HEALTH REPORT 2009 (and what is to come in 2010/2011) 2009/2010 saw a large increase in the number of cavaliers tested and certificated for the main inherited diseases. There has been considerable support for the sponsored MRI scanning sessions, and heart and eye testing clinics. 2010/2011 will see the introduction of formal MRI scanning and Heart schemes, (which will also apply to other breeds). It is perhaps not clear to all our members that the BVA/KC eye scheme, the BVA/KC heart scheme and the BVA/KC MRI scanning scheme are implemented by the BVA/KC and NOT by the Club. Also, Breeding Guidelines are given TO the Club by specialists, they are not issued by the Club. Almost 80% of puppies that are bred in the UK are bred by breeders who are not Club members, and currently do not have easy access to health testing schemes. Formal health testing schemes will enable the KC eventually to be able to verify that KC Accredited Breeders have ensured that parents have undergone all appropriate breed specific health tests before puppies can be registered. There is NO obligation on you to become a KC Accredited Breeder, or to perform health testing any differently from that which you do now. The health screening that is being offered will enable those members who wish to carry out all the health screening recommended by specialists, to have a mechanism whereby they can perform all the testing ‘officially’ as recommended, and sell their puppies to purchasers who want to buy puppies from ‘certificated’ health screened parents. The Club website has been regularly updated on all main health issues within the breed. We appreciate that not all members have access to the Internet, or able to attend seminars. The Club will therefore do its best to keep everyone informed by other means. However, printing and postage are becoming increasingly more expensive. We have organised a Health Conference at the RVC on November 20th 2010. This will bring many experts together for an update on their research into MVD and CM/SM, and a round table discussion between many different researchers. It is hoped that many members will find this helpful and thought provoking. We have also organised a seminar on October 7th 2010 where members will be able to find out about the new formal BVA/KC MRI scanning Scheme. EBV
The Estimated Breeding Value Program being developed at the AHT needs to have all the MRI scan results and Heart Certificate results that you have all tested for. This means both good and bad results – they are CONFIDENTIAL to the AHT and EBV. All KC registered CKCS will have an EBV now, based on their submitted test results for SM and MVD, and from the submitted results of related dogs. You need to be aware that dogs where no results for MVD and SM have been submitted could potentially have a very low EBV, so please don’t ‘it on them’, send them to the EBV.
Dr Sarah Blott has only received a small proportion of the MRI scan results when at a rough estimate about 3000 dogs have been MRI scanned for CM/SM. Only Clare Rusbridge automatically forwards the MRI scan results to the EBV. Geoff Skerritt and Nick Jeffery do not, so you need to send:
Dr Sarah Blott,The EBV (Estimated Breeding Value) program is founded on all the MRI scans and heart certificates that have been sent to Dr Blott. The KC has put a lot of money into the EBV scheme, and the tool MATE SELECT as the way forward for complex hereditary disease, and to keep as much genetic diversity as possible. The CKCS Club has just given a £2000 donation to the AHT EBV so that Sarah Blott can have ‘specific’ older dogs MRI scanned (or rescanned). These are specific dogs which Sarah Blott has identified as possibly having a good EBV, and it would help the EBV program and confirm its integrity if an MRI scan confirmed that these dogs are in fact still ‘clear’ of SM. The names of those specific dogs will be confidential to the AHT, and the results of their MRI scan will also be kept confidential to the AHT. However it is hoped that if any owner has an older dog scanned, and this has been funded by the other Club members and it is still ‘clear’ of SM that they feel altruistic enough to also inform Clare Rusbridge, and thereby provide DNA for the Genome Research in Canada. BVA/KC Eye Scheme
We have recently been given a thorough explanation of the current Eye Scheme as it applies to CKCS, by Ian Mason (currently the Chief Eye Panellist). This is posted on the Club website. This should explain the need for regular eye testing, and why the KC ABS scheme requires regular certification. (read more).
Formal BVA/KC MRI Scanning for CM/SM
The Formal BVA/KC MRI scanning scheme will be introduced later this year. We have arranged a seminar for 7th October 2010 in Leicestershire when the speakers will be Professor Mike Herrtage (Chief Panellist), Dr Ruth Dennis (radiologist) and Dr Clare Rusbridge. Dr Jeff Sampson (KC) will also attend.
This scheme was launched by the BVA/KC at Crufts, although many of the details still need to be finalised. This scheme will standardise how the MRI scan is performed, how the dog is formally identified and, the interpretation of the result. Results will be published. Results will also automatically be made available to the EBV. There will also be an indication as to the best ages to perform scanning. Interpretation of the scans will be by 2 neurologists/radiologists from a panel, and a 3rd chief panellist to arbitrate in the event of a disagreement. This will ensure more consistent results. At the time of writing this, details are still being finalised, but it is expected that the certificate will contain details such as the grade of Syrinx, the grade of Chiari Malformation (cerebellar herniation), Central Canal Dilatation. Procedure notes explaining the scheme and how the scans will be interpreted will be available when the legal team at the BVA/KC are finished looking over the final documents. Appropriate websites will also contain "user friendly" information helping breeders to understand the scheme. There will be new CM/SM breeding recommendations issued by the panel, these will be similar to the previous guidelines but adapted to account for the new grading system. It is expected that breeders will make use of the EBV in their breeding programs. When the formal scheme comes into effect sometime this autumn, you will no longer be able to submit your previous MRI scan results to the AHT for the EBV from any neurologist; they will not be retrospective. For example: if you have not sent in your stud dog’s MRI scan result , and your dog turns out to have a low EBV (because of lack of test data), you will not then be able to have the results incorporated into the EBV without MRI scanning again through the formal BVA/KC scheme. Please get those results copied and sent to the AHT while there is still time. No previous MRI scans from ANY of the neurologists will be submitted to the KC Health Database retrospectively, but those that have been done to a certain protocol and the images labelled with the dogs microchip number will be able to be submitted to the BVA for scrutiny. The KC Health Database will start from scratch, only accepting results through the panel. Even if your dogs previous MRI scan is in a format that cannot be submitted for scrutiny by the panel, it is still VALID AS A SCAN RESULT, AND ALSO VITAL TO THE EBV. You still have proof that you used an unofficial scheme supported by vets prior to the introduction of the formal BVA/KC scheme. If you are a KC Accredited breeder the ABS scheme will not immediately ‘require’ certification from the formal scheme, it will initially be a ‘recommendation’, and you have an MRI certificate to show potential purchasers. If you MRI scan within the next few months - Check with your neurologist that any MRI scan performed now is ‘CM/SM scanning scheme ready’ so it can be submitted to the panel when the new scheme starts. It is important to be aware that the absence of a syrinx at 2.5 - 3 years old does not mean the dog is necessarily ‘clear’, as this can be a late onset disease. The dog would need to be scanned again over age 6 to be more confident that it was unaffected by SM. MRI scan results from older dogs will also help the EBV, and subsequent generations of dogs. SM DNA Research
The CKCS Club Research Fund has just given a donation of £2000 to Clare Rusbridge to assist in the MRI scanning of dogs over 6 for the SM DNA Research. If you have a dog past its 6th birthday that has absolutely no symptoms of CM or SM, and you would like to help with the research, please contact Clare Rusbridge and /or Penny Knowler. The DNA from these older SM free dogs is pivotal in the last stages of the Genome Research in Canada. Your dog could be holding the key to unlocking the complex genes in this disease process, so for the sake of the breed, please help with this research. MRI Scans of older dogs for this purpose will be free. These scans will also help the EBV as results will automatically be sent.
Remember all those hundreds of swabs sent to the AHT with your dogs DNA, they are all sitting in storage awaiting the genes to be identified and when this happens a more powerful GBV (genetic breeding value) system could be made available. At the moment, identifying the genes for CM/SM is all down to Clare Rusbridge and the team of genetic researchers she is working with in Canada. We need to identify older ‘SM clear’ dogs in order to help the breed. Formal BVA/KC Heart Scheme
The new BVA/KC Heart scheme will replace the current Club administered scheme (yellow forms) and will be available within the next few months. The biggest change to breeders will be that all certification for the BVA/KC Health database will be by cardiologist only. The scheme will still be by auscultation, and the CKCS Club will continue to organise and subsidise clinics with FREE heart testing by cardiologists. The results from this scheme will be published, the database will be automatically updated, and all results will automatically be forwarded to the EBV.
Obviously, this does not replace those who wish to check their dogs hearts annually with their own vet, but it offers a more formal system for those wishing to use stud dogs, and accept brood bitches, and for potential puppy buyers. A formal scheme will enable the KC to be able to ensure that all KC ABS breeders have used parents that have had these health tests performed prior to litter registration. Over 5 Club Heart List
Unfortunately, a current list has not yet been published for 2010. The management of the Club database was taken over by Simon Swift, but has proved to be more complex and time consuming than he anticipated. It is hoped that an up to date list will be available soon.
The introduction of the BVA/KC scheme will make it easier for those who wish to follow the current CKCS Club MVD Breeding Guidelines, as it will enable breeders to find out if the parents of their dog/bitch are still MVD ‘clear’. Current CKCS Club MVD Breeding Guidelines advise that dogs should not be bred from if both their parents were not MVD ‘clear’ at the age of 5. Currently it is not easy to ascertain if this is the case there being no way of accessing this information (unless owner has sent in yellow form and database is completely up to date). It is hoped that cardiologists will see many more dogs soon after their 5th birthday, as this test is critical to the breeding potential of their progeny. It is intended that a list of dogs that were/are MVD CLEAR at age 5 will still be available. Some research recently published by Tom Lewis and Sarah Blott at the AHT has determined that there is a high heritability for early onset MVD, therefore it should be possible to breed out by only breeding from older unaffected stock. Foetal Tissue Research at the RVC
The Foetal Tissue Research project is looking into the foetal development of the skull of CKCS and other breeds affected with CM/SM. Research so far has indicated that there is something unusual about the development of the back of the skull and the cerebellum in some of the CKCS whelps that have so far been examined. The CKCS Club has donated the sum of £5000 from the Research Fund to assist in this research. Breeders can assist by donating any stillborn puppies, or puppies that die. If you can help with this valuable research project, or require further information and details of this research, please contact Sheena Stevens. (Kilnshena@Hotmail.com - 01884 821080)
And Finally....
We all need to help with all the research, and all the data collection. MVD and SM are both very complex diseases, and there will be no quick and easy solutions. PLEASE, for the sake of the future of the breed, submit any data, supply any tissue, or help with the research wherever you can. The Club has paid for or subsidised many health testing schemes, this is not just for your personal benefit, but for the benefit of the whole breed.
Maggie Ford CKCS Club Health Representative |