Syringomyelia screening program in Brisbane QLD
If you are a breeder and wish to screen your breeding dogs for Syringomyelia in QLD this is now possible
Queensland Veterinarian Specialist are offering screening using their MRI at a discount rate to breeders
If you're interested please contact me to get on the list
Cost $1320 payable directly to QVS
Dr Georgina Childs (neurologist SASH) view, and report on the MRI findings and grades the dog according to the guidelines.
Please contact me for more information on
https://www.bva.co.uk/media/2800/20190710-chs-cmsm-leaflet-0719-v1-web.pdf
https://www.cavalierclubnsw.com/syringomyella
The future of SM At Kamontry
In January 2023 I secured a discount rate for breeders to scan their dogs. Thank you QVS Stafford. I screened my first 2 dogs for SM and CM shortly after. One of my younger boys gave me a good scan but I was delighted to have Edenridge Listen To Your Heart At Kamontry (Billie) come back with a 0c at age 2 years 4 months.
I also joined the Dogs Queensland health committee.
I imported semen from the Netherlands of 4 dogs. Also, I invited 2 other breeders in Queensland to import semen with me. Three of these dogs were not only much older when I used them, they also had extensive MRI screening (at age 5 and their parents had been scanned as well).
On the 17th of November I welcomed puppies from the first of those dogs. Riley who was the youngest dog to have a scan of 0b (4 years of age). His parents were both a 0a and 0b. On the 30/11.23 I welcomed a second litter from one of those dogs. Riverdale was not only scanned at 5 with no SM (0a) but his parents were scanned as a 0b and 0a. The icing on the cake is that at the age of 8 he is still heart clear via echocardiogram.
The health screening by Natasja Moonen cavaliers "Of An Excellent Choice" in the Netherland has been exceptional and I am so grateful for her dedication and for sharing her dogs internationally. Natasja also is very active in the show community.
What are my plans for 2024?
Billie was inseminated with another of Natasja's dogs who is a 0a (no SM at age 5) and parents who are a 0b. This is my first mating using two scanned dogs 0a x 0c. Billie went onto have a second MRI at 4.5 years of age and was graded a 0b. Billie's progeny have a greater chance of producing good scans but the disease is complex and the breeding of scanned dogs is a constant commitment.
I hope to continue to support other breeders to improve the heath of their lines in Australia for the love of the breed and because improving health cannot be done in isolation. Preserving lines into the future to maintain genetic diversity is important. Improve health cannot be done in isolation.
Dreams do come true and I'd like to thank the breeders who have shared their lines, my friends, other breeders and the beautiful pet community who support me to put back into my breeding program.
In 2023 I was asked to join the Dogs QLD health committee where we meet with other members and discuss health topics of all pedigree breeds. Dogs QLD provides education through this platform. Dogs QLD has also proceeded funding for research. A council for pedigree dogs across many areas, not just for breeding. In 2024 Georgina Child gave a webinar that was available world wide for SM, CM and PSOM. I was really proud to coordinate this with the support of the chair of the Dogs QLD health committee, Elisa McCutcheon. My hope for this webinar was
to dispel myths around these conditions anee
supoort the education of breeders to guide them in their breeding programs. It was also my hope that through education this would dispel any shame of these conditions in our dogs. There is no shame in a breeding dog having a health condition. The shame is if nothing is done about it.
https://dogsqueensland.org.au/members/committees/canine-health-committee/