Irish Red Setter Online Health Survey conducted in 2011 - Results published!

[Susan Stone]

Do you remember the on-line Irish Red Setter health survey many of us took part in last June to Sept 2011?

The results have been published by Ed Hall, Chairman, Irish Setter Breed Clubs Joint Health Coordinators Group

Read his article on the Irish Setter Health website here:

http://www.irishsetterhealth.info/content/2011-breed-health-survey

 

For those who did not see the initial post, here is the link to the original blog:

http://irishsetters.ning.com/forum/topics/irish-setter-health-surve...

 

[Astrid Landsaat]

Thanks for sharing Susan. The results are worrying me!

[Carmel Murphy]

Thanks Susan!

[Rhonda Fisher]

Thanks Susan for posting the intial post as well

[Catherine Carter]

I agree with you, but in the mean time there is no known mode of inheritance for epilepsy or MO, so breeders have to use the tools they are given by the AHT and the test for PRA RCD4 is one of them. Of course, I would not encourage anyone to Breed from a dog who has suffered epilepsy or MO.

[Margaret Sierakowski]

Its a problem  that. as more DNA tests become available, more emphasis is put on testing , and the genetic diseases for which there are no tests, like epilepsy and bloat, tend to recede into the background. Breeders take pride in having tested their dogs for testable conditions, and at the same time can be sweeping other problems under the carpet. We see this in IRWS too, I remember Ann saying on this list that we have only three known conditions in IRWS, what she meant was  conditions which  could be tested for at the time, Of course we have other conditions in the breed, but one hears very little about bloat, epilepsy, MO , monorchidism, autoimmune and thyroid, problems, cancers, heart problems ,etc in IRWS . We know now our effective breeding population in the UK is down to 28, and still we are being told how fortunate we are to have a healthy breed because the few known TESTABLE conditions are under control. I've already pointed on this list to how HD is  being under reported  in the breed. The more we go on complacently saying how lucky we are to have a healthy breed  and blandly ignoring  the extent of other  problems, the greater the resistance there is going to be to doing anything to expand our gene pool . And if our gene pool is allowed to diminish  still further , it is going to be even harder to turn things round in the future. The Kennel Club is already saying the IRWS and English Setters are two  of the five breeds facing extinction in the UK , are breeders taking any notice? The smaller the gene pool becomes, the faster a new health problem will spread through the breed. Our gene pool is now so small that if a new mutation were to appear in the breed, it could be widespread  in just three or four generations

I dont know as much about Irish Setters, but it seems to me although you have got probably  more  health problems than we have in IRWS ,  on the other hand  you still have a larger effective breeding population, so more space  to breed away from a problem 

[Ann Millington]

Goodness me! I am agreeing with you , Margaret ;o])

It is very frustrating, as keeper of the breed database, that there is under reporting of health conditions in UK IRWS.

There have been reports of the conditions you quote - except MO - but not enough cases to interest vetinarians/geneticists or other health bodies. - I have tried.

Those who do report are mainly people who show their dogs - probably because they are in touch with each other on a regular basis and they are the ones mainly, who complete and return surveys - there is little information from companion owners and working dog owners.

This could possibly be because it is necessary for the OWNER or BREEDER of the dog with a health problen (however big or small) to report the condition to me.  I cannot enter anything that is second hand or gossip.  The advice given on the reverse of the Parental Health Status Certificate should ensure that new owners know how to contact the health committee of the breed, but how many breeders take advantage of this free service and see that their puppy buyers understand... and how many owners take any notice?

If there are many health issues, as you say, why has nothing been reported? or even gossiped about?  You can be sure that the slightest whiff of a health problem will 'go round the breed' like lightning and everyone will be speculating about it.

It is somewhat disingenuous to think that there will ever be perfect dogs bred that are devoid of every health condition - even humans, who have a vast EPS, have even more health problems than dogs!

I truly hope the publication of IRWS EPS will wake up all breeders and effect a change in breeding practices - I have been trying for years.

 

[Susan Stone]

Help please... what is EPS? I must have it too, vastly so, as I'm human! ;-))

 

[Ann Millington]

EPS = Effective Population Size ;o]))

[Margaret Sierakowski]

"Goodness me! I am agreeing with you , Margaret ;o])"

 

Could it be time to call a truce and work together ?

 

[Ann Millington]

Why not, eh? ;o])))

[Dee Rance]

It would be wonderful if it could happen....fingers crossed that it is so....

[Dee Rance]

I agree with you Camilla, there is no way of telling if a dog is carrying MO, Bloat, HD, Epilepsy, etc etc but we do know the dogs that are carrying or have or do not have rcd4 these tests are just a tool, that should definitely be used and worked upon...but to say that such and such dog is clear of MO, Bloat etc is wrong we can only say that the parents don't seem to have them...we cannot say that the puppies are free of anything, except where a DNA test legislates against it...and it is a shame that the 'general public' really don't know what is going on and will take the breeders word that their dogs ''don't have any of these things'' but will find out in the future that their beloved puppies do get something like Bloat or Epilepsy or so on....

Unfortunately most of us only have a rudimentary grasp of things like genetics...and there are some that only have this small grasp of it....seem to give the impression that they know a whole lot more than they actually do....me I know very very little....but I know a lady that does....(know a great deal) I am one of the lucky ones...I get it explained in an ''idiot proof'' way...lol

ps the results of the ''breeding bitch and stud dog survey is kind of scary...are people still breeding from these animals???