The clinical signs of osteogenesis imperfecta include pain, factures and lameness due to brittle bones, and weak or underdeveloped, slightly pink teeth. Other possible signs are impaired hearing, dwarfism, and blue tinted sclera. Clinical signs are already visible at a young age. Bones of affected dogs fracture easily, for example during the course of normal puppy play.

Treatment is supportive care and activity restriction to prevent fractures. Affected puppies are typically smaller than littermates and are often euthanized by 3 months of age due to welfare concerns.

There are many responsibilities to consider when breeding dogs. Regardless of test results it is important that your dog is in good general health and that you are in a position to care for the puppies if new responsible owners are not found. For first time or novice breeders, advice can be found at most kennel club websites.

This disease is autosomal recessive meaning that two copies of the mutation are needed for disease signs to occur. A carrier dog with one copy of the OI mutation can be safely bred with a clear dog with no copies of the OI mutation. About half of the puppies will have one copy (carriers) and half will have no copies of the OI mutation. Puppies in a litter which is expected to contain carriers should be tested prior to breeding. Carrier to carrier matings are not advised as the resulting litter may contain affected puppies. Please note: It is possible that disease signs similar to the ones caused by the OI mutation could develop due to a different genetic or clinical cause.