Boxer heart health : round 3

By email
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.'

Boxer heart health 1

Boxer heart health 2

Themba's story

Who gives a damn anyway? Update on Boxer heart health

Right. Well. I did get a response from the Boxer Breed Council. But it's pretty much as I expected. The Kennel Club can't force breeders to get Boxers checked for heart defects like aortic stenosis. Some breeders do. And some breeders lie. Some hope it won't happen to them.

And none of that helps us make a decision about which adorable puppy to buy. So you take your chances and hope for the best.

I've taken the decision to go public with the information I have on the pedigrees of my two Boxers (one deceased from aortic stenosis), in the hope that other people will be able to avoid these breeders and pedigrees when choosing a Boxer puppy in the south of England (Surrey/Sussex/Hampshire). 

My approach is not endorsed by the Kennel Club or the the Boxer Breed Council. I have not had a response from the breeder of my 6mo puppy, Zozi. I did get a response from the breeder of the dog (Themba) now deceased, who offered to take the dog back and destroy him. Themba lived a short but happy life with us.

I would welcome feedback from other Boxer dog owners about their experiences with aortic stenosis, particularly in Boxers with the same pedigree as either of my two. Please help to collect data on the incidence of aortic stenosis in Boxer dogs, because only by collecting this information, can we be sure that aortic stenosis is bred out of the Boxer gene pool.

Tyegarth Tololo (Themba b. s29/06/2007 d. 01/09/2012)

WidleyLodge The Hobbitt (Zozi the puppy b. 21/11/2012

You can read Themba's story here.

Boxer heart health

This is the email I have sent to the Boxer Breed Council today. The day we found out that Zozi has moderate aortic stenosis (AS), a congenital heart pathology, caused by a faulty gene in her pedigree. 

"I have just had my 6mo Boxer puppy diagnosed with moderate aortic stenosis. This is particularly distressing as I lost a 5yo dog last year to the same condition.

I checked her pedigree for AS, but as you know the data from heart checks is of little use. A cardiologist checked both parents, who were clear of murmur.

Obviously, the genetic link for AS is present in her pedigree but until comprehensive data are collected on deaths from AS in pedigree Boxers, we will continue to receive devastating news like this.

What is the Breed Council doing about this? There is a public awareness of Boxer heart health, and it is damaging the breed. The momentum to reduce AS in Boxers seems to have stalled.

I intend to publish my own research and conclusions on my blog in order to start an online forum, and would welcome your comments."

You can read Themba's story here.

An open letter to Boxer Rescue Service (Southern)

Dear Boxer Rescue Service (Southern),

Further to our email correspondence, I write to offer feedback on our experience with your organisation in our recent attempt to re-home a Boxer dog.

We wrote to you on 15 November 2012 outlining our credentials and our wish to re-home a Boxer dog to be a companion to Brin, following the death of Themba. Our decision was not undertaken lightly. 

We had a reply immediately from your website co-ordinator, and the following day (16 November) a further request for our address. We also telephoned both numbers listed and left messages. We had no reply. 

Ten days later (26 November) we received another email, asking if we were still interested in re-homing. I replied immediately 'Yes, please'. You telephoned me later that day to say that you had passed our details to your home 'vetter'. 

During that telephone call, I asked you the following questions:

1. Are the Boxer dogs in your care in foster homes or in kennels? You said all the dogs are in kennels.

2. Does the home 'vetter' know the dogs in your care, so that when she visits she will be able to suggest a suitable match. You said that she does not know the dogs and will write a report, following which you will decide which dog might be suitable. At no point did you suggest that we visit the kennel to meet the dogs in your care.

3. I asked you about the availability of a suitable dog for us to re-home, and got no information. In fact, the impression I was left with was that you did not think you had a suitable dog to re-home. 

Three days later (29 November), your appointed home 'vetter' contacted me. Due to the nature of my husband's work, and the need for Boxer Rescue Service (Southern) to meet both of us, we had to agree a meeting time on a Saturday (8 December), a further nine days to wait. You have now cancelled this appointment, as we have registered an interest in re-homing a dog through another charity. 

We appreciate that you are a small charity, however, your association with The Kennel Club breed rescue implies a standard operating procedure. On this occasion, we feel that your level of service to us and to the Boxer dogs in your care, falls well short of expectations.

We wish all the Boxer dogs in your care happy homes. 

Dr Lesley Beeton
Shackleford, Surrey

Friends old and new

I am so grateful to all those who commented and sent hugs when Themba died. The blogging and Twitter community have been so very kind. Many who sent good wishes are strangers, dog-lovers, caring people. Thank you.

I have also found the same care and sadness amongst friends and acquaintances, people in the pub, other dog walkers. And it's true, it really does help to talk about it, to laugh and cry together. To share the pain, and the joy of the memories.

Themba had been getting weaker for months, and we had a adjusted our walks, making them shorter and slower. I only fully realised this when I took Brin out last week, and found myself huffing and puffing back up the bridle path. We will definitely be doing more long walks from now on. We also returned to some of our old haunts, and bumped into Chiton and his Mum. Sadly, they lost their Issy last month - it was old age but Chiton is very lonely. We have been friendly for ages with the lovely Daisy, a Boxer dog from the same breeder as Themba. Darling Daisy passed away last month too, and her Mummy is heartbroken, as the vets never found out what was wrong with her. Please keep these lovely dogs and their humums in your thoughts, too.

Talking of the pub, it seems that is the place to be seen these days, so not wanting to miss out, I have put in two appearances of late. If you don't go, you don't find out the gossip; like who lost all that weight? Who just turned 70? And who bought the house next to the pub? Of course, I know the answers to these questions, but I'm not saying.

The happiest dog in the world

He was the happiest dog in the world. His tail never stopped wagging. Three months ago, he was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis. Since then, his physical ability declined, as the frequency of cardiac syncope increased. Each collapse was followed by a period of prolonged recovery. Last night, Themba died.

It was a pleasant evening, warm and still. He had enjoyed his short walk in the woods, and was in position to survey the garden. He spotted a squirrel making its way over to the bird food, and quick as a flash, he was off. 

He collapsed under his favourite tree, and for a while it seemed he would recover. Then, as we comforted him, his heart stopped beating. Mr B and I, and Brin, were with him. It was very peaceful under the tree.

R.I.P. 

'THEMBA'

2007 - 2012

Died chasing a squirrel

Sunday, lovely Sunday

Bee on salvia, August 2012, Lesley Beeton

Today is as a Sunday should be. Quiet, restful, thankful. Yesterday was a horrid day. Themba had three severe collapses. The first two times, Mr B and I did chest compressions, cooling down his body with cool water and a towel. He took over an hour to come round. I managed to contact the cardiac vet specialist, who helped us decide on how to proceed, and we agreed not to attempt any resuscitation on future collapses. She advised on a change to his medication and said she would come to the house to put him 'to sleep' if he became distressed over the weekend. We were relieved to have a plan, at least. I put aside a clean sheet and my list of contact numbers (vet, crematorium etc). I thought over and over again about the poem The Rainbow Bridge, reproduced at Me, Myself and I.

At 5pm, he collapsed again. Mr B made sure he was on his bed when he actually fell down. We sat back, holding hands. Brin hid behind the sofa. After an age, Themba started breathing on his own, a hideous rasping sound. We had agreed that we would not attempt to give him water or food, that he should instead feel motivated and well enough to eat and drink on his own. 

Around 8pm he got up, had a drink and asked to go outside for a wee. Then, back into his bed until 8am this morning. We didn't know what to expect today, but while he is quiet, he is perky with a waggy tail. He ate a good breakfast, with bacon scraps! Perhaps yesterday was just a bad day. Perhaps the change in medication is working. Perhaps it just wasn't his time.

Whatever the reason, we are so pleased that Themba is still here with us. And in his honour, we will all have a little lie-down after lunch today.

If you have time, please pop over to #BlogFlash2012, where you will find the link to many other contributors to a fun creative writing challenge for August.

Muddy Sunday, Monday, Tuesday....

When will it end? Not the World, just the weather! I have been rather stoic until today. Today is the first day of our holiday at home, and it's jolly cold and wet. We aren't going away. For one thing, we've had two weeks in Hawaii and ten days in South Africa already. And for another, I'm afraid to leave Themba at the kennel, in case the worst happens while we are away. Anyway, our PA is back from her holiday in the sun and I have Dr B to myself for a whole week. I remember just a couple of weeks ago, we were blaming the other half of another blogger for the wet weather (in jest of course). 

Jill at Christmas Pie Crafts was convinced it was his fault as he had taken a week off work. Well, this week we can blame Dr B. Who, by the way, thinks it's fun to watch the (boring) Tour de France on telly, even though we don't have a clue what's going on. He is also selectively deaf, and when I told him that the beetroots were doing well, he replied 'Figs? We've never had figs'!

Yesterday was the annual Cranleigh 10km run, normally a pleasant morning, but not yesterday. The runners were sent off with a warning - no mad dashes, the mud is treacherous. I wouldn't know about that, just that I threw his socks away.

Themba had his follow-up heart scan today. I found it all a bit much and was close to tears as he lay on the exam table. Dr B and the Vet, heads together, muttering over measurements. The conclusion? No change. His condition is severe, prepare for the worst. Pay another £100. At least we're agreed he won't have any more scans, just lots of love and attention.

A puppy saved my life – Brin’s story

This story first appeared as a guest post at Christmas Pie Crafts. Thank you to Jill for hosting my guest post. I look forward to hosting a guest post from Jill in the very near future. What a really good idea, and very friendly blogging.

  

We never thought it would happen to us. Growing up in Johannesburg, crime was all around us, but somehow we were much more aware of danger then. We moved to a village in Surrey. It all seemed idyllic, just what we had imagined, and longed for. A large garden, neighbours separated by woods, no street lighting. Surely no evil would be lurking here.

Leafy Surrey, no evil here

How wrong we were. Just three months after moving in, still unpacking, decorating and renovating, a burglar broke in to our home.  He forced a bathroom window and ransacked our property. Nothing was left untouched. And he stole just about everything of value, some items of great sentimental value. Our lovely old rescue cat, Rosie, never quite recovered from the fright of it, and we lost her a few months later.

The Police came and rattled off the statistics about burglary in Surrey. It wasn’t very reassuring but we withstood the assault and moved on with our lives. It wasn’t going to happen to us again. We beefed up window and door locks, fenced the garden and secured the garden gates. No alarm system, we said. We don’t need it.

Oh, but we did need it. Four months later, coming home from work early on a Friday afternoon, I saw a man at the front door, inside the front door, inside the house. Almost in slow motion I jumped out of the car, trying to get the key in the front door, while dialing 999 and shouting at the operator for the Police.

Luckily for me, the burglar escaped through the broken window at the back of the house. The Police dog arrived minutes later and gave chase, but never caught him. He took nothing with him, but had caused several thousands pounds of damage breaking into the house.

We had a terrible weekend. I suffered from flashbacks, thinking about what could have happened if he hadn’t run away. I had run into the road to shout for help, but no-one could hear me. There was no-one around.

We ordered an alarm system, with monitoring and a link to the Police. We paid a security company to be first call, so that I would never face a choice like that again.

Darling Brin

And we found our darling Boxer dog, Brin. My saviour. Brin has the most effervescent personality. He’s a real human dog, very sensitive. And he loves his walks. It was because of him that I started to leave the house again. He depended on me and I needed to be brave. Slowly, the terrible migraines lifted. The little panic attacks receded. I actually started to enjoy the walks, too. And Brin grew into my steady companion. He’s a big boy, so provides quite a presence to strangers, too.

I can honestly say that little puppy saved my life, gave me courage, and showed so much commitment to our relationship.

Five months later we brought Themba home. Themba means ‘hope’ in Zulu. You can read Themba's story here.

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