Leptospirosis (Lepto) - On L4 Vaccination

120 Fatal Reactions to the Leptospirosis Vaccine NOBIVAC L4 in its First Three Years…”

Quite the stat from the Daily Telegraph (02/07/16), wasn’t it?! Just another annual booster that we are told is “perfectly safe to be given each year”, which is sadly killing hundreds of dogs in just the UK alone.

This ones for leptospirosis, which is not recommended as a “core” vaccine to be given routinely to your dog unless in a leptospirosis area, though it has, of course, become the norm for all dogs today.

As well as the hundreds dead, owners are reporting swollen glands, epileptic fits and blindness.

….in the last two years, regulators have received 2,000 reports of dogs having suspected adverse or fatal reactions …reports made to the Government’s Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) indicate more than 120 dogs are feared to have died…in the three years the product has been on the market…

The article goes on to tell us:

…the vaccine, which is manufactured by MSD Animal Health, a subsidiary of American conglomerate Merck Sharp & Dohme, is currently being monitored by the VMD…However the regulator has refused to reveal the total number of animals that had been affected since the product came onto the market…

Imagine. The “regulator” not playing ball. Best continue to “monitor” the situation, at least until a few more euro’s are made by the struggling drug company, I guess.

To be fair, the manufacturer states that over a million doses are given per year and that the incidence of side effects in relation to sales, is low. However, while we do not know the actual side-effect figure, reports in the numerous Facebook groups set up to document the harmful effects of this vaccine, such as “Nobivac Lepto 4 – our experiences“, which has 9000 members and growing, including plenty of veterinary testimony, indicate it’s not insignificant. Moreover, I’m not sure a kill rate of 1 in 25,000 doses would be entertained for long in human circles.

Please read on at: https://dogsfirst.ie/leptospirosis-vaccine-nobivak-l4-risks-and-side-effects/

HEALTH-TESTING YOUR EURASIER

Why should you heath-test your Eurasier, even though s/he seems completely healthy?

Well, there are lots of benefits from health-testing, not just for your own dog but also for the breed as a whole.

·       It is important to know the state of your dog’s joints so that if there are problems, you can adjust your dog’s life accordingly and allow it to enjoy it to the full.

·       Your dog will also benefit from you knowing whether they have developed, or are in the process of developing, any conditions such as hypothyroidism, so you can act swiftly to ensure your dog maintains the best possible quality of life.

·       You may have promised your breeder to undertake health tests as part of your puppy contract.

·       Testing would have the additional benefit of giving your breeder a good insight into the health status of their breeding stock, so that they can best ensure they are producing healthy puppies.

·       You may have already paid a health-deposit that would cover much of the cost.

·       Finally, your club’s Code of Ethics might require the parents of your dog to return good health results in their puppies before they can be bred again.

Hopefully you will agree that our wish is to breed dogs that will, to the best of our knowledge, have bright futures and live long and healthy lives. If so, you would certainly expect your breeder to have undertaken all the recommended tests on the mother, and the stud dog owner to have done the same on their male. These results do give us a lot of information, but this really is the minimum. The more we know about the health of the relatives of dogs that are being bred, the greater is our knowledge of what is likely to be carried by the parents of a litter. This is a bit like in humans, when diseases in close relatives increase your risk to develop them. Therefore, even if you have no plan to breed your dog, please, please do get your dog health-tested; it’s important in so many ways!

• What can you do VERY easily and (usually for FREE) – at any visit to the vets: 

    Check: patella (for luxation), eyes (ectropion, entropion and distichiasis/double eyelashes)

• What can you do EASILY (cost about £120)– at any visit to the vets: 

    Check: Patella, eyes, a LARGE Thyroid panel (including TgAA antibodies)

• If you can, please get your dog’s large joints (hips and elbows) checked as well. 

    This will need SEDATION only and not anaesthesia (!) and could cost from £350 - £500, so         shopping around is a good idea

FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE, PLEASE SEND RESULTS TO YOUR BREEDER AND OUR BREED HEALTH COORDINATOR (for entry into the international Eurasier health database, unless you ask for it to be kept confidential)

All the recommended/required tests are also listed here: https://www.southerneurasierassociation.co.uk/thinking-of-breeding

Our recently published ‘Looking for a puppy’ page on the SEA website can give you more information on health deposits and health-testing in Eurasiers, as can the dedicated ‘Health’ page. However, we have a vast range of experience within our community of members and our committee, and we are all willing to help where we can. If you have questions about health-testing, health deposits or anything else, please don’t hesitate to reach out. 

At the upcoming AGM, there will be lots of opportunity to chat about health tests, so please come and fire away!  

Kodi has Diabetes

Let us start by explaining what I would like to talk to you about today. Diabetes mellitus, a disease shared by dogs and people. It is defined as a group of diseases characterized by lack of insulin production, efficacy, or both. This lack of insulin availability leads to a large number of abnormalities in the body. Despite the ability to carefully manage the disease process by administering Insulin, Diabetes remains a leading cause of death in people, as well as an important cause of death in dogs.

Sources report that as many as one in 10 diabetic dogs is euthanized at diagnosis, with a further one in 10 being put to sleep within a year, due to lack of success or adequate compliance with treatment.

In Eurasiers, we have seen that it seems to be diagnosed more often in dogs that are also hypothyroid (under-functioning thyroid), which is maybe not that surprising, as both conditions are likely to be part of an auto-immune complex. The incidence of the disease seems to be increasing in both, dogs and people, and it seems highly likely that there is a genetic component to this problem.

What does that entail? My dog is on life support! Got your attention?

Our 12-year-old Eurasier Kodi has insulin injections 12 hours apart with his meals.  It means a commitment to 7am and 7pm feeding plus treatment, always weighing the (raw) food and keeping up with daily exercise. 
You’d do anything for your dog, yes?  Well not all would, diabetes is a common condition in dogs and although manageable, is costly to treat, for our Eurasier - about £3 a day (with some recompense from insurance).
How is diabetes diagnosed?  

A blood test and urine sample.
What is the cause?
Canine diabetes is an incurable disease which is caused when insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas) levels are too low.  It has a hereditary link.
Symptoms include:

• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Weight loss
• Increased hunger - the body thinks it is starving

Because the sugars in the diet can’t be used by the body if there is no insulin, they are lost in the urine. This means the dog effectively isn’t getting enough calories and so the body starts to break down the fat reserves as well.
Sugar levels in the blood will be high and this glucose will draw water with it into the urine.  The dog is dehydrated so drinks more.  This in turn puts a strain on the kidneys.
How does the insulin work?
Blood sugar levels will fall slowly after insulin is given and be lowest about 6-8 hours after the injection.  The sugar levels will then rise until the next feed and injection are due.  This is described as a glucose curve.
Insulin is a delicate medication which must be stored in the fridge.  It’s a suspension so settles and must be mixed gently before drawing into the syringe.
What about food?
A wet food of high-quality protein is needed, with as low a level of carbohydrates as possible, and no in-between meal treats.
What if the dog gets sick, vomits or has an infection?
Urinary tract infections can become a common problem due to the excess sugar in the urine helping bacteria to grow. This is where it gets really tricky, for it is dangerous to give too much insulin, as hypoglycaemic episodes (to little sugar in the body) can easily lead to collapse and death.
Monitoring diabetes
The amount of insulin required can change over time and also due to circumstance, such as antibiotic treatment, exercise etc., so monitoring is very important.  The glucose levels are most accurately measured via blood testing.  Taking prick tests can be done at home with an AlphaTRAK meter which comes with test strips, a lancing device, lancets and a diary.
When you record a glucose curve, usually to find the best dose of insulin when first starting to treat, several readings are taken at regular intervals throughout the day. This is quite a commitment!
It is also important for diabetic pets to have their teeth cleaned when necessary, because infections in the mouth can cause blood sugar levels to rise.

What is the cost (March 2021)?  
An AlphaTRAK monitor to check blood glucose levels is priced between £50-70 (shop around)
Insulin bottle £52 (which lasts us about 3 weeks).   Syringes £25/per 100  
Lancets £18-20   Test strips £49.20 for 50   Sharps box £5

Learning how to manage the disease
When you have the long appointment with your vet to demonstrate the injection technique ensure all family members attend – you need back up, even if it’s a dog-friendly neighbour.  And yes we’ve all managed to stab ourselves with the needle.

How to inject your Eurasier with insulin

The injection sites need to be varied,  so we got a set of clippers as it is easier if you can see the skin. 
Now Kodi is medicated and his blood sugar levels regulated, his coat is so much softer. We have been lucky in that he is amongst the 25% who don’t have the enzyme in the eye which causes a fast growth of cataracts.

He’s lost about 6 kilos and it seemed the stuffing had been knocked out of him before he got treated.  We are a year and 4 months post diagnosis now, and Kodi is a much happier dog! 

Ruth Bickford with Kodi

Hip & Elbow Scoring Alternatives to the suspended BVA Scheme

Hip and Elbow Scoring

Alternatives to the suspended BVA Scheme

compiled by Brigitte Mordan-Grimm, January 1st 2021

SEA members who breed are required to check their Eurasiers’ hips and elbows (No 25, Code of Ethics), both of which are normally scored by the BVA (British Veterinary Association). As of late December 2020, the scoring by the BVA has been suspended due to Covid-19, so for those who need their scores fairly urgently, we recommend the following 2 schemes:

America/OFA and Australia/ANKC

FCI scores usually go through a Eurasier club, which can make it a bit more work for the applicant.

Mention to the veterinarian that you will want your Eurasier’s joint images scored abroad, as they are probably aware of the BVA scoring having been suspended, and might therefore be reluctant to perform them.

OFA has a different grading system for hips to the BVA/ANKC and FCI, but they are all comparable.

Elbow scores are basically the same in all schemes 

Quick facts for hip scoring

• BVA and Australia have the same scoring system
• America and FCI have a different scoring system
• All scores are perfectly comparable
• There is no disadvantage or advantage to a particular scheme
• SEA accepts any official scoring scheme, be it the BVA, FCI, Australia or OFA, for any imported Eurasier, as well as overseas sires
• The KC accepts any official scoring scheme for their Assured Breeder Scheme
• The KC records those scores if sent in, but they are not available on the KC Health Test Results Finder

Submitting to OFA/America

OFA has a different grading system to the BVA/Australia, but results are perfectly comparable.

OFA only accepts submissions for dogs X-rayed after their second birthday; if the dog is younger, it is scored as a ‘preliminary result’. SEA will accept either.

A link to the Screening Procedure

Submission Process

To submit the x-rays either online, or download and fill in the form at https://www.ofa.org/application-forms

OFA accept JPG, JPEG, PNG and DICOM image file formats.

Cost: Over 2 years: Hips & Elbows $40, Hips or elbows only $35. Under 2 years (30/30; 40) https://www.ofa.org/about/ofa-fees

Reports are sent to the veterinarian and owner on completion of the evaluation.

Turn-around time for ‘preliminary results’ (up to 2 years of age) - 1 week,
2 years + 2-3 weeks

Breed statistics are available at https://www.ofa.org/diseases/breed-statistics#detail

Submitting to ANKC/Australia

Canine Hip and Elbow Scheme – general information

Submission Process

The scheme is open to all dogs of at least one year of age (like the BVA)

• Arrange for appropriate x-rays (in DICOM format, NOT jpg!) to be taken at a veterinary surgery, ensuring the dog’s identity is confirmed by microchip
• Complete the form (ANKC Ltd CHEDS, available at ankc.org.au)
• Cost: $100.00 for hips & elbows, $80 for hips alone or $25 for elbows alone
• Chose an assessor from the list of ANKC authorised panelists on the ANKC website https://www.orchid.ankc.org.au/
• Results will be returned to the owner and copies sent to veterinarian
• Turn-around time: 24 hours to a few days

For the majority of panellists you just need to complete the form at http://ankc.org.au/media/9184/ankc-cheds-report-submission-form.pdf  and submit by email with X-rays; subsequently arrange payment. 

One panellist has an online process, which removes the need to complete a paper form. Also, the payment can be made by card at the time of submission. http://www.vetscoring.com/

X-rays can be submitted by the owner or veterinarian as required.

Copies will be sent to the owner and veterinarian.

The ANKC publish current averages, but Eurasiers are not yet included.

For questions and to submit any scores obtained overseas, please contact the UK Health Coordinator.

Update from the UK Breed Health Coordinator

Dear Eurasier owners and breeders,

Some years ago, a French research group published a study of GLAUCOMA in Eurasiers, as there was a small aggregation of such cases in France, and presented their findings at the IFEZ conference that year. If anybody is interested, I am very happy to send them the PDF file. We have, to my present knowledge, only a very small number of cases of this problem in the UK population of well over 1000 dogs, so you will probably all agree that even though it is distressing for any affected dog, we do not need to really consider it a major health issue in our breed at this point. However, it is worth keeping an eye on it in the future. To this effect have I asked my fellow Breed Health Coordinators and other KC representatives and researchers about the situation in their breeds, and this has yielded a wealth of information, which I am planning on writing up in a separate article.

Another, certainly more relevant health topic, HYPOTHYROIDISM, has drawn the attention of IFEZ (International Federation for Eurasier Breeding) again, based on a recent article saying that Eurasiers seem to have lower active thyroxine levels than other breeds. A team of IFEZ representatives, including myself, has constructed a form, which has been sent out to all our colleagues to be filled in, and we are hoping to have some results available by the end of the year. I will, of course, keep you posted.

When submitting the yearly HEALTH REPORT to the KC, I have requested the genetic test for Dandy Walker Like Malformation to be added to the Assured Breeder Scheme and am awaiting further notice on the matter. I believe most, if not all, Assured Breeders are doing it anyway, but it will be good to have it down as a recommendation or requirement.

It was very disappointing that neither of the 2 KC registered clubs, UKEC and ESUK have circulated my letter and request for collaboration and support for a BREED HEALTH SURVEY to their members, which I sent out last summer. In this context, I would however like to thank the Southern Eurasier Association committee and members for their continued support. Because of this situation, I decided to put a good part of my efforts into the IFEZ thyroid project this year. I do, nevertheless, plan to undertake a UK Breed Health Survey in the near future with the help of the KC.

 

Wishing you and your dog/s much health and happiness, and please do send me any health results you get for your dog/s,

Dr Brigitte Mordan-Grimm

UK Breed Health Coordinator
alphaeurasier@gmail.com

Short minutes of the 2019 IFEZ Conference 2019 - with some important news for the UK

Beat Kempf, President of Eurasierfreunde Schweiz (EFS), as the current President of the International Federation for Eurasier Breeding (IFEZ), greeted those present at the IFEZ meeting with a short statement on the fundamental intentions of IFEZ.

The initial main part of the conference concerned information and questions about innovations and problems of the IFEZ members:

In a first round of discussions, the IFEZ clubs presented the changes in personnel in the committees of their clubs. Even if in some cases there have been many changes, it is very positive to note that it has been possible to get younger people to adopt an active role in a Eurasier club.

The questions and problems surrounding the membership of the Eurasier Society UK (ESUK) in IFEZ (now dormant for a year) were discussed and evaluated in detail. As the requirements of IFEZ have not been met for more than 12 months, a final reasonable period for fulfilling these obligations was decided by the full members of IFEZ. ESUK will be automatically excluded on the scheduled date if the multiple requirements have not been met by then.

Since the English club "ESUK" did not fulfil its obligations as an IFEZ member by 20/11/2019, the IFEZ President Beat Kempf sent a notification to the club committee, dated 23/11/2019, that the Eurasier Society UK, following the vote of the IFEZ full members, is, with immediate effect, no longer a member of IFEZ and must stop advertising IFEZ in any communications or advertising.

The new homepage of the IFEZ is almost finished and is very successful. After the latest revisions, it can be activated safely at the beginning of 2020.

The conditions under which club officials could participate at meetings via Skype was discussed.

A second main part of the conference was again devoted to a variety of topics about the Eurasier:

The moderate changes in Standard 291 presented by EKW (in co-ordination with KZG and ZG) and approved by VDH, are again to be considered for approval by the FCI.

Underactive thyroid is one of the autoimmune diseases that have a large hereditary component and develop gradually. Various thyroid values are tested in all clubs for as many animals as possible, but is mandatory for the breeding dogs. The problem of comparability of reference values of different laboratories was discussed. Not all clubs can use Biocontrol as a laboratory. An assessment of all previously recorded anonymized values is highly desirable.

Other health issues addressed were: epilepsy and the problem of correct diagnosis and recording; ways to prevent the popular sire syndrome IFEZ-wide; meaningful genetic tests; and state of genetic diversity in our breed.

The discussion of all these topics was lively and engaging!

Information was also exchanged about regulations such as different breeding fees and health deposits, and puppy prices were compared and discussed.

From January 1^st, 2020 the presidency of the IFEZ passes to the Eurasier Vereniging Nederland (EVN).

After working through the usual formalities, there were many interesting, exciting chats about Eurasiers during the evening of the meeting, as well as on the Friday evening and Sunday morning. This large, international group only meets in person once a year. Throughout the year, communication is usually only possible by phone or email. It was an all-round successful meeting for the good of our beautiful breed.

Gisela Aach, IFEZ Secretary
Translation: Brigitte Mordan-Grimm

Kennel Club Breed Health Symposium 2019

My advertising this year’s Breed Health Symposium, held at the KC Building at Stoneleigh Park on September 18^th with all 3 Eurasier clubs, as well as on Facebook and some private communications, yielded some very positive responses.  As 2 years ago this event was opened up to anyone interested in breed health, I was delighted that one of our ‘oldest’ (in experience) breeders, Tracy Cottrell from Willowfalls joined me for a very interesting as well as enjoyable day. I was very tired from a trip to Holland and Germany showing our youngest Eurasier, but I really did not want to miss it, as it is a motivating experience and provides wonderful networking opportunities. As all of us are volunteers, we really appreciate this opportunity very much indeed.

Bill Lambert, the KC’s Senior Health & Welfare Manager welcomed all approximately 100 visitors and introduced the day with an update on changes in the Kennel Club Health Team. Bill also talked about some proposed changes to the KC Eye Scheme. In the future, results will be available online as well as recorded in the Breed Record Supplements.
The next speaker, Dr Sally Ricketts updated us on the Give a Dog a Genome (GDG) project and research underway at the Animal Health Trust (AHT) on Complex Diseases. 77 breeds signed up for GDG and the AHT has now sequenced a good number of genomes. Some data has been shared with research groups in Europe and the USA. Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological problems and is presently being investigated in Border Collies and Italian Spinone.

Dr Jacqueline Boyd gave a highly interesting talk on canine nutrition and the term ‘canine wellbeing’ which has been adopted by many in recent years. She highlighted the totality of genetics and environmental factors all playing essential roles. The most interesting aspect for me was her stressing that dogs are mostly scavengers and can therefore deal with different components of nutrition such as protein, but also carbohydrates. A really important aspect for anybody who advises on nutrition is also to bear in mind is the needs and capabilities of the dog caretaker/owner. She said that diet was an essential environmental factor, but that no diet can be a cure-all. Everybody agreed that, depending on age and lifestyle, dogs all have different needs. A more recent area of research is an offspring of epigenetics, namely nutrigenomics, which is defined as the relationship between diet and genetics. There is research showing how, in humans, the diet of parents and grandparents is linked to conditions in their offspring such as e.g. diabetes or heart disease, but also mental disorders such as schizophrenia. Therefore, good nutrition supports good breeding over many future generations and both sire and dam play their roles.

Dr Tom Lewis, the KC’s quantitative geneticist, reported on the regulation regarding ‘hereditary clear’ status in litters, which will be introduced from January 2022. This is particularly important for single-mutation, recessive diseases, like DWLM (Dandy Walker) in Eurasiers.  The main problem with subsequent generations of tested dogs is that not all dogs in a pedigree are in fact really the ancestors. Hence, it seems a good idea to limit it to 2 generations, or to ask for continuous DNA proof of parentage. Otherwise, as a recently published study shows, it is likely that the mutation will be passed onto puppies unknowingly and produce affected dogs. DNA parentage profiling is a separate procedure to screening DNA for disease-causing mutations, but it can often be carried out simultaneously.

These presentations were followed by a short Q&A session, where the team of BHC Mentors answered some submitted questions.

Over lunch there was ample opportunity to speak to any of the speakers, and also to other BHCs. For us it was important to have a planning session with those of Chows and Keeshonds, as we have been planning a project on Elbow Dysplasia for some time. There is as yet not that much data and we are all numerically relatively small breeds, but the close relationship between our breeds might well provide an interesting and unusual aspect for a researcher. When I go to the meeting at the International Federation for Eurasier Breeding (IFEZ) in November, I will also be discussing possible options there.

Last but not least, many thanks to the team of KC staff who organised the event and who did a truly great job.

Dr Brigitte Mordan-Grimm

UK Breed Health Coordinator for Eurasiers

A letter from our Breed Health Coordinator

Dear SEA member,

Please find below a letter from the Kennel Club's Breed Health Coordinator for Eurasiers (our own Vice-Chair, Brigitte). In it Brigitte outlines her role in the post in terms of what she can offer you, and what she would hope to obtain from you in return.

On the 28th August the letter was also sent to the Secretaries of the other two British Eurasier clubs,  the UK Eurasier Club and the Eurasier Society UK,  with the request that they circulate it to their membership. She also requested the names and contact details of their health representatives, in order to invite them to join her at the KC Breed Health Symposium later this month.

Please get back to Brigitte directly with any questions or suggestions you might have at alphaeurasier@gmail.com

Many thanks,

Peter Mordan
Secretary, SEA

-------------------------------

Dear Eurasier owner,

Firstly let me express my heartfelt thanks to your club Secretary for forwarding to you this letter, which I hope you will find informative and will further help our mutual collaboration.

Today I am addressing you solely in my role as the UK Breed Health Coordinator for Eurasiers, as appointed by the Kennel Club, a role which I have mentored from its inception and held for a good number of years, and which I find both very interesting and rewarding.

What I can offer:

•          A confidential environment in which to discuss any health concerns.

•          If I am able, and it lies within my expertise as a Eurasier person of 30 years’ experience, biologist and health professional, I can also offer some health advice, although this can never replace that of a veterinary surgeon.  This applies whether you are a breeder, stud-dog owner or ‘simply’ a pet owner.

•          The design and conducting of a breed-health survey

•          If you express an interest (by emailing me at the address below), you will hear about trends in the breed in the UK, as well as those observed internationally through my close involvement with the International Federation for Eurasier Breeding (IFEZ).

Needless to say, all these services are absolutely free.

What I would hope to receive from you:

•          Any health results you obtain when you either get your dog checked as required for breeding, or as requested by your breeder, as these provide some excellent basic information on, for example, hips, elbows, patella, thyroid, eyes and Dandy Walker Syndrome. You can, of course, decide on the confidentiality of these results.

•          Records of any other health issues. Again, you decide on the confidentiality of these.

•          The commitment to fill in a breed health questionnaire for a survey I am planning on conducting.

If you would like to discuss anything, I always have an open ear!

With many thanks and hoping for a good and productive collaboration in the best interest of our Eurasiers,

Dr Brigitte Mordan-Grimm

Winning the War on Worms

We have canine reporter Murphy (assisted by Ann Winter) offering a paws eye view on the subject of mini monsters aka worms !

Greetings (Woof Woof) dear furry cousins and pet parents. I have been asked to share some experiences with you further to an interesting delivery arriving at my home. As usual, accompanied by my Mum – Bubbles, we did our best to see off the ‘man in red’, but strangely the door was opened to him and a package accepted. What I learned next made my toes curl and my tail droop!

This package contained an assortment of plastic pots, lids, tiny spoons and oh my god – rubber gloves. At this point I thought it best to make a hasty retreat but as always ‘Mum’ ( Bubbles ) was convinced that there must be something edible in the box and so I watched carefully to see what happened next.

Our ‘ hu mum’ sat intently reading some paperwork that accompanied the items before wrapping it all back up and putting it out of our reach. The leaflet floated down to the floor, however, landing under my nose and this is what I learned: It said worms can become a big problems to our pets (I think that is the word that describes us, your furry kids) often with no discernible symptoms and that a ‘burden’ can form in our intestines or lungs. Whilst there are a variety of parasites, the two most common examples are roundworms in puppies which proliferate in the intestines; upon reading this I was horrified to think a mother would give such a thing to her children, and I needed some reassurance this did not happen to me – PHEW - and lung-worm which can cause coughing, breathing difficulties and can stop blood clotting.

Symptoms can be varied from being ravenous, weight loss, upset stomachs, pot bellied appearance, (no definitely not me!) coughing, vomiting, lethargy and loss of condition. Scooting is not always a sign of worms - I have a cousin that occasionally does this – UGH. If all that is not bad enough common dog worms can be passed to humans and whilst adults can generally cope, for the noisy little people there can be more serious consequences. So now I know why my ‘hu mum’ is always keeping an eye on me when I am trying to have some ‘private time ‘ – poop scooping helps to reduce these risks as worm eggs can live many years and only become dangerous once they have incubated. The risks to us by these nasty critters is related to our individual circumstances /habits (if you know what I mean) climate and to different parts of the country. Yes, worms are most certainly gross and potentially harmful and in addition to roundworms and lung-worms there are hookworms, whip-worms, heart-worms, tapeworms and ringworms – what a nightmare! Fortunately it is not all bad news as a healthy diet builds a strong immune system – 80% of the immune system is in the gut. Now when it comes to food I know what I don’t like but I appreciate not everyone is so discerning for instance when I witness my Mum tucking into something that makes my nose wrinkle.

But I digress. Apparently, kibble-fed dogs are potentially more susceptible because parasites love the starch and sugar in kibble. However, fermented foods (e.g. fermented vegetables such as carrots (recipes available online – I know I would not care for this!)) have probiotic properties and can help prevent and eliminate worms. Other good foods to consider are milk kefir (which I have tried and found quite tasty), pumpkin seeds, grated carrots, watercress, greens, squash, fennel, cucumber, pineapple, papaya, pomegranate, garlic (safe in moderation), apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, parsley and bone broth. Apart from products prescribed by vets, there are holistic and herbal options available as well. So, the good news is, whilst we cannot be complacent, we can win the war on worms.

Oh, and as for those little kits, they were filled and sent away, collected by the ‘man in red’ to be analysed, and the verdict in response gave us the all clear!

IFEZ (International Federation for Eurasier Breeding) for SEA

This October I travelled to Stuttgart in Germany to attend the yearly international meeting of the IFEZ member clubs. IFEZ is short for International Federation for Eurasier Breeding (Zucht in German, hence the Z). This is a collaborative organization that centres around a database which contains many thousand Eurasiers from the beginnings of our breed. The entries comprise the names of the dog and also all the available health data. This is an invaluable tool. Also, it is a network of Eurasier clubs word-wide who share a common philosophy of non-commercial, ethical breeding, in agreement with the Eurasier Philosophy, which is so central to our Association as well. They all share a dedication and feel a special obligation to care for the health and temperament of our beautiful breed. I was very pleased, and I am not ashamed to say, quite emotional, that after only a few months existence, SEA was accepted as an Associated Member of IFEZ and is currently the only active UK representative. We will do our very best to carry on working in the very best interest of our breed.

By Brigitte Mordan-Grimm

Breed Health Symposium at the Kennel Club 2018

The Kennel Club holds a Breed Health Symposium every year, which I have found most valuable on many levels. The people who are invited to give presentations are very knowledgeable in their field and it is a great opportunity to network with other Breed Health Coordinators, compare notes, pick up tips as well as support each other – and put faces to names!
This year the focus was on cancer in dogs as well as skin problems. Both topics are sadly also very prevalent for many a Eurasier and their owner, so I was greatly looking forward to the day and keen to gain some new insights.
Dr Mike Starkey, Head of the Molecular Oncology at the Animal Health Trust gave us an overview in the manifestation of cancer as well as current treatment options and prospects on how to improve the life of affected dogs. Some aspects of current research were also touched on.
After a break we had a very informative as well as entertaining talk on common skin conditions. Dr Rosario Cerundolo discussed the most common skin problems in dogs, some clinical signs and symptoms (with some very instructive slides that some found maybe a bit challenging), as well as risk factors owners should consider to prevent their dog being affected by skin problems. Amongst many other aspects, I found it very interesting that food companies have started producing a purely vegetarian, low allergenic food, which seems to work well for some affected dogs.
A session on the many challenges of being a Breed Health Coordinator and the mentor scheme finished a very interesting day. Big thanks to the KC Health Group for organizing such a valuable and motivating day for us!
As you probably all know, I am very dedicated to my role as Breed Health Coordinator and will continue to ask you for your help and support also in the future!

If you would like more info on either the cancer topic or skin conditions, please send an email to alphaeurasier@gmail.com and I am very happy to share the slides with you and will do my best to answer any questions you might have.

By Dr Brigitte Mordan-Grimm, UK Health Coordinator for Eurasiers