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Dog breeders in denial: Telegraph vet blogger Pete Wedderburn

Someone let me know that somebody somewhere else is worried about whether I secretly wrote this piece forthe Telegraph or work there.

No, ladies, I didn't write it -- Pete is a real person and one of the best known vets in Ireland (also appearing regularly on TV and involved with the national vets association). I also have never worked for the Telegraph though of the UK papers, I have worked for the Guardian (over a decade) and the Times. Of course though most journalists working on the national dailies would know many other journalists. I hope that helps! :) If you want a detailed biography (if informal) I keep a professional one here. I wouldn't want people to be left wondering about who I work for! :lol:
 
Excuse my ignorance (yet again :badgrin: ) bu do these conditions tend to only affect the pedigree intensively-bred dogs and not my scruffy uncouth little fella?:D
 
Pete does a pretty good job of explaining the issues. Pedigree dogs are prone to particular problems within each breed because the dogs are selected from what now seem to be small and increasingly confined gene pools, increasing the risk that, without extremely careful breeding, health issues will arise. Cavaliers unfortunately have the double whammy of two serious issues -- SM and MVD, along with a range of others. Crossbreeds have the same general health risks and risks resulting from common environmental factors like obesity. They also can inherit the genes for whatever problems their mix of breeds are prone to. A first generation cross can also be healthier. But as a lot of crossbreeds come from poorly bred purebred dogs, I doubt it makes much difference for many 'designer crosses' where the parent dogs won't come from health focused breeders. But ask any vet -- crosses do generally seem to be healthier and less at risk of specific genetic problems (as opposed to general health issues, eg the risk that any dog might get cancer).

On the other hand, increasing genetic diversity within purebred dogs can help enormously. That may mean focusing less on the narrow pool of stud dogs (which has really contributed to the bottleneck of genes) or in some cases bringing in other breeds to create some broader diversity. The breed was created from a few breeds to start with and some breeds have benefited from reintroducing other genes. But that issue remains controversial!

And as Pete notes, a purebred dog from a reputable health focused breeder has a consistency of personality and temperament. crosses are very much an unknown quantity especially if they come from a rescue or pound (same holds for purebreds from a rescue or pound). Temperament is a quality that is bred for too. So there are pros and cons of choosing a cross or a purebred. MOST dogs whatever the background will have a fine temperament however. :)
 
From Karlin's biography .....

"I am also a board member of RTE, the Irish national broadcasting company (radio and television) — as a 2009 government appointee to the non-executive board of the RTE Authority"

This is really a most prestigious appointment. Congratulations and well done.

Margaret C
 
How many ways can the serious subject of the AGM be thwarted.

Karlin doesn't have a garden
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-oh my :eek:. The continuous use of trolling (
An Internet troll, or simply troll in Internet slang, is someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum or chat room, with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response[1] or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.[2]
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is childish and vindictive and self serving.
Will there ever be a list of those members that voted negatively toward inception of SM guidelines? Are all those members strong on their conviction or are there other factors involved such as currying favor and following the leader?
 
I see you've been reading the "Not the Karlin Lillington cavalier website" where flaming is not tolerated...(It's positively encouraged)!!
Whatever differences of opinion arise between any website owner and any member is a private and personal matter and nothing to do with the rest of the membership.
It's regrettable that people who previously posted alongside us and whom we liked and respected now feel free to insult and make derogatory comments about those who continue to post here.
Membership of messageboards constantly change,none of us can remain as members of any forum forever,those of us who seek support for dealing with our sick dogs will eventually take what we need and move on or find that family or professional circumstances not longer permit time to log on.
During our time we'll meet people we get on with and identify with, or face people we no longer want to engage with,we just deal with it in a mature and dignified fashion and get on with our business.
Sins(neither hardcore nor mad)
 
sins said:
I see you've been reading the "Not the Karlin Lillington cavalier website" where flaming is not tolerated...(It's positively encouraged)!!
Whatever differences of opinion arise between any website owner and any member is a private and personal matter and nothing to do with the rest of the membership.
It's regrettable that people who previously posted alongside us and whom we liked and respected now feel free to insult and make derogatory comments about those who continue to post here.
Membership of messageboards constantly change,none of us can remain as members of any forum forever,those of us who seek support for dealing with our sick dogs will eventually take what we need and move on or find that family or professional circumstances not longer permit time to log on.
During our time we'll meet people we get on with and identify with, or face people we no longer want to engage with,we just deal with it in a mature and dignified fashion and get on with our business.
Sins(neither hardcore nor mad)
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I have just realised that there is no 'thanks' button on this board, so I'll just have to say it, wonderful post Sins. Although I don't post very often this thread caught my eye as I'm a fan of Pete's. When I read on and payed a visit to the other message board in question I was shocked. I'm 18 and I have more maturity in my little finger then some of those women, they ought to be ashamed of themselves resorting to play-ground name-calling, they need to take a step back and realise that we are all working towards the same goal.
 
Oh Sins how very true.

How can anybody who claims to be an intelligent adult lump everybody together just because they post on a particular site ?

People are just people, and there is always going to be a mixture of different opinions. Perhaps they just feel more in control to look at it this way, and that makes them feel that they have the right to belittle people at will.

I also find the idea that none of us are capable of making up our own minds (ie: we are all brainwashed) very strange. If I am PC literate enough to post here I am certainly able to look at other sites and opinions. As I have said before, the internet is a wonderful tool and all sorts of research is freely available for anybody who chooses to look.

Reminds me of playing cowboys and indians as a child when all the "goodies" wore white hats and all the "baddies" black ones. If only life was that simple.
 
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Just one more observation - there's quite a difference between saying:
"I health test"

and saying

"I health test: my cavaliers are evaluated every year by a cardiologist, my cavaliers are MRI'd at the recommended ages, and I follow the SM and MVD guidelines."
 
To the 'ladies' icon_nwunsurehmmm of the 'other board' who revel in name calling, bitching, playground behaviour, bullying, childish antics.............

Have you really got nothing better to do with your time??? I do pity you, I really do!!!

Wasn't the website you belong to supposed to be about CAVALIER HEALTH???

Personally I think this behaviour is pathetic!!!!

The other members of the Cavalier Chat board who joined to discuss important issues like health must cringe when they log onto their forum to find the 'ladies' icon_nwunsurehmmm turning their forum into an issue of public humiliation.

frecklesmom said:
Will there ever be a list of those members that voted negatively toward inception of SM guidelines? Are all those members strong on their conviction or are there other factors involved such as currying favor and following the leader?
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I'd love to know these details, my Tals is a walking advertisement for Cavaliers she is stunning. I'm often asked for the details of her breeder (now retired) Now if I knew the details of these breeders / kennels I could pass this knowledge on to the potential Cavalier owners save them contacting these breeders for a pup.
 
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sins said:
I see you've been reading the "Not the Karlin Lillington cavalier website" where flaming is not tolerated...(It's positively encouraged)!!
Whatever differences of opinion arise between any website owner and any member is a private and personal matter and nothing to do with the rest of the membership.
It's regrettable that people who previously posted alongside us and whom we liked and respected now feel free to insult and make derogatory comments about those who continue to post here.
Membership of messageboards constantly change,none of us can remain as members of any forum forever,those of us who seek support for dealing with our sick dogs will eventually take what we need and move on or find that family or professional circumstances not longer permit time to log on.
During our time we'll meet people we get on with and identify with, or face people we no longer want to engage with,we just deal with it in a mature and dignified fashion and get on with our business.
Sins(neither hardcore nor mad)
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:thnku:
 
Cathy Moon said:
Just one more observation - there's quite a difference between saying:
"I health test"

and saying

"I health test: my cavaliers are evaluated every year by a cardiologist, my cavaliers are MRI'd at the recommended ages, and I follow the SM and MVD guidelines."
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Unscrupulous breeders are full of these sayings that are actually half truths and designed to deceive.

One is "I have never bred a puppy with SM" ( the dogs are sold before it develops )

Buyers also need to be aware that "I MRI test" does not mean that breeding stock has been scanned.

There is a difference between MRI scanning in accordance with the SM recommendations, and paying out for a diagnostic MRI in 2001 because you had a puppy, by your champion stud dog, that developed SM and needed surgery before it was a year old.

Or for taking a symptomatic cavalier to the Royal Veterinary College for a free MRI under their pain trial.

When you buy a cavalier, make sure you see the certificates, that they relate to the right dog, and you know how to interpret them.

Margaret C
 
Margaret C said:
When you buy a cavalier, make sure you see the certificates, that they relate to the right dog, and you know how to interpret them.
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This is very important. Can someone suggest the best source for scans, perhaps online, to educate ourselves? I had to search through 193 scan images of my Dylan before I found what was a very obvious case of SM.
 
I've been wondering about UK Cavalier club voting procedure. Is it secret ballot voting or is it based on counting a show of hands?

While secret ballot might be more time-consuming and expensive, it would certainly be fairer, especially for those who might be concerned with regards to fairness in the show ring.
 
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*Pauline* said:
This is very important. Can someone suggest the best source for scans, perhaps online, to educate ourselves? I had to search through 193 scan images of my Dylan before I found what was a very obvious case of SM.
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Rather than viewing the actual scans, it would be better to see the official registration papers/pedigrees with birth dates, neurology reports, heart and eye certs, etc.

Perhaps someone could scan in a copy of a neurology report to illustrate for us?
 
Cathy Moon said:
Perhaps someone could scan in a copy of a neurology report to illustrate for us?
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I can but the neurologist gave the measurements for the syrinx wrong in the report, so ignore that. She told me in person, both syrinx were just under 5cm long and when the report came, I think the decimal point was in the wrong place. I called her and she said yes, she wrote that down wrong. I got two reports, one simple one, that both I and the vet had a copy of then I asked for a more detailed one. She said most pet owners don't know as much about SM as me, I have this forum to thank for that.
 
Pauline, do you know if the simple version of the report is similar to what the breeders get with their mini scans?
 
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