Animal Protection: Stop inbreeding, open registries, ban unhealthy breeds, curtail shows

[Henk ten Klooster]

Ban unhealthy breeds, attack inbreeding by opening up of registries permanently, stop breed standard exaggeration, curtail shows.

That is the advice of the Animal Protection the Netherlands (Dierenbescherming). With more than 40% of purebred dogs something is wrong, states the organization. Main source of that according to Animal Protection: dogshows.

Most Dutch media were focusing on this these days, after broadcasting of the British documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed on television.

How is that in your culture and what is your opinion?

[Astrid Landsaat]

I really don't think that those who breed for financial gain are really in a postion to understanding the immediate bond a pet owner (client purchaser) forms with the "purchased puppy".

I agree with that. My girl is an epileptic and she has MO as well. The only thing the breeder offered was a "new" pup if things went totally wrong. For us it isn't always easy to deal with both diseases, sleepless nights, very high costs on medication and the specialist. Ginger is still leading a happy live, she is not suffering so putting her to sleep is out of the question! We love her and we will do everything that is possible for her.

On the other hand we don't want other owners to go trough the same we are going through. Everything should be done to ban heritable disorders and DNA research could be one of them.

For who are interested, I managed to put my girls COI online: https://acrobat.com/#d=UXiEehwefjFsLcCysjoE3Q

[Astrid Landsaat]

For the record, As far as I know grandma Early was an epileptic and Teramour mister Bojangles (who is my girls grandpa) passed away when he was just 8 years old . He had bone cancer.

[Astrid Landsaat]

Great! I just read on my own page that my girls great grandfather was an epileptic too! :-(

[Henk ten Klooster]

Astrid, was this a litter with an "okay" stamp of the Irish Setter Club of the Netherlands? Interested to know this, because they have the eldest registry of healthmatters in the breed worldwide.

[Astrid Landsaat]

Henk, this litter was bred without pup info. That is something I never heard of when we bought her. Ginger is our first Irish. I called the Setter Club and asked if that breeder was okay. I have been told that she was bonafide.

[Henk ten Klooster]

Asking this, because in a private e-mail I was told recently the combination of parents of your Irish setter was considered to be "very dangerous". So apparently, the knowledge of what could happen was available.... It is for future interest to know whether or not and why this information was apparently not at the right address the right moment.

[Susan Stone]

I would say in NL you are very fortunate to have a 'genetic counselling' for breeders.

[Astrid Landsaat]

Yes, but the breeder of my girl isn't using that. If I only knew then, what I know now.

[Cheryl Gorey]

“I for one would love to see a DNA test for this but more importantly maybe a cure for cancer in people and animals.”
“I think we have found as a breed that as we get rid of one scourge by DNA testing another hits the headlines.”
“However for all the 30 or so years I have been in this breed research into the causes of bloat has been taking place in one form or another and where are we today?”
“The ISBC are taking the correct stance and have been for years one way or another and their recent involvement must be applauded.”
“I might be wrong, but I think this site has lost its original meaning. "A place for Irish Setters owners around the world to share stories & photos of one of the most beautiful dog breeds."
“So I can only advise people not to spend too much attention to all this doom-talking and enjoy our wonderful breed!”

I agree there has been a lot of research by a number of organizations around the world, but until recently there hasn’t been any talk of the possibility getting to the stage of a DNA test and it is an extremely important step to be able to at least provide a more definitive answer as to whether we have two types of GDV – genetically linked and environmental. There is always a risk of removing identified carriers from gene pools as we also may remove important other traits from the line, however, if we have this decision support tool (DNA testing) we can at least make a more informed decision as to what breed mate is selected. Also, in the absence of the DNA test, we may discriminately remove too many and/or the wrong dogs from the gene pool and we would be much worse off!

Any organization and/or club who has undertaken research should be applauded, but we need to ensure that there are outcomes and progress made and not just exercises in data collection, etc.

From talking with IS owners/breeders around the world, I get the impression that our breed is suffering the highest incidence of GDV and epilepsy than any other diseases, so if that is the case, shouldn’t these two diseases be initially focused on. I see GDV as the most debilitating and/or fatal of all the health conditions that could be affecting our breed ATM.

I also agree that we must enjoy our wonderful breed and I do this everyday, but I also want to ensure that we have this wonderful breed long into the future as a healthy dog for breeders and owners alike so that they are fit for purpose for whatever function you want to do with them.

I think we do use this site for the purpose that it was created for, but we would be remiss if we didn’t take the opportunity to share experiences, learn and work together as we have such an opportunity for such a great group of dedicated people who can make a difference for advances in the health of our dogs.

[Susan Stone]

I think we do use this site for the purpose that it was created for, but we would be remiss if we didn’t take the opportunity to share experiences, learn and work together as we have such an opportunity for such a great group of dedicated people who can make a difference for advances in the health of our dogs.

Thank you, Cheryl! And I really believe we can make a difference.

[eva ciechonska]

To follow on from Cheryl - while there, of course, are undoublted health defects in our lovely breed which we have to address there are also thousands of Irish Setters world-wide who live to a ripe old age without any problems, genetic or otherwise. Let us take joy in that.

[Margaret Sierakowski]

Well, if that is the case, there shouldnt be a problem - enough healthy dogs to breed from, no need to breed from dogs which might have a few problems lurking in their genetic background?