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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - A question about Breeders
| Since Matilda's diagnosis I have had so many questions pop into my head. One that keeps returning is whether or not I should attempt to contact her breeder. I know that there are many mixed breed dogs that are affected, but this question is really more for those that are of one specific breed. Is there a recommendation that, if possible, the breeder should be notified that one of their pups was diagnosed with AIHA? Is there a potential benefit to this? I know that I read somewhere that you should not attempt to breed a dog that has been diagnosed with AIHA, and I know that there is no positive evidence (that I have read) that this is hereditary. Is there a place within the AKC, or breed clubs, or whatever where this information can be posted, to at least keep track of the numbers of each breed affected, and maybe the pedigrees? just wondering what, if anything I should do jeanne |
| Jeanne Texas |
| Jeanne, By all means contact Matilda's breeder and inform her/him of Matilda's illness. The really good breeders want to know about the illnesses in the dogs they have bred. Some breed clubs do keep records of the illnesses of dogs within their patricular breed. Please do contact your breed club to see if they do keep records of such illnesses. If they do not suggest they start doing so. |
| Joanne MN |
| Jeanne, What an intuitive question and one that is "loaded!" Giant Schnauzer owners would love to be able to sort this out and it has caused a number of heated conversations on our forum for many years. Some rogue owners have collected questionable information about breed lines and faults that have occurred, but it isn't scientific. In short, AKC has no authority or records that keep track of anything that has to do with the "quality" of breeding stock. Breeding dogs in this country is still considered pretty much a hands off activity. There are very few legal regulations other than requirements such as food and minimal housing. There are many people who would like to see this changed, mostly to eliminate puppy mills and backyard breeders. Legislation like limiting the number of dogs allowed in one household or restricting "intact" dogs in certain communities is sometimes enacted. Breed clubs may have information like this.... or not depending on how they perceive their role in the *business* of breeding dogs. Our club is strictly hands off. If you have a quality breeder and you feel that they might want to know this information, by all means contact them. It would certainly be helpful to the other owners of the same litter. But it's a toss up whether this breeder would remove these particular breeding dogs from the line with this one finding. They should. Some breeders do extensive genetic testing at great expense. I am not sure if you could actually do a genetic test for the kind of immune problems we are having. But a good breeder should be looking minimally at OFA for hips and other obvious defects. Patrice |
| Patrice NYS |
| Jeanne, we lost our 19-month-old Yellow Lab, Bronwyn, to IMHA a few days after Christmas. We chose to contact our breeder, since we've gotten all of our dogs but our first Yellow from her. I know the auto immune diseases can be genetic, although in this case,I don't there's any proven genetic link, and we thought she should know since she is a responsible breeder. She did reassure us that she'd never even heard of IMHA, and no one else who had gotten a dog from her had ever contacted her to tell her they'd encountered it. I've got no reason to think she was lying; I just think Bronwyn's death was one of those many cases where the cause would never been determined. I'd let your breeder know because I think a responsible breeder would want to know. We're going back to ours to get a new Yellow this coming weekend. Elizabeth |
| Elizabeth Baltimore |
| I found out (purely by accident) that there are several dogs by the same father as my dog who have come down with immune-mediated diseases. One has IMHA and the other two have other immune-mediated diseases. The dog has retired from breeding but it's a little to coincidental for me. On the other hand, it could be a coincidence. Either way, I think it is information that could be, at the very least, interesting to the breeder. No harm in letting them know. What they choose to do with the information is up to them. |
| Louise Georgetown |
This thread was discussed between 07/04/2008 and 08/04/2008
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