Editor’s note: I sincerely hope that every health
conscious Boxer fancier in the world will read the plea of British Boxer
breeder Sheila Cartwright below, and will sign the petition printed at the
bottom of this page. Juvenile Kidney Dysplasia (JKD), known here in the US as
Juvenile Renal Dysplasia, has been reported all over the world – in Europe,
Scandinavia, the US (a case was just diagnosed in my home state of Florida) and
even in Australia & New Zealand. This is not just a UK
Petition to the Boxer Breed Council on JKD
There has been much concern over JKD (Juvenile
Kidney Dysplasia) during the last few years with not all convinced that it is
hereditary. The same was true back in 2002 when cardiomyopathy came to
attention. In 2006 a petition was sent to Breed Council, supported by Boxer
owners requesting them to set up a Health Committee to look into this and other
diseases. I was a member of that committee and at the first meeting we drew up
a list of Boxer health problems. To add to the obvious ones, I put forward kidney-related
diseases as I had become aware of several fatal kidney disease issues with a
wide variety of veterinary diagnoses – i.e. kidney failure, polycystic kidneys,
undeveloped organs and also UTI’s – over quite a large number of litters. It
will never be known if any of these were JKD but the committee agreed to put
this on the agenda. Obviously cardiomyopathy took precedence and nothing further
was done about kidney disease until the issue of cardiomyopathy was resolved.
Shortly after that, members of the committee changed and a new chairman was
appointed.
Subsequently we have been made aware of a juvenile Boxer
kidney disease (JKD). The number of British and foreign cases reported is large
and it has become clear that the disease is inherited and widely spread
throughout the breed. Attempts are being made in several countries to find the
gene responsible but it seems this is not as easy as was first hoped.
Without pedigree information it has been
difficult for Boxer breeders to be convinced that this kidney problem is
inherited, and when breeding they do not know which way to turn. The only
pedigrees officially published are from cases reported in Sweden
I think that, as we have done in the past with
other serious Boxer genetic health problems – e.g., PA and BCM – publication of
the pedigrees of animals that have developed JKD would convince breeders that
JKD is inherited and allow them to breed more safely.
This is not a witch hunt. Several breeders
have already withdrawn producing stock from breeding. This is the right way to
go. Just remember, the existence of the
gene is nobody’s fault, but to knowingly perpetuate it definitely is.
A petition is now online requesting Breed
Council to authorise the release of pedigrees to everyone and I would urge all
Boxer breeders in all countries to sign it.
Here is the link for the petition:
Sheila Cartwright (Tyegarth)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JUVENILE
KIDNEY DISEASE (JKD):
A
PETITION TO THE UK
It is
now 4 years since Boxer JKD came to attention in Britain
Since
then, the mode of inheritance has largely clarified, and the disease has been
recognized throughout the breed, not only in Britain
but also throughout Europe and America Australia
and New Zealand
Several
European research groups and one American group are attempting to find the gene
for JKD, but there is no expectation that the gene will be found quickly and a
test developed.
In Sweden , the pedigrees of affected litters are
published and it is recommended that JKD producers should be withdrawn from
further breeding, but in Britain
For
this reason, we, the undersigned Boxer breeders, owners and exhibitors,
petition the UK Boxer Breed Council to
a. request all
JKD-producing Boxers be withdrawn from breeding, as also sibs of affected pups,
and
b.authorise, with
owners’ permission, the publication of pedigrees of affected litters to ensure
that everyone can see that JKD is inherited.
The
fact that JKD is now seen to be a problem in Boxers world-wide will minimize
concern that breeders will attempt to breed to supposed clear lines and so
reduce the size of the already-diminished gene pool. There are no
unquestionable clear lines although there will be many clear dogs in all lines.
NB
– when signing it would be
appreciated if you could add your affix after your surname and country, many
thanks.
Respectfully
submitted 14/10/2014.
Here is a link to the petition:
