The Old Folks Home

[Wickedchicken6]

Quote:
Boston Terriers are prone to epilepsy and heart murmur. among other things....

These genetic diseases come from poor breeding practices and happen especially when a dog breed gets popular.

For instance breeds known for color like Dalmation have a high percentage of deafness and blindness.

With horses there is something called Lethal white.

often these traits are recessive and you dont see them in the stud... but cross with another recessive ... Thats why pedegrees can be important.

But then there is the odd genetic trait that jumps in there. Melanisim is known in all breeds of mammals and birds and reptiles too. It occurs in nature and doesnt interfere with the survival of the animal.

And Yep there are Melanistic humans....

Genetics is a fascinating field of study I just don't have the patients to get into the minutiae that is so important to be a true expert.

deb

some lines of golden retrievers are prone to brain tumors but found it can bred away from
Retinal atrophy is rampant in some breeds.. as is Epilepsy small breeds their teeth go bad so fast
it affects the heart many are born with hydrocephalus ie water on the brain they breed for higher
apple heads or similar that really is my soapbox all the problems that pet or backyard breeders never think of the
testing their dog is cute or let the kids see puppies born take them to pound when they are born and all put to sleep

Ok, I've hear of some of them, the Dalmations...I remember the uproar after 101 Dalmations came out. The lethal white and retinal atrophy. The apple heads...I know exactly what breed that is (unless there's more breeds?) To each their own I guess...I really just don't get it.

 

[pennyJo1960]

It was like pulling eye teeth to get dog owners to also your did not offend me or cause me ill
really .... humans are weird animals everyone flocks to the breeds if they are in a movie

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Quote: Thanks awesome!
I have no idea off hand when our last outbreak occurred. But I'll probably be looking that up later today just to know...lol.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

It was like pulling eye teeth to get dog owners to also your did not offend me or cause me ill
really .... humans are weird animals everyone flocks to the breeds if they are in a movie

I still can't believe that when someone famous dresses their child or themselves; anyone from Princess Kate to Kim Kardashian, that those fashions are sold out because everyone follows that exact trend.

Personally, I like my 15 year old Walmart fashions that I'm rocking. It's vintage.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

It was like pulling eye teeth to get dog owners to also your did not offend me or cause me ill
really .... humans are weird animals everyone flocks to the breeds if they are in a movie

Oh no...did I say something wrong? I think testing animals is a good thing.
Humans can be hard to motivate for sure.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Quote: We are the worst you are right but how horrible to have
a group walk on your property and euthanize your flock? or
flocks?

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Quote: We are the worst you are right but how horrible to have
a group walk on your property and euthanize your flock? or
flocks?

...

I SO should not be posting when my brain is such jello. I'm only typing half of what I'm thinking...lol.

Up much too late last night (ok, early morning) researching and when I planned to go home...I find out my little cockerel has been invaded by mites. I guess I haven't checked him while combining and all H broke loose. I had him in the house in a carrier for the night. All I could think of was the grain mite incident posted earlier.

I think testing is a good thing...BUT only when it's used as a tool to weed out genetic faults in breeding.
I'm not a proponent of the over zealous mass euthanizing flocks, herds and the like. Granted, I don't know enough about Newcastle.
I still don't see that mass euthanization is our best way to go about things.
I do know that the odd flock of sheep has been in the news in Canada when the flock "disappeared" right before it was scheduled to be euthanized. (I believe that was in Ontario or Quebec)
I don't remember what the disease was...possibly Scrapie?? (I can't remember now)

I'm assuming those who aided in the flock "disappearance" probably felt mass euthanization was wrong when only a couple of animals had tested positive.
Sometimes tests can give false positives.

I should also note that using testing for use in genetics is only good when a whole view is approached. When I worked at a high health hog production facility...and it was unique in that it was a farrow to finish hog barn, I questioned a lot of the logics that went into selection. When the barn moved to Nucleus status and the offspring was selected for it's genetics involving a "stress" gene so the resulting meat wouldn't be tough. That was all great and such...but the line of offspring had the most terrible legs and I couldn't figure how this wonderful stress free meat was ever going to make it to the shelf being that they had such poor legs to stand on.

The things that make you go "hmmmm?"

 

[drumstick diva]

I think AKC is doing research on the high incidence of cancers (any) in Golden Retrievers. I know of one line of Cockers that had epilepsy and even though most people knew, they kept breeding to and buying their stock because they were winning. When I had a grooming shop '60's thru early '80's saw many poodles with epilepsy . Springer Spaniels & cockers and probably others displayed "Rage syndrome."

When I had Cockers they were tested for eye issues, (cataracts ,PRA etc) and also Factor x a type of hemophilia that came from a certain line behind a majority of buff cockers, at that time. Vet had to prepare samples, we had to get dry ice & get them to the airport in haste. W.Jean Dodds dvm was doing research and I spoke to her on the phone about preparations.

There are heart defects in some breeds that can be detected early in life, Cavalier King Charles spaniels, Papillions please overlook poor spelling. There are so many more problems to deal with in pure.bred dogs as well as mutts, and they mirror all the health problems humans have - diabetes, congestive heart failure, arthritis, cancer, kidney disease.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

It is 56 degrees here.

Shorts weather.


I am pretty sure it is less than a week to Thanksgiving.

I'm not complaining, because otherwise it should be snowing... but it sure is odd.

 

[chickisoup]

Now I HAVE to see it....

I actually pre-ordered it so I was sure to get it when it became available on Amazon. It's being run on cable next weekend, right?