The new guidelines still present a very stern challenge for even the most committed and health focused breeder.
A bitch over 2.5 years with even the most miniscule barely discernible central canal dilatation will be recommended to be mated to an over 5 dog free of SM,in order to comply with the new guidelines. This bitch which is currently graded as A under the existing guidelines could currently be mated to an D.
Not under the new scheme.
Basically anything with a dilated central canal under the age of 5 must be mated to an over 5 SM free.
There are breeders who have A equivalent bitches from A parents and 4 A grandparents who will find themselves required to select an over 5 mate for their bitch.
And they'll be flogged if they "only" choose a mate who may only be 4.5 years without CCD because they're flouting the guidelines.Despite investing thousands of pounds in their breeding programmes,they feel that their breeding programmes are built on shifting sands.
And as for people buying puppies,what will they think?
The new aim is not it seems to breed away from SM,but to to breed away from the extreme clinical phenotype.
In other words,your pet may still have SM but let's hope it's asymptomatic.
Their pet probably will develop SM. That is the reality of the situation.
The specialists set the guidelines to reflect what has been shown by research. It would be wrong if they set bars low enough for breeders to carry on producing cavaliers that do not have the best chance of a healthy life.Most club breeders have not followed the earlier, less demanding guidelines, they will not follow the new recommendations unless pressure is applied in some form or another.
It may be that breeding cavaliers is something that nobody should do, that this is a breed that is now so health compromised that on welfare grounds alone they should not continue?
That may be hard on breeders and those that love this breed but the long run it is not the people that suffer the excrutiating neuropathic pain, it is the poor little dogs.
I accept that the guidelines are based on valid research findings,but sadly,the bar has been set too high,too soon and while a few may try to clear it,too many won't even keep trying.They'll just retire gracefully,despite years of committed testing and breeding.There's one lady I know well by now,who was just barely keeping her kennels going while trying to breed to the current protocols and investing heavily in her scanning programme.It's tough in this economic climate for small breeders to make ends meet.If they have to go outside to seek over 5 stud dogs,the stud fees make make it difficult for people like her and they WILL throw in the towel because they can't shoulder the burden for "saving the breed".
Let 's lay the blame for the need of these guidelines where it belongs........
I feel for the few breeders that have been trying so hard, for so long, but they are victims of the majority of other breeders that consistently ignored the warnings that went out in 2003, that did not scan when the low cost MRI schemes became available, that ignored the symptoms in their own breeding cavaliers or the rumours of SM in popular stud dogs and still carried on using them.
This mess was created by breeders that despite knowing they had bred affected dogs themselves grimly refused to believe there was a real issue and made it a point of honour not to read the reports that documented the extent of the problem.
They are the victims of those that still blindly mated unscanned cavaliers, spreading the SM genes for generation after generation until the publicity produced by PDE made them realise that the whistle had been blown and they would be wise to have at least one or two dogs scanned.
Those small breeders and all the unsuspecting pet owners out there are still the victims of the many influential breeders, including health representatives and cavalier clubs committee members, who are shown in the latest list of Kennel Club registrations to still be breeding from dogs that are scarcely out of puppyhood.
The Blog that Rod has linked us to says that "The correct age remains contentious and represents a practical issue for breeders".
The new Grading system is fine..it's just the breeding recommendations are pretty much unattainable based on the lack of over 5 clears.Another 18 months and the situation may have improved,but as it stands,it'll be a very challenging start to the new year for breeders who try to do the right thing.
Sins
Anyone with a popular stud dog could have it scanned free once it is over 5 years old. If there are none shown on the BVA/KC scheme when the results start being published it means their owners don't care enough for the breed to have them scanned or are too cowardly to share the results.