So plan one for the future looks set to go ahead. Hopefully Kaiah will be the dam of the Blanik K litter in 2019. We just have the test to do for degenerative myelopathy now. A reasonably new test without yet proof of 100% accuracy, but if you've lived with a dog with DM you'll know we have to start somewhere with testing. (Degenerative myelopathy is a progressive disease of the spinal cord in older dogs. The disease has an insidious onset typically between 8 and 14 years of age. It begins with a loss of coordination (ataxia) in the hind limbs. The affected dog will wobble when walking, knuckle over or drag the feet eventually becoming paralysed from the hind limbs upwards.) With Kaiah's father testing clear I'm hopeful that Kaiah will test clear too, but if she is a carrier then we will need to take care to find a sire who is clear of the condition and then the puppies will not be affected. (But could still carry the gene) Blade had DM .. Or CDRM as we use to call it then, it really is a heartbreaking condition as mentally the dogs are unaffected and as there is no pain with the condition they try to carry on as normal but are unable to do so. I always think with conditions like HD where there is pain you can at least treat the pain and make them more comfortable, there is little you can do to help a dog suffering from DM other than get a cart to help them get about.
Part of plan one had been to mate Ross to Kaiah, but he has all his health test to get through first. To date I've no worries about Ross' hips like I did with Kaiah. I should know better really than to come to a conclusion on hips and elbows without Xrays and scores. But true to fashion I am and always have been concerned about Ross' right elbow. I will not breed from him if they are not good enough as to date all my dogs who have been elbow scored have scored 0 on both sides. Not being able to breed from Ross would be disappointing, but not the disaster it would have been if Kaiah's health tests had not been suitable. There is always another male out there that will suite her.
The coat thing is also something to consider with Ross, I won't bother testing him to see if he carries the L/C gene, but it's highly unlikely that he does. Through my line and her fathers Kaiah will most probably carry it, but both parents must carry the gene to produce L/c puppies. Personally I'm not bothered about l/c puppies, but I do need good coats and only a percentage of puppies from that mating will carry the gene and have a good coat. Anyway lots of time to to think about it, health tests to do and dreams to come true.
I will keep Sammi entire for now so I do have a back up plan, you never know do you? Hopefully Sammi won't be having any further litter because when I breed I want something to keep .. Kaiah the future of Blanik is over to you ....
