-----Original Message-----
From: weimaraner@yahoogroups.com [mailto:weimaraner@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of WEIMARSNLAB
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 7:34 AM
To: weimaraner@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [weimaraner] article of interest / pedigreed dogs exposed

As a non-breeder, I will admit to not being aware of allergies and intolerance's to food or vax in dogs 25 years ago.  Were there less allergies and intolerances? Were these problems documented?  Are these problems on the rise, or are they, due to awareness, out in the open?

 

Georgene, Jake, Hunter, and Harley

 

 

----- Original Message ----
From: Mike Ede <mikeede@sradevelopments.co.uk>
To: weimaraner@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 3:57:03 AM
Subject: RE: [weimaraner] article of interest / pedigreed dogs exposed

Karen,
The fall out from close line breeding isn't only bringing out "hidden"
genetic defects, inbreeding depression caused by a lack of genetic
variety is quiet possibly a bigger killer than the individual diseases
themselves for example lack of resistance to disease, reproductive
problems, immune system problems, etc. When you look at the breed now
and compare it to 25 years ago do you genuinely think it is healthier in
terms of tolerance of food (allergies to certain protein sources, IBD
etc.), reactions to vaccinations etc.? (genuinely curious as to your
impression)

Mutts may very well have a greater variety of illness than individual
"pure" breeds but the rate of incidence is much lower, over use of
popular sires and a limited number of sires being used in each
generation pretty much guarantees that the genetic variety of each breed
decreases with each generation. Look at Dalmatians and the incidence
rate for uric acid calculi and urinary blockages caused by these stones
to see how quickly a breed can paint itself into a corner.

You are completely correct when you are state that "There are no
guarantees for anything when you are dealing with living things" all we
can do is try to stack the odds in the dogs favour.

As an aside, I am curious to know when you (by you I mean you guys in
the US) commit to having your dogs hip scored then are you committed to
having the scores entered into the database for good or bad? By this I
mean at the x ray stage, there is a suspicion in the UK that a lot of
the improvement in our scores has occurred because Vets are becoming
more skilled at reading the x rays themselves and so plates with bad
hips now rarely go in front of the panel ensuring that the breed
averages come down even though the incidence of the disease remains the
same (the other get around used over here is breeders take known good
dogs into be x rayed a number of times as different dogs, they can get
away with this because micro chipping or tattooing aren't mandatory for
these assessments so the vet relies on the breeders honesty)

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: weimaraner@yahoogro ups.com [mailto:weimaraner@yahoogro ups.com] On
Behalf Of karen sandvold
Sent: 26 August 2008 17:01
To: weimaraner@yahoogro ups.com
Subject: RE: [weimaraner] article of interest / pedigreed dogs exposed

And just because some says it's detrimental to line breed doesn't mean
it is any more detrimental than breeding one breed to another where you
may have hidden "bad" genes for many generations.
Karen