BREED HEALTH 2024
There have been no new conditions on the radar this year , those of most concern continuing to be : Spongioform Leucoencephalomyelopathy (SLEM) ,Canine Epileptoid Cramping Syndrome (CECS) ,Gallbladder Mucocoele (GBM) ,Cushing’s Syndrome and late onset Hereditary Cataract.
The two issues of most interest this year have been the funding crisis experienced by the Canine Genetics Research Centre and the proposed introduction by the Kennel Club of a Health Standard uniquely tailored for every breed.
CANINE GENETICS RESEARCH CENTRE
In January the canine community were shocked by the Kennel Club’s decision to withdraw it’s long-term sponsorship of what was then known as the Kennel Club Canine Genetics Centre based at the University of Cambridge and to enter into an alternative agreement which would see their genetic testing carried out by a commercial firm.
For many years the Kennel Club and the Kennel Club Charitable Trust had been the principal sponsors and their withdrawal of financial support meant that there was a funding deficit of approximately £345,000 for the running of the Genetics Centre for the year 2024.This threatened the future of the organisation and unless alternative funding could be found it was likely that the group would cease to exist.
Dr. Cathryn Mellersh and her team at the Genetics Centre have many years of experience researching inherited canine diseases and have developed a number of DNA tests for some which have enabled breeders to make informed decisions on matings thus saving many dogs from having been born to suffer painful, restricted lives.They are a group well respected within the scientific community and have an excellent international reputation.
As a breed we have directly benefitted from their mapping of the complete canine genome and also from the one carried out specifically for the Border Terrier, a project to which all of our Clubs contributed. They were also involved with the University of Missouri in the development of the DNA test for SLEM and there is a high likelihood that any future research programmes into inherited diseases within our breed would come under their auspices. The Genetics Centre also stores a large number of DNA samples from many breeds including ours which are available for use by interested researchers.
Dr.Mellersh reached out toall breeds for help towards this funding crisis and I am pleased to report that most responded positively and pledged financial support. The response from the Border Terrier community was excellent with £3,500 being donated from the Breed Health Fund and generous donations also coming from Border Terrier Welfare and Border Terrier Lifeline. If we can help to keep them afloat it allows more time for them to try and secure a major commercial sponsor or sponsors and also for the wider canine community to come up with ways in which we could provide some long-term financial support.
The future of the Group is now more secure but they are still in need of further help for long term funding .One of their initiatives has been to introduce a Friends of the CGC scheme whereby any interested individual may set up a direct debit for £5 or more monthly and become a Friend of the CGC. I would encourage as many of our community as possible to become involved as the more who make a small regular contribution the greater the guaranteed regular income . I am sure that everyone would agree that their work has been and continues to be of great importance to the entire canine world , not just those who choose to breed and we must play our part in supporting it. Details of how to join may be accessed via their website on www.canine-genetics.org.uk.
INTRODUCTION OF HEALTH STANDARD
This year the Kennel Club have launched a new initiative, the Health Standard, formulated to help guide breeders as to which health tests should be undertaken prior to breeding from their dogs. Previously the Border Terrier had DNA testing for SLEM as a Recommendation. Under the new proposals there are two categories of test : Good Practice being those tests deemed to be most critical and Best Practice which sees breeders perform those tests advised as Good Practice plus all other recommended tests.
For Border Terriers we have Hip scoring and SLEM testing , both listed in the Best Practice category.
The new scheme is based on worldwide scientific data and and tests are recommended based on the estimated prevalence of a condition within a breed population. In the UK very few Border Terriers are screened for hip dysplasia but data from the USA puts the incidence in tested dogs as being 4 percent, most being moderate or mild. Data from Agria Insurance based on European dogs suggests that Border Terriers have a lower than all breed average for the condition. We do get odd cases reported via the health survey. There is ongoing correspondence between myself and the Health Department of the Kennel Club over this as the Breed Health Group, although agreeing that all health testing is worthwhile are not convinced that hip dysplasia is a significant problem in our breed in the UK.
SLEM testing will not be upgraded until a peer evaluated review on the research has been published. Dr .Dan Johnston from the University of Missouri who was involved in the development of the DNA test sadly died before a paper was published. A research student is currently re-evaluating the data under the guidance of Dr. Cathryn Mellersh with the aim of producing such a paper. The Kennel Club have promised to review their recommendations on SLEM testing when this is published and have assured breed communities that their Health Standard is a fluid document which can be reviewed as new evidence emerges.
I will keep you updated of any further developments on this front but the Breed Health Group continue to advise SLEM testing as essential due to the large number of carriers present in the population. We would also recommend eye testing as being worthwhile.
Also of interest to breeders will be the Kennel Club’s Population Analysis Study results which will be made available this coming year.
HEALTH SURVEY
Our ongoing health survey helps us to monitor health conditions within the breed and hopefully pick up on any new conditions which may be emerging. The more questionnaires completed the truer the picture and forms submitted for completely healthy dogs are equally valuable as they help to validate general health status.
This year we had 82 responses to our health surveys including 6 from overseas. These were received from: USA (3) , Germany (1) , Sweden (1) and New Zealand (1).
7 of the 82 dogs reported on had no known health conditions and overall the owners of 69 of the dogs regarded them as being basically healthy , only 13 being described by their owners as not healthy. A wide range of medical conditions were recorded with a small number of dogs being unfortunate enough to suffer from multiple issues.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who has taken the time to complete a questionnaire and would encourage as many owners as possible to follow their lead. Questionnaires can be found on our Breed Health Group site: www.borderterrierhealth.org.uk
The conditions reported this year (2024) were:
ENDOCRINE (13): Hypothyroidism (2), Diabetes (1), Cushing’s Syndrome (10).
DIGESTIVE (28): Pancreatitis (1), Hepatitis (1), Liver shunt (1), Inflammatory bowel disease (7), Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (1) ,Gallbladder (17) - Gallbladder mucocoele (14), Sludge (2), Thickening (1).
NEUROLOGICAL (22): Deafness (2), Spinal injury (1), Brain tumour (4), Canine Epileptoid Cramping Syndrome (13), Fits other (1) ,Ataxia of unknown origin (1)
NEOPLASIA (9): Mammary tumour (1), Brain tumour (4), Epuli, (1), Testicular tumour (1), Prostatic tumour (2).
ORTHOPAEDIC (18) : Osteo-arthritis including spinal (10), Limb fractures (1), Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (4) - 2 bilateral and 2 unilateral , Patellar luxation (2) , Unspecified stifle lameness (1).
REPRODUCTIVE (7): Pyometra (1), Caesarean section (1), Mammary tumours (1), Cryptorchidism (1) - bilateral, Prostatic tumour (2) , Testicular tumour (1) -both testes affected.
BEHAVIOURAL (16): Anxiety (2), Timidity (1), Destructive behaviour (2), Noise phobic (1), Aggression/reactivity (10)
URINARY (3): Chronic kidney disease (3), one diagnosed as Glomerulonephritis and a second occurring after Idiopathic Renal Haemorrhage.
CONFORMATIONAL DEFECTS (1): Kinked tail (1)
DENTAL/ORAL (11): Dental with extractions (9), Gingival hyperplasia (1), Oral tumours (1) – Epuli (1).
OCULAR (11): Cataracts (5) -1 juvenile, Detached retina (1), Glaucoma (1), Unspecified blindness (2), Distichiasis (1), Enucleation (1),
DERMATOLOGICAL (2): Allergic dermatitis with otitis (2) .
CARDIOVASCULAR (6): Congestive heart failure (1), Congenital defects (3) - mitral valve dysplasia (1), pulmonic stenosis (1) , aortic stenosis (1), unspecified murmur(1), High blood pressure (1).
Overall Border Terriers have an above average health status with the majority living to a good age. However, there is no room for complacency and it is importance that we all are honest and share any medical information relating to dogs we have bred or owned as this is the best way of preserving the health of our breed.
Eddie Houston B.V.M.S, M.R.C.V.S
Breed Health Co-ordinator
