[Tx2Stepn]

Originally Posted by Woogie Man

The Scottish Terrier Club of America in 2001 reported a carrier frequency rate for liver shunt at 4.7% based on its own health survey and termed the condition rare. A study on Irish Wolfhounds in the Netherlands identified several important carrier lines and was able to substantially reduce the incidence of liver shunt. Much of the other data I've read points to prolific studs and bitches that are carriers being major contributors to the rise in cases. My opinion at this point is that the problem lies mostly in show dog lines and is a lesser problem in the breed at large. These lines must be identified in the Yorkshire Terrier in order to get a handle on the problem. To place the blame on casual breeders is really 'passing the buck' as they are unlikely to have dogs from show lines though surely there are carriers among some of the dogs they breed, but these dogs would not be so prolific as their more esteemed counterparts. In the meantime, testing all breeding dogs and dogs showing clinical signs seems to be the reasonable way to proceed.

This statement is completely unfounded! We have a byb here that is producing a lot of Liver Shunt, so much so that the vets are finally being vocal to prospective buyers to tell them to stay away from her (even tho they could be sued). She continues to breed the dogs and she has never shown a dog and does not have show dog lines. She raises Yorkies, Maltese, and a lot of other breeds. The bottom line is all that she cares about. I also received a call from a prospective buyer that was interested in a puppy. She bought her first puppy for $500.00 from a lady that just bred her 2 pets and had to spend an additional $5,000.00 in Dallas for surgery for Liver Shunt. I have heard more stories than you can imagine about LS, seizures, and other health problems from ppl that bought their Yorkies from casual breeders in this area and I have yet to run across 1 story from someone that bought their dogs from a show breeder in this area. In the end, the problem could hit anyone and as breeders we have to be willing and able to stand behind our dogs that we place.