What can you do in case of hereditary disorders?

[Susan Mogony]

Erfelijke aandoeningen zijn al sinds de jaren zeventig bekend binnen ons

ras. De erfelijke aandoeningen komen voor in alle lijnen.

Mede door de vele invloedrijke fokkers is er binnen de Ierse Setter Club Nederland een ABC (Advies en Begeleidingscommissie) opgericht die op gebied van gezondheid onderzoek doet en registreert. En ook met oplossingen komt in de vorm van diverse gezondheidstesten en advies in de keuze lijnen.

 

Niet alleen de fokkers zijn verantwoordelijk voor het fokken van een gezonde hond maar ook de kopers van een pup, door verantwoord een Ierse Setter aan te schaffen en tevens lid te blijven van een Belangenorganisatie zoals de Ierse Setter Club zodat zij het goede werk kan voortzetten en u in de toekomst nog steeds kan genieten van een Ierse Setter.

 

De Ierse Setter Club is vorig jaar gestart in samenwerking met de

Universiteit in Helsinki om een DNA test te ontwikkelen om epilepsie bij honden eerder te ontdekken.

Het zou dus mooi zijn wanneer eigenaren van een Ierse Setter met epilepsie zich zouden willen melden bij de Ierse Setter Club en hun medewerking willen verlenen aan dit project.

 

We all know that the Irish Setter is in charge of hereditary disorders. We already knew that in the 70's. Those hereditary disorders are in all lines of the breed. That’s why influential breeders in the Irish Setter Club in the Netherlands established a special committee:

The ABC of the Netherlands. An advice and support committee who helps the breeders to breed a healthy Irish Setter by doing research, registration and giving advice to them about the health and hereditary disorders of their dogs.

 

Not only breeders are responsible for breeding a healthy dog, but the buyers of a puppy are responsible for getting good information about the breed and the possible problems in the breed. And of course support the breed clubs by being a member. By being a member of association like the Irish Setter Club, they can keep up doing the good job and we can still enjoy a beautiful and healthy Setter in the future.

The Irish Setter Club in the Netherlands started last year a research in cooperation with the University of Helsinki (Finland) that should lead to a DNA test for epilepsy in our dogs. It would be very helpful if owners with an epileptic Irish Setter would inform us and help us with this project.

 

Contact ABC Jeanette Terpstra [e-mail]

 

On behalf of the board of the Irish Setter Club of the Netherlands

Susan Mogony

Chairman

[Astrid Landsaat]

Well, the DNA research was ready for take off in 2007. I am glad to hear that this board picked it up again and hopefully this time owners and breeders will cooperate.

[Wim Dokter]

Sure research is important!

But what I miss is controle by the Dutch Irish setter club? When a breeder doesn't breed by the rules off the club he/she get's away whit it!

And still his one website tells everybody that he/she is menber off the club!

There is something to do!!

Now every body can do what he/she wants.

[Astrid Landsaat]

You sure do have a point here Wim!

[Henk ten Klooster]

Een goede start is om open en eerlijk in het clubblad te vertellen wat er aan de hand is, inclusief stambomen. A good start is to report open and honest in the clubmagazine what is going on, this includes pedigrees.

Dan hoeven we misschien niet eerst meer in kranten te lezen of op tv te horen wat nu werkelijk de waarheid is.

Thats how we need not first read dailies or view the television to know what is really going on.

[Henk ten Klooster]

yes Wim does not only make good points on pheasants!

ja, Wim maakt niet alleen punten op fazanten!

[Finding_Beau]

Hi Henk

From my experience owning English Setters for 23 years and being a member of a Canine Control Council for 12 years, I believe the biggest problem for purebred dogs in Australia is the apathy of the Canine Control Councils.

An example: My English Setter, Jessie was born with severe hip displaysia in 1990. My vet did not believe she would live to 3yo. The only reason Jessie lived to be almost 15yo is because of my dedication and my love for her. I contacted the Canine Control Council (Qld) after I had received the report from Dr Richard Eaton-Wells who is a renowned orthopaedic vet specialist. I also provided the x-rays and reports of my own vet. The CCC (Qld) ignored me and told me to sort it out with the breeder. I not only phoned the breeder, I made the effort to travel 3+ hours to visit her and I showed her Jessie's vet x-rays and reports. She laughed in my face. She bred Jessie's mum and dad again. This breeder is still registered with Dogs Qld (formerly known as CCC (Qld).

Another example: My English Setter, Hammer was cruelly de-barked by a registered breeder before he came to live with me in 2006. The Canine Control Councils in Qld, NSW and Victoria were not interested. The RSPCA Qld was not interested. Hammer died at 10yo from a haemorrhage in his airways. Hammer is not the English Setter show dog to have been de-barked in Australia.

Another example: In 2012 my baby English Setter girl, Annie was exported inter-state by a registered breeder and expected to cope with 3 hours road travel, a stop-over at an airport and an airflight when she was grossly malnourished, only weighing 3.5kg at 8 weeks of age; completely unsocialised, never having been placed in a motor vehicle; and living her first 8 weeks of life sitting, standing and sleeping in her urine and faeces. Dogs NSW, Dogs Qld, RSPCA NSW, RSPCA Qld and RSPCA Australia were not interested.

If the Canine Control Councils do not ensure that breeders behave ethically and do not commit animal cruelty; and if they continue to ignore genuine complaints from the purchasers of purebred puppies, the rot will only set in more and more. Understandably, I am not renewing my membership of Dogs Qld.

In my search for a companion for Hobson last year I was advised to contact the owner of 2 deaf English Setters (approx 10 months old) in Qld by a registered breeder in Victoria. The sire was an Australian Champion show dog. The breeder was unregistered i.e. a BYB! The puppies were registered with Dogs Qld by the owner of the sire. The 2 deaf English Setters ended up being listed Free Of Charge on Gumtree! 

Around the same time I also happened to come across a website recommending that people rescue dogs from shelters rather than deal with breeders after 2 deaf English Setter puppies were saved from euthanasia in Victoria by pet owners who had never previously owned the breed.

I am not aware of any research currently being carried out in Australia by any organisation to investigate health problems in the breeding of English Setters.

Susan

[Henk ten Klooster]

A lot can be much better for the future of a healthy setter, Finding Beau! I´ve read your post and yes you can see certainly that this topic entitled What can you do in case of hereditary disorders? provides a long list for Australia. I hope Susan Mogony and Jeanette Terpstra can help to find answers. But both are now busy trying to find answers for epilepsy problems in IRS in the Netherlands. Mrs Mogony wrote in ISCN´s clubmag that she hopes that it will not take eighty years before we have a better world for dogs, so that includes Australia!

[Finding_Beau]

Australia tends to be a long way behind the rest of the world for some reason, Henk!

[Henk ten Klooster]

Supported, the Swiss cases are related to the Dutch and the Dutch club needs more samples. Its all in the family so why not all in the same freezer.

[Astrid Landsaat]

I just asked Dr. Mandigers if he kept blood from my Ginger. If not, is hair useful?

[Henk ten Klooster]

Ellen had good news as well, Ellen can you tell that yourself?

Ellen had ook goed nieuws. Ellen, kun je dat zelf vertellen?

[Ellen Matta]

Good evening members,

I went with my IRS Sam to Utrecht on the 14th of Aug. where i had an appointment with Dr. Mandigers. He examined Sammy and told me that due to the (too) many seizures there was nothing he or anyone could do for him. He asked me if he could take blood from Sam for his research. Yesterday i read on Es about the DNA test. Today I contacted today Jeanette Terpstra and she forwarded me to Hanneke Bijker. This week I will receive two forms; one is a questionnaire and the other one is an authorization, with which she can contact Dr. Mandigers and ask him for a sample of Sam's blood. I hope that breeders AND buyers will cooperate so that in the future we'll have healthier Setters that we all love so much.

Thank you,

Ellen Matta