AMS in English Springer Spaniels

[EssGrouse]

It is always important to know every detail available as it drives people to test accordingly rather than just say well its one in 300000 so who cares. There's no need for wide spread panick testing if all information is given. But then how would these companies ever make any money........

Spot on......

[scot-ish]

why not advertise the dogs tested as carriers?
antagenes AMS test was orignally for ESS - so this obviously isnt as new as being claimed, otherwsie the test wouldnt have been developed.

i think the initial response of hiding the carriers/affected dogs will only have a negative effect on this.

[EssGrouse]

With Cocker, trying to get information was like getting blood out of a stone, with some really nasty people urging everyone to test immediately, I wont be testing anything until more facts come to light.

Unfortunately more facts won't come to light until more people test...chicken and egg. The breed health co-ordinators are not saying this is a huge problem, the honest truth is that we don't know how big a problem it is. It needs a number of breeders to put their hands in their pockets and test, across a range of show, working, and pet lines so that the breed health co-ordinators can give better advice in the future. We might find it is restricted to show lines, or to working lines. We might find that is it actually really rare and we need only test the close relations of affected/carrier dogs. We might find it is fairly common and it would become a no-brainer test to do.

I've ordered my test kits, I will pay my money, I will add to the data.

Judy: why didn't they recommend it previously? There had been no reported cases in the UK, and nothing on the annual breed health survey which suggested AMS. I think they have shown a very sensible response i.e. don't test just because there is a test available. Now they are asking people to test so that we can discover if this is a big problem in UK springers or a small (albeit nasty) one.

If they were really that concerned they would offer the test out for free like AHT did last year to collate information.....simple !

[Sgurr]

The AHT asked for 1000 DNA samples from ESS and offered a 'no charge' test for PRA Cord 1 to owners who sent in swabs. The AHT research project was funded by donations from, among others, the KC Charitable Trust so it was not free, it was paid for. Normally, if you have a test done by AHT the results automatically go to the KC for publication on their lists and database but as this was a research project, results could only be published if owners gave permission for their dogs' results to go into the public arena - and obviously many did not as the Clear and Carrier lists did not increase by anything like that number, even allowing for dogs who had been previously tested and results published. If a test is done privately, that result is confidential to the owner and Antagene is a commercial company providing testing services to owners. They won't do it for free and they don't disclose information to third parties. If people who are not willing to pay their money and test their dogs want information on the lines and/or individual dogs concerned - Clear, Carrier or Affected - they will have to rely on the goodwill of those who have paid to disseminate information for the good of the breed. And as the AHT study has shown, not everyone is willing to do that.
Just for the record, a paper on heritable sensory neuropathy (now called AMS) in ESS was published on a set of related Australian dogs in 1999. Since then there have been reports of AMS in France, and Antagene, based in France, developed the DNA test, initially for Springers and then for cockers. I have also been told that there is a Carrier in Denmark, but the litter just reported by the ESSC are the first cases in the UK confirmed by DNA testing of the parents/pups.

[vicky payne]

The breed club is trying to negotiate a bulk discount and I have offered my services to take samples and certify identification for free. However, I have bitches booked to my stud who could come in at any time so I'm going to pay full cost and get it done now.

[EssGrouse]

Well its no good withholding from which strain it came from, just another way to put everyone into panic and start buying a test, just one way of churning money, if they had the breeds interest at heart they would tell the general public, Working or Show strain..............idiots !!

[vicky payne]

Well its no good withholding from which strain it came from, just another way to put everyone into panic and start buying a test, just one way of churning money, if they had the breeds interest at heart they would tell the general public, Working or Show strain..............idiots !!

how rude! The BHCs are volunteers with nothing to gain financially from this. I'm not going to gain either as I've offered to take samples for free. Nobody is saying 'panic buy' a test. As I have said several times they are asking owners of both types to test to see if it is a big or small problem, isolated to one type or across the board. Both PRA and Fuco are seen in both types.

I'm afraid that's it from me. Anyone with a genuine interest in gundog health can find my Four Seasons Holistic Vet or Quincegrove kennel pages on FB.

[scot-ish]

do you know which strain it has come from Vicky, or Enid?

[Alice]

do you know which strain it has come from Vicky, or Enid?

Only the breed health coordinators would know that and it doesn't seem like they're going to be giving out that information until there are a few more dogs tested.

It would be helpful if the owners of the carrier parents voluntarily disclosed their breeding but I suppose until they do the BHC aren't in a position to do so.

[scot-ish]

do you know which strain it has come from Vicky, or Enid?

Only the breed health coordinators would know that and it doesn't seem like they're going to be giving out that information until there are a few more dogs tested.

It would be helpful if the owners of the carrier parents voluntarily disclosed their breeding but I suppose until they do the BHC aren't in a position to do so.

only reason i asked was vicky began the post with "It is not important to know what type" and not "they are not disclosing the type" making in my eyes it seem like she was aware of the type, but believe its not important to know which type it is.

in my eyes, if it was said it is confirmed in working ESS - more people would be apt to test.