Chewing nails and pads causing real damage

[jeffiner]

I'm sorry to say that it looks as if Jems condition has reared it's ugly head again. A bitch I bred was put to Monty and 3 of the pups have been chewing their tails & 1 his paws as well. The tails seem to have been sorted by docking again. We took the last to the vet last night who took on board the sensory neuropathy and has put him on gabapentin too - so we wait & see. I have done research into the pedigrees as I would like the option of breeding from the bitch I kept & have found a link. I'm not prepared to name it in public because it's only my theory and I'm no genetic expert. Please could anyone who knows of anyone whose cockers have had similar symptoms let me know so that we can research further. Howard has been told & I intend to have a chat with him. He wasn't to know of the problem because it is a recessive gene - think cystic fibrosis in humans. I've also been in touch with the Glasgow vet who is waiting for ethical clearance to do further research so any extra info we can give her would be of great help.

[Holmes]

So sorry to read of the problems with your litter.
I think it is about time this dog was removed from stud to stop other people experiencing the same terrible problems.
I hope the research leads to an answer that makes it possible to remove this issue from the gene pool.

[Judy]

So sorry to hear this, its a nasty disease. I hope the genes can be removed from the pool but it will only happen if all dogs closely related are neutered or at least not bred from. I cannot understand why this dog wasn't removed from stud as soon as Pat's dog was diagnosed. Sorry but recessive genes are carried by both parents and by at least half of the siblings of both parents and their offspring. If people acted in the best interest of the breed as soon as this problem manifested itself then we could, perhaps control its spread but we can't whilst people continue to breed from potential carriers.

Edited to add; at least not until the gene is pinpointed and then people may make informed decisions as to whether to use a carrier or not.

[jeffiner]

Although I think I've found a link it is by no means conclusive. What we have to remember is that if you go back 4 or 5 generations a lot of dogs were repeated in pedigrees & going forward we have been v unlucky to get this gene doubled up. Therefore, please, if anyone knows of any cocker, regardless of it's pedigree, who has shown these symptoms please let me know.

[Judy]

Lets hope its come from just one or two dogs as pretty much all working lines have similar breeding. Scary!

[Alice]

really gutted to hear it's come up again. Howard (and the owner of the dam of Pat's pup) was told when Pat's pup was diagnosed I believe. I'm sure Pat will be along to confirm that though.

[jeffiner]

Right! I have just had a long chat with Howard who is as concerned as me (and anyone else) about this. As it happens he had already decided to retire Monty as a trialling dog and therefore to neuter him and sell him on. (As far as I am aware Monty was only used on 2 other cocker bitches last year- I've checked all the breed record supplements). Apart from the contact about Jem he was unaware of sensory neuropathy - as was I - and all of you. He has not been contacted by the Kennel Club. We are both committed to trying to find the source of this condition so your help in locating any other victims - if indeed there are any - will be very much appreciated.

[PatG]

Jeffiner, I am absolutely devastated to read that your pups are affected by this awful, awful condition. I am so sorry to hear this. After Jem was diagnosed last year I informed the breeder of the dam, Kirsty Cussens, and Monty's owner, Howard Kirkby in March that year (2013) that Jem had sensory neuropathy and that the vet school at Glasgow said that neither parents should be bred from again. I' m so sorry to hear that Monty was used again despite this information being known. I also informed the KC and had a very heated email discussion with them about the action they intended to take to prevent Jem's dam and sire producing puppies again, for example refusing to register pups from future matings. They told me they couldn't do this or take any action to prevent future matings. When I questioned the function of the KC regarding dog welfare they became quite unpleasant. I felt quite helpless as I wanted to do everything I could to prevent this gene or genes becoming established in the WCS gene pool. The vet neurologist at the Vet School was keen to do research on this as Jem was the first WCS she had seen with it and to assist with this I allowed my vet to take samples of blood and skin from Jem to send to Glasgow after she was PTS. The Vet School also have her pedigree. I also posted the situation on here so others could make informed decisions about future stud dogs for their bitches and I told everybody I know.... I did everything I could. If I can help in any way, please let me know. If you want more information from me I'll gladly give it just PM me. If you want a copy of Jem's pedigree, let me know. Incidentally, Jem also had bilaterally displaced lower canines, also an inherited condition I understand but this problem was fixed by having her lower canines removed shortly after I got her when she was 11 weeks by the dental vet in North Berwick to give her adult canines the chance to grow in normally , which they did.

[PatG]

Sorry, that should have read, bilingually (not bilaterally) displaced canines - diagnosed by my vet at Jem's 10 week vaccination check up.
If you need a copy of Jem's pedigree you will need to let me know today as I will be out of the country from v early tomorrow morning until 22nd May visiting my daughter and her family.

[Sgurr]

Just by chance I got an email in the post today advertising a DNA test for Acral Mutilation Syndrome in Spaniels. I know nothing of this condition other than I've just Googled it and remembered this thread that I read the beginning of a while ago - still have to catch up with the rest. Apart from saying how sorry I am about the affected dogs, if any of the owners want to pm me their email address I'll forward the email I got.