Re: [PyrNet-L] Re: Bad Breeder in Spokane WA

[Cathryn Lundberg <cathryn@genetics.wisc.edu>]

>He died Friday of heart failure at the ripe old age of 5!!!!   GRTPYR said he
>was probable born with the defect.  I bet!

Aside from the other issues here, heart failure is not a condition that can
be screened. Heart failure is often a guess by the attending vet, if the
necropsy (if done at all) yields nothing concrete. Unless the dog is
monitored on a heart monitor, and a printout of it is kept detailing the
arythmia (which is not usually done) and it is done prior to death in the
dog (obviously) there is little to be done to confirm this. 

Although dogs cannot have heart attacks, according to the GPCA health
committe reports, heart failure is high on their list of cause of death,
and although not common, is one of the more common causes of death in
younger (<9 years old?) Pyrs. It is indeed probably genetic (as are most
things), but of course, we know nothing about its pattern of inheritance.
What we do not know about we cannot prevent. Often, dogs who die of heart
failure are old enough to have produced litters prior to death; in fact
whelping a litter can be the stress onset of heart failure, esp if a
c-section or other complication is involved. 

I guess what I am trying to say IS, yes he probably was born with the
condition. BUT, with all the other sins to lay at this person's door, this
is not one that should be included. Having a dog die of heart failure can
happen to anyone, good breeder or no. It IS sad to lose a dog so young, but
THIS IS LIFE. Breeders cannot control everything. At some point we have to
realize that dogs are not some kind of machine under warranty, but living
breathing things that can have any myriad of health and behavioral problems
despite the best of care on both the breeder and owner's part. 

Two cents,
Cathryn Lundberg