CTCV Health Watch Committee Report                                                      20/1/2013

Thanks to everyone who sent in their Medical Reports and Litter Reports this year.

Confidentiality

All reports are treated as confidential unless the box, on the Report Form, has been ticked indicating that the owners details may be shared.

Litter Reports

This year we have received more Litter Reports than ever before, and it is very pleasing that breeders are taking advantage of the CTCV's Rebate of $10 for each puppy tested to eligible members. As in previous years, there have been a couple of puppies who have needed re-testing and were then found to be within the normal range. One puppy was diagnosed with Portal Shunt but has had surgery.

Medical Reports

One Medical Report received concerns the cairn reported last year who had Portal Shunt and was being managed by diet. Unfortunately the dog died earlier this year. The second Report is regarding the puppy mentioned above, who was diagnosed with Portal Shunt, but has since had successful surgery. The third report refers to a cairn who has hip dysplasia and is being managed with anti-inflammatory drugs and a course of weekly cartrophen injections.

Portal Shunt Statistics

The bile acid test scores can be found at the end of this Report. There is one interesting score which a breeder received from the Laboratory, of 840. This, naturally, caused much concern, and the puppy was retested at 1-18. Obviously the first test was flawed in some way, but it highlights the need to re-test when a puppy receives a high score on the initial test.

Funding Ceased

We were informed in November 2012 that Dr Linda Abraham would be taking Long Service Leave from 21st December 2012 and would probably not be returning to the University of Melbourne's Veterinary Hospital at the conclusion of her leave. All funding for further investigations into suspect Liver Shunt puppies has now ceased, including scintigraphy. Breeders and owners are still able to have testing done at Werribee, but will be charged the normal rate for these services. We have not yet been advised of a contact person who may be able to liase with us, if necessary, and when any further information is available it will be advised to members in the Bulletin.

New Test for CMO

The Universitat Bern, the University of Helsinki and the Folkhälsan Research Center in Finland have developed a DNA test for CMO. The disease predominates in Cairns, West Highlands and Scottish Terriers and is seldom seen in other breeds. The following information has been forwarded from Westie breeders from AWR. Unfortunately there is no information as to when this test will be available in Australia:

DNA TESTING FOR CMO - CRANIOMANDIBULAR OSTEOPATHY
Information requested by Lyn Barclay.

The 1st December 2012 saw DNA testing for CMO being launched in Switzerland. America will soon be equipped to do the diagnostic side of the testing too.
For us here in Australia, it means we will have to send our dogs DNA tests to Switzerland for diagnosis. The test alone is being charged at 85 Euros (AU$107.54). In my honest opinion, it is very much worth all the Westies, Cairns & Scotties that are being bred with, to be tested to see if they are carriers of the CMO gene even if they themselves aren't physically affected.
CMO testing is diagnosed as either one of 3 types of CMO. Dogs diagnosed with CMO-0, means that they are carries of 2 specific genes that are not mutated. They are then deemed clear of being affected & clear of carrying the mutated genes that cause CMO. Dogs diagnosed with CMO-1, means they are carrying 1 normal & 1 mutated gene carrier of CMO. If they are bred with, they will pass the 1 mutated gene onto 50% of the pups that they breed. If bred with a CMO-0, the pups have a 50% chance of being being born clear of moth mutated genes that cause CMO, but still the other 50% will be carriers.
The dogs diagnosed with CMO-2, are carriers of both mutated genes that cause CMO. So they carry the mutated gene & will be affected by CMO. If bred with, all their puppies will also be CMO-2, which means they too will suffer the painful symptoms of CMO & carry both mutated genes.

Summary

Thank you to all who are sending in Medical and Litter Reports. We would like to receive more reports on all Health issues but we are very pleased at the amount of Litter Reports received and would urge all breeders to forward them as soon as possible. Please send reports to Lyn Barclay, 20 Outawood Rise, Gisborne, Vic 3437. Then, when the pedigrees are received, eligible members should send them to Mr. Graeme Ferbrache to claim the rebate.

Download Health Watch Committee Report Form