I was asked to answer a question put to me on the NIS forum - so I replied. However, I don't think they liked my answer as the thread was immediately locked and moved to the 'members only' section. That was a shame because they acted so fast that I didn't have the opportunity to correct my spelling mistakes - however they must of got the gist of it though.

For the benefit of those not privileged to read the members only section I had the foresight to copy my reply before posting, so here it is for those who missed it:

Quote:

[quote author=moonzmum board=dogtopics thread=7076 post=75339 time=1228082745]Im putting this here instead of on the resignation thread, but isnt it true that you knew way before march 08 that 'Flow's' brother had epilepsy?, I am addressing this question to Champteloup aka Sandra Curry.[/quote]


This has been explained on countless occasions but for those that didn't quite grasp it - we ALL new about "Flow's" brother having epilepsy. As JK assured us it wasn't in the breed and as at that time there were several cases connected to a new ingredient in Frontline - which was affected dogs worldwide - it was assumed by everyone that this was the cause in that instance. We had no more cases down that particular line for four years. So, at the time "Flow" had her first litter we didn't know about it, nor at the time that on JKs recommendation "Flow" went to Carmen (who knew about her colour, her curly tail and floppy ear and could have turned her down when I took "Flow" for them to see).

As Carmen has said - her dogs from "Flow" appear to be fit and healthy - as "carriers do" - but everyone on here had a lot to say when Marie had a litter from "Breeze" ("Flow's" daughter) but "Breeze" was already in pup before we got notification of a second case of epilepsy in that line. So, we didn't know at that time - BUT the cases were well known by the time Carmen used "Flow's" son (who could possibly be a carrier) on a bitch from Shadowland's - a line which is also known to carry epilepsy and has been well publicised) - but this didn't prevent Carmen from KNOWINGLY putting two carriers together - yet nothing is said about that.

Now, I just want to make it clear that my post regaring the litter beging registered with TIDA was NOT meant as a dig at Carmen - but at TIDA for registering the litter and advertising the pups for sale at £750 each, when TIDA advised Marie to give her pups away, when they were less likely to produce an affected than Carmen's litter.

Epilepsy is unlike many genetic diseases - and indeed there are lots of causes other than genetic - and it isn't fully understood how it is carried. It can skip several generations before appearing - why which time many more pups would have been born that are carriers. Epilepsy is carried on about 3 out of a possible 15 'markers' - so it can go unnoticed for many generations until some unfortunate breeder happens to put an unknown carrier to an equally unknown carrier male who happens to have the same genetic 'markers'.

There are many breeders out there with dogs that are carriers - there are also many pet dogs too and they will appear normal - it is just a lottery as to who will put two carriers together. Not knowing the carriers are there is one thing - but for someone like JK to be in the breed since its outset and knowing where these affected dogs are but telling everyone it isn't in the breed is a crime - it affects individual dogs, owners and breeders as well as the breed itself!

Unless you have witnessed your own beloved pet suddenly turn into a completely different animal when having a fit - you can't imagine how horrifiying and upsetting this is. I don't want to be breeding dogs like this and since the pedigrees of the dogs are such crap and the breed is dangerously inbred (its inbreeding which causes the genes to mutate and cause health issues such as epilepsy) that I am not going to be breeding any more NI x NI - the breed has to be outcrossed to totally unrelated dogs to be safe. As it stands, the NI as a breed does not have sufficient genetic diversity to have a viable future - and I have that in writing from Jeff Sampson himself.


:D