THE MINIATURE BULL TERRIER TELL-A-GRAM

ISSUE #3 (AND INSERT)

HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY ITS EDITOR: JO TURLEY

AND IS PRODUCED ON THE NET BY : Compu-tecture

THE NET ADDRESS IS:

http://geocities.datacellar.net/Heartland/Prairie/4111

OUR MAILING ADDRESS IS: THE MBTT c/o JO TURLEY

BOX # 4 SITE # 2 RR # 1 PRIDDIS ALBERTA CANADA TOL IWO

The MBTT is a readers’ newsletter - your opinions are welcome, but if you aren’t trying to make a difference, don’t belittle the efforts of those who are…

Many individuals spent more money than they could comfortably afford to help the MBTT # 3 with production, phone calls, postage, etcetera. I hope I have sufficiently thanked them all…

Any photos submitted must be of good reproductive quality. Return of photos will be done with your next issue, not by separate cover. The MBTT is conscious of expenses since it runs on the donations of mini fanciers.

Why read yet another breed newsletter anyway???

"…looked in at the web site (for the MBTT) and for the first time in a long, long time felt I had entered the world of bull terriers where somebody knew something about medicine and genetics. Whoever Jo Turley is, she should be commended…"

- JEFF EVERITT, DVM, USA

THE MBT TELL-AGRAM ISSUE # 3 AUG/SEPT/97

WE'RE BACK ALREADY. IT HAS BEEN A HECTIC INTERVAL (LIKE PREPARING FOR THREADFALL, FOR THOSE WHO READ ANNE MCCAFFREY). THOUGH EVEN MORE COPIES OF THE MBTT WENT OUT ON THE LL ISSUE, YET EVEN MORE REQUESTS CAME IN. OUR NET ADDRESS IS: http://geocities.datacellar.net/Heartland/Prairie/4111 (*issues 1,2, & 3 available now.)

Since the 2nd issue went public, we've collected about 33 new LL cases - for a staggering number of 60- plus LL carrier parents (of course, some of those parents are the same but I haven't computed that yet in any readable format). Also, suffice to say, of those new cases only a handful of caring, responsible breeders/owners have allowed me to publish the names on the only acknowledged LL list for North America. I am going to vary the MBTT layout here, to make the following a front page exposure - from the 1989 issue of ALB in an article titled: A COMMENTARY ON THE MINIATURE BT OF 1986, by Mrs.Barbara Clark, GRANDOPERA MBTs. -

QUOTES FROM THE PAST...

"Sadly, the breed has a problem - lens luxation- which can lead to blindness quite early in life. It is not new, having been in the breed for as long as anyone can remember...the ruling of the Miniature Bull Terrier Club, and approved by the Kennel Club, is that no animal suffering from LL may be bred from nor may its parents or progeny....The problem needs to be kept in perspective; most MBT breeders have never seen a case of LL. The MBTC issues lists of proven carriers to its members...if the rules are adhered to as the breed club insists, matters should only improve..."

SADLY, the rules cannot have been adhered to since 1986, and the breeders of 1997 are suffering the fallout. The MBT clubs of other countries appear not to have insisted on like rules, and the most obvious means of reducing the number of affected animals produced(BREEDING ONLY DOGS 4+ YEARS OF AGE) was not mentioned or practiced - too many dogs were used too young for LL to have presented itself - and there must also have been little or no control over the age of breeding of the sold-on progeny.

from the ALB 1990 spring issue: President's message:

"This issue of ALB includes the British Club's list of LL cases.

This is being published to give you information for your breeding program...Please familiarize yourself with pedigrees and with the minis that have produced LL. There are undoubtedly many others that do not appear on the list but every scrap of information helps us make more informed decisions about breeding..."

Since 1990, the ALB published the LL list once. The list remained virtually unchanged in content. The Miniature Bull Terrier Club of America, while applauding and poring over the British Club's LL list, did not appear to recognize the value OR NEED of establishing a North American LL list to help the North American breeders cope with, and control, the escalation of LL cases.

THE MINIATURE BULL TERRIER TELL-AGRAM does recognize the value AND NEED of an open registry and has therefore established one for breeders and owners. Starting with 3 names in the 2nd MBTT issue, we've added some more for this 3rd issue.

Hope to see you there is not, obviously, the most tactful phrase to use - but, if you own or have bred a luxating minibull, please support the LL list for the sake of others.The MBTT thanks those concerned for this issue's newcomers to the LL list - probably the most select club in NA breed history!

DO YOU THINK YOU WILL BE OSTRACIZED IF YOU ADD TO THE LL LIST?
JOIN THE CLUB!

ACTUALLY, BY ADDING YOUR DOG'S NAME TO THE MBTT LL LIST, YOU ARE DOING SEVERAL THINGS: YOU ARE MAKING THE MINI PUBLIC AWARE THAT LL DOES EXIST; YOU ARE RECOGNIZING THE BENEFITS TO BREED IMPROVEMENT OF AN OPEN POLICY ON INHERITED DEFECTS; AND NOT LEAST, YOU ARE SUPPORTING THE SAME STAND TAKEN BY SOME OF THE EARLIEST MINI BREEDERS BACK IN THE UK, WHEN A HANDFUL OF BRAVE FANCIERS BROUGHT LL TO OUR ATTENTION - ALONG WITH A VIABLE, IF NOT COMPLETE, PLAN OF CONTROL.

WHILE IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE AN IMPARTIAL COLLECTOR OF NAMES OF AFFECTED DOGS FOR ANY PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EVENTUALLY HELP MEMBERS COPE WITH THEIR BREED DISASTERS, IT'S A FACT THAT IMPARTIAL PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE THE DEVOTION, DEDICATION, ENERGY OR SENSE OF URGENCY THAT THIS PARTICULAR DISASTER (AND I DO NOT USE THE WORD LIGHTLY) NEEDS. THE NEXT BEST THING IS AN OPEN REGISTRY - TELLING IT "UP FRONT" ELIMINATES ANY NEED TO TALK BEHIND BACKS, SPREAD RUMOUR, OR MALICIOUSLY GOSSIP.

THE HON.DAVID MERRIAM, BREEDER JUDGE OF STANDARD BULLIES, WRITES THE MBTT:

DEAR JO,

THANK YOU FOR SENDING ME THE JULY ISSUE OF THE TELL-AGRAM. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR AGGRESSIVE APPROACH TO THE CRITICAL EYE AND HEART CONDITIONS IN MBTs. THE PROBLEMS ARE SO PERVASIVE THAT COMPLETE HONESTY AND A FEW PEOPLE YELLING AT THE TOP OF THEIR LUNGS ARE BOTH IN ORDER. I WISH YOU SUCCESS AND HAVE ENCLOSED A CHECK TO COVER SOME OF YOUR YELLING EXPENSES.

RESPECTFULLY,

DAVE

WHEN I MADE THE REQUEST THAT YOU GET YOUR DOGS' IOP NUMBERS, I ASSUMED THAT A) YOUR OPTHAMOLOGIST WOULD BE USING A STATE OF THE ART TONOMETER, AND B) THAT THERE WAS NO EXTRA CHARGE FOR THIS.

IF A DIFFERENT PRESSURE DIAGNOSING INSTRUMENT IS USED, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHICH ONE (OF 3); ABOUT THE EXTRA CHARGE, THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO EXCEPT BE THANKFUL THAT MY OWN VET DOES IT AS PART OF THE ROUTINE EXAM, AND THAT AS A BREEDER WORKING ON AN INHERITED PROBLEM, I GET A COST ADJUSTMENT THAT MAKES TESTING MULTIPLE DOGS A REALITY, NOT A NIGHTMARE.

IN THIS 3RD ISSUE, YOU WILL SEE THAT A FEW MORE BREEDERS/OWNERS ARE TAKING NECESSARY STEPS TO ENSURE A BETTER WORLD FOR MINIS. I THANK THEM, AND YOU SHOULD THANK THEM, FOR THEIR COURAGE AND INTEGRITY. EVERY LITTER FROM AFFECTED AND/OR CARRIER PARENTS THAT CAN BE AVOIDED BY JUST KNOWING A FEW MORE NAMES IS A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH. THINK ABOUT IT: EVERY LUXATING DOG HAS, AT BEST, TWO CARRIER PARENTS; EVERY CARRIER PARENT HAS THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE MORE CARRIERS AND AFFECTED OFFSPRING, DEPENDING ON THE STATUS OF HIS MATE. EVERY LUXATING DOG CAN PRODUCE ONLY CARRIER AND AFFECTED OFFSPRING.( THIS STATEMENT BASED ON LL BEING AN AUTOSOMAL RECESSIVE UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE)

THE ORIGINAL UK LL LIST IS BACK - COMPLETE WITH TITLES AND DOB'S.
THE MBTT LL LIST IS ARRANGED IN THE SAME FORMAT BY POPULAR REQUEST

AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT INHERITANCE AND LL

A MINI PRIMER

INHERITED DEFECTS OF AN AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT NATURE CAN BE PASSED ON BY EITHER PARENT. AN ANIMAL WITH TWO COPIES OF THE BAD GENE (REFERRED TO AS HOMOZYGOTE) IS MORE SEVERELY AFFECTED THAN THE ANIMAL WITH ONLY ONE COPY OF THE GENE (THE HETEROZYGOTE).

THE HOMOZYGOTE PARENT (TWO COPIES OF THE BAD GENE) ALWAYS PRODUCES AFFECTED OFFSPRING - REGARDLESS IF THE OTHER PARENT IS NORMAL.

THE HETEROZYGOTE (ONE COPY OF THE BAD GENE) PARENT BRED TO ANOTHER HETEROZYGOTE PRODUCES ABOUT 75% AFFECTED OFFSPRING;

AND 1 IN 3 OF THOSE WILL BE HOMOZYGOTES (TWO COPIES OF THE BAD GENE) THEMSELVES.

THE HETEROZYGOTE (ONE BAD COPY) BRED TO A NORMAL ANIMAL HAS A 50/50 CHANCE OF PRODUCING AFFECTED OFFSPRING.

TWO NORMAL ANIMALS WILL PRODUCE NO AFFECTED OFFSPRING.

WITHOUT GENE MARKING,THE MINIATURE BULL TERRIER BREEDER CANNOT ASSUME ANY ANIMAL IS NORMAL AS REGARDS LENS LUXATION. WITH SOME OF OUR MINIS PRESENTING WITH ONLY THE BEGINNING SIGNS OF LL AS LATE AS 8 YEARS OF AGE, WE COULD ASSUME THEY, AND EVEN OLDER NON-PRESENTERS, ARE LESS AFFECTED HETEROZYGOTES - IF LL IS DOMINANT BY NATURE.

IF LL IS CAUSED BY AN AUTOSOMAL RECESSIVE, ALL PROGENY OF AN AFFECTED ANIMAL ARE "CARRIERS", REGARDLESS IF THE OTHER PARENT IS NORMAL.

IF LL IS CAUSED BY AN AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT, ANIMALS ARE AFFECTED OR NOT AFFECTED. OF THE AFFECTED, SOME ARE MORE SEVERELY AFFECTED THAN OTHERS; AND ONLY NORMAL TO NORMAL (A STATUS AS YET TO BE MADE OBVIOUS) PARENTS WILL PRODUCE 100% NORMAL OFFSPRING.

THE MBTT LENS LUXATION LIST FOR NORTH AMERICA

UPDATED FOR SEPTEMBER 1997 * 23 DECLARED ( OF 33 KNOWN ) AFFECTED *

until we can separate the sheep from the 'gotes', we're in trouble...- ed.

FROM BLACK MAGIC TO TRAGIC MAGIC

THIS IS MAGIC'S STORY - SHORT AND SAD. WE HOPE HER GRAND-DAUGHTER'S STORY WILL BE LONG AND HAPPY.

CH.HOBBIT HILL'S BLACK MAGIC CAME TO ME VIA PLANE WHEN SHE WAS ALREADY AN ESTABLISHED BROOD BITCH, HER SHOW CAREER BEHIND HER. SHE CAME WITH GREAT HEALTH CREDENTIALS AS PROVEN BY THE CURRENT TESTS AVAILABLE. SHE ACTUALLY CAME TO BE BRED, BUT ARRIVED IN SUCH A STATE OF TRAVEL FATIGUE AND PHYSICAL STRESS, I NEVER WANTED TO FORCE HER TO FLY AGAIN. TO THAT END I CAJOLED HER OWNER TO LET ME KEEP HER AND ADD HER TO MY BREEDING PROGRAM.

HARD TO TELL WHO GOT THE SHORT END OF THAT STICK! I GOT MAGIC AND HER PUPPIES, AND PEGGY MORANG, HER EX-OWNER, GOT TWO YOUNG BITCHES FROM ME. MAGIC BECAME THE FIRST LENS LUXATING MINIBULL I'D FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE OF, MEANING ALL HER OFFSPRING WERE CARRIERS (ASSUMING AN AUTOSOMAL RECESSIVE GENE PATTERN OF INHERITANCE).WHEN WE RUSHED TO TEST ALL OUR BREEDING STOCK, WE FOUND OUR MAJOR DISTAFF PRODUCER, AM.CH.BULWARK MINIKIN SHORT STORY, WAS IN THE SUBLUXATION STAGE - MEANING PEGGY'S BITCH WAS FROM A CARRIER DAM.(ADD THAT TO HER OTHER BITCH PUPPY HAVING A HEREDITARY,IF MILD,HEART DEFECT)...

WHEN MAGIC LUXATED, IT WAS ABRUPTLY AND ACUTELY - NO TIME TO WASTE. IT WAS SHEER GOOD LUCK THAT A WEEKEND EYE CLINIC WAS BEING HELD BY OUR LOCAL KENNEL CLUB - MAGIC WAS ALLOWED TO COME IN AS AN EMERGENCY CASE.THE HEAD OF OPTHAMOLOGY AT THE PROVINCIAL VETERINARY UNIVERSITY, WAS IN ATTENDANCE. HE DIAGNOSED HER LENS LUXATION AND SUBLUXATION AND GAVE ME SOME ADVICE ABOUT HER PROGNOSIS AND OPTIONS.

FOR MAGIC,THE PROGNOSIS WAS POOR (50% CHANCE OF SUCCESS WITH LIMITED VISION),BUT EVEN WORSE, OPTIONS FOR THE IMMEDIATE SURGERY SHE NEEDED SEEMED NIL. DR. GRAHN WAS HIMSELF OFF THAT EVENING FOR HIS ANNUAL HOLIDAYS, AND THOUGHT THE ONLY OTHER QUALIFIED SURGEON, A THOUSAND KM AWAY, WAS ALSO ON HOLIDAY.

TO OBTAIN SURGERY, MAGIC WOULD HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED FOR A WEEK OR LONGER ON MEDICATIONS AND PAIN RELIEVERS. SHE WOULD HAVE TO BE SHIPPED,VULNERABLY HANDICAPPED AND TOTALLY STRESSED,TO A STRANGE PLACE AND HANDLED BY STRANGERS.THEN,PERHAPS BLIND, AND STILL STRESSED, SHIPPED HOME TO A LIFE OF QUESTIONABLE VISUAL QUALITY.

UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES,WITH MAGIC ALREADY VISIBLY TRAUMATIZED BY THE DRIVE TO TOWN AND THE TESTING,AND THE DRIVE HOME, I DECIDED TO HAVE HER EUTHANIZED. UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES,WITH A BETTER PROGNOSIS,I WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED OTHER OPTIONS.THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY OF DOING THE HUMANE THING.

THOSE OWNERS/BREEDERS WHO ARE DIRECTLY FACED WITH MAKING THESE ON-THE-SPOT DECISIONS ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO REALLY KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL DOG. NO ONE ELSE HAS THE RIGHT OR KNOWLEDGE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THAT DECISION.THE DOG ITSELF DOES NOT KNOW THE SLEEP IS FINAL; BUT A DOG MAY WELL KNOW THAT LIFE ISN'T WHAT IT SHOULD OR USED TO BE - AND THAT DOG MAY SUFFER BECAUSE OF IT. AS ONE BREEDER/OWNER OF AN AFFECTED DOG SAID TO ME - WHEN YOU KNOW THERE WILL BE MORE AFFECTED DOGS IN YOUR OWN KENNEL, YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHO ..."GETS TO WEAR SHOES AND WHO DOESN'T".

WE WERE PROUD OF MAGIC, AND LOVED HER - NOT, PERHAPS, WITH THE DEEP-BONDED LOVE OF THOSE WHO GET THEIR DOG AS A PUPPY - BUT CERTAINLY WITH THE LOVE THAT ENSURES GOOD DAILY CARE AND PROMISES COMFORT AND CURE. THERE WAS NO VIABLE CURE FOR MAGIC, BUT WE BROUGHT HER COMFORT AS QUICKLY AS WE COULD.

NOW THERE'S THE MAGIC CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. THEIR OWNERS ALL KNOW THEY ARE EXTREMELY HIGH RISK FOR LENS LUXATION, BEING FROM AN AFFECTED DAM AND A CARRIER SIRE. TESTING HAS BEEN DONE AND WILL CONTINUE YEARLY OR OFTENER.

ON THE DAY MAGIC WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LL, I FILLED IN HER GRAND-DAUGHTER'S REGISTRATION FORM. I WANTED A NAME TO REMIND ME FOREVER OF MAGIC, BREED DEFECTS, AND MY AND OTHER BREEDERS' RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS PRODUCING HEALTHY DOGS. I REGISTERED THE PUPPY AS BULWARK MINIKIN'S TRAGIC MAGIC - AND MAY IT BE IN OUR FACES EVERY DAY THAT WE OWE THIS BREED A SOLUTION TO HEREDITARY DEFECTS.

/JO TURLEY

OBJECTS OF THE MINIATURE BULL TERRIER CLUB OF AMERICA

a) To encourage and promote the intelligent breeding of purebred Miniature Bull Terriers...

d) To do all in its power to protect and advance the interests of the breed...

f) To promote the general welfare of the breed...

g) To promote friendship and cooperation among breeders and exhibitors ...and assist them in every way possible for the benefit of the breed.

h) To aid in securing favorable and just legislation for the health and welfare of the Miniature Bull Terrier.

QUOTES FROM THE PAST

"The Miniature Bull Terrier is a wonderful dog which has the right to a normal sighted life expectancy, if the breeders involved will expend every effort to stamp out lens luxation...the breed has only been in this country for seven years, too short a time to know the scope of the problem. What we do know is that there is not a line in England without it, and we are linebreeding on the fault. Though I wish the breed success, I do not believe it can have it when the parent club chooses to overlook the genetic problems."

Janet Rothard,12/89 *

past president of the MBTCA

* the year Ch.Bulwark Minikin Short Story was born  /  MBTT / LL LIST / NA /97 #1

FOUND IN THE NEWS: EQUINOX # 94 / SEPTEMBER / 1997

EXCERPTS FROM BREEDING DISASTER BY DAVID LEES

" WHAT'S BRED IN YOUR DOG'S BONES? A GROWING NUMBER OF CANINES HARBOUR GENETIC TIME BOMBS.

"WE'VE HAD TO WORK AROUND THE BREEDERS," SAYS O'GRADY (A CANINE CARDIOLOGIST AT GUELPH U.). "MANY OF THEM ARE INTO DENIAL. THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO SAY THEY'VE NEVER HAD DOGS WITH THIS DISEASE. AND I CAN SHOW YOU PEDIGREE AFTER PEDIGREE OF DOGS THAT HAVE IT THAT ARE THE OFFSPRING OF THEIR BREEDING PROGRAMS."

NO ONE REALLY KNOWS THE EXTENT OF GENETIC DISEASE IN PUREBRED DOGS...BUT A SCATTERING OF RELIABLE STUDIES SUCH AS O'GRADY'S SUGGEST IT IS A RAGING EPIDEMIC.

ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM IS CLEARLY LINKED TO LINEBREEDING...BREED CLUBS ...HAVE BEEN SURPRISINGLY INACTIVE...FAR FROM BEING LOUDLY AND PUBLICLY OUTRAGED, THE BREEDERS WHO HAVE ACQUIRED DEFECTIVE PUPS PERCEIVE THEIR SELF-INTEREST IS BEST SERVED BY SILENCE...IT BECOMES UNETHICAL TO TALK ABOUT DEFECTS...BREEDERS WHO ADMIT THEIR DOGS HAVE DEFECTS ARE HOUNDED BY OTHERS...THE STAGE IS SET FOR WHAT BREEDERS DO BEST TO ONE ANOTHER:THEY LIE TO EACH OTHER...OR DO ANYTHING THEY CAN TO AVOID THE FACT THAT THEIR DOG CARRIES A GENE FOR A GIVEN DEFECT.

BRIAN WILCOCK, A VETERINARY PATHOLOGIST, IS ONE OF CANADA'S LEADING EXPERTS ON CANINE GENETIC DISEASE. WILCOCK AND OTHER EXPERTS AGREE THAT THE ONLY SOLUTION TO GENETIC PROBLEMS IS THROUGH FULL DISCLOSURE BY BREEDERS, TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE PUBLIC, OF THE PROBLEMS THEY ARE EXPERIENCING.

WILCOCK SAYS,"THERE'S A TREMENDOUS INTEREST IN GENETIC DISEASE AND THE CLUBS HAVE TAKEN THE POLITICALLY CORRECT POSTURE THAT THEY'RE CONCERNED AND WANT TO GATHER DATA. MY FEAR IS THAT IT'S NOT AN EFFECTIVE CONCERN AND THAT NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED. GIVEN A CHOICE BETWEEN BREEDING DOGS THAT ARE FREE OF GENETIC DISEASE OR DOGS THAT WIN...I THINK BREEDERS ARE STILL CHOOSING THE DOGS THAT WIN.

IN SWEDEN, THE CANINE HEALTH REGISTRY IS COMPLETELY OPEN, IN THAT IT PROVIDES FULL DISCLOSURE ABOUT ANY DOG TO WHOMEVER WANTS TO KNOW.

THE SWEDISH KENNEL CLUB WILL NOT CERTIFY THE PUREBRED LINEAGE OF A DOG UNTIL IT IS CROSS-REGISTERED FOR ITS HEALTH.

THE KEY TO SUCH A REGISTRY WOULD BE TO PROVIDE STATUS REPORTS ON THE HEALTH OF A DOG'S SIBLINGS."

THE FULL ARTICLE IS VERY INTERESTING READING.THE MBTT SUGGESTS YOU GET A COPY FOR YOURSELF FROM ANY MAJOR MAGAZINE OUTLET.

AS CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME, SO TOO, DOES CLEANING UP OUR ACT. OUR CLEANING TOOLS ARE CURRENT TESTS, GOOD RECORD-KEEPING, OPEN MINDS, RESPECT AND SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO ARE TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE - AND NOT LEAST, A CLUB WHICH PROMOTES THE BREED'S GOOD GENETIC HEALTH AS A PRIORITY, NOT A 'POLITICALLY CORRECT POSTURE'...

++++++++++++++IN MEMORIUM++++++++++++++

PAPERMOON'S ZAT'S CONTESSA

(ZEDBEE'S ZATELLITE X ALABOUCHE SUMMER QUEEN)

CH. LUVABULL'S SCARLET O'SARA

(CH.HOBBIT HILLS RALPH AND READY X ROVER RUN BONSAI BUFFY)

HOBBIT HILL'S SUGAR PLUM

(CH.DARBYBFAIR'S FIRECRACKER X HOBBIT HILL'S EBONY ICE)

++++++++++++++ SUBMITTED BY MARION STRODTBECK ++++++++++++++

THE MBTT’S POSTER SIRE: CH. RYATTI’S YENSID OF REGENCY

HE’S CUTE, HE’S CLEVER, HE’S

A CARRIER OF LENS LUXATION.

"RICHARD" IS TESTED NORMAL

FOR PATELLAS, KIDNEY, BAER;

AND AS OF AUGUST/97, HE HAS

UPDATED, NORMAL RESULTS

FOR HEART(SPECTRAL DOPPLER)

AND EYES (PRESSURES ALSO).

HE IS OWNED AND LOVED BY

PRISCILLA DAVID & PATTI HOLT

OF CALIFORNIA, USA.

"RICHARD" WILL BE SIX YEARS

YOUNG THIS OCTOBER.

*************************************************************************************

MBTC (UK) REGISTER OF DOGS AFFECTED WITH PRIMARY LENS LUXATION (PAGE 1)

_______________________________________________________________________________________

__D.O.B. __________NAME (PLL)____________________PARENTS (CARRIERS)__________________________

THE MBTT HAS PUT THE NAMES OF "CARRIER" MBTs WHO WENT ON TO BE "AFFECTED" MBTs IN BOLD TYPE. ALSO, THOSE AFFECTED DOGS WITH MULTIPLE AFFECTED SIBLINGS HAVE THEIR NAMES IN ITALICS....REMEMBER - WHEN PLL STRIKES, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT OTHER LITTERMATES WILL HAVE THE SAME DEFECT. THIS IS TRUE OF BOTH DOMINANT & RECESSIVE INHERITANCE PATTERNS.
IF ANY OF OUR OVERSEAS READERS HAVE NAMES THEY WOULD LIKE US TO ADD TO OUR LIST, PLEASE USE THE FORM PROVIDED IN THIS ISSUE.

Zonule deterioration, tilting or wobbling lens (from zonule fracture), and subluxation are all cases of lens luxation "in progress". That some cases take longer than others does not mean that the dog has a greater or lesser degree of the defect, or that the offspring will also have later or earlier presentation.

In the next year, as many of our oldest minibulls as possible should be tested; those test results can be sent to the MBTT in order to help breeders assess their pedigrees for LL risk factors.

Please also send us your stories regarding life (or death) with LL. Things to consider: was surgery an option? Did the dog benefit? Any personality changes? Would you do it again? Would you buy an untested dog next time? Did your breeder support you? Shun you? Encourage you? Offer recompense? Did your spouse/significant other support you etc.?

Mini owners need to come to terms with what is happening, or going to happen, to their minibulls whose parents make them high risk for this devastating eye disease. Your comments may make a difference to their approach - and that approach may make all the difference to their minis.

Sue was informed her 1 year old mini bitch is very high risk for LL, with an affected dam and carrier sire. Sue has, in just a few months, saved enough for an eye operation for her. Sue thought the Tell-agram#2 was pretty scary, but was motivated to test, & keep testing.

Our opthamologist (K9) agrees with our self-imposed breeding moratorium with our minis; he did, however, say of "Roxy" - "you should be safe with this one." "Yes", we replied, "except she has aortic stenosis".

One of our English correspondents felt that the quality of life for her young luxated dog was such that euthanasia was the only alternative. It is unfortunate that when someone has to resort to this heartbreaking solution, other people talk about it as "the easy, unfeeling way out" .

The mini bull breeder is between a rock and a hard place in 1997 and for the next half-decade at least. Both breeder and buyer need to cooperate in order to facilitate a program of recovery for our breed's future. The MBTT is your newsletter info-source.

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE FANCY FROM SUSAN TAYLOR, NEW JERSEY

DEAR MINIATURE BULL TERRIER LOVERS,

I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO TELL ALL OF YOU ABOUT MY CHAMPION ELIZABETH (I REFUSE TO MENTION HER KENNEL NAME AS I HOPE TO NEVER HEAR OF IT AGAIN!).
AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, ELIZABETH HAD BEEN SHOWN EXTENSIVELY AND DID VERY WELL. A BEAUTIFUL, HAPPY, SWEET MINI. AS THE OWNER OF A GOOD BITCH, I BELIEVED IN DOING ALL THE HEALTH CLEARANCES. ELIZABETH HAD BEEN HEART CLEARED AND CERFed. ETC.
JUST BEFORE I WAS READY TO TO SEND HER TO BE BRED, I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL TELLING ME THAT A DOG FROM THE SAME BREEDER HAD JUST LENS LUXATED. I THEN CALLED TO FIND OUT IF ELIZABETH'S SIRE HAD ANY LENS PROBLEMS. THE OWNER OF HER SIRE WAS VERY NICE AND TOLD ME THAT HE DID NOT. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE BREEDER OF ELIZABETH, TO TELL ME THAT HER DAM HAD LUXATED TWO YEARS PRIOR! (I GUESS IT TOOK HER TWO YEARS TO FIND MY PHONE NUMBER.) NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS SHOCKED. I CALLED TO GET AN EMERGENCY APPOINTMENT WITH AN OPTHAMOLOGIST - THE RESULTS WERE DEVASTATING! ELIZABETH WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY LUXATED IN HER LEFT EYE AND WAS STARTING IN HER RIGHT EYE (KEEP IN MIND, SHE HAD BEEN CERFED ONLY 8 MONTHS BEFORE).
ELIZABETH IS ONLY FOUR AND ONE HALF YEARS OLD - NOT EVEN HALF HER LIFE HAS GONE BY.
THE FOLLOW-UP A MONTH LATER SHOWED SHE WAS PROGRESSING RAPIDLY, AND THE PROGNOSIS WAS THAT SHE COULD LUXATE AT ANY TIME. THIS PARTICULAR OPTHAMOLOGIST WANTED TO WAIT TILL SHE HAD LUXATED, AND THEN DO EMERGENCY SURGERY. I DECIDED TO GO FOR ANOTHER OPINION. THE SECOND OPINION WAS THAT SURGERY SHOULD BE DONE ON BOTH EYES BEFORE SHE LUXATED. THE PROGNOSIS FOR THIS TYPE OF SURGERY IS THEN 90% SUCCESS; ONCE THE DOG HAS LUXATED, IT DROPS TO 60-70% SUCCESS RATE. I HAD TO MAKE SOME SERIOUS DECISIONS, AND MY CHOICE WAS TO DO THE SURGERY BEFORE ELIZABETH LUXATED.
WELL, HERE WE ARE. ELIZABETH HAD HER SURGERY ON AUGUST 5TH/97, STAYING ONLY FOR THE DAY. TODAY, AUGUST 9TH, SHE IS SITTING NEXT TO ME ALIVE AND HAPPY. SHE WEARS A SURGICAL COLLAR, AND YES, THE CARE IS TEDIOUS; SHE GETS LOTS OF DROPS IN HER EYES, AND PILLS. HER VISION IS GETTING BETTER EVERY DAY. SHE CAN WALK AROUND THE HOUSE WITH NO PROBLEM. SHE GOES OUTSIDE, DOWN 5 STEPS & BACK UP WITH TOTAL CONFIDENCE.
I KNOW I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION AND THAT THE SURGERY HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. THE DOCTOR TOLD ME HER VISION WILL NOT BE AS GOOD WITH CLOSE OBJECTS, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, SHE WILL BE FINE.
I WANT TO TELL ALL OF YOU TO PLEASE GIVE YOUR DOGS THE CHANCE TO LIVE OUT THEIR LIVES SHOULD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM. ELIZABETH DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING; SHE IS AS HAPPY TODAY AS SHE WAS BEFORE HER SURGERY. THIS IS A WONDERFUL, BIG-HEARTED BREED, AND DESERVES EVERY CHANCE TO STAY ON THIS EARTH.
YOU MAY SAY IT IS EXPENSIVE (I SPENT $2,100 FOR SURGERY), YOU MAY SAY IT IS TIME-CONSUMING, (BUT HOW MANY OF YOU BREEDERS SLEEP BY YOUR WHELPING BOXES JUST TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T LOSE A VALUABLE PUPPY!), BUT DON'T YOU OWE IT TO THEM?

PS. MY CHAMPION WINSTON ALSO HAS AN EYE PROBLEM, AND MY FRIEND'S DOG HAS SEVERE AORTIC STENOSIS - THEY ARE FROM THE SAME BREEDER. WHEN I CONTACTED THIS BREEDER ABOUT FINANCIAL HELP, THE ANSWER WAS PLAIN AND SIMPLE - "I'M NOT REFUNDING YOU ANYTHING." I HAVE BEEN SHOWING DOGS FOR 27 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER COME ACROSS SUCH A PERSON BEFORE! I TOLD HER, AND I TELL YOU..."SHE IS A DISGRACE TO THE SPORT OF DOGS AND HAS TOTAL DISREGARD FOR THE MINIATURE BULL TERRIER."

QUOTES FROM THE PAST

FROM THE BULL TERRIER QUARTERLY/FALL/1994/ MINI THOUGHTS/ DONLY CHORN

THE MODE OF INHERITANCE FOR LENS LUXATION HAS BEEN ASSUMED TO BE RECESSIVE. FROM LOOKING AT PEDIGREES AND TALKING TO PEOPLE, I WONDER INCREASINGLY IF IT IS NOT A DOMINANT WITH INCOMPLETE PENETRANCE. IT COMES DOWN STRONGLY THROUGH CERTAIN STUD LINES: FATHER - SON - GRANDSON. WE HAD THOUGHT THAT THEY CARRIED A RECESSIVE GENE THAT PAIRED WITH A RECESSIVE CARRIED BY THE BITCH. THEY MAY HAVE CARRIED A DOMINANT GENE THAT WAS PASSED TO HALF THEIR OFFSPRING WITH NOT ALL DOGS WITH THE GENE DEVELOPING LENS LUXATION. MANY STUD DOGS THAT PRODUCED LENS LUXATION HAVE DIED YOUNG OR DISAPPEARED FROM SIGHT UNDER SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. THEIR OWNERS MAY HAVE WISHED TO HIDE THE FACT THAT THEY LUXATED FROM PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE...NOT UNTIL BREEDERS ARE OPEN ABOUT EYE PROBLEMS IN THEIR LINES - AND OTHER BREEDERS ALLOW THEM TO BE OPEN BY NOT OVERREACTING - CAN WE DETERMINE THE INHERITANCE OF LENS LUXATION/GLAUCOMA."

THE MBTT IS ENCOURAGING, BY ESTABLISHING THE FIRST ACKNOWLEDGED NORTH AMERICAN LENS LUXATION LIST, OPEN DISCUSSION OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS BREED PROBLEM TODAY. MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION COULD HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE YEARS AGO - ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR SO MUCH DAMAGE CONTROL NOW, AND IN THE FUTURE. SUPPORT YOUR N.A.LIST!

HANDSOME IS AS HANDSOME DOES: AM/CDN CH BULWARK MINIKIN MORGAN TDI, CGC, OF XTINE KENNELS, SHOWN BY OWNER CHRISTINE BURTON, TOOK A GROUP 4TH AT THE AUGUST/97 ALBERTA KENNEL CLUB WEEKEND SHOW UNDER JUDGE: MARGRETTA PATTERSON. THAT'S HANDSOME! THEN HE DONATED HIS CASH PRIZE TO THE MBTT TO HELP IT CONTINUE ITS EDUCATIONAL CONCERNS. THAT'S REALLY HANDSOME! "PILATE" IS BAER, HEART, AND EYE NORMAL TO DATE.

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THE MBTT WOULD LIKE TO THANK

MELISSA SCHUSTER FOR POSTAGE MONEY, HER FUNNY PHOTO, AND THE FOLLOWING WORDS: "AS A PET OWNER I AM MORE INTERESTED IN HEALTH ISSUES THAN SHOW RESULTS; THANKS FOR PUBLISHING NAMES OF CARRIERS OF LL - MY BOYS HAVE THESE DOGS IN THEIR PEDIGREES, SO NOW I KNOW TO BE CAREFUL...PS. I FOUND THE POSTER PUPPY PICTURE SO SAD - IT PUT A FACE ON LENS LUXATION."

THANKS ALSO TO OUR VETERINARIAN, DR. JOFFE, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO PUT SAS INTO TERMS WE CAN UNDERSTAND QUICKLY, YET PROPERLY.

SPECIAL THANKS TO BARB & ED FOR GETTING THE MBTT ON THE NET, AND MARK MORIARTY FOR SCANNING THE PHOTOS & CARTOONS.

THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE SUPPORTED THE PRODUCTION OF ISSUE #3: LISA BOWERS, ANANDA MBTs, WHO WROTE : "I HURT FOR THE BREED AND THOSE PEOPLE AND DOGS WHO UNKNOWINGLY HAVE BEEN HURT...I DO HOPE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER WITH GOOD ATTITUDE AND PLANNING TO SAVE THE BEST IN OUR BREED."

MELISSA WILKINS, BLACKSTONE MBTs, WHO WROTE: AN INTERESTING ARTICLE FOR YOUR NEWSLETTER MIGHT BE ONE ON WHAT IS ETHICALLY CORRECT FOR BREEDERS TO DO WHEN WE UNKNOWINGLY BREED AFFECTED DOGS...KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK."

BETTY WILKINSON-KAM, WHO WROTE: I JUST RECEIVED THE 2ND ISSUE OF YOUR MBTT. TERRIFIC! IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS LONG OVERDUE AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL BENEFIT OUR MBTs. Aloha."

KAMALA DOLPHIN-KINGSLEY, PUNCHLINE MBTs, "THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK; I ALSO HAVE FOR A WHILE FELT THAT THE DOGS SHOULDN'T BE BRED TILL 4 YEARS OLD, TO ALLOW MORE INFO TO COME OUT. PUBLISHING THE AFFECTED LL LIST IS, WHILE DEPRESSING, ALSO VERY HELPFUL & A REAL WAKE-UP CALL."

PENNY SANDS, KRAKENEXIS MBTs, UK, "MANY THANKS FOR THE MBTT. INTERESTING TO SEE TWO LL CASES FROM CANADA, BUT WHERE ARE THE DOCUMENTED AMERICAN ONES LISTED? THEY MUST BE OUT THERE SOMEWHERE, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!"

SANDY KIEVER, "WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS GREAT!! WE ALL NEED TO GET THESE PROBLEMS IN CHECK."

MARGARET BURGOINE, BODALLA STUD, AUSTRALIA,"THE MBTT IS A WONDERFUL CONCEPT AND AT LONG LAST A NEWSLETTER WITH CONTENT. HANG IN THERE!"

IZUMI UDAGAWA, JAPAN, "THANKS FOR THE TELL-AGRAM. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR US THAT WE CAN'T OTHERWISE GET HERE. - THANKS FOR WORKING SO HARD."

OTHER PRODUCTION COSTS WERE MET BY THE FOLLOWING:*BARB & ED, * FOR LOTS OF STAMPS!*MARION STRODTBECK, HOBBIT HILLS MBTs; * SUE & JAMES WINDHAM, BULLRUN BTs & MBTs ,*MARK & WANDA MORIARTY, CASHEL BTs & MBTs,* CHRISTINE BURTON, XTINE BTs & MBTs;*PAT CHESSER, RANPAC BTs ,* WHAT A GREAT HELP YOU'VE ALL BEEN !!! (WATCH FOR YOUR RECEIPTS ENCLOSED IN THIS ISSUE.)

THE MBTT THANKS JUDGE DAVID MERRIAM FOR HIS GENEROUS MONETARY AND MORAL SUPPORT - THE 4TH ISSUE IS WELL PROVIDED FOR WITH HIS HELP.

There are many different approaches to eye treatment today. Get a 2nd or 3rd opinion if you wish. For this description of a modern method of managing glaucoma, the MBTT thanks Dr. Richard Christmas DVM

DIODE LASER THERAPY FOR GLAUCOMA

What are the advantages of preventative laser treatment? In a dog blind in one eye and sighted in the other and which is predisposed to glaucoma in the healthy eye, then it is done in an attempt to prevent glaucoma from blinding that eye. The alternative is to keep the dog on preventative medication in drop and tablet forms. The disadvantage of this medical form of therapy is not only the cost but also the fact that most dogs eventually are blinded by glaucoma in the healthy eye in spite of the medicine.

Can your dog stop medical treatment after laser treatment? Some dogs which have consistently low pressures following laser therapy may come off medication but it is probably safer to keep the dog on some medicines indefinitely. We try to maintain those patients which require additional medical treatment on just eye drops, which are less expensive than the tablets.

How does the treatment work? The patient is anesthetized and the laser probe is placed on the sclera at a measured distance from the cornea and laser energy is delivered to the ciliary body which is the production center of the aqueous humor. From 15 - 40 sites are used around the eye. The purpose is to reduce the amount of aqueous humor produced but at the same time preserving enough cells to provide enough aqueous production to keep the eye healthy. When the treatment is done on a blind eye to reduce intraocular pressure and stop pain, then more energy is delivered to more sites.

What are the chances for success? Diode laser therapy is relatively new so that long term statistics aren't available yet. Nonetheless, the feeling of veterinary opthamologists using this technique is that it is the best choice for preserving vision. It is hard to measure success since we can never be sure when the healthy eye would succumb to glaucoma without treatment. Several respected opthamologists are reporting success rates of 70-80%.

What will it cost for Diode laser therapy? The cost will vary from patient to patient but an average cost is from $500-600. The laser is very expensive technology and it must be done under general anesthesia.

How many treatments will your pet require? We always hope that one treatment will be sufficient, but some patients will require additional laser therapy if the pressures aren't lowered sufficiently by the one treatment.

How safe is the laser therapy for a healthy but predisposed eye? In a dog which is predisposed to glaucoma by breed and the anatomy of the inner drainage angle, then the healthy eye is doomed to blindness eventually. In some dogs the healthy eye may be blinded at any time by a pressure increase. In my opinion the risks of losing vision from relying on medical treatment are far greater than from the laser therapy.

THE MBTT THOUGHT THAT THE ARTICLE "ELIMINATING GENETIC DISEASES IN DOGS": A BUYER'S PERSPECTIVE BY GARY MASON, IS OF SUFFICIENT AND TIMELY INTEREST THAT IT IS WORTH PROVIDING A LINK FOR OUR READERS. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ IT.

SUB AORTIC STENOSIS ---- WHAT IS IT ?

BY DANIEL JOFFE, DVM, DIPLOMAT ABVP

Sub aortic stenosis (SAS) is a disease in which the largest artery leaving the heart (the aorta) is narrower than it should be. The narrowing of the aorta forces the heart to work harder to pump blood through this area. If the narrowing is significant enough the heart is forced to overwork, and heart failure or sudden death can occur. The narrow region of the aorta also causes blood to move faster and in a turbulent fashion- much as when you place your thumb over the end of a garden hose and the water comes out more quickly and squirts all over. This turbulent, and higher velocity blood causes a heart murmur which can be heard with a stethoscope, but the exact velocity of the blood and the severity of the SAS lesion can best be seen by doing an ultrasound of the heart.

The exact genetics of SAS are not completely understood. They have been best studied in the Newfoundland dog. The simplest way to describe the genetics of this disease is that they are not simple or clear cut. What we do know is that two parents affected with SAS can have a litter in which many of the pups have the problem and some don't. Likewise, a breeding of two unaffected parents can produce a litter in which most of the puppies are not affected, but some are. That is, the fact that the parents do not have heart murmurs is not a guarantee that none of the pups will be affected.

The best analogy of this would be in hip dysplasia. A stud and bitch with OFA graded normal hips can produce 20-25% puppies with hip dysplasia. The best way to prevent SAS is to use only confirmed, SAS - free breeding animals. As mentioned, though, this will not ensure that no puppies will be affected, but over several generations the likelihood of pups with SAS will greatly decrease.

In summary, SAS is a serious, life threatening disease in which the aorta is narrower than it should be where it arises from the heart. We do not understand the genetics of the disease 100%, but we do know that by breeding only unaffected animals we will decrease the chance of producing affected puppies.

The MBTT would like to remind breeders that SAS is not the only heart defect threatening our miniatures. In the litter by the doppler-normal parents Am/Cdn.Ch.Bulwark Minikin Marksman and Am.Ch.Gridiron Affairs of the Heart, one of the 4 puppies was diagnosed at 10 weeks with a fatal tricuspid valve defect. This is the third such we've heard of, and all 3 dogs are closely related. As with other heart defects, the severity of presentation varies in each individual but the gene responsible is exactly the same: bad. A big thank you to Lora Eggleston for sharing this with us.

THE MBTT ON THE NET HAS HAD OVER 200 VISITORS IN THE LAST MONTH! Find us at: http://geocities.datacellar.net/Heartland/Prairie/4111

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OUR MBTT FUNNY FOTO FACE IS : GRIDIRON POLAR EXPRESS

ALSO KNOWN AS

THE DIRTY

LAUNDRY

KING!

"SEAN" BELONGS

TO THE SCHUSTERS

OF MEMPHIS,

MISSOURI

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This has been an extremely cathartic MBTT issue for some of the people involved with its production - especially those whose dogs have lens luxated - and also for the breeders of those affected dogs.

It is going to be a very disturbing issue for those readers who have unwittingly bought into defective stock, whether for pet or show; and for those members who have not belonged to the club long enough to have read about ongoing breed problems from twenty years ago.

It is highly unlikely our breed club has had any idea of the extent of LL in N.A., primarily due to the "code of silence" (see: Found in the News/Equinox article); thus, quite literally, we have had a turning of a deaf ear to a blind eye.

The MBTT has provided a medium where outspokenness is a virtue, not a fault. That it may also encourage or provoke the membership into "self-rescue" was not unanticipated. Remember: the membership is the club.

stay with us, the MBTT, for issue#4 - when we address deafness in the breed.

Q/ why does the bull terrier have squinty eyes?

A/ generations of lip-reading.

THE MBTT IS GETTING A STEP CLOSER TO THE EDGE...OF THE PAGE, THAT IS.

However, we don't want to print a newsletter a person can't read. If you, or someone else in your family needs larger print, drop us a line, or call, and let us know. Your next issue will be done in an "easy reading" style.

The MBTT is getting a lot of feedback, and the questionnaire isn't even out yet! Many people are endorsing the "4 year no-breeding" restriction. Several people, though, questioned the point if some of our dogs are showing LL damage as late as 8 years. The MBTT answer to this is that enough dogs are presenting with LL at 2 - 4 years for many affected cases to be removed from breeding programs prior to producing affected litters; also, dogs of 4 years of age may be showing the first signs of LL at a time when their owners are thinking no more testing is needed. If you are a breeder, yourself, how many of your minis were tested yearly once they passed their fourth year? how many luxated later than that? How many litters did those particular luxated dogs produce in their lifetime? How many litters do you wish hadn't been born? The 4 year restriction is only a step in the control of progressive damage. Those breeders who have read their MBTTs and still breed from dogs under the age of 4 are going to be doing more damage control in the future than those breeders who now restrict themselves. While this is a breeder's option, remember, the dogs & their new owners are the ones who suffer when LL strikes.

MORE THANK YOU NOTES ARE IN ORDER!

TO TRUDY PIZER , WHO WRITES: "THE TELL-A-GRAM FILLS A LARGE VOID IN MINI BULL COMMUNICATION; THANKS AGAIN FOR TAKING THE TIME AND EFFORT TO PUBLISH IT!" TRUDY IS A SECOND TIME DONATOR , MAKING PUBLICATION A REALITY, AND BRINGING REALITY TO THE PUBLICATION (SEE MBTT LL LIST FOR NORTH AMERICA).

TO PEGGY MORANG AND SUSAN TAYLOR, FOR THEIR OPEN LETTERS TO THE FANCY.

TO KAMALA DOLPHIN-KINGSLEY FOR A SECOND DONATION TO KEEP US GOING, AND FOR SHARING HER NEWS WITH US ALL.

LYNN HUCKINS OF COLORADO WRITES, "MY DAUGHTER WAS IN DUBLIN SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND FLEW TO ENGLAND TO SEE A BIG MINI SPECIALTY THERE. THE DOGS WERE VERY GOOD, BUT IN TALKING TO THE OWNERS SHE PICKED UP THAT THEY HAD BIG PROBLEMS WITH LENS LUXATION...AND HEART PROBLEMS, AND WHAT WERE THEY DOING ABOUT IT? SELLING THE DOGS TO THE US! THANK YOU, JO, FOR CARING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS WONDERFUL DOG; AND YOUR BRAVERY IN WRITING THE NEWSLETTER. EVERYONE I HAVE TALKED TO ,VIA E-MAIL OR AT THE SHOWS , WHO KNOWS OF YOUR WORK IS SO GLAD YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE THE BREED SURVIVE. OTHERWISE IT WILL DISAPPEAR AS OTHER RARE BREEDS HAVE DONE IN THE PAST." LYNN OWNS AN EIGHT YEAR OLD MINI,HOBBIT HILL'S MAVERICK, WHO WAS JUST TESTED NORMAL FOR EYES, BUT HAS HAD A SERIOUS ARRHYTHMIA PROBLEM FROM A YOUNG AGE.

MARILYN DREWES WRITES,"I FOUND IT INFORMATIVE AND REALISTIC; THE OVERALL IMPRESSION WAS QUITE POSITIVE. SO I THINK YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK & DOING A SERVICE FOR MINIS AND THEIR OWNERS."

FOR READERS WHO STILL HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT AGE OF ONSET FOR LENS LUXATION, OUR COLLECTED DATA SUPPORTS AN EVER WIDENING GAP. ON THE MBTT N.A. LIST, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE MINIS STILL ONLY AT THE SUBLUXATION STAGE AS LATE AS 5 AND 8 YEARS OLD. ALSO ON THE LIST IS A DOG MERELY 2 YEARS OLD WITH SUBLUXATION. OUR EXTREME AGE TO DATE IS A BITCH WHO FULLY LUXATED AT 11 YEARS OLD. PERSONAL NOTES ACCOMPANYING SOME OF OUR DATA IMPLIES THAT THERE ARE ONLY WEEKS TO MONTHS BETWEEN SUBLUXATION AND FULL LUXATION. THE MBTT STRONGLY ADVISES YEARLY EYE TESTING UP TO 4 YEARS AND FOR THOSE WHO CAN, TWICE YEARLY AFTER THAT - ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH RISK DOGS (OFFSPRING, SIBLINGS, PARENTS OF KNOWN AFFECTED DOGS). YOUR EDITOR ONCE ACCEPTED THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM THAT IF MINIS WERE GOING TO LUXATE, THEY'D DO IT BETWEEN 2 AND 4 YEARS OF AGE. YOUR EDITOR'S NEXT BIGGEST MISTAKE WAS TO BELIEVE THAT NO LL INFORMATION MEANT THAT THERE WAS NO LL PROBLEM.

THE MBTT IS NOT A RESEARCH ENTITY. THE EDITOR MERELY COLLECTS DATA FROM PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE AND INFORMATION WITH OTHERS VIA THIS MEDIUM. THIS DATA IS MADE PUBLIC IN THE MOST WIDELY READ MINIBULL NEWSLETTER CURRENTLY AVAILABLE, AND THE INFORMATION IS KEPT FROM BEING SHUSHED, HIDDEN, OR FORGOTTEN. ALL MBTT PRE-PUBLICATION INFO IS SCREENED BY AN INDEPENDENT SOURCE TO HELP PREVENT MISTAKES. HOWEVER, IF YOU NOTICE A MISTAKE, FEEL FREE TO ADVISE US ABOUT A CORRECTION - CORRECTIONS CAN BE MADE IMMEDIATELY ON THE NET VERSION, AND IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE HARD COPY.

AN INCREDIBLE NUMBER OF READERS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ALTERNATIVE NEWSLETTER, PROOF IT WAS WANTED AND NEEDED. ITS EMERGENT STATE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY MEAN A FEW CHANGES WILL CONTINUE TO BE MADE - A NEWSLETTER NEEDS TIME TO MATURE, JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE...AS SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE, THE MBTT HAS FOLLOWED THROUGH. HOPE YOU ENJOY AND/OR AT LEAST LEARN SOMETHING NEW, WITH EVERY ISSUE. (WHEN SPACE PERMITS, WE'LL PUBLISH SOME GOOD NEWS, TOO - BUT REMEMBER, GOOD NEWS IS OFTEN SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE!)

AN OPEN LETTER FROM BREEDER/OWNER PEGGY MORANG, OF MAINE, USA

DEAR JO,

YOU OF ALL PEOPLE KNOW WHAT A PROCRASTINATOR I TEND TO BE. I HAVE TRIED TO PUT THIS OFF, BUT THE TIME HAS COME TO FACE A SERIOUS SITUATION. THIS LETTER IS NOT INTENDED TO CREATE HOSTILITY OR TO POINT FINGERS; IT IS TO ENLIGHTEN POSSIBLE FUTURE VICTIMS. I AM EXTREMELY ANGRY! I FEEL MY DOGS AND I HAVE SUFFERED FROM UNSCRUPULOUS BREEDINGS.

I PURCHASED MY DOGS IN GOOD FAITH, BELIEVING FOR 4 1/2 YEARS THAT THEY WERE HEALTHY. ON THIS BELIEF & TEST RESULTS, I BRED & EXHIBITED MY DOGS. I ALSO GUARANTEED PUPS RESULTING FROM MY BREEDINGS.

I FEEL I PAID AN EXORBITANT PRICE FOR MY DOGS, AND WILL BE CONTINUALLY PAYING BOTH EMOTIONALLY AND FINANCIALLY FOR A VERY LONG TIME. I AM SAD TO SAY I KNOW I WON'T BE ALONE IN THIS BOAT.

EXPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT ME THIS MUCH: THE MORE YOU PAY FOR YOUR DOG, THE LEAST LIKELY YOU ARE TO RECEIVE FIVE CENTS COMPENSATION WHEN SOMETHING HEREDITARY ALTERS THE ANIMAL'S LIFE AND FUNCTION.

I CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND UNKNOWINGLY BREEDING A HEREDITARY PROBLEM; I HAVE DONE THIS MYSELF. WHAT I CANNOT FORGIVE IS KNOWING ABOUT A PROBLEM IN THE BREEDING PROGRAM AND SITTING ON THE INFORMATION FOR YEARS AND NEVER FEELING ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO NOTIFY OWNERS OR BREEDERS OF OFFSPRING PRODUCED BY AFFECTED PARENTS AND CARRIER PARENTS.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE MBTCA HAS A WRITTEN CODE OF ETHICS. IF NOT, WHY NOT? ARE MINIBULLS CAPABLE OF REPRODUCING HEALTHY, SOUND OFFSPRING ON THEIR OWN? NO! IF THEY WERE, I WOULD NOT BE IN THE POSITION I AM NOW.

I KNOW THERE ARE MANY FINE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO REALLY CARE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE BREED. MINIBULLS NEED YOU TO HELP SAVE THEM. DO THEY DESERVE TO BE BORN AND SOLD, ONLY TO DIE OF PREVENTABLE HEREDITARY DISEASES? NO!

CH.HOBBIT HILLS BLACK MAGIC WAS FORMERLY OWNED BY ME AND TRANSFERRED TO JO TURLEY. THE REVELATION THAT MAGIC HAD LENS LUXATED CAME AS A TOTAL SURPRISE. NO ONE HAD INFORMED US OF A POTENTIAL PROBLEM, AND UP TO THIS POINT MY BIGGEST CONCERN WAS HEART DEFECTS. MY "BUDDY", NOW 3 YEARS OLD, WAS DIAGNOSED WITH PULMONIC STENOSIS; HIS PARENTS ARE HOBBIT HILLS WHITE VELVET AND CH. GENESIS BIT O'NITRO, BOTH DOPPLERED WITH NORMAL HEARTS. I'D LIKE TO SEE HEART TEST RESULTS ON THEIR PARENTS - BUT IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

ARMED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF LENS LUXATION AND HEART PROBLEMS IN THE DOGS I PURCHASED, I FELT IT WAS TIME TO NOTIFY THE OWNERS OF DOGS I HAD BRED MYSELF AND SOLD ON. IN SOME CASES, DUE TO PRIOR BREEDING AGREEMENTS, I DIDN'T OWN THE PARENTS UNTIL AFTER THE DOGS WERE SOLD - SO NOW I OWN DOGS WHO HAVE PRODUCED DEFECTIVE OFFSPRING OF WHICH I AM NOT THE BREEDER.

I CAN RELATE SOME BREED PROBLEMS, BUT NOT BEING THE TECHNICAL BREEDER NOR OWNER OF THESE AFFECTED DOGS, I DO NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO PUBLISH THEIR REGISTERED NAMES.

I DO ASK THE MBTT TO PUBLISH THE PEDIGREES I SEND ALONG. WE OFTEN HEAR OF ONE KENNEL NAME KNOWN TO HAVE A LENS LUXATION PROBLEM, AND I'D LIKE PEOPLE TO SEE FOR THEMSELVES THAT NITRO'S PEDIGREE, FOR INSTANCE, HAS VERY DIFFERENT NAMES.

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF DEFECTS I FOUND IN RELATION TO MY PEDIGREES:

7/17/97, CH.GENESIS BIT O'NITRO OF SHARI WAS DIAGNOSED WITH SUBLUXATING LENS OF THE RIGHT EYE. ALSO, HOBBIT HILL'S WHITE VELVET, SUBLUXATION OF LENS, BOTH EYES. NITRO AND VELVET HAD PRODUCED A TOTAL OF 7 PUPPIES.

I ALSO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF 2 CASES OF HEART DEFECTS AND 1 CASE OF HEREDITARY NEPHRITIS AS DETERMINED BY AUTOPSY. THIS PARTICULAR MINI WAS APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR OLD AT DEATH. CH. HOBBIT HILL'S BLACK MAGIC AND NITRO PRODUCED 1 DIAGNOSED CASE OF SUBLUXATION, BOTH EYES, IN A 3 YEAR OLD BITCH.

HOBBIT HILL'S OPOI AND NITRO PRODUCED 1 CASE OF JUVENILE KIDNEY FAILURE, TYPE UNKNOWN , DOG DEAD BY 2 YEARS OF AGE. THIS BREEDING ALSO PRODUCED YET ANOTHER CASE OF LENS SUBLUXATION.

ONE YEAR LATER, A BEAUTIFUL BITCH PUPPY I GAVE TO JO TURLEY FROM A REPEAT BREEDING IS IN JUVENILE KIDNEY FAILURE - TYPE AS YET UNKNOWN.

THIS IS ALL SO SAD AND UNNECESSARY. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO SAY, "I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE", I SAY, "HOW WOULD YOU KNOW UNLESS YOU FOLLOW UP ON YOUR PUPPIES AND DO YOUR TESTING? " IT IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WATCH A DOG WASTE AWAY FROM DISEASE WHILE YOU FOLKS KEEP A CODE OF SILENCE AND TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS.

MY KENNEL HAS NOW DEALT WITH HEART, EYE, AND KIDNEY DEFECTS. I FEEL THAT KIDNEY FAILURE IS GOING TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR MINIBULLS IN THE FUTURE - I'VE SEEN IT, AND KNOW IT'S THERE - OR AM I THE ONLY KENNEL TO EXPERIENCE IT?

I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE ARE MORE CASES OF LENS LUXATION IN NA THAN ARE BEING MENTIONED. JO TURLEY IS WORKING VERY HARD TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO HELP EVERYONE. PLEASE DO YOUR PART AND SET AN EXAMPLE BY PUTTING YOUR LUXATED & SUBLUXATED DOGS' NAMES ON THE MBTT LIST. AT THE VERY LEAST, NOTIFY ALL THE OWNERS OF DOGS FROM YOUR AFFECTED ANIMALS.

I APPLAUD JO'S EFFORTS AND HONESTY, BUT FEEL THAT THE MBTCA NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED. EVERYONE NEEDS TO WORK TOGETHER - BUT I DON'T SEE THIS HAPPENING AS OF YET. IF YOU COLLECT DATA ON AFFECTED ANIMALS, BUT ARE PROHIBITED FROM CIRCULATING THE REGISTERED NAMES OF THOSE ANIMALS, ONLY YOU KNOW THIS HELPFUL INFORMATION - WHY NOT THE REST OF US?

IF YOU'D LIKE TO URGE THE MBTCA TO BECOME INVOLVED, I SUGGEST YOU WRITE OR PHONE YOUR BOARD MEMBERS. RECENTLY I SPOKE TO MARILYNN DREWES, KATHY BROSNAN, AND DONLY CHORN; THESE FOLKS ARE CONCERNED AND NEED YOUR SUPPORT.

TODAY, BREEDERS ARE STILL SELLING AND SAYING THAT "THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS OUT THERE BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY IN MY DOGS" YOU FOLKS KNOW WHO YOU ARE. IF YOU DO INDEED HAVE PROVEN HEALTHY DOGS, AGED 4 AND UP, THEN I'D CONSIDER THIS EXCITING NEWS! WE'D ALL LOVE TO BREED TO "CLEAR" LINES - JUST TELL US WHAT THOSE LINES ARE!

"ANYTHING WE LOVE CAN BE SAVED" - ALICE WALKER

"WE HAVE SEEN THE ENEMY AND HE IS US" - POGO

The MBTT thanks Patti Holt and Priscilla David for continuing support of a first, second, and third kind.

CH. GENESIS BIT O'NITRO OF SHARI 1993 - 1997 / LL
no longer with us, but the hole in our hearts will remain forever...

Submitted by Peggy Morang. ( see also Peggy's open letter to the MBTT )

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

THE MBTT's (1ST) QUESTIONNAIRE

HAVE YOU ALREADY READ ISSUES# 1 AND 2?_______________________________________________

HAVE YOU ACCESSED THE MBTT NET PAGE FOR ISSUES 1, 2 OR 3?___________________________

HAVE WE DISAPPOINTED YOU (YET)?________________HOW?_________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE BECOME A REGULAR FEATURE THAT ISN'T ONE NOW?

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US THROUGH THE MBTT?

_________________________________________________________________________________________

ENCLOSURES?_____________ CAN YOU ACCESS US ON THE NET?_____________________________

DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE GETTING THIS NEWSLETTER?_________________________________

IF YOU ARE A BREEDER, ARE YOU MAKING COPIES OF THE MBTT AVAILABLE TO
YOUR PUPPY OWNERS?____________IF NOT, WHY NOT?_____________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

AS A CLUB MEMBER, DO YOU SEE A NEED FOR AN ALTERNATIVE NEWSLETTER?______________

WHY?__________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

AS A CLUB MEMBER, HAVE YOU APPROACHED THE EXECUTIVE FOR MORE GUIDANCE,
EDUCATION, A BREEDER'S CODE OF ETHICS, CLUB SPONSORED TESTS, OR ANYTHING
ELSE TO PROMOTE THE HEALTHY FUTURE OF OUR BREED?_________________________________
IF NOT, WHY NOT?______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

AS A BREEDER, HAVE YOU MADE ANY BREEDINGS IN THE LAST DECADE WHICH
SUBSEQUENTLY YOU WISHED YOU HADN'T?______________________________________________

IF SO, WOULD YOU HAVE DONE OTHERWISE WITH MORE GUIDANCE OR INFORMATION?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

IF WE, AS BREEDERS, ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING INFORMATION OUT TO OUR
CLIENTS, IS OUR CLUB RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING INFORMATION OUT TO US?___________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

NAME:_______________________________BREEDER?___________PET OWNER?________________

THE MBTT CLEARANCE FORM

THIS FORM IS TO HELP YOU HELP US, THE ALTERNATIVE NEWSLETTER FOR THE MINIATURE BULL TERRIER FANCIER OF N.A. YOU MAY FILL IN ANY OR ALL OF THE TEST RESULT SPACES PROVIDED:EVERY BIT OF INFORMATION ADDS UP AND MAY BE OF HELP.

DEAR MBTT:

I UNDERSTAND THAT ANY INFORMATION I GIVE YOU ABOUT MY DOG'S GOOD OR BAD HEALTH MAY BE USED IN YOUR NEWSLETTER TO HELP EDUCATE THE OWNERS AND BREEDERS OF MINIATURE BULL TERRIERS. I AM GIVING YOU MY PERMISSION TO USE THE FOLLOWING ABOUT A DOG I OWN OR HAVE BRED:

REGISTERED NAME OF DOG:__________________________________AKC#__________________

D.O.B.____________ SEX:_______________________ # OF LITTERS PRODUCED: ________________

TEST RESULTS (PLEASE SUPPLY WHAT DOCUMENTATION YOU CAN WITH YOUR VET'S HELP):

HEART(DOPPLER ECHO): NORMAL RESULTS__________ABNORMAL________________________

OTHER - PLEASE SUPPLY WHAT DOCUMENTATION YOU CAN/PHOTOCOPIES ONLY

KIDNEY FUNCTION (U-P/C: BUN):NORMAL ___________ABNORMAL________________________
PLEASE SUPPLY COPIES OF DOCUMENTATION

HEARING (BAER):BILATERALLY NORMAL____________ ABNORMAL________________________
PLEASE SUPPLY COPY OF RESULTS

PATELLAS:NORMAL BILATERALLY__________________ ABNORMAL________________________
PLEASE SUPPLY COPY OF VET'S COMMENTS

EYES IOPs______ /________ ZONULES: NORMAL ______ABNORMAL______________________

LENS: NORMAL ___________________________________ABNORMAL_______________________

OTHER PROBLEMS POSSIBLY INHERITED:_____________________________________________

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PLEASE SEND DOCUMENTATION SO WE CAN BE SURE THE BLANKS HAVE BEEN FILLED CORRECTLY. THANK YOU!

PRINTED NAME:__________________________________ SIGNATURE_______________________

DATE __________________________

THE MINATURE BULL TERRIER CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IS RECRUITING MEMBERS. A STRONG REGIONAL CLUB HAS MORE CLOUT WITH THE PARENT CLUB. FUTURE MEMBERS - ENLARGE YOUR MINI MAP! SINGLES/$15; DOUBLES/$20. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: PRISCILLA DAVID, 10937 HAVENHURST, GRANADA HILLS, CALIFORNIA USA 91344

IT WON'T HELP YOUR OWN CROP ANY TO SIT ON THE FENCE AND COUNT YOUR NEIGHBOUR'S WEEDS. - ANON

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