Re: [PyrNet-L] SAS - threat to Pyrs??

["Janice Swenson" <janices@jump.net>]

On 22 Dec 99, at 12:31, Kshoffman@aol.com wrote:
> the U.S. may quite possibly be the reason Great Pyrenees as a breed seem to 
> have fewer health problems than a vast number of other breeds with a much 
> smaller and less diverse founding base.

Kelley, let's hold this thought, "seem to have fewer health 
problems" until there's some real stats on heart clearances and 
eye clearances in the breed.  

As far as SAS goes, there also aren't any stats as to what type 
other than the reported ones.  Some breeds such as goldens seem 
to have a milder form which grades at 1-2, and these are more 
difficult to detect as the murmurs are not usually caught by regular 
vets, so it can go further in the breed before it's even caught.    
Some of the other breeds like newfs and rottweillers have the mild-
moderate-severe form which grades 1-6, and sudden death occurs.  

And as Darrell pointed out I believe on the other list less than 1% of 
the pyrs have eye clearances.  And there's a study going on retinal 
dysplasia in pyrs that's been in progress about 5 yrs now and 
reports of juvenile cataracts in the breed.  

Ooops, and let's not forget the bleeding disorder, Type 1 
Glanzmann’s Thrombasthenia that's been reported.  

If the problems in pyrs are not addressed head-on you could very 
well mirror the path other breeds have already followed.  


Janice, janices@jump.net
Linsey (newf), Bianca & Sonny (pyrs)  
http://www.jump.net/~janices/
Leander, TX