Page 13 - Spring Newsletter2024

HEALTH NOTES

Keeshond Health Matters Annual Report 2024
Anji Marfleet
The Kennel Club Keeshond Breed Health Coordinator

The Keeshond Health Matters fund different organisations across the
continues to be well supported and world. Although PHPT has been
the kitty now stands at £5,221 available for years the details of the
thanks to your generous donations mutation tested for have never been
throughout the year and the well- disclosed to any external group and
supported silent auction. so there is no way of evaluating its
relevance or validity. If the situation
In November came the following changes with the laboratory and/or
announcement: DNA test, The Kennel Club will be
happy to review the situation.’
‘As part of a revised auditing of
accepted laboratories by The Kennel I expect that many of you will have
Club, we need to make you aware seen the news either via social media
that, despite repeated attempts of and/or Our Dogs with the latest
contact by The Kennel Club over the information from Cathryn and her
last year, the laboratory, University
team at the Canine Genetics Centre
of Cornell, that provides PHPT for in Cambridge. Regardless of whatever
your breed, has failed to reply within the KC’s (misguided) reasons are for
specified deadlines. Due to the lack withdrawing funding, the important
of response, and any evidence to thing is that the CGC has a secure
prove that it meets all of the criteria future; both clubs agreed to pledge
as set out below, unfortunately we £1,500 so that the CGC can continue
will be unable to continue recording its work in identifying and tackling
results for PHPT. We appreciate that inherited genetic diseases in dogs –
this will be of concern to breeds that including PHPT in Keesies. Now that
have been using this test as part Cornell’s test is no longer accepted
of their breeding practices. As this by the KC, their research is even
test is only offered by one laboratory, more important.
we are in a difficult situation and, at
this stage, we do not have any Hopefully we will be holding
information regarding the quality subsidised eye testing again in 2025,
accreditation or quality processes at as it had been noted that some
Cornell. Further, we need to be dogs showed changes in the lens;
confident that we are encouraging abnormalities not likely to be
breeds to use pertinent and accurate inherited nor significant to the dog
tests. Our current processes for individually but certainly something
recognition of a DNA test require that that we should be aware of and is a
the test is based on a mutation very good reason why, at the very
published in peer-reviewed literature, least, all our oldies and all our
so that the evidence for its relevance youngsters that are to be bred from
can be evaluated and validated across should have an eye test.
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