

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is a failure in the production of thyroid hormones. It is most often due to autoimmune destruction of the thyroid glands.

The symptoms are very numerous, because these hormones play an important role for several key functions of the body. We can note among others, fatigue, weight gain, a drop in temperature and excessive chilliness, increased susceptibility to infections, ect.

Due to the multiplicity of symptoms, diagnosis can be difficult. It is mainly based on thyroid hormone tests and blood tests that show high cholesterol.

The dog should be treated with synthetic thyroid hormone replacement for life. (4-6)

The breed is athletic and therefore requires regular exercise sessions.