Kate H
Well-known member
Spent a bit of time at Crufts this morning handing out leaflets encouraging people to send their scans to Sarah Blott. The person organising the leaflets told me that she is importing a Cavalier from the Netherlands (a dog I think) who not only does not have SM but also doesn't have CM, and his parents and grandparents are also CM/SM free. I know the Netherlands KC started taking SM seriously much earlier than this country, and have been much tougher on not allowing breeding from affected dogs; as in many continental countries, everybody has to have their dogs checked by the KC before they can breed a litter at all. Just goes to show what can be done...
Also talked to the AHT about the proposed KC/BVA scanning scheme. Everyone's getting together in May to decide on a definitive grading system, and there will be a seminar at Stoneleigh, probably in October, to introduce the scheme. And more info and booking details for the Cavalier Club/Royal Vet College conference on SM and MVD in November should be available shortly.
Chatted to one lady by the Cavalier ring who informed me that Oliver had SM because I fed him on dry food - all grain used in dog food contains fungus which can cause neurological damage. I managed to be polite...
(though it's not impossible, I suppose, that something like that could have caused the original genetic damage which led to CM - but wonder how she explains CM/SM in humans?)
Kate, Oliver and Aled
Also talked to the AHT about the proposed KC/BVA scanning scheme. Everyone's getting together in May to decide on a definitive grading system, and there will be a seminar at Stoneleigh, probably in October, to introduce the scheme. And more info and booking details for the Cavalier Club/Royal Vet College conference on SM and MVD in November should be available shortly.
Chatted to one lady by the Cavalier ring who informed me that Oliver had SM because I fed him on dry food - all grain used in dog food contains fungus which can cause neurological damage. I managed to be polite...
(though it's not impossible, I suppose, that something like that could have caused the original genetic damage which led to CM - but wonder how she explains CM/SM in humans?)
Kate, Oliver and Aled