Midland Club scanning
On another thread Karlin wrote: 'the low cost scans are very basic scans and consults to give breeders awareness of the status of their breeding dogs. Pet owners can use them too -- at a higher cost but still relatively low -- but again that doesn't involve treatment advice, or a full consult'
As far as I know, this isn't true of the Midland Club scans with Geoff Skerritt - the low price is simply because the Club is able to fill 3 days just with Cavaliers being scanned for SM, which reduces running costs for the hospital (and gives Geoff a lot more data for his research, because he mostly sees known SM positive dogs with symptoms). Geoff went through the scan with me, gave me a prognosis, and made sure I knew what to look for if Oliver did develop symptoms. As it happens, of the breeders who were there on our day, all their dogs scanned either clear, asymptomatic or with very mild symptoms - if their dogs had had severe symptoms they would probably have been under their own vets/scanned already. But my understanding was that this was an opportunity to have a proper scan, and full consultation if needed - it was just that for these dogs a lengthy discussion of treatment options wasn't necessary. Anyone with a symptomatic Cavalier, who belonged to the club and needed a scan at the time of the 'Club days' (now held twice a year), would be able to have a 'proper scan' and consultation at the lower price. Nothing was said on the booking form about it being simply a cut-price quick check for breeders so leave your symptomatic dogs at home - nor was there a higher price for me as a pet owner. But of course most of the Midland Club members are in fact breeders (though many I know breed very seldom) - like the main club, we need more pet owners to join and then they could also take advantage of these 'proper' but low cost scans (but most pet owners will only scan if their dog has obvious symptoms - I scanned asymptomatic Oliver because I'm a nosey parker and wanted to know his status, given his pedigree!). What happens in other low cost schemes I have no idea - I'm only involved in this one.
Kate and Oliver