Quote Originally Posted by Miss Z View Post
A large proportion of the interview will test your knowledge of various issues a veterinary surgeon would have to face in his or her career.

I've been reading around the subject a lot and have become quite interested in the various genetic diseases that affect dogs. It seems to be quite a hot topic at the moment, as breed specifics and requirements intensify whilst their effects on the dog arise more and more frequently. Zara
The first part above struck me. Here in the USA, our veterinarians do routine surgeries, but a veterinary surgeon is a specialty with extra training and certifications. They are 2 different professions, if you will. So just thought I'd point that out. I haven't any idea how the terms translate across the pond!

The second part, well, this is related to why the RSPCA decided not to attend Crufts this year, isn't it? The breed standards are not being set with health in mind, as much as with "looks." You are focusing on a specific type of genetic defect. So the boxer, Boston terrier, and pug get shorter and shorter noses / muzzles / snouts. The collie's nose gets longer and longer. And these lead to health issues. The brachycephalic (brak-ee-suh-fal-ik) short nose breeds have trouble breathing, over heat, and have a higher risk of death when flying. I was surprised to learn that bichons are considered in this grouping!

Bichons also are prone to 3 conditions: detached retinas, luxating patellas, and PA heart defects. I'm not sure if any of these is directly related to breeding to a standard, or if it is just sloppy breeding ( not testing the parents properly). These may not be what you are looking for in genetic defects as they aren't related to meeting the breed standard.

Detached retina: Here in the USA, the lines which originate West of the Mississippi have a high risk of detached retinas, which makes it problematic to have cataract surgeries (among other things). As my dogs are rescues, I don't really know where they hail from. Sugar had cataracts in both eyes. Her eye surgeon refused to do both eyes together as once the retina is detached, the eye is permanently blind. So she wanted to be sure one eye would at least see dark and light. Well, things went so well for the first eye, that when we had the 2d eye done, I realized we weren't even doing as many drops! The surgeon told me she had ruled out any tendency for detached retina in my Sugar based on the first surgery. I know that a reputable breeder here will do CERF and OFA testing prior to breeding a pair. But I don't know if that testing finds the retina issue or only other eye issues.

Luxating patella: bad knees, happens in the rear legs. My Marlin poor boy. I was told when I got him that he had "loose knees" but nothing to worry about "yet." Fourteen months later, he went lame. X-rays showed his knees are so bad they are beyond surgical repair. I annoys me no end, as I would have helped him if I could have! So now he gets an Adequan shot monthly, glucosamine and chondroitin daily, and a baby aspirin before lengthy walks. He seldom even limps any more so all this is helping If he weren't a rescue, the vet would have notified the breeder so s/he could try to eliminate this in future litters.

PDA heart murmurs: I only know of this through the bichon rescue group newsletters. They have successfully saved 67 bichon babies, with surgery to correct this defect. They will fly a pup cross country to use the vet surgeon who has developed a specific technique for this condition. This shows up in pups prior to 12 weeks old and is fatal if not surgically corrected. The new surgery has 100% success rate! In the past 2 years, 2 pups were not flown to him and had surgery at another facility and both died. So now the rescue insists on getting all the pups to that one surgeon to do the work.

There is a bichon breeder near me, who is not reputable at all. You are not permitted to meet the parent dogs! Anyway, I know someone who adopted 2 sisters from a litter. Soon after, one female was diagnosed with the PDA heart murmur. The breeder paid for the surgery, helped with nursing the pup, and the pup is now fine. BUT she continues to breed those 2 parents! It is just galling! UGH!