Re: [pyrnet] Help! Scary neurological incident

["Linda Weisser" <lmweisser@attbi.com>]

----- Original Message -----
From: <SovreignPyrs@aol.com>

Given the number of old Pyrs I hear about who seem to die
quietly in their sleep, I have to wonder if a yearly thyroid panel would
have
shown something that would have prevented it.>>

I'm not arguing with Sharon directly, but in 30+ years in the breed and lots
and lots of Pyrs, I have never had a dog "die quietly in its sleep" no
matter how old.  The only dog I ever found dead was the one who had the
"stroke".  Every dog I have ever lost (from 8 years to 14 years) I have had
to euthanize or they have died in some clear stress situation.  This is also
the experience of nearly everyone I know well in the breed--particularly in
my area.  I tell people all the time that one of the "problems" with this
breed is that they never do you the plain common courtesy of simply dying.
You almost always have to make that choice.  And it is a dreadfully painful
choice.

I have also seldom had a thyroid problem Pyr and I also think that, as a
breed, they tend to run to the very low end of "normal" and some dogs might
benefit from being treated.  I would hazard a guess that the vast majority
of what look like seizures *are* seizures.  Barb does make a very good point
about vestibular problems, particularly in older dogs who seldom begin
exhibiting idiopathic seizure behavior at those ages.

And I think that we need to consider "average" length of life which seems to
vary a bit between lines.  Selection for longevity in good health is
something that breeders should always do in my opinion.  A long healthy life
is more valuable than any ribbon or record.

Linda