DDR opinions. - Page 3

Full disclosure--I owned the pick female from the Eik/Venus litter and she was put down just after her first birthday for Juvenile Renal Disease, confirmed by necropsy.  Very happy for Kim that Tika turned out healthy, but I feel strongly that this is the type of information that should be shared just as easily as the positive comments.

Jessica


 

Jessica, thanks for your post and honesty. Can I ask what signs you noticed and when? You may PM me if you'd rather do that than post here, though since it pertains to a DDR line, it may be beneficial to leave it here. Your call. There does seem to be an inordinate amount of sweeping things under the rug when it pertains to certain dogs. 

While JRD can have very low penetrance, I would think that any related dog should be tested prior to being bred since you had confirmation of it in the family. Do you know if the DNA swabs were done for the others and if so, how many tested clear or carriers in that and other related litters? Do you have any idea how accurate that test is? I know necropsy is the only fail-safe way to test, but trying to learn about the others. JRD is something I was pretty unaware of in the breed until another forum member posted a dog who carried it (good for her!) and now I'm really trying to learn more about it and decide if I'm going to start testing as a matter of course or wait until something more definitive reaches the market if the current Dogenes isn't accurate enough for GSDs. 

Also, very sorry about your dog, Jessica. That's a heartbreak for sure. 

Thanks for that info Hutchins, I did not know Hesie von uns Heimaturt had PRAA. Did she get put down because of complications from PRAA or something else?  According to the database here she was also bred to "Canto von der Annaburger Heide", "Eik vom Clausberg" and "Arek von uns Heimaturt".  What condition are those litters in today and was she bred to any other full DDR dogs besides these 3 I noted?  I recall a couple of years ago two of Hesie's litters ended up in a dog shelter in California and never got properly registered, here is one listed with her shelter name and assumed pedigree:

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/dog.html?id=709858-natasha-vom-prague
 

Thank you Jenni.  My experience with the DDR lines included many life lessons.  The heartbreak is still palpable.

My pup started showing signs just a few weeks before she had to be euthanized.  It started with potty accidents in her crate and unusually large amounts of water intake.  (Polydipsia/polyuria).  Then she started losing weight at a rapid pace.  I dismissed these things at first (too much water in her bucket, too much excitement, increased her food), but when I left for a short trip and came home to a skin and bones dog, I was mortified.  The necropsy was done to rule out exposure to toxins and provide proof of a genetic condition to her breeder.  Both Kim and her breeder were notified, and both moved forward and have used their littermates for breeding.  I can't speak to the DNA testing.

I just realized that my other DDR female was a product of the top side of this pedigree--daughter of Yvette vom Schäferliesel.  She was euthanized at 4.5 years of age for a genetic heart condition.

I was exceptionally proud of those dogs and am grateful for the time I did get to spend with them, but it was cut far too short.  I do not wish the pain I went through with them on anyone.  Based on the above, and the ridiculous amount of direct knowledge of other health issues in these lines, I find it hard to believe that I was just "unlucky" in my selection.

Rompnrun.... so very sorry! What heartache.
I assume Eik is Eik Clausberg??

I would be quite interested to learn of the inheritance of these conditions. Also, who was Hessie? Owner/kennel? Why is she important?
My dogs certainly have a lot of DDR blood, and I am a bit out of the loop on many of the DDR dogs in the states, but would like very much to learn more about this and other problems.

--Mary

Janice Bartmess had Hesie for a while, not sure what happened to her after that, whether she was confiscated with the others (Arek, etc.) or if Judy Dominguez picked her up? I don't recall who owned her on paper (I *think* Judy D.)  but I know she was at Janice's a while. 

Eik is Eik vom Clausberg, owned by Judy Malone (at least previously). I believe the litter RompNRun speaks of was bred by Judy Malone. Not sure why the others have different kennel names except to try and distance themselves from Alt Ostland.

So.... is this a DDR issue, or a breeder issue?

Well, I guess it's both. Even Judy Malone or Janice Bartmess can't cause congenital kidney failure or heart problems, I don't think. Not sure if that's good news or bad. I will give Janice props for keeping such records and studying things from an analytical, intellectual perspective. She was honest about what each one produced and her research shouldn't go to waste just because of what she turned out to be. We would all be wise to heed the warnings and take the accounts of who produced what very much to heart for future breeding decisions.