J&J bloat can be a killer

&JansenJansen

BLOAT
CAN BE A KILLER

bloat

PROJECT BLOAT HEREDITARY IN IRISH SETTERS

(Wilko Jansen) NOVEMBER 2016

First of all I emphasize that I don’t want to give the impression that our beloved breed is full of bloaters.
On the contrary. I love this breed since 1968.
A big THANK YOU to them who supported my research and gave me lots of information about bloat so
that I could do my job and found that GDV in Irish Setters is inherited.

It is very disappointing that the policy of breed clubs worldwide is not stricter when we see certain
health defects more often appear in the breed, in families. Too often the cases are waved away
because of excuses. Mostly by stud dog owners. Those excuses never may be the reason to breed from
victims and their offspring, parents. The importance of the breed AND THAT OF A FUTURE OWNER
prevails above the interest of the individual, politics.
In fact many breeders, stud dog owners, breed clubs still think problems like bloat and epilepsy don’t
need to be eradicated.

So far only 1 or 2 have asked me advice about using a stud-dog for their bitch. Isn’t that curious.

Next step should be to find the definitive proof that GDV in Irish Setters is hereditary. How? Finding
the gen. Finding funding to realize that is the next step. And then hopefully a mandatory DNA test for
all Irish Setters to breed from.

THE PROJECT

In the summer of 2014 I started my research. And I concluded very soon that this killing disease would
be hereditary. Very often there were 3 or more GDV cases in a litter. There were many cases in families.
Isn’t that a signal that it could be hereditary?
I mailed worldwide breeders of Irish Setters. In November 2014 I published my 16 pages update of this
Project. I would like to mention here all those breeders, owners who supported my project with their
GDV experiences. You would be amazed who joined. I must confess that I sometimes got tears in my
eyes of the stories. And was wondering why me, why haven’t others concluded that this killing disease
is hereditary in Irish Setters. There have been researches done by Irish Setter people. Mostly because
they experienced many bloat cases in their lines. But there was not much support of others. And all
those collected pedigrees are lost!
My pedigrees of GDV cases were many hundreds at that time.

Finding all the carriers is a problem in the breed as long as there is no DNA test available. But by
knowing the affected you get to know the at least carriers. That is why it is so important to tell us when
you have come across a bloat victim. The parents and children of an affected are at least carrier for
this recessive inherited bloat.
Once offspring from a litter have bloat, the carrier status (at least carrier) of the parents and their
littermates can start to be determined. Littermates and siblings of affecteds should be studied. Owners
contacted with a questionnaire. Contacting the owners of related Irish setters of bloat victims is so
important.

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That is in the UK very difficult because not all pedigrees are transferred to (new) owners. In the
Netherlands the pedigree belongs to the owner of the microchipped and now DNA profiled dog.

But it is also very difficult in other countries where breed clubs have a database. It is top secret and
PRIVACY is the word. Only a few can see it. And what do they with these facts? I like to check some
doubtful answers on questionnaires made by pet owners. To be sure that it was bloat, torsion. Do
those clubs inform the breeders of the reported problems?

I concentrated on the UK population for obvious reasons.

In many other countries support of breeders, owners was far below desired, Cooperation with the
Dutch Ierse Setter Club was put by me in the fridge because the new Committee, although telling at
every occasion that health in the breed was main issue, told me that the information (who is owner) I
wanted was said to be privacy. I think it is very important that a researcher can contact owner, have a
view at the questionnaire to check if it was a real GDV case. Bloating, gassing, winding, looking blown
up isn’t always a torsion case. Talking with the owner can clarify that. When I made the contract with
the club this was discussed but when a few months later we got a new committee this was not possible.
I asked that in January and didn’t get a reaction. So I decided to spend my time, energy upon the UK.
Reported cases from all over the world were very useful. Most of them were descendants of UK
exports. And confirmed my November 2014 idea.

It is based upon pedigree analysis of bloat/torsion cases in Irish Setters. Date of death and cause of
death (bloat, GDV) is either contributed by owner or breeder, available in public databases or books,
or entered from published info in other places. In the past names of well- known bloat victims were
mentioned in the dog magazines and club newsletters.

My research is based upon facts gathered direct from breeders, owners. Or from published GDV victims
by the owners in breed club newsletters, in Our Dogs breed notes and Dog World breed notes. And
reactions, blogs on internet. Often the pedigree name had to be found. In my 16 pages publication of
November 2014 I quoted some of these GDV cases published in the dog press in the past. And it is
based upon GDV, torsion. Not only blowing up, gassing. Bloating. And family history was done.
This study can only be successful when the GDV cases are reported. The more I got, the more I could
do family search. In the UK there is an enormous database of Irish Setters. The Hooley Irish Setters
Database Search Page. Everybody can have a view. The Hooley website was of great help. BIG thanks
to Michelle Webster who has spent so much time to let us benefit from these pedigrees and breeding
history. I think many don’t have an idea what a job Michelle Webster did.

I will not write about the “technical” bloat things. There is much published about that and has been
shown in videos. The classic signs of an upcoming GDV should be known. The dog tries to vomit but
nothing is produced, maybe a little bit. The dog is restless and the stomach is swelling up like balloon.
Only one advice. Immediately to the vet.

I only write and conclude where I am good. And that is pedigree analysis of facts. Irish Setter with bloat,
GDV. The pedigree analysis study endeavoured to identify and only states “carriers” where sire and
dam are involved as parents of GDV cases.

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I have learnt to conclude that there is something wrong when I asked the owner, breeder about a
possible GDV case and didn’t get an answer. I would react direct when someone told me a fully
wrong thing about my dog.

Factors to increase the risk of this disease.

For many years many risk factors are mentioned and cited in the scientific literature. A large list of
potential causes. As I wrote before every Irish Setter meets once or more in his lifetime one or more
of these so called risk factors. But not every Irish Setter bloats. Myths? I keep saying it comes from the
sire AND dam. And that is searched for and listened to far too less. In all those publications about GDV
research I do miss that. More often is written that a genetic cause COULD be possible,
The mentioned risk factors from researches were told and told. They were followed but had no effect
on the number of GDV cases. By doing all those good advices, the risk for bloating should reduce.
So I conclude that the increase of GDV in some families, in certain years must have another cause. I
keep saying: it comes from father AND mother. It is inherited.
There has been a research with 2 groups fed differently. Meat or kibble? Much written about it. In this
research I do nothing read about the pedigrees, family or not?
In 1979 Thomas Alan Floss of the Powderhorn Kennels in the Memo of the Irish Setter Club of America
about bloat, old problem new approach. How do get solids and gases to exit more rapidly? Create a
second opening in the stomach.
I have read in articles of scientists that bloat risk increases with age. And sometimes is mentioned why
that is. Like the old age factor that influence the body, muscles.
Well here my finding. 204 UK owned Irish Setters from which I know at what age GDV for the first
time happened.

204 GDV cases at the age of

30

25

20

15

10

5

0
0 1 1,5 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
GDV at year of age their died of GDV

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The ups and downs during my research

The biggest disappointment was the non-reaction of breed clubs worldwide. I also received a few very
negative reactions. 3 well known breeders wrote me that breed clubs should do this job. My answer
to them was that the breed clubs had had several opportunities in the past to do so. And 2 of these 3
gave me despite that remark all information. I like to share with you some of the many reactions so
that you can get an impression of what I have gone through. Why am I doing this?

“HE HAS A RIGHT TO CRITICIZE, WHO HAS A HEART TO HELP” Abraham Lincoln

I understand the research you are doing and think it is so important for which I thank you.

I agree with being open and frank it isn't the same as it used to be in the breed. I just think the money
could of been spent on bloat and also research in to epilepsy to begin with and possibly saved a few
lives, with new data on the conditions

Yes I agree bloat and epilepsy are more important to get rid of. You are lucky to have got your dog to
an old age I am not belittling your comments but there are a lot of dogs who do not make it to old age
so I think it is time to get things into perspective. I have had Irish to 13 years old and never had a blind
dog or deaf dog.

The email from Malcom was sad , just sold 2 puppies to people who had lost young dogs to BLOAT and
Epilepsy most distressing but we still have breeders in UK who have never HAD !!!

Some of your reports in the dog press have been inaccurate and sometimes confusing for the novice
dog owner.

Quite a number of us on this side of the channel are concerned about the way you report on health
issues................ It would be unfair of me to mention names: suffice to say that those involved with the
health of the IS in the UK are extremely concerned about some comments you have made since
becoming a Breed correspondent.

You may be getting positive feedback but the majority think your reports are too long and when it
comes to health misleading.

They are too numerous to mention and so many of us now don't bother to read your column.

Wilko you are concerning me. This is not an official database that you are preparing it is for your own
private research. How will it be used? I am absolutely convinced that any accumulation of information
can only be undertaken by official means and logged into official databases and passed for research to
qualified geneticists for accurate assessment. Placing this information in the hands of unqualified
individuals, no matter how knowledgeable they believe they are, is dangerous and can be misleading,
not to say misconstrued. Sorry but I cannot subscribe to this.

I am not comfortable with this Wilko as it is not official research. I hope that when you have gathered
all your information it is passed to your breed club for inclusion on their database and not used

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privately. It must be placed in the hands of geneticists for their conclusions only. I do not want to see
this being used in any private conclusions. You are not a geneticist. I would like to have your assurance
that this information will be properly and professionally handled and any results channelled only
through your breed clubs. I will be very angry if this information is published by anyone other than the
breed clubs.

Wish you luck with your research. So any information you need i am more than happy to provide if it
helps to rid our breed of hereditary ailments. I am happy to answer any questions about my experience
with …. ‘s bloat, but I can only say that when we mentioned to her breeder that we had lost her, he
said it would have been something ‘we’ did because he had not seen it in his lines. A good while later,
we heard that he had lost others to bloat. I do not know any more or if this is entirely true. Just what
I was told. Bloat is such a terrible, devastating thing to happen. I hope I never see it again.
It is interesting that you think it is hereditary, I am sure it is, it seems to follow some lines, the only
Bloat I have had is a litter that …….. was the sire. The problem is people are not honest and seem to
think if they don't say anything they are doing the breed a good service by not owning up, also people
won't buy the puppies if they are honest.

Dear Wilko, we had a very long thinking of gastric torsion. It is a big problem of big dogs, we must
agree but we can not agree with the way you are interpreting this problem. As you know there is not
found any gene which causes GDV in comparison to PRA rcd4. I think we can GDV compare to cancer.
When e.g. my grandpa had cancer and my father had cancer then I am at higher risk of having cancer,
too. But cancer is not a hereditary disease. And in a simple way we can say the same about GDV. The
progeny can be at higher risk but you can’t say it is a hereditary disease. If it was in the way you are
writing it in your article, then you would have the known N/N as an affected, N/n as an carrier and n/n
as a clear one. But there is not found the gene for GDV. This is a really big difference. GDV is caused by
several factors - the frequency of feeding, the food you give your dog, drinking a lot water after
feeding, having a lot of movement after feeding and of course by the anatomy. And as you know these
are not all. Unfortunately, the way you interpret the problem of GDV is misleading. Do you have in
your research the information of these factors or do you deal only with Yes/No answers of the breeders
or owners and on that basis you make a statistics which leads you to say it is a hereditary problem?

In Western Europe (I say it because we do not have to have the tests for PRA in my country) you
introduced the tests for PRA rcd4 as a condition for breeding. Testing if a dog is losing his sight around
the age of 10. But what about PRA rcd1. This affects the puppies which is much worse. But PRA rcd4
ruined a lot of good stud dogs in these countries. So you should be very careful with your interpretation
of the genetic basis of GDV. The new breeders who do not understand this thing could understand it
that it is only a genetic problem and you could discourage them from breeding these beautiful but
what more even the breeders who do it several years could misunderstand it and the rumours could
occur very quickly.

We are waiting to the results of the researches which are in progress. But please be careful because of
the new as well as of the experienced breeders. When there is no gene found you can not say "an
affected, a carrier and a clear dog". There are so many factors which influence the occurance of this
painful situation. Internet and the social networks are very powerful in these days and spreading of
unfounded information is very fast.

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Hi again Wilco, I am so sorry to hear that so many top breeders are not helping with your research. it
is very frustrating. I am finding the same thing with some breeders in many breeds in the USA

Dear Wilko Jansen: Thank you for your communication and efforts to educate about bloat. I think you
are right and people feel guilty that their dog has bloated in later years and has progeny at risk so
they say nothing in case they get blamed when the progeny bloat. Very difficult ? Nun wünsche ich
Dir viel Erfolg bei deinen Recherchen, die sicher, solltest du Erfolg haben, für viele sehr interessant
sein werden.

Good luck and please keep the pressure on via your breed notes in the hope it saves this lovely breed.

Without being antagonistic to you personally, Wilko, but to be honest, I do feel that I would prefer this
study of yours to be in the hands of a breed club or health organization, and it may well be that others
feel the same, which is why you're not getting as much help as you wish, not that we want to hinder
research

Just to say I think your work in Irish setters is so admirable. Wish you luck. People often don't reveal
health problems!

In my opinion, it is still the most serious condition to threaten our lovely breed. Keep up the wonderful
and much needed research on this horrible problem. I'm afraid i disagree totally with various attempts
over the years by various people trying to prove a hereditary link to certain lines with bloat . Numerous
scientific studies have proved inconclusive. so who am i or you or any lay person going to be the ones
to make the great discovery !!
Good luck anyway and kindest regards

I would like to wish you good luck with your research and hope it helps eliminate this horrible
syndrome.

Another reaction from one of my many old friends. “I'm afraid i disagree totally with various attempts
over the years by various people trying to prove a hereditary link to certain lines with bloat . Numerous
scientific studies have proved inconclusive so who am i or you or any lay person going to be the ones
to make the great discovery !! No disrespect to you , Wilko , but i think you are out of your Depth.”

He is …….’s grand son and I'll stake my life that's where the problem is!
I so appreciate the work you have undertaken for the love of our beautiful Irish Setters. We have been
slaves to our IS since 1973. I do hope your work will give the knowledge needed to make the changes
needed in breeding and lifestyle for the benefit of all Irish Setters. Thanks for all you share to help
others.
It would be a huge achievement and wonderful for our lovely dogs if a solution can be found.

Hoping this info will be of use to you please let me know if I can be of any further help having witnessed
this terrible condition three times in 7 years it would be fantastic if we could find the DNA marker to
help eradicate this terrible condition.

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But many hundreds wished me luck. Wrote me to go on. And those compliments gave me every
time the strength to go on with this job.

TO AVOID CRITICISM, SAY NOTHING, DO NOTHING, BE NOTHING Aristotle

GENETICS

When a disease appears in specific families then that is suggestive of hereditary. Why then breeding
with children, parents or the dog itself having that health problem when there is no DNA test available?
And littermates could be affected or carrier. But could be clear.
The fact that bloat cases are more present in specific families than in the rest of the breed should ring
the hereditary bells. And yes my pedigree research went back to a certain combination. Haven’t we
all learned not to breed from dogs with a disease, a disorder? Why some breeders did, do linebreed,
inbreed to published bloat victims?

PEDIGREE ANALYSIS. What kind of information can we get from a pedigree. It is a record of ancestry.
In the traditional pedigree merits, CC’s, titles are printed in red. DNA test results, Hip scores are
mentioned.

For analysis we need family-tree type pedigrees. The whole litters are mentioned and those bred with.
This can be used to fit the genetic model of a defect. The Symbols Pedigree is a possibility to analyse
littermates. This technique is called “breadth of pedigree”. Detailed information of immediate
ancestors is very important.

Possible way of inheritance:
Single gene (sex) linked. Like haemophilia. In GDV males and females are both affected,
therefore not sex linked.
Autosomal dominant. In GDV an Irish Setter doesn’t have only one parent with a faulty gene.
So not autosomal dominant.
Polygenic. We know polygenic from HD. Is GDV caused by risk factors?
Autosomal recessive. After profound pedigree analysis I have concluded that GDV in the Irish
Setter must be inherited in this way.

Although many still let us know that environmental issues influence the predisposition to bloat. I have
read that someone wrote “What a dog inherits is a predisposition to bloat, not bloat itself.” This is for
me a bit too difficult English. I found that an Irish Setter is predisposed to bloat when both parents are
at least carrier for this defect and that as a result of breeding with carriers and or affecteds there is a
chance of 25%, 50% or 100% getting GDV.

The Mendel law tell us that in case of a simple recessive inheritance affecteds are produced

25% by a carrier x carrier combination;
50% by an affected x carrier combination;
100% by an affected x affected combination.

Why I concluded more than a year ago that it is inherited autosomal recessive?

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My personal opinion, based upon pedigree studies of reported bloat cases by owners and
breeders, is that BLOAT (GDV = Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus Syndrome ) in Irish Setters is a recessive
genetic disease meaning that affected dogs must inherit two copies of the associated mutation (one
from each parent) in order to develop the disease. Dogs only inheriting one copy of the mutation are
considered carriers and do not show clinical signs of disease. However, if bred with another carrier of
the BLOAT mutation, the pairing can produce affected puppies. Due to their lack of clinical signs,
these non-symptomatic carriers pose a significant problem for breeders trying to eliminate the
disease from their breeding program. Hopefully, genetic testing will be available in the future to
identify carriers of the BLOAT mutation prior to breeding. Then Carriers of the BLOAT mutation can
still be bred to dogs that did not inherit a copy of the mutation without fear of producing affected
animals. However, 50% of the offspring from this pairing will be carriers of the mutation.

In the past there have been writers who had the opinion that it would be a DOMINANT inheritance. I
checked that and can’t understand how they could conclude that. As you can see in the scheme below
it would have meant that there would have been much more affected Irish Setters.

RECESSIVE INHERITANCE 100 % affected 50 % carrier
50 % affected 100 % carrier
need 2 faulty genes to develop the condition 50 % carrier 25 % clear
affected x affected 25 % affected 50 % carrier 50 % clear
affected x carrier
affected x clear 100 % clear
carrier x carrier
carrier x clear
clear x clear

DOMINANT INHERITANCE

only need 1 faulty gene to develop the condition

affected (1 faulty and 1 normal gene) x clear 50 % affected (with 1 faulty) 50 % clear
25 % clear
affected (1 faulty and 1 normal gene) x 50 % affected (with 1 faulty)
affected (1 faulty and 1 normal gene) 25 % affected (with 2 faulty)

affected (1 faulty and 1 normal gene) x 50 % affected (with 1 faulty)
affected (2 faulty genes) 50 % affected (with 2 faulty)

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here in the dominant inheritance one with 1 faulty and 1 normal gene is affected. In the
recessive inheritance the one with 1 faulty and 1 normal gene is called CARRIER.

In the past there have been writers who had the opinion that it would be a DOMINANT inheritance.
I checked that and can’t understand how they could conclude that. As you can see in the scheme it
would have meant that there would have been produced many more affected Irish Setters.

There are sex-linked inherited conditions. But in my project it came out in males and females, circa. 48
respectively 52 %.

The COI (Correct Or Incorrect)

Read more than once: lower COI = longer living. High COI, 25% and more, causes Inbreeding
depression. How did they come to that conclusion?
The pups in a litter have all the same calculated COI%. But they are all different in appearance and
genetic. A high % stands for inbreeding, linebreeding. But a simple 4 generation pedigree can show
you direct if it was inbreeding (nowadays forbidden) or linebreeding. And why did one linebreed? Not
to get diseases or untypical Irish. I have seen dogs with a very low COI and good Hip scores and DNA
tested or hereditary clear for rcd-1, CLAD and rcd-4 that are carrier for GDV or affected. Knowledge of
the ancestry on the pedigree is important. Family history is very helpful. And knowing the offspring.
WHAT IS BEING TRANSMITTED FROM PARENT TO OFFSPRING! AND HOW IS THAT ACHIEVED!

Much is written, said that the higher the COI %, the higher is the risk for affecteds. Can I simply say
NONSENSE. There are Irish Setters suffering GDV with high and low COI%. Despite increased COI%
there is in our breed no reduction in average litter size. But a low COI doesn’t mean that there is no
hereditary problem! Because it comes from sire AND dam who are both at least a carrier for a defect
like bloat.

OPEN vs CLOSED REGISTRIES

Pedigree analysis and accurate record keeping is required. It is one of the tools for making breeding
decisions. I found that it is important to know how many puppies in a litter are born. And how many
of them were registered. How many died. And cause of death.
Reporting and recording health conditions in an open health registry would help breeders and owners
to reduce the presence of genetic diseases in our breed. It should be an open databank. The registry
must record data as much as possible. Both normal and affected. It ends the uncertainty for breeders
when they plan a litter.

Some years ago there was a GDC registry of the Institute for Genetic Disease Control. GDC was created
more than a decade ago to help breeders of purebred dogs reduce the prevalence of genetic disease.
At that time, the founders of GDC felt that providing the first national open registry service would be
the single most effective step towards giving breeders the tools they needed. The GDC registries
eventually covered more than 20 diseases.
The GDC data base merged in 2002, I think, with OFA and information on GDC dogs is available on the
OFA website. And GDC was dissolved November 2014 as a non-profit Organisation.
What was their plan.

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“Each owner of a registrant in an open registry has agreed to the release of the data whether the
evaluation of the animal is affected or normal. Each dog registered in an open registry brings crucial
information to help support the improvement of the entire breed. The GDC registry delivers
information to breeders for the selection of mates whose bloodlines indicate a reduced risk of
producing genetic disease.

Breeders can evaluate the risk for genetic disease transmission by a dog when there is sufficient data
on a family of dogs in the GDS registry. By consulting the GDC for studies of the progeny of a dog and
of the siblings and half-siblings of any generation, breeders will learn the genetic disease transmission
risk of a prospective sire or dam. The best breeding strategy selects low risk vs. high risk dogs.
The GDC recommends registering every dog in a litter whether or not the owner expects to breed it.
The knowledge of the makeup of that individual is important in order to establish the genotype of any
relative which is considered for breeding stock. With each affected relative found, the risk that the
individual being considered for breeding will transmit the disease increases.”

Information can sometimes be found at the kennel club web sites. There are a few breeders in the
world who write the cause of death on their site. But there are many breeders who put stories about
inbreeding, COI, defects etc. and don’t tell us at all their experiences with health problems. There are
many breed club committee members who lack knowledge of breeding, genetics. And don’t get upset
about me writing this. If I am wrong, proof it. Talk with breeders, set up some strict rules.

WHY, WHY, WHY. QUESTIONS

Why have so many successful kennels stopped breeding Irish Setters? Not only because the owners
grew old. Some started with another breed. They simply stopped because they were hopeless with
increasing bloat and or epilepsy cases in the litters they bred.

Why suddenly successful dogs disappear from the show ring?

Why have so few breed clubs supported my initiative? Have not asked for information? By contrast
one infatuates with Professors, Universities who have written in the past about far fewer cases and
appearing in many other breeds. When EVERYBODY just worked together and breed clubs promoted
my initiative amongst the members, this killing disease problem could be solved quicker.

All research, projects depend on cooperation of breeders, owners worldwide. Full cooperation is
something to wish. Why is always response disappointing low? That was also in the past. But DNA tests
for rdc-1, CLAD, rcd-4 are found and are now a very helpful instrument for breeders. There is a hip
scheme for many, many years. I think in the UK not so frequent, mandatory done compared with many
other countries. We would like to have a DNA test for epilepsy, bloat, MO. IMHA is another topic where
at the moment much research is done and published. And which Universities, Institutes work together
on a health issue? I think some solutions could be found quicker if ALL help to achieve the goal getting
rid of a health problem.

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I have been thinking of stopping with this unpaid job like many before me have done. But every
time I get mails telling me to go on for the health benefit of this lovely breed. But I can’t do it alone.

There is a reversal to observe. GDV in Irish Setters (and other big breeds) was for many, many years
caused by the construction, size of the dog. Deep chests would be the cause of bloating. That is why
they did supply tape measures with the latest AHT/KC bloat survey. Have you seen the results? Were
centimeters the cause of bloat? So far we have only seen a statement about this survey result with a
few written lines. Another missed chance.
We could read that torsion, bloating was caused by the food, the way they were fed. Raised bowls or
not raised. But so far NOBODY who I sent my articles have rejected my view that it simply comes from
the sire AND dam. Nobody. One or two agree but added that maybe something else also could cause
it. Well if so let us try to find that something else.

And why have breeders not simply stopped breeding those big, flat sided, briskets of many centimeters
Irish Setters if that was the cause? The bloat problem could have been solved already.
Haven’t that type of Irish disappeared from the showring? But bloat cases have increased. In certain
families!
In the USA the two 2 years researches of bloat were finished Dec. 31st 2015. Funded with much money.
What are the results? Not enough support yet…. We will have to wait very long to read the results.

Big question. Do we really want to solve some annoying health problems? I have my great doubts.

The problem with bloat in our breed is that it occurs often at later age. Sometimes it happened at the
age of 10 years or more . But most are at the age of 5-7 years. And nowadays there are Irish with a
torsion before 2 years. There are Irish blowing up every day. Sometimes change of food helps.
Sometimes it disappeared after a few years. Sometimes it is there at certain months intervals. But
seeing their pedigrees I see that these blowers are related to Irish who suffered a torsion. Some of
these blowers, gassing, winding Irish setters end up with a GDV.

On the other hand nowadays Irish are often successfully operated and get very, very old.

Puppy byers are warned for a possible torsion. The puppy buyers learn how it looks like. In the USA
they buy a first aid bloat set. Operating as prevention is more and more a thing to do. Vets advice it.

Well I have pedigrees of more than 1000 bloat cases in Irish Setters, worldwide, over a longer period.
And I have more than 100 bloat cases mentioned in the social media by their worried owners.
Mentioning the aka name. Most of these are USA owners. Often it are rescue dogs. Or without a
pedigree as it was customary in Belgium years ago. Many started there with an Irish without a pedigree
and yes they had torsion experience! Do rescue people make a note of the pedigree of these rescue
Irish? It could be very useful for researchers. They will never tell the owner nor us the pedigree,
ancestors. That is PRIVACY. And one or two know the pedigree and do nothing with it. Did they inform
the breeder. Warning should be more important than privacy.

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WHAT HAPPENED SINCE ?

Where was the action with the intention to attack and solve the (inherited) disease?

Newsletter ISBC Summer 1984

Report by Viveca A. Vamplew. Questionnaire circulated to members of the ISBC, ISC Scotland, South
of England Irish Setter Club and North East of England Irish Setter Club.

52 participated of which 36 had had bloat experience. Cases from 35 years ago till recently. Age 3
months to 15 years. 8 dogs and 28 bitches. 5 of the bitches nursing a litter. 5 cases of offsprings
reported. 18 uncomplicated bloat. 18 had bloat complicated with torsion.

0-0

1993 Survey of the 8 Irish Setter Breed Clubs on bloat/GDV in Irish Setters

664 forms were returned, documenting 2313 dogs. And 207 (8,9%) cases reported. Interim report in
the ISBC Spring 1994 Newsletter. Age range from 10 months – 15 ½ years. Previous gastrointestinal
signs were reported in 22,1 % (46). Surgery in 49,5 % (102)

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1994 A second survey by Clive M. Elwood

The aim was to identify ‘risk factors’ for the development of bloat within our breed.

0–0

November 20, 1994 Lecture and discussion on Gastric Torsion

Organized by the London and Home Countries Regional Social Group of the ISBC.

Miranda Brace wrote an article in Our Dogs of the lecture of Clive Elwood. “Thorough pedigree analysis
would also be needed. It might be possible to identify problems in certain lines and it would then be
down to the individual breeds to try to breed it out. Genetic studies of affected animals would have to
be undertaken and if a single, deranged gene could be identified, the problem could be eradicated but
this is very, very unlikely.”

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19th February 1995 Symposium on Gastrointestinal Disease. Defining Inherited Traits

Organised by the RVC University of London for the benefit of the Irish Setter breed. I was at this very
interesting seminar with speakers Professor Roger Batt, Dr Heather Pidduck RVC, Dr David Sargan, Mr
Simon Peterson-Jones University of Cambridge, Mr Oliver Garden RVC, Dr Sue Gregory RVC and Mr
Clive Elwood RVC. Talks about PRA and DNA tests, GSE, MO and Bloat.

Clive Elwood : “Because of the likely multifactorial nature of the problem, pedigree analysis
is less likely to be useful.”

13

In my notes made then, I read. This Seminar leaves many questions such as about heredity of problems.
My question. But when do you here present and those not here present today, WORK TOGETHER to
get less problems for the benefit of our breed.

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Autumn 2000 in Setter Shot ISAE. Health Matters!

The Kennel Club, in conjunction with the BSAVA, recently asked all breeds to list their “top” diseases.
The Association responded as follows:

1st Bloat
2nd Megaoesophagus (MO)
3rd = Epilepsy

= Entropion
We also believe that cancer is becoming increasingly common.

Several attempts have been made to understand bloat, and its causes. For example, Mr Clive Elwood
analysed questionnaire response some 6 years ago, and collected pedigrees: and tissue from affected
dogs has been analysed at Liverpool University. These exercises have usually expanded our knowledge,
but have not isolated the cause or causes of bloat, not identified any pattern of inheritance.

A renewed effort is likely to start to investigate bloat in the near future, drawing on work done in the
USA. The Association has agreed to take part in this work and, in addition, is considering working with
another breed which suffers from the condition.

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2004 Survey by the Kennel Club/BSAVA

The breed with the highest prevalence was the Grand Blue de Gascogne with 21,4%. The Irish Setter
was with 7,2% on the 4th place. 24 Irish Setter deaths of the 451 reported were due to GDV.

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JULY 2010 Mortality and Morbidity due to GDV syndrome in pedigree dogs in the UK

Published by Katy Evans and Vicki Adams. This study used data collected in the 2004 KC/BSAVA survey.
15881 dogs from 165 KC recognized breeds. The Grand Blue de Cascogne with 31,1 % first and the Irish
setter with a prevalence ratio of 12.6 was fourth. 49 bloats in Irish setters and … only 3 in Grand Blue
de Cascogne. In conclusion, bloat is a serious, and often fatal condition in the breed, and the Breed
Club Health Coordinators recommend all setter owners submit DNA samples to the AHT in the hope
of finding a genetic basis to this disease so that it can be eliminated through responsible breeding
programmes.

0–0

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2010 Questionnaires sent in collaboration with the Kennel Club and the ISAE

Were sent to the owners of 2010 Irish Setters for which the AHT holds samples of DNA. Originally
submitted to the AHT for genetic testing for PRA or CLAD. Information was reported for 430 dogs. 12
had died from bloat. 26 dogs had survived at least one attack of bloat.

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2011 The anonymous online survey set up by the Joint Health Coordinators Group

To gather information about the incidence of diseases in our breed between 2005 and 2010.

One survey for owners of breeding bitches. 159 owners reported on 767 puppies. 9,13% of them had
suffered GDV/Bloat. Am I right in concluding 70 cases reported?

The other survey was for owners of stud dogs and pet setters. 361 reported on 1031 dogs. 9,99 % of
them had GDV/Bloat. Another 103 cases?

A total of 173 in the years between 2005 and 2010. In the conclusion is said that of course the survey
was anonymous and they cannot know how many individual dogs may have been reported in both
surveys. Sorry, me not understand this. Reported were 767 and 1031 puppies. Can it happen that and
owner breeding bitch and pet and or studdog owner reported the same Irish Setter that suffered from
GDV/Bloat.

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December 2013 The BLOAT survey is now closed. Early Statistical Overview.

Dr Cathryn Mellersh writes from the Animal Health trust. We have surveys for 1.956 dogs from 1.096
owners. 1.703 dogs are currently alive & 251 are dead. 886 males and 1.068 females. This represents
a response of roughly 15 % (rem. From the ca 13.000 sent!)
The prevalence of bloat among the survey respondents is approximately 13% (this includes bloating
without GDV i.e. resolved without surgery or death). (rem. = 254 cases).
It is hopeful that this amount of data should be sufficient to detect heritability.

Obviously we will provide a full analysis in due course once we have had a chance to analyse the data
full.

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THE AHT/KC BLOAT SURVEY (December 2013)

This was supported very poor by the Irish Setter world. After closing date the Joint Irish Setter Breed
Clubs Health Committee wrote that approximately 13 % prevalence of bloat was reported. That must
be 254 cases. This figure includes bloating without GDV. “Obviously we will provide a full analysis in
due course once we have had a chance to analyze this data.”

The next news came March 22th. 2015.

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KC/AHT Bloat Survey.

The AHT/KC survey of Irish setters last year, with financial support of the JISBC, was aimed primarily at
gathering evidence to prove that bloat is heritable. If proven, DNA samples could then be evaluated
for possible genetic markers. However, it was always understood that it was very unlikely to be a
simple- inheritance (i.e. single gene mutation) pattern. Whilst there may be genetic susceptibility,
environmental factors are likely to play a significant role.

Regrettably, although the results raised a suspicion that there is an inherited component 1et ha
condition, confounding factors prevented the results reaching statistical significance and therefore
proof. The number of respondents and the fact that some of the dogs alive at the time of the survey
may go on to develop bloat later in life confounded any clear conclusion.

The recommendation must therefore be that the breed prospectively collects DNA samples from dogs
that suffer bloat. Whilst this outcome is disappointing, it is recommended that we work with the AHT
to collect DNA samples and pedigrees of dogs when they suffer bloat confirmed by surgery or post
mortem.

As you will be aware, the survey also gathered information on a number of other conditions. This data
has not yet been analysed, but I have asked Tom Lewis (KC, formerly AHT) to analyse results pertaining
to megaoesophagus and epilepsy, where it is more likely that heritability can be proven.

Ed Hall, Chairman, Joint Irish Setter Breed Clubs Health Committee

Since then I have nothing seen. Have you?

Only a few lines are published so far. Haven’t we the right to learn more about this survey? The Irish
Setter community has funded it.

What intrigues me is: what was the outcome of the measuring of the Irish Setters? As for ages it is
written and copied that the chest size is cause of GDV.

In the “Healthy Dog” section of the April 2003 AKC Gazette, Jerold S. Bell, DVM wrote about the risk
factors for Canine Bloat. He concluded then. “There is no single, major gene that controls bloat. This is
because dogs do not inherit bloat, they only inherit a predisposition for the condition.

Perhaps the best selective tool against bloat is the chest-depth to chest-width ratio. Dogs that have
lower ratios and whose littermates have not bloated are the best breeding candidates. If prospective
breeding dogs are compared, and breeders select against those with high ratios, the prevalence of
bloat should diminish.”

This AHT/KC survey was CONFIDENTIAL. For whom? Less than a handful scientists, assistants? And who
concluded with help of a computer program that it wasn’t hereditary? Any breed specialist involved?
There were 254 cases of bloating and GDV for the period year born 2000-2012. Beware most bloat is
there when the Irish are 5 till 8 years old. So there will be more victims born in the period 2007-2012.
My big wish is to compare my cases with the KC/AHT cases.

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I have mostly contacted breeders to get my pedigrees. The period for the survey was YOB 2000-2012.
I have now 169 cases (including 3 gassing, bloating and 1 after gassing preventive operated. The
KC/AHT have 254 cases. That figure is including bloat without GDV. How many? And I assume this
figure is including some reported GDV happened before this period. For my research I am very much
interested to know the at least 85 cases I don’t have. Although I can fairly estimate which years
especially I must have more GDV cases produced because of breeding with Affecteds and carrier x
carrier combinations in certain years. Like YOB 2002 at the moment I only have 9 GDV cases. Which is
very low, compared to years before and after.

Info about GDV cases not available because
They are put in a desk at the KC/AHT, classified as confidential
They are put under big carpets owned by a minority of breeders/studdog owners.
They went through the shredder.

RESEARCH BY BREED SPECIALISTS OR SCIENTISTS

Do you remember who started in the past research for possible inheritance of health problems, like
night-blindness, Glutensensibility GSE! CLAD! MO! Yes it were breed specialists, worried breeders. I
mention night-blindness (PRA) started by Mr. W.J. Rasbridge. Testmatings were done. And later the
scientists were consulted and DNA research was started.

CLAD and rcd-4 were reported first outside the UK and research by scientists was started in Sweden
and The Netherlands.

And haven’t been there many who said that entropion, monorchide, wrong teeth would be hereditary
and to take into account. There are still breeders who think that with an operation the genetic thing is
also solved.

September 2014 there was the news about one rcd-1 case on the continent. Do we know the name,
the parents? Used for breeding? Why do only 2 handful of people know the name of this Irish Setter.
PRIVACY is also here much more important than serving the breed.

LOPRA, rcd-4 DNA test found by AHT. I have asked before. Is there any follow up of getting blind of
those with an affected DNA result. And at what age. I got a few reactions. May I warn breeders not
only to breed from and combine with rcd-4 DNA clear. Don’t forget the carriers from the Gene Pool.
But NEVER do a carrier x carrier combination. The DNA test is for you a very useful thing in your
breeding plans.

The two not- liking comments I received.

This should be done by scientists.
OK. Did you help the scientists when they had a project?
This should be done by breed clubs.
OK. Did you support when breed clubs asked to support a project?
Did you tell your breed club about your health issues?

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KC Survey

I am happy with the publication of KC survey results for Irish Setters. It helps, confirms my findings
since Summer 2014.

1st Bloat/GDV is number 1 health issue in the UK
2nd Support, cooperation from breeders is far below what one should wish. Only about 5 % of the
forms has been returned.
3rd Confidential. I think that those who sent in the form don’t mind to share with us their
experience.

What is the importance of questionnaires? Just collect numbers of and calculate %. And only be seen
by a few people. Not seen by breed specialists. Health coordinators. And then forms after calculating
and writing the story, will be destroyed. Useful info for now or later is lost.

For a long time I am thinking how to tell the world my hereditary idea. You need many big pieces of
paper to draw the pedigree schemes.

I opted for more profound research of families, groups. Because a complete breed research is not
possible. The reasons are:

In the UK not every dog is transferred to the new owner.

In the Netherlands privacy. Owner names are not known to me. So I couldn’t check data in the
database with the owners.

! The keep silent. I see some closed small groups of breeders, owners “chaired” by stud dog
owner(s). Promoting their own stud dog. And every time coming with a new stud topper. And I
wonder if all members of such a group really know all good and bad things of these breeding.

DNA tests are useful but not always used in full

The advantage of a DNA test is, that we know the clears, carriers and affecteds for an inherited disease.
And knowing that, gives you the possibility to use an affected or a carrier in a combination with a clear
tested one. And by DNA testing the offspring of the carrier x clear combination you know who is clear
or carrier. Combining clear x clear produces clear for this defect. But doing that clear x clear the defect
is quickly bred out but the diversity of the population decreases. And these clears can be carrier for
another hereditary defect.

HOW CAN WE SOLVE THE BLOAT MYSTERY?

Not by doing more questionnaires, research programs by scientists about possible causes of GDV but
searching pedigrees. And start to find a DNA test So that the big chance of more GDV cases, caused by
unknown carriers stops.
Do we want to find the solution for this killing disease? Yes or no? if yes, what are we going to do?
Who cooperates? Who counteracts by keeping silence, finger pointing to others.

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Constructive communication instead of gossip. Working together to improve the health of our breed.
Accept that a disorder is genetic instead of denying, mentioning excuses. Contact between breeders
and their puppy byers is a must. Ask them about the health.

If breeders are unwilling to be open and honest about health disorders of which they are aware, the
health problem could become quickly widespread.

Breeders, breed clubs should be cooperative and supportive of researchers studying genetic disorders.
Breeders should take action when there is an unwanted, unexpected health issue suddenly popping
up. And certainly when it relates to the most common painful abnormalities which are thought off to
be hereditary. GDV, Epilepsy, Entropion, MO.

An owner should inform the breeder when their dog bloats and the breeder should inform us if the
owner hasn’t done already. And very important the stud dog owner should be told.

How to tackle this problem? There is only one way forward. Not to breed from dogs that had a GDV or
which have close relatives that had a GDV. A first degree relative (parent, sibling or offspring) that had
GDV and bred with increases the risk of GDV. There is a difficulty. Dogs are bred from before they
suffered GDV.

So far there are no breeding schemes to decrease the chance of breeding GDV.

Outcrossing can hide carriers. But only temporarily.

The prevalence of a health defect and the seriousness of it for the dog’s welfare. Painful, killing?

To move away from genetic defects can only if you have enough information. And the best is to use a
DNA test when that is available.

SELECTING!!!!

Breeding is selecting. And selection requires knowledge and experience. If you select wrong you get
enormous problems. And not only you.

Why GDV is or was a big problem?

Because some breeders haven’t selected. Haven’t read the GDV cases in the dog press. Or didn’t care.
When you study pedigrees you can see what happened by breeding with GDV victims and their
children, parents. In my first 16 page publication I did mention some famous names. And yes one
direct male line has died out.

E. Irving Eldredge and Connie Vanacore wrote in the book The New Complete Irish Setter, published
in 1983, that the famous Champion Candia Indeed (Long John) born in 1972, died from bloat at the age
of eight. Sire of 52 Champions. I can’t understand that many linebreeding to this dog. The Popular Sire
Syndrome. There must have been many bloat over there as a result of this kind of breeding. I have
seen on internet more than 100 cases reported las with the pet name.

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THE PROBLEM IS FINDING THE CARRIERS

Finding the CARRIERS !! To avoid carrier x carrier combinations. To avoid producing GDV victims.

The problem is to get to know which ones can or cannot be bred with. One should NOT breed with
affecteds and carriers. Carriers (at least) are all children of an affected. Parents are at least carriers.
With at least I do mean that in some cases it could be an affected. When the owner hasn’t informed
us of a GDV case. As bloat maybe manifested late in life, there could have been bred with or from
already without having known of this possibility. Therefore be honest and open and share this sad
experience with the other breeders. Denying or telling you never have experienced hereditary
problems will not serve the breed and you will influence the genetic burden in your breed.

Which dog is in your breeding program at high risk of being a carrier. Knowledge of close relatives,
affecteds and carriers, in the pedigree is required. Registration of these affecteds are necessary. An
open health database. It is no use to keep health problems secret. It should be shared and dealt with.

What is so important to have as many dogs on the pedigree written in red? Is that a quality guarantee?
What if unexpected GDV or Epilepsy occurs in those reddish pedigrees?

Test mating for GDV is not an option but sometimes, seeing the pedigrees, I get the impression that a
breeder let another breeder do the dangerous combination.

The Gene Pool. Not with every born and registered pup will be bred. Breeding is done by the existing
breeders. Sometimes there is a new breeder joining or one does an occasional litter. Or a dog owned
by a non-breeder, private owner, is used 1 or more times. Mostly based upon success in the show ring.
There is not much progeny or litter testing. Looking at a litter 2 years later and their parents can show
breeding results.

The more carriers there are in the gene pool, the greater is the chance of affecteds . You have to reckon
with that as long as a DNA test is not available.

PREVENTIVE GASTROPEXY

This is becoming more and more popular. It started in the USA. And now done over here. Why?
Because the scientists keep telling us that deep chested dogs, like Irish Setters, are highly destined for
torsion. If GDV is caused by deep chests, why doesn’t every Irish Setter with such breast size get a
torsion? Years ago the Irish Setters were not deep chested and there was bloat. We have had years
that deep chested dogs were popular in the show ring. But they didn’t bloat at all.

Often advised by the vet to do a preventive gastropexy together with the sterilize operation. Advised
by breeders? When they still breed from lines, families. Is this THE solution to get rid of this killing
disease? Not at all. With the operation the inheritance, the genes are NOT changed. It doesn’t reduce
the number of carriers, affecteds in a breed for this hereditary defect.

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GDV IN IRISH SETTERS IS INHERITED

THE more than 1.000 GDV cases I have are not:

Because they did eat high or did eat low (This discussion is still going on despite research done)
Because they were high chested
Because they were kennelled
Because they travelled long. Etc. Etc.

But because they had a sire and a dam with genes.

And that worked out for nearly 100 % of the cases I know. Nearly 100%. I do have 2 or 3 cases that I
conclude could not be hereditary. One case I can’t check anymore. Breeders have died I assume. It is
an old Dutch case. This bitch whose name is mentioned in a card system is another with the same
name. At that time many bitches were often bred with the same name and without a kennel name.
Not hereditary because there is NO offspring (litter of 11 pups) from that affected x affected
combination with bloat. And there has been bred in good quantities with most of that offspring. The
sire, affected, has sired many cases at that time. And another case with my big doubts is one with many
offspring and so far NO child with GDV. A pity the owner haven’t answered my question upon this. I
am telling you this just to show you how I deal with reported cases. And I can assure you that I have
sometimes adjusted reported GDV cases after receiving the correct fact direct from the owner. Double
checking!
BLOATING. Caused by air swallowing, food, water? I have read last months on FB many bloat stories in
other breeds. Bloat with no Torsion. Treated with pills or changing food. I must say that the gassing &
winding Irish Setters in the Dutch Data Base were mostly family related to GDV victims. A pity that
there has not been enquired years later how that bloating had developed. As said, in my pedigree
search I have GDV (TORSION) operated yes or no and GDV died yes or no.

In my pedigree analysis

Affected x affected gave 100% affecteds.
Carrier x carrier combinations gave 50% affecteds.
Carrier x carrier gave 25 % affecteds.

Or a bit less because the owner can’t be contacted anymore or because the dog died of something
else before “having the chance” to proof the GDV.

Very often when I showed a breeder the inheritance it was since then quiet at the other end. No contact
anymore.

And then this very hot Summer came an email from a breeder/owner mentioning 3 GDV cases. And
after checking the pedigrees I thought that my idea of inheritance was wrong. This could not be. I didn’t
have GDV cases reported to me from litters bred with these 3 victims. And the breeder wrote me “this
does not need to be confidential either”.

21

Now, October 2016, that we are back home with faster internet and a big archive I took a big
breath and decided to contact the breeder. The answer came very quick. I was speechless. Where I
hadn’t any GDV in the offspring of these 3 GDV cases, the breeder wrote that there were 6 affecteds
in the combination carrier x affected. And so far 3 GDV in the affected x affected combination. The
Mendel law was applicable and my idea survived. Relieved but feeling very sorry for the breeder who
had this unwanted, unexpected experience. This breeder must have had many sleepless nights. And
this mentioning to me also solved a GDV case of a 2 ½ years young bitch that happened 2 years ago.
Very sad experience for the owners. At that moment for me one of the hundreds of cases and I was
wondering where this could have come from.
Scheme 1 based upon my knowledge at that time

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Explanation of the colours I use on the pedigrees in my files. Folders full of pedigrees.
In Scheme 2 the inheritance of GDV in my young bitch from above is also now obvious. And there will
possibly be more (to come) in that litter. Carrier x Carrier gives 25 % chance of an affected.

CONCLUSION
I warn you NOT to breed from Irish Setters who had a torsion. Not anymore with the parents and not
with the children. Don’t “poison” the gene pool with carriers (a chance of 50% or 100 % with breeding
from an affected and 50% chance with breeding from a carrier).

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