Last weekend Sasha did her part for the breed and gave a blood sample to help research for two illnesses, PN/LP and Anal Furunculosis.

There is research going on in order to find a genetic marker for both of these devastating illnesses and samples from healthy and affected dogs are needed. 

My second Leo (Sani) had AF so we lived with the condition for over 5 years, I would not wish anybody having to go through it with their dog!

When she was diagnosed I was told by various people her illness is not inherited. Now 10 years later the same lines have affected dogs popping up, I honestly do not think this is a coincidence and also it has now been shown that in German Shepherds there is a marker so I do not think Leos will be any different.

I have seen few litters being bred from offspring of affected dogs (after they have been diagnosed) and it does make me mad and very sad indeed! Especially when I honestly do not see why it was so important to breed from these dogs, most of the Leo population has the same lines behind them so I don’t think much would have been lost in genetic variety had the direct offspring of affected dogs not been bred on.

How can you after putting your dog to sleep because of AF then go on and breed on from the daughter?

Especially when you already know that the affected dogs own dad had the condition, so even if you are not an expert on genetics alarm bells should be ringing! 

I know there isn’t a perfect dog and all Leos will carry some nasties in their background but I personally find it a too big of a risk when breeding on from lines that have immune related problems. It is not just AF we need to worry about there are other less dramatic possibly immune related problems popping up in Leos like allergies, IBD, PLE etc…

Dog with bad hips can often live a pretty normal life, dog with immune problems can’t as it affects the dog as a whole.

Bad hip scores are there for all to see (if the result gets published that is!), this kind of problems are not, so people can ignore & put their head in the sand and continue doing what they do.

I can only see pound signs being the reason to do so, not preserving and trying to do good for the breed!

Unfortunately many people breed without the knowledge of what lays in the background of their dog, not always purposefully or due to lack of research but due to the fact that somebody in the know decided to keep quiet… whether that is the breeder or past puppy buyers not informing the breeder of their dogs illness.

Amount of people we meet on our walks that do not even think of informing the breeder of their dogs problems because “the breeder has bred this inbred dog and that is why he has this problem”. Many people don’t even think the breeder will not know of the problem in the lines if all puppy buyers act like they do!

This is why it is so very important to support research into these illnesses so one day there is a marker dogs can be tested for and knowledge will not rely on who talks and who keeps quiet!

Hopefully in the future dogs can be tested for and more informed breeding decisions made based on facts, not hear say or “rose tinted classes” some people seem to be wearing when it comes to the health status of the breed and heritance mode of some illnesses.