Green light for syringomyelia health scheme for dogs

[BrooklynMom]

Wonderful. Just wonderful.

[Sabby]

Fantastic News.

[Margaret C]

http://pedigreedogsexposed.blogspot....sm-scheme.html

[Sandrac]

This is such good news - but there still is a long long haul ahead.

[anniemac]

I have gone back to read your blog from last october about the scheme and went on the cavalier club website to see if I could get more information. I am very confused about the grading. I know some have said on recent scans it has grades for CM and also I have seen posting from Sins on other forum of gradings.

It says its not official yet on club website. Is that going to change in january? I know I'm in the usa but I was curious on breeding recommendations or in particular how the grades would be explained to puppy buyers.




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[Margaret C]

http://pedigreedogsexposed.blogspot....sm-scheme.html

In the comments section there was discussion about a link posted on the Cavalier Health Liaison Committee website.

One breeder comments............

"There is a page on this Dutch website with a summary of health problems in the breed. Which says that Cavaliers have no more health problems than other breeds, and the incidence of SM is extremely low. What planet do they live on?"

I looked at this website and found they seem to be setting up their own EBV scheme with two prominent breed club health representatives named as the collectors of data from UK cavalier owners?

This could be seen as an attempt to sabotage the KC/AHT EBV scheme.
I have written to the KC, Cavalier Club, & Sarah Blott at the AHT to make them aware of the situation.

I also added a comment to the blog.

[Desrae]

YAYAYAYAYAY!!!!! Fantastic news!

[Karlin]

This could be seen as an attempt to sabotage the KC/AHT EBV scheme.
I have written to the KC, Cavalier Club, & Sarah Blott at the AHT to make them aware of the situation.

Jeez -- not only does that site misinterpet existing research, but also fails to note that every single study done in addition to Clare Rusbridge's work has confirmed at *least* the rate of affectedness she initially predicted (and sadly, some huge studies since rate it far higher). Also: how can they set up an EBV system that is at all useful if they accept MRIs 'signed by any vet' -- vet?! Who is going to interpret quality? MRIs being of too low a quality is already known to be a major reason why the UK EBV system isn't yet available. It is why UK breeders wanted a panel for interpretation, which is what the new KC/BVA scheme gives them.

And how ludicrous to use a 'survey' set up by breeders on the internet to state rates of MVD and CM/SM and how many dogs have symptoms. We all know how easy it is for vets to miss symptoms, much less dog owners or breeders. Using 'statistcs' and 'evidence' from a breeder sponsored online survey just might be a bit biased in favour of low rates of disease and symptoms. Maybe like the low rates of affected dogs being submitted for the UK EBVs, even though breeders who scan have readily admitted on their own discussion sites that about half their scans show that dog is affected with SM. Several, including various UK club committee members over recent years, have agreed with that rate. An artificially low rate -- seemingly too many breeders only submitting their good scans only --has also stalled the EBV scheme as there isn't enough honest info for it to be meaningful yet for breeders to actually use it to improve breed health .

How amazing that this breeder-led online survey has fabulously lower rates of both MVD and CM/SM than *all* the actual research over the past decades has revealed!

No one takes online surveys where anyone can respond, seriously.

A lot of breeders and researchers have worked hard to get the KC/BVA scheme up and I think anyone wanting something reputable and valuable will want to support it -- and also perhaps, work to have it eventually appropriately linked to any new international schemes, where the integrity of scan interpretation etc can be guaranteed. It would make more sense to have any additional programmes for breeders outside the UK, submit in to the UK scheme and grow it to an international programme.

[Desrae]

I have to say, just my opinion, that is evil of them.

No matter what, you always have to be one step ahead of these people.