News: July-Aug 2008

Monday 25th August

As yet, there has been very little information from Cambridge Veterinary Hospital or our Health Co-ordinators on how we can proceed safely and avoid the likelihood of Chronic Hepatitis in our youngsters. A very sad and depressing situation. However, through very recent contact with Penny Watson and Lesley Bloomfield following the loss of Peasblossom Amaryllis, we would like to make known the following, which may be of interest.

‘more and more cases are coming to light as Vets get back to Cambridge with cases they suspect or confirm to be Chronic Hepatitis’

‘ we have shown an increased prevalence of this disease in Springers, which MUST argue for some genetic basis, but at the moment we don’t know what that is – or even whether it is simple recessive/dominant or more complex’.

‘it might be wise for the moment, not to breed from the mother and sister – until we know more and can (hopefully) offer a test’

‘we think that any dog over 10 years of age is unlikely to get it as we have none that old on record’

‘some cases DO seem to be triggered by heats, but we have also seen cases in neutered females and males’

‘I don’t know how to advise you about prevention: a good diet and healthy lifestyle to maintain a strong immune system are the best advice until we know more about causes.’

From these statements, it is clear that finding a cause, cure or test is some considerable way off. We are in the process of sending blood from the mother and sister of Peasblossom Amaryllis for testing at Cambridge and the owner of her grandfather and aunt has kindly agreed to do the same. If you own a close relative to a dog that has been referred to Cambridge with CH, please contact Penny Watson - she may be grateful for blood samples and it may help them to find answers more quickly.

We have now lost two young bitches to CH and not surprisingly, this particular health issue is more important to us than any other. Whilst being entirely supportive of all the health testing schemes that are available, we have to question the value of any test where the result is relatively meaningless. To date we have used the PRA Cord 1 test on two of our own dogs both of whom were ‘clear’ but of course that doesn’t rule out the possibility of PRA Cord 2 or 6 or even 27! Even if they had been genetically ‘AFFECTED’, we are told that they might never suffer from PRA clinically! So, in effect we are spending money on a test that doesn’t actually tell us whether our dogs will or won’t get PRA. In our current, very raw state, we believe that our £100 would have been better spent on giving Cambridge the optimum chance to find a cure or test for Hepatitis – a disease that is actually affecting (and killing) springers in increasing numbers.

Indeed, we would like to hesitantly suggest that every effort is now focused on raising money which can only help increase the progress of the research. The proceeds from the All Breed Educational Day replenished what we were informed was an ’empty pot’. This came as a shock. The funding that has been secured for the first year, covers one salary and lab benching fees only. No biopsy or testing costs are included. There is NO money allocated for testing the dogs that are referred to Cambridge with Chronic Hepatitis unless the owners are able to pay for it themselves.

Lesley McCourt and I are planning another Educational Day in the early part of next year and of course there is the English Springer calendar which will hopefully raise a fair amount for the research project. We are grateful to everyone who took part in the first Ed. Day and to all those who have generously offered their help with the calendar, but this in particular is a long term project. We would dearly like to see other fund-raising projects or ideas put forward. Perhaps someone else could organise an Educational Day or similar in the north of England? Ours was very well-supported so there is no reason to assume that another further afield wouldn’t be just as popular. Or what about a Companion Dog Show or trimming workshops??

Does anyone have any ideas about how we could get the money currently languishing in TAEF’s coffers donated to the Hepatitis project? Or even a simple idea like not buying Christmas cards for each other, but donating the money instead. Dave and I were going to do this last year but didn’t. We wish we had as we wrote out 50+ cards to springer friends to simply receive a similar number in return. In light of what is happening, the money could have been put to much better use. This is such a small thing, but how much do we all spend on cards for each other not to mention the time and wrist-ache we get writing them!

Have a look too, at the Standard Poodle Club website on: www.standardpoodleclub.com  This club has managed to raise almost £30,000 for research into Addisons, Sebaceous Adentitis and other health problems in their breed. It would be great to think that we could at least have a go at matching this amazing sum!

Well if you can think of any other ideas, please let us know and we will try and put them into practise.

Wednesday 20th August

We have received some very sad news that 'Norfolk' Teasel has been put to sleep following a diagnosis of Chronic Hepatitis. She was only just 18 months old. All our sympathy is with her owners who are heartbroken at their loss.

Teasel's mother, Izzie and her sister, Lila, will not now be bred from as planned so our ideas for next spring have been postponed. We will be in touch shortly with everyone who has expressed an interest in a puppy from one of these litters.

We can't say anything more at the moment except that we want to thank Teasel's owners for loving her and providing her with such a wonderful and happy home.

Dave judged at the Welsh Kennel Champ Show. BOB was Sh Ch Trimere Total Devotion to Dexbenella, DCC, Roandew Dez Diddit and BP, Petranella Just Perfick. All the results and a photo can be seen on the Southern website, www.sesss.org

Tuesday 12th August

Seamus and his daughter, Mattie went to Brockenhurst for the day yesterday, to the Bournemouth Champ Show. Under judge Sue King, Seamus finished second in his Limit Dog class behind Mompesson Newsflash, who was awarded the DCC. Seamus was called back in to challenge for the Reserve DCC which he won so very thrilled with that!!! Mattie was placed second in her Minor Puppy Bitch class. All good experience!

New photo added today of Thea's beautiful puppies - all doing very well we understand. Looking forward to seeing them very soon. Go to the Current Litters page to view.

Monday 4th August

Dave took Seamus, Lila and Mattie and enjoyed a successful day at National Gundog under judge, Barbara Ganarin (Berkenbar). Seamus won his Limit Dog class, Mattie won Minor Puppy Bitch and went on to finish Best Puppy In Breed at only her second show. Lila also won her class, Graduate Bitch, only one day outside her Junior Warrant qualification time! How **!!?^** annoying!

Thursday, 31st July

Some new photos added to the galleries of Seamus, Mattie, Lila and also some new ones of Thea's puppies. Go to the Current Litters page to view them. Lovely one too of 'Norfolk' Teasel, litter sister to Lila, added to the front page. Such a pretty girl and smug, too as she had just been awarded her Good Citizens Bronze Medal Award! There is no way this one can be a Peasblossom!!!!! :)

Tuesday, 29th July

Another great day at Leeds! A lucky show for us we think...! We took the long drive up with our great travelling companions, Lesley and Isla, the evening before the show. Spent a bit of time lost in Wakefield looking for our Travel Lodge, but that is normal for us of course. The weather was scorching, although the day of the show started very misty and damp. As is also normal, I was soaked and muddy before I had set foot inside the show ground.....sigh....

At the show, under judge Dick Pattenden, Seamus won his Limit Class, beating some really lovely dogs and went on to win the Dog CC, his second. So now, just one more to go. Lila needed to win only one of her two classes to qualify for her Junior Warrant but unfortunately managed just two seconds. So near, yet so far! It was Mattie's very first show at six months and five days. She was such a good girl and enjoyed herself immensely. She was second in her Minor Puppy Bitch Class. Lesley and Isla finished third in their class. Hopefully some photos will follow soon...

Sunday, 20th July

Two litters, sired by Seamus, have been born this week at either end of the country. Eden is now a Grandmother too, as her daughter, Thea has produced ten pups in her first litter! More details on the Current Litters and a link to some photos of the babies.

Monday, 14th July

Not much in the way of news, exciting or otherwise. Lila went to the SESSS Open show but managed only a third in her Junior class, so has only one more chance for the last points towards her Junior Warrant. Nothing like leaving it to the last minute.....the tension is killing us!!!

Tuesday, 8th July

We are back from Sweden now after a flying weekend visit to the World Show. We flew out on Friday evening, missing the first show which was the Springerklubben Club Show. Judges there were Colin and Kay Woodward. The following day was the Spaniel & Retriever Speciality, where the judges were Gareth Lawler and Nicola Calvert. Both the first two shows were held at a most beautiful venue near a lake on the outskirts of Stockholm. The weather was extremely hot and quite windy. We got sunburnt! After the second show, we went back to Arsunda to stay with Helene and David. It was great to see Holly again - she is just beautiful! We have added some new photos of her at eight months old, to her gallery. Thanks to AnnSofie for allowing us to use them.

The weekend was also a chance to see the Dez and Seamus puppies at seven and five weeks old respectively. They are looking super. In particular, we were impressed with the kennel name that Helene has chosen for the Dez daughter that she is keeping: Barecho Talk About Who Diddit!!!

A very early start on Sunday morning to travel to the 'big one', the World Winners Show in Stockholm. Here there were three judges presiding over matters. From Switzerland, Pichard Laurent judging the Juniors, both sexes, from Finland, Vuorinen Rainer casting his eye over the remaining dog classes, and finally Frank Kane, the remainder of the bitches. We saw some super springers over the course of the weekend, met some new people, said hello to old friends from Sweden, met up with friends from England and had an all round very good time. We took some photos, although must admit that we spent most of our time watching the dog judging in search of possible 'husbands' for our girls and as you can't be in more than one place at once, most of our photos are from the dog classes.

Kennel Barecho had a good day, with Barecho Zimply Zuper winning the Dog CACIB and Barecho Zuper Diva finishing BIS2 Veteran. Seamus' brother finished 4th in the Champions Class out of 22 dogs and his mother, Kylie was awarded the Reserve CACIB. We send our Congratulations to Helene and David! Please click here to view some of the photos from the weekend.

On our return, we found out that Rattan had won the Junior Class at South Wales Championship show under Glenn Miller (Graftonbury) and has since won another Junior Class at Newark, now needing only one more Open Show point to secure her Junior Warrant. Well done Rats - let's hope she can get there now.