Food and DM

I was awake as usual, about 7.45am. With nothing else in the forecast, the wind and rain is becoming repetitive up here. As the Blaniks were all asleep I decided to lay still, but at 8.03am Orin decided it was time we all got up ... and we did! 

There was sweet potato mash and peas left over from last night, just a spoonful in everyone's breakfast, but I always give them leftovers in their meals. I even boil chicken bones and make a broth to add to meals for them. You wouldn't believe the amount of chicken that comes off the bones, to be honest in hard times I'm sure you could make a lovely soup with it. Anyway breakfast was served, but as usual Zeus left his, he is less likely to eat it than Ross, and that's saying something! 

Steve worries about Zeus' lack of appetite in the mornings, I don't, eat it or lose it. He is fit and well and always eats in the evening. Steve worries about his weight, I agree he is much lighter than the other boys, but he is not as tall and under that hair he has a smaller frame. We both agree he is not thin, so should he chose not to eat, well that's his call. Ross on the other hand is a little lean, but as I've said before apart from force-feed him, and I won't, there is nothing I can do. Ross also eats his evening meal and does eat the odd treat, but when the others get "paid" for the photos he won't drop his kong - so basically in Ross' world kong is more important than treats! 

I read with interest a conversation between DP and K on facebook about the DM test. DP dissing the test whilst K says that we must continue to test our animals for this gene. Yes I am aware that several genes can be responsible for DM and that we only have a test for one, but hell one is better than nothing? To my knowledge, I've never bred an affected animal, but I have bred carriers and taking them out of breeding programs, or at least mating them to dogs tested clear can only benefit the breed long term. Fransisco was not tested, but neither was Sammi, the test was new then, now there is no excuse. As my girls are tested clear I could use an untested male, but I'd never use an untested male on a carrier female, and vice versa. From Kaiah on, including Ross, everyone here has been tested. 

If you have never seen DM, never experienced it then count yourself lucky, I have, Blade had DM. The dog gradually looses mobility and over months to a year or two, if you are lucky to get that much quality time, they become paralysed from the back feet up. Though it is pain free for the dog, DM has no cure, it's totally debilitating for the dog and heartbreaking for the owner, so in my opinion if we can do anything to help, if it's only testing for one gene then we must do it!