Monday 10th June
'Dear Mr ,
Apologies for the very long email trail attached, by way of the history of my concerns.
I am trying to find the right person or group of people to initiate a serious discussion about the prevalence of aortic stenosis in Boxers.
I am not satisfied with the response of the Boxer Breed Council vet advisor, who admits that he is neither a cardiologist nor a geneticist. I have not had a response from the KC health breed survey. Indeed, the links on the KC website to the breed health survey do not open. I have not had a response from the breeder of my puppy.
In short, everyone seems to be saying 'bad luck'.
This is not acceptable. This is not bad luck. This is bad breeding.
Clearly, the gene for AS is prevalent in the Boxer gene pool. It may even be more prevalent in the south of England, but there is no data to establish this. The gene for AS does not follow Mendelian inheritance, thus, more information needs to be collected on animals affected with, or who have died from AS, as the existing database is woefully incomplete.
I am not a breeder, nor do I show my Boxers. I am lover of the Boxer breed. Only when breeders are compelled to provide information on the incidence of AS in litters, and when the KC collects comprehensive data from owners of AS-affected Boxers and vets who see affected dogs in practice, will the AS gene be bred out of the breed.
To watch a young dog die of AS is heart-breaking. A Boxer unable to run and jump and box and play is pitiful.
I have not included the cardiology report and pedigree here, due to the number of recipients. Please let me know if this would be of any use to you.
I look forward to your response.'
