Issue 2 September 2013 Letter from the President By Bridget Flynn

Transcription

1 Letter from the President By Bridget Flynn As we near our 1st anniversary of the formation of our club, I wanted to take a moment to highlight just a few of the goals we have accomplished thus far was an exciting year for the Lagotto in Canada. For the first time in history, the Lagotto became a listed breed with the Canadian Kennel Club followed by several Lagotto entering the show ring from the east to the west. We quickly saw several Lagotto earning their Canadian Championship as well as the coveted group placements of Best Puppy in Group and a group 3 rd and 4 th. Most exciting of all, the awareness of our wonderful breed has grown tremendously as a results of showing, meet the breed events as well as individual efforts by some of our most devoted Lagotto lovers. The Lagotto Romagnolo Club of Canada s primary goal is the protection of our ancient and beloved breed. We believe that one of the most important factors in securing this goal is education. It is with great pride that the LRCoC announces a new publication to our growing library: Volume 1 of the Lagotto Learning Series. This first edition focuses on explaining the breed standard and how to properly evaluate a Lagotto. Feedback is always appreciated from our members and we encourage each and every one of you to share any ideas you may have for future volumes of the Lagotto Learning Series. Membership As of September 2013, membership numbers are as follows: 19 Individual Memberships 6 Family Memberships 7 Foreign Memberships The Harrowing Journey Sweet Rescue for Nursing Lagotto By Mariana Cejic It was my first litter and our girl was a real trooper. The delivery had gone off without a hitch: Sunday afternoon, and seven puppies were delivered within three and a half hours. Mom was doing great with her pups as the days passed and I was starting to feel less anxiety for the puppies continued survival. They were robust and mom was content and healthy. Suddenly, it all changed. The puppies were two and a half weeks old. Mom s 10am feeding was brief and she fed them standing. I checked her mammaries (teats) for engorgement, heat or hardness: there seemed to be no sign of trouble and her milk was coming strong and looked good. Then, at noon she vomited and within a couple of hours, she turned critically ill; she was running a temperature and was becoming lethargic. We rushed her to the emergency veterinary hospital in our area. There I was told that I would need to prepare for bottle feeding the puppies and that our sweet girl would need a full course of broad spectrum antibiotics. No sooner had I arranged my family s routine for puppy care, and then I received a call from the veterinarian at the emergency clinic saying that our dog was in a state of septic infection and that there was nothing more they could do. Page 1

2 Sweet Rescue for Nursing Lagotto (con t) The initial shock was stunning: it was not possible that the dear soul who had just short hours ago looked at me imploringly, had run out of options for survival. The veterinarian suggested that they might have other ideas at our local veterinary college and we did not hesitate to take her there. We were told it was a rare occurrence called Gangrenous Mastitis. Our girl had to fight the infection with the help of the antibiotics, but the infected mammary would turn gangrene and slough off within a matter of hours. To our great relief, she survived the ordeal, but was left with a very large wound where the mammary had been. The Healing After two days of hospital stay, our girl was looking down and was not keen on eating. The decision was made that she would be better off in the comfort of her own home, where we would take over nursing her wound and loving her back to health. Beyond the fact that I am naturally squeamish, the thought of tending her wound was daunting; although she was on antibiotics, it would be difficult to keep the area clean. I worried that a wound that size was going to invite infection. Little did I know that the veterinarians were armed with a not-so-secret weapon, an ancient treatment that in of itself was a common substance: honey, more specifically, raw honey. They had already been applying it to her wound while she was in the hospital and we were to continue to do so until she was healed at home. Frankly, I was somewhat taken aback when I heard what they were applying directly to her wound. I had assumed that sugar-based substances were a catalyst for the growth of unwanted things, like mold, bacteria and fungus, for example. Further into her treatment, it was pointed out to me that the wound looked fresh and that there was granulation of material around the edges of it, meaning that bacteria was held at bay and regrowth of tissue was the result of the granulation. This was fascinating. With a bit of research (*) I was able to piece together some idea of what was going on. The healing power of honey has several facets; the most surprising for me, being an antibacterial effect. An enzyme in honey called glucose oxidase actually turns into hydrogen peroxide. This enzyme works wonderfully to beat harmful bacteria, but is destroyed in high heat, which is why it is important that the honey be raw and active; as opposed to pasteurized. Honey also has an acidity to it that seems to attack the bio-film that protects harmful bacteria. Another aspect of the healing power of honey is its osmotic effect. It uses turgor pressure to pull from the wound. It pulls potentially infective debris as well as necrotic (dead) tissue from the wound. Normally this must be done surgically, cutting out material, typically with the use of anaesthetics in a procedure called debridement: painful, costly and difficult to guarantee that everything was removed. Page 2

3 Sweet Rescue for Nursing Lagotto (con t) Honey has some wonderful nutrients to contribute to the regrowth of skin; but like topical antibiotics, they do nothing for the skin if there is no circulation there. This is where the osmotic effect of honey again comes into play. The turgor pressure not only pulls liquids to the surface of the wound, encouraging circulation there, but it draws the body s own regenerative fluids to that area, most importantly lymph: the body s own miracle healer. I could go on about the incredible and surprising processes that occur during honey treatment, but I d like to conclude with a summary instead. Beyond its antibacterial and nutritive qualities, honey generally seems to soothe pain, make dressing wounds easier (with no tearing of new growth), reduce scarring, reduce swelling, reduce odour and speed healing. Beyond all of this, the cost of using honey versus the costs associated with typical modern severe wound treatment are monumentally lower. Honey is an incredible gift of nature. Honey has been used as a medicinal treatment for thousands of years. Only now, as we are beginning to understand the processes by which it works are we able to see the possibilities of its use in modern Western Medicine, and of course, in research, it is animals that are providing the bulk of information for those that are leading the way. For Dr. Karol Matthews, University of Guelph emergency veterinarian, it started with the treatment of a dog who was burned head to tail in a barn fire. With no owner, and current treatments offering the dog little to lose, the honey treatment became a critical option. It worked, and to Dr. Matthews delight, it was going to offer new hope to pet families everywhere. In a field where owners often face veterinary bills unaided by formal organizations and where, as in human medicine, antibiotic resistant bacteria is on the rise, raw honey has the potential to turn the tide for veterinary medicine. Our dog s wound was very deep and large. I shudder to think of the ways in which her healing could have gone wrong. As it happened, the raw honey treatment worked perfectly for her and today, a close examination of the previously wounded area would still make it difficult to find any evidence that there had ever been a gaping wound there. We are profoundly thankful to still have her with us, and even more so that she was taken into the care of the incredible veterinarians around us. And honey as a wound treatment? Well, I m a believer. Page 3

4 Improper Coat Gene: Settling the Myths by Melissa Drisdelle Improper Coat is a disorder affecting the Lagotto Romagnolo which results in the lack of furnishings of coat over the entire body starting with the face, head, muzzle and legs (the coat in the affected areas is very short and straight, particularly on the face, head, ears and legs). Dogs affected with this condition will appear completely normal at birth and will develop a coat as normal, however the appearance of the coat will start to change at approximately 5 to 6 weeks of age. Lagotto dogs suffering from this disorder are also prone to shedding thus diminishing their appeal for allergy sufferers. On November 6, 2012, Optigen laboratories introduced a new DNA test to their series available for the Lagotto Romagnolo the Improper Coat Gene test. Since this time, very few breeders have IC Affected Puppies out of Kan Trace Cesare IC Carrier elected to add this test to their list of genetic testing for their breeding dogs. I must say that I have been very curious about the reasons for the lack of popularity of this new testing and so I chose to do a little research of my own. After speaking with many breeders, two answers were common among all breeders: 1. Improper Coat doesn t affect the health of the breed 2. You don t need a test you can see if your dog has improper coat These answers are what prompted this article and my hope at the end of it is to clarify much of the myths surrounding this disorder. Before going any further, I think it s important to clarify some details about Improper Coat, what it is, what type of gene i t is believed to be and how it is inherited. Contrary to popular belief, the Improper Coat gene test (known in Europe as the Furnishing test) is not a test to determine the quality of the coat of the Lagotto. Some Lagotto have a curl that is looser than others and although a tighter curl is desired, there are many reasons a dog could ha ve a loose curl, none of which are related to the improper coat gene. For example, a Lagotto whose coat is left too long is likely to show a loose curl as well a Lagotto whose coat was never clipped down at a young age. It s also important to note that a proper Lagotto adult coat can take up to 2-3 years to come in with some Lagotto. Lagotto dogs who are carriers of the improper coat gene cannot be spotted visually a genetic test must be performed. For example, I have 2 dogs that are carriers for the gene and both have a wonderful coat. Without the test, I would have never guessed that these two dogs were carriers. Lagotto dogs affected by improper coat can easily be determined visually they have no coat on the face & furnishings. For those who have never seen photos of an improper coat affected dog may not even recognize the dog as a Lagotto at first sight. Page 4

5 Improper Coat Gene: Settling the Myths (con t) The improper coat gene is believed to have an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. For those of us who are familiar with the Benign Familial Juvenile Epilepsy gene, the mode of inheritance is the same. Below is a chart detailing the expected results of breeding pairs. PARENT 2 GENOTYPE PARENT 1 GENOTYPE NORMAL CARRIER AFFECTED (IMPROPER COAT) NORMAL All = Normal ½ = Normal ½ = Carrier All = Carriers CARRIER ½ = Normal ½ = Carrier ¼ = Normal ½ = Carriers ¼ = Affected (Improper Coat) ½ = Carriers ½ = Affected (Improper Coat) AFFECTED (IMPROPER COAT) All = Carriers ½ = Carriers ½ = Affected (Improper Coat) All = Affected (Improper Coat) Firstly, I would like to address the question of health. It is true that as of yet, there has not been any link between dogs affected with Improper Coat and impaired health, however it s also important to note that only one case has been documented in North America (although there have been several unreported cases) so there is still very limited data available for analysis and study. As breeders and/or members of breed clubs, it s important to remember that our first priority is the protection of our beloved breed and breeding to the recognized standard of the Lagotto Romagnolo is a necessary step in achieving this goal. In recent years, testing was not available for this disorder, however, when we consider that a Lagotto affected with Improper coat is clearly not within the standard of the breed and this can now be avoided with a simple genetic test, I think it s important that we conclude that this test be a necessary addition to our genetic testing prior to breeding. Lastly, I would like to discuss the common belief (or myth) that a Lagotto who is a carrier of the gene mutation can be determined visually. A dog AFFECTED with the disorder is clearly recognizable visually and should not be included in any breeding programs; however a dog who is a CARRIER of the gene cannot be determined visually. The only way to determine if a Lagotto carries a normal or carrier mutation of the gene is to genetically test. In addition, it s also important to note that the Improper Coat gene is not unique to specific bloodlines but can be prevalent in all bloodlines and there is little to no testing history available within the breed as the available testing is relatively new. It is important to note that we are not suggesting that CARRIERS of the IC gene be eliminated from breeding programs, but rather that all CARRIERS be bred to a partner that is free of the mutation (NORMAL). Dogs AFFECTED with this condition should not be included in breeding programs. Page 5

6 Improper Coat Gene: Settling the Myths (con t) It is also important to note that the Improper Coat disorder is not native to the Lagotto Romagnolo and is believed to have been caused by the introduction of other breeds in order to diversify the gene pool. Although there are still limited cases of Improper Coat that are being reported, the disorder has become more prevalent within the last years. The Lagotto Romagnolo Club of Canada s Code of Ethics lists the Improper Coat gene test as a recommended test for breeders to perform prior to any breeding. I realize that little has been written regarding this disorder in the past and my sincere hope is to increase education to all of our members and other Lagotto enthusiasts regarding this disorder and most importantly, the prevention of this disorder. Classifieds Help Wanted!!! The Lagotto Romagnolo Club of Canada is seeking assistance with the following tasks: Lagotto Ledger Editor Lagotto Ledger Writers Fundraising Regional Directors (Ontario & Atlantic Provinces) Ideas & Feedback Please forward any responses to: vp@lagottoromagnoloclubofcanada.ca AND/OR secretary@lagottoromagnoloclubofcanada.ca Lagotto News Club Plans Short-Term Goals Develop a Grooming Standard with detailed info, pictures and measurements. Further breeder education regarding the recommended registration process for Canadian born Lagotto Complete our CKC accreditation process Long-Term Goals Upon CKC recognition, hold CKC sanctioned events Host Meet the Breed events Further overall Breed Education Canadian Owned Lagotto In the Ring!!! Establish Lagotto rescue processes and procedures New CKC Canadian Champions July 2013 Il Granaio dei Malatesta Vid II, bred and co-owned by Monica Benelli & Bridget Flynn August 2013 Il Granaio dei Malatesta Mario, bred by Il Granaio dei Malatesta, owned by Bridget Flynn Honourable Mentions July 2013 LK Nootka wins Best Puppy in Group, bred by Bridget Flynn, owned by Melissa Drisdelle Page 6