The heart testing session at the Southern Miniature Bull Terrier club show 6.2.11 went well with all 10 places filled.

Dr Fonfara is an extremely experienced cardiologist, indeed a lecturer in the subject so she was well aware of the heart conditions in the breed. She also had the benefit of a top of the range ultrasound machine kindly loaned by BCF, which allowed her to perform the full range of views including 2D, Mmode, Doppler and colour flow measurements.

The examinations were all preceded by auscultation. An experienced cardiologist with a good machine is always the “gold standard” and I know for instance that minor abnormalities are often not picked up on simply a 2D scan in the hands of a less experienced sonographer and indeed minor abnormalities may not result in a heart murmur which is detected on auscultation. Sonya tells me however that auscultation is a good base line study as the grade of the heart murmur usually reflects the severity of the disease and severe abnormalities, resulting in a loud audible murmur, are likely to be heard and these animals can then be removed from a breeding programme.

Her advice for animals with minor abnormalities found on heart scanning is not to remove them from a breeding programme, but to make sure they are put to a mate with a normal heart.

Having scanned only 9 Minis (1 was a BT ), no real statistics can be drawn up as yet, as with all studies, numbers are the key to meaningful results, but it was a very interesting and informative day and raises a few points for me.  Firstly, I personally believe there are lot more Minis with minimal heart conditions that have not been picked up yet, either through lack of testing or basic testing alone.

This raises the question “does that matter ?”. The reason I ask this is because the current understanding of inheritance of heart disease is that it is a polygenic condition (mutation of many genes, not the one gene as with PLL) with a threshold factor (they need to be lined up, for want of a better way of putting it, in the right order to trigger clinical heart disease in the dog).

This means that two parents with apparently clear hearts (but the mutation in the genes hasn’t perhaps lined up properly to produce heart disease itself in those parents) can produce puppies with either clear hearts again, or mild disease or more serious disease.

The basics are that the more severe the abnormality in the parent the more likely it is to pass on a severe condition.  Back to my question then. I believe the answer is yes it does matter. If my hypothesis is correct and we have a significant population with low grade disease who are unknowingly being bred from as normal then there is no quick fix.

This is not a simple recessive problem that can be guarded against in the same way as PLL was up until the DNA test.  However, and this is the crux, what we can do is limit the severity of the condition by making sure we use the best cardiologists we can with the best available equipment and be sure we select visiting mates with good heart test results. We do also need to be open with our results in the same way we have been with PLL and anyone wanting to start sending in their heart test results (of any form) for me to start to collate and forward to Dr Fonfara (they will not be published) can do so. Heart scanning including Doppler to measure velocities, is the norm in other countries such as America and Germany and I think we really ought to be following suit.  What the Southern MBTC can do is to help with cost and to provide another reduced cost testing session – because we realise that a regular scan in the hands of a cardiologist approved to carry out heart scans by the Veterinary Cardio-vascular Society, is expensive.

We are unsure whether this will be as part of our next show, or whether we will hold a separate day, but I am absolutely certain we need to continue to offer this service. 

Jane Peakin

PLEASE CONTACT JANE PEAKIN ON 01227 732305 TO BOOK YOUR PLACE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THERE ARE ONLY VERY LIMITED PLACES AVAILABLE. *NO DOGS WILL BE ACCEPTED ON THE DAY WITHOUT A PRIOR BOOKING *

Dr Fonfara tells me that she plans to carry out Doppler ultrasound on both sides of the heart in 2D, Mmode, colour and flow Doppler.

The cost is £50 per dog – I’m afraid we can’t offer this service entirely free of charge, but I think those of you who already heart test will appreciate this is a considerably reduced cost for the “works” in the hands of an extremely experienced cardiologist and this cost will include a certificate if you wish.

Please take advantage of this opportunity if you can, as we are not only offering this service for our members, but it will also allow Dr Fonfara to begin her research into our beloved breed.

WHEN YOU HAVE BOOKED YOUR PLACE PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR REGISTRATIONDOCUMENTS ON THE DAY IF YOU REQUIRE A CERTIFICATE

HEALTH IN MINIATURE BULL TERRIERS

Miniature Bull Terries are generally healthy, robust animals, but there are three main concerns in the breed, which we feel are appropriate to list. If you have any queries about the health conditions listed below, or any other health problem, you can contact Jane Peakin  e-mail; byzantine.mbt@btinternet.com who will try to help with further information.

1. PRIMARY LENS LUXATION

 2. *New* SMBTC HEART SCHEME ADVICE - AORTIC STENOSIS AND MITRAL VALVE DYSPLASIA

3. FAMILIAL NEPHROPATHY – KIDNEY DISEASE

4. Patella Luxation read more

5.Interbreeding Protocol

See List of available Tests/costs

Larangeal Paralysis - can you help ?

"In France, we have identified several cases (already 12) with 2 staffies and the rest in miniature bull terriers, of laryngeal anomalies ending up in laryngeal paralysis and death of dogs. These cases come from different blood lines and different countries.Dr Escriou, a neurologist at the Veterinary School of Lyon, which is already handling the study for the spinning and TOCD of the bull terrier, has launched a search on this new problem.

If you have experienced this problem and are willing to share the information please contact c.escriou@vet-lyon.fr and thepepsibull@neuf.fr

Many thanks for your help

Stephanie & La PepsiBull Family in France