Re: Dawn

[Jason Simkins <jaspat2@earthlink.net>]

Great information Ilene, and Gina too. I do not know how you all do what you do
(breeding). In a way it would be so incredibly rewarding  but it also is so scary and
serious. I have great respect for all of you out there that are so dedicated to the
Golden breed. Thank you so much for caring so much!!
Patty

Ilene Cook wrote:

> Deb & Boyd McFail wrote:
> >
> > Ilene that is a tremendously wonderful letter you've written, and may I be bold
> > enough to copy your Low Thyroid letter for my own puppy packets?
>
> Yes! I wish all breeders of all breeds would get on the bandwagon and
> educate their puppy owners. When I think of the people that make
> frequent and costly visits to the vet for reoccurring ear infections and
> allergy problems. Has their vet EVER checked the dogs thyroid? And here
> is the poor dog suffering needlessly. My other reason for being on my
> bandwagon is what I have been through with Dawn. First sign of a problem
> was a swollen vulva, even when she was out of her season. Now for our
> pet people, who spay, they would never notice this. Not my point though.
> I took her to three different vets for this problem, and they all
> ignored my concerns. Second problem. Dawn became anemic. So bad she
> could hardly walk. Again, taken to one, two, and then a third vet, a
> specialist to see what was wrong. The first two just said that sometimes
> dogs get anemic. No big deal. The third one did every blood test in the
> world, except a thyroid. He found that she had things in her blood that
> signified allergies. It took a dog handler that was showing Dawn to ask,
> have you checked her thyroid? Not one vet suggested it, or considered
> it. If I, a experienced dog person, missed these signs, how are our pet
> people to learn them and be aware of them?
> >
> > I'm as stunned now as you were talking to Doctor Padgett to hear that it's so
> > widespread throughout the breed. 50%... my gosh, I just can't take it in.
>
> It is widespread through every breed, some higher than our goldens! Also
> in the mixed breeds. It is just a very common problem. Remember though,
> not all goldens have it, or have the markers for it. Just because a dog
> has a marker, it doesn't mean he will progress to the disease. He or she
> could though, pass it to their offspring. Fifty percent are clear and
> free of this problem. We have to look at the good side of this. Through
> better breeding, and being aware of this, we can get rid of it. One day,
> there will be a test for markers. Every breeder is waiting for that
> time. This will allow us to breed affected dogs, to non affected dogs,
> and clean up problems that exist.
>
> >
> > I'm so glad you're going to breed Dawn. I am anxious to see who the sire will be
> > and of course to share in the puppy joy afterwards!
>
> To make a decision like this, you have to look at what attributes the
> dog will be bringing forth to the breed, and what are the chances of
> clearing up the problem. Dawn is a very beautiful, conformationally
> correct bitch, with a sweet golden personality, and with all her
> clearances. We are looking at the possibility of breeding her to Rocket,
> from the Moon litter. Gina is as honest as they come, we know the
> pedigree on Scarlette side is clean, we know Pebwin doesn't have a low
> thyroid problem. Gina is helping me contact the other breeders to learn
> all we can about the pedigree further back.
>
> > Rosie goes in at 2:00pm today for her elbow x-rays.... please everyone... cross
> > your fingers for us? The way my luck has run recently I could use a 'luck
> > boost'! Pray for clear elbows and then we're home free and anxiously awaiting
> > our ahem.... 'date' with SeaJay this August (vbg)
>
> Big prayers going out to you from Michigan! I hope they reach you in
> time! SeaJay? Great!!
>
>                                     Ilene
>
> >
> > Debs
> >
> > ----------
> > >From: Ilene Cook <asorosgd@ameritech.net>
> > >To: "brierpups@fast.cs.utah.edu" <brierpups@fast.cs.utah.edu>
> > >Subject: Dawn
> > >Date: Fri, Jun 8, 2001, 12:21 PM
> > >
> >
> > > Hi all,
> > >  I felt the need to share this with you, with Gina's permission. As a
> > > breeder, I sometimes do not want to step in on her turf. But, over the
> > > past couple of days, I have talked with a couple of genetic specialists
> > > about Dawns low thyroid problem. One that I talked to is world renown,
> > > and his advice is respected by every vet, breeder and veterinary
> > > teaching facility. He is the "king" of doggie genetics. I was shocked at
> > > what he told me, and I share that with you now.
> > >  In purebred dogs, as within all of us humans, we are not perfect. It
> > > doesn't exist. Perfect just doesn't. We may need glasses, or braces or
> > > just something minor, but we are not perfect. In purebred dogs, the
> > > hardest thing for a breeder to deal with, are the "Hidden Markers" for
> > > genetic disease. We can check our breeding stock for hips, elbows,
> > > thyroid, eye and heart problems, but....that is no guarantee that the
> > > dogs do not have hidden markers for the disease. The only way to know
> > > that hasn't been invented yet, so it is up to us breeders to do our
> > > homework the best possible way, and search the familial trees of our
> > > stock. We are also given the hardship of having to depend on the
> > > "honesty" of other breeders, and pray that they are telling the truth.
> > > Dr. Padgett advised me to not place Dawn, and to go ahead and breed her
> > > to clear stock. He did caution that this is will not be easy with golden
> > > retrievers, as fifty percent of goldens either are positive for thyroid
> > > disease, or positive for the hidden markers. I have to proceed
> > > cautiously, depend on the help and honesty of other breeders, and find a
> > > clean pedigree for low thyroid, to proceed with Dawn's breeding. He told
> > > me knowing she has it, is better than it being hidden. For example,
> > > breeding two dogs with hidden markers, would result in a worse
> > > situation, than breeding a positive dog, to a clear dog. Enough of that
> > > for now. Because of what I learned about low thyroid in dogs, I am
> > > sharing with you below a letter that will now go home with all my
> > > puppies. Not JUST Dawn's, but every puppy I sell. Considering that fifty
> > > percent of Goldens are tainted with the low thyroid marker, I feel that
> > > educating my clients on what to look out for as their dog gets older,
> > > will make for a better life, and better health for their dog. Because so
> > > many vets ignore the signs of thyroid disease, I feel, as a breeder,
> > > that educating the puppy buyers themselves will go along way to them
> > > getting a correct diagnosis if low thyroid ever pops up. Please read on
> > > for my letter.
> > >
> > >                         Low Thyroid
> > >
> > >  Hypothyroidism is the most common endocrine disease in dogs. In all
> > > breeds, and in the mixed breeds. Over fifty percent of the dogs in this
> > > world carry the gene marker for it. Ten percent of Golden Retrievers are
> > > directly affected with it. Which also means that the other forty percent
> > > carry the hidden markers. Because as of today there is no genetic
> > > testing to find markers for low thyroid, we as breeders can never
> > > guarantee that our puppies won't someday be affected with low thyroid.
> > > Low thyroid will not show signs until the dog is between two and five
> > > years old. As a genetic problem, it does fall into the bottom of the
> > > list. It is not curable, but the easiest to treat, with medication, the
> > > dog will live a normal productive life with no problems  because of it.
> > > This does not mean that we at Asoro's do not consider this problem very
> > > highly in our breeding stock. We research the lines for this problem as
> > > well as all the others. This letter is for the future benefit of our
> > > puppies and to bring to you the signs to be aware of should your Golden
> > > ever develop them.
> > >
> > >   1) Extreme weight gain.
> > >
> > >   2) Frequent ear infections
> > >
> > >   3) Allergy problems (skin and or feet)
> > >
> > >   4) Lethargy (tiredness or laziness)
> > >
> > >  If a dog has these symptoms, you should have your vet draw a MSU
> > > thyroid panel. There is many vets that will incorrectly and or
> > > misdiagnose these problems. Please keep in mind that these symptoms may
> > > not occur until your dog is older than six or seven years. Sometimes
> > > later. This again, is to bring to you an awareness of the symptoms of
> > > low thyroid, and to store them in the back of your mind should you ever
> > > have these problems occur.
> > > And please, notify us, so we may be aware of what breedings we have done
> > > that had them in them. This information will help us to determine future
> > > breedings and help to limit the number of Goldens with this problem.
> > > --
> > > Ilene Cook
> > > asorosgd@ameritech.net
> > > http://asoros.tripod.com/asoros.html
> > >
>
> --
> Ilene Cook
> asorosgd@ameritech.net
> http://asoros.tripod.com/asoros.html