In This Week's DOG WORLD

[Bet]

Could I mention that Steve Dean in his Weekly Veterinary Column in DOG WORLD ,has made specific mention of the Two Serious Diseases Afflicting our Cavalier Breed

"That every-body should all feel sorry for the Cavalier People who have TWO Horrible Dilemmas in their Breed .

A Significant Incidence of Heart Disease and Syringomyelia .

To have Either Problem is Bad Enough but to Handle Both at Once is a Real Dilemma and will take Great Fortitude."

He describes the Conditions .

He then mentions ,that the Choices for the Breed are Few and Uninspiring.

"That Cavalier Breeders can of course Breed Away from Affected Dogs and Lines ,but this will be probably a Long Slow Process ,with a High Likelihood of Disappointment.


That his suggestion is for

VETS
GENETICISTS
OTHER SCIENTISTS
CAVALIER BREEDERS

ALL WORK TO-GETHER ,Gather Data,and Apply Good Science and Common Sence to the Problems maybe Progress can be made."

Maybe now the Vociferious Few Cavalier Breeders will take heed of Steve Dean's Comments ,and stop trying to put a Gloss and Spin on the Health of our Cavalier Breed.

This is really such a Damming Comment from a Person who holds such Influence in the Dog World.

Bet

[sins]

Good Morning Bet!
I always enjoy reading Steve Dean's column.
I didn't interpret his remarks about the cavalier breed as damning,or even feel he offered any specific suggestions as to what exactly will help the situation.
I felt that cavaliers were selected to illustrate the point that breeding for health can be tricky,especially when there is "no obvious conformational signal and go unnoticed until they cause pain".This was placed as a contrast with a clearly observable defect like ectropion.

The choices for the breed are few and uninspiring. They can of course breed away from affected dogs and lines, but this is likely to be a long slow process with a high likelihood of disappointment; they can spend money on expensive screening programmes with no clear idea of where it will lead; or they could give up and find another breed which we must hope they do not as the Cavalier is a wonderful family pet.

This does pretty much spell out the options though.
However taking into consideration that at the BVA/KC seminar, statistics were produced to show that A x A mating produced some 75% of unaffected offspring,this must surely give breeders a clearer idea of where these "expensive screening programmes" can lead and that this clear message should be conveyed to breeders.
Above all else,it might give hope to those who have considered giving up and give them a reason to continue their life's work.
I don't think there's anyone trying to put a gloss and spin on the health of the Breed Bet.Certainly there are some who place health testing low on their list of priorities and no doubt a few who don't give health any thought at all and happily charge on down the path to self destruction.
Even if the genes for SM and MVD are discovered,there will be the few who will " say no" to testing.
The Good news though is the increasing numbers of breeders who test for both MVD and SM and who rigourously verify the health status of their stock before breeding from them.It must be frustratingly slow for them to have to wait a number of years to test the offspring of "tested parents and grandparents".
We must be patient too and try to support those who do the right thing... after all,the cavalier is a wonderful family pet.
Sins

[Nicki]

Thank you for mentioning this Bet - and to Sins for an excellent, clear post, clarifying Steve's comments - I agree he is not saying that the breed is damned, just that we have a lot of hard work still ahead.

It's fantastic news that the studies have shown that A to A matings are producing 75% unaffected - we have to find more A dogs, so that the gene pool is not made even smaller by doing these matings.


The only way to do this is through MRI scanning - and particularly looking for the older stud dogs who can make such a great contribution to the future health of the breed.

I hope more and more breeders will be encouraged by the results to have their dogs scanned - and the biggest contribution puppy buyers can make is to ONLY buy from breeders who can prove that they are health testing.


Obviously supporting the fund raising for projects like Rupert's Fund is also extremely beneficial as that is paying for MRIs for many dogs over the age of 6

[Bet]

Thank you for mentioning this Bet - and to Sins for an excellent, clear post, clarifying Steve's comments - I agree he is not saying that the breed is damned, just that we have a lot of hard work still ahead.

It's fantastic news that the studies have shown that A to A matings are producing 75% unaffected - we have to find more A dogs, so that the gene pool is not made even smaller by doing these matings.


The only way to do this is through MRI scanning - and particularly looking for the older stud dogs who can make such a great contribution to the future health of the breed.

I hope more and more breeders will be encouraged by the results to have their dogs scanned - and the biggest contribution puppy buyers can make is to ONLY buy from breeders who can prove that they are health testing.


Obviously supporting the fund raising for projects like Rupert's Fund is also extremely beneficial as that is paying for MRIs for many dogs over the age of 6

IN THIS WEEK'S DOG WORLD

If I could clarify my Post, what chance have our Cavaliers got ,when a few months age it was mentioned Publicly in a Post on a Cavalier Forum, that the figure of 50% of Cavaliers having a Heart Murmur at 5-6 years of age was Untrue,...

That Person is now a Newly Elected Member of the CKCS CLUB COMMITTEE.

There are still the Vociferious Few Cavalier Breeders who remain in Denial or trying to Sweep them under the Carpet, about the SM and MVD Problems in our Breed ,and unfortunately are doing Great Damage to the Cavalier Breed.

Steve Dean mentioned that Cavalier Breeders did not deliberately set out to produce those Health Problems, I wiil again go back to 1983 ,when the Cavalier Breeders were warned by Dr P. Darke, the CKCS CLUB's Cardiologist ,who carried out Heart Surveys at Cavalier Shows ,about how Wide-Spread and Serious the MVD Problem was in our Breed .

Dr B.Cattanach ,Geneticist, in the late 80's walked away in disgust because of the attitude of some Cavalier Breeders when he hade been asked by the CKCS CLUB to try and help with the MVD Problem.

Even to-day there are some Cavalier Breeders not giving TWO Hoots for the Breeding Guideline Recomendations and are Breeding from Cavaliers under 2.5 years of age, this is seen in the Kennel Club Breed Record Supplements.

I will say again , and keep on saying it.

It will be the Cavalier Buying Public who will have the chance to give Cavaliers a Future , that they are told ,as Steve Dean mentioned,that Cavaliers have a Significant Incidence of MVD and SM,the Cavalier Buying Public are told to only buy a Cavalier from a Cavalier Breeder who Health Tests their Cavalier Breeding Stock , and follows the Breeding Guideline Recommendations of not Breeding fro a Cavalier before 2.5 years of age, and to know the Status of the Grand-parents at 5 and to see Proof that the Cavalier Breeder is doing this.

When the Cavalier Buying Public is made aware about the Cost of the Medication for those Two Diseases in Cavaliers, I am sure this Advice will start to be being Heeded.

Yes ,and it cannot be said often enough , that to save the Cavalier Breed ,is to find the Genes for SM and MVD.

Bet

[Oreo]

I thought I would provide a link to the recent Dog World article by Steve Dean that has been mentioned on this thread, as to save others the time of looking for it.

http://www.dogworld.co.uk/Features/4...=2010&month=11

Oreo