Staffordshire Bull Terrier - Stafford Exchange - The Road to Hell

... is paved with good intentions!"

(page 2 - continued conversations.)

Presented by JUANITA HOBBS:

" Editor; The following notice was published by the North West Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club (England) during the "last so-called major incidence of HC in 1970" referred to in the above article: "

"The List of Names of Staffordshire Bull Terriers given below was compiled for the Breed Council at its Meeting on 2nd October 1971. The North West Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club is sending out the names on this Notice in order that those members who are seriously interested in breeding Staffords may note that the animals listed below are reported to have suffered with Cataracts in both eyes, usually at an early age. Some have been examined under the BVA/KC Hereditary Cataract Scheme, by appointed Veterinary Referees and have been refused a Clearance Certificate, but it should be appreciated that this list has been drawn up from information at present available, and that it is possible that there are more Staffords who have suffered in the past and who may be suffering at the present time from Cataracts in both eyes at an early age. It is hoped that members will come forward and report any further information, so that this can be passed on to the Breed Council.

The North West Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club takes this opportunity of thanking all in the Breed who have co-operated in any way at all towards giving information re Cataracts or Blindness of any kind in their stock, and particularly of thanking these people who have withdrawn from stud or breeding purposes, any dog or bitch presumed to be a Carrier. The Club also confirms its continued support to the Breed Council in the recommendations already published towards preventing the spread of Hereditary Cataracts.

NAME OF DOG OR BITCH AFFLICTED	NAME OF SIRE	NAME OF DAM
Bandits Bruzerdo (D) Bridgehouse Misfit (B) CoI. Jigsaw of Staffuana (D) Dakota Lil (B) Hamlet The Prince (D) Kima Golden Chicabee (D)	Repton Pride Vengill Black Jack Josid Gaffer Sam Spirit Ch.Peter The Bomber Lively Laddie	Little Madam Vengill Patsy Graftwood Mouna Growl For Pat Lovable Lass Mariken Brindle Streak
Kinderlee Cassanova (D) Kinderlee Comoncharo (D)	Litter brothers by: Ch. Topcroft Toreador	Kinderlee Contessa
Rapparee Lionheart (D) Rapparee Roundabout (B) 5taffshaven Topikhane (B) Stanestfeet Belinda (B) Satans Lucinda (B)	Ch Chestonian Campaign Ch Rapparee Renegade Ch Topcroft Toreador Ch William The Conqueror ch. Topcroft Toreador	Ch Rapparee Ashtield Star Tornado Wendy Badgerlea Kate Fearless Flora Maggie Black Tulip
Titons PalIas (B) Titons Semelo (B)	Litter sisters by: Bomber Son	Firestreak Red Lady
Wystaff White Wizard (D) Wystaff Whirlwind (B) Wystaff Winston (D)	All three in the same litter by: Ch Chestonian Campaign	Ch Kinderlee Cavalcade
Wystaff Wiseguy (D) Wystaff White Warrior (D) Ch Yasmin of Beredhar (B) Unregistered (B) Unregistered (B) Unregistered (B) Name Unknown (D) Name Unknown (B) Name Unknown (B) Name Unknown (B)	Wystaff White Wizard Kinderlee Casanova Ch Peters Boy Ch Chestonian Campaign Mesnostock Tony Vengill Black Cassius Josid Grenadier Josid Grenadier Stanestreet Henry Ch Golden Boy of Essira	Wystaff Welcome Wystaff Wickedness Rivaz of Benedhar Firestreak Red Lady Wunda Girl Vengill Glamour Girl Brindle Joyful Winterfold Titian Stanestreet Henry Stanestreet Guinevere

In addition there are between 8 and 10 additional cases from different matings where the owners of the afflicted animal or sire of dam have not, so far, been prepared to supply the necessary information.

There are also a further 5 cases where incomplete information is available because of the unwillingness of the persons concerned to be forthcoming.

Dr. K. C. Barnett (Cambridge University Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies) has the details of a further five names and is unable to supply information for professional reasons. He has received a copy of this list.

Note from Breed Council - The Breed Council is now satisfied that the incidence of this disease is very small in the Stafford and that all possible steps have been taken and advice to eradicate it."

Acknowledgements to The Stafford News - NSW Australia

Apart from the recent addition of a dog named Jackstaff Rustic Prince, who has been proven to be a Carrier and independently reported on in the early 1990's, the list of names above was compiled for the English Breed Council at its meeting on 2 October 1971. The North West Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club (NWSBTC) in England sent out these names in the form of a Notice in order that those members who are seriously interested in breeding Staffords may note that the animals listed had all produced progeny which suffered with Cataracts in both eyes, usually at an early age.

NOW, here's the CHALLENGE for the pedigree buffs... try and find one show dog in England who is, or will be, actively breedable who DOES NOT descend from any of these dogs. I haven't been able to.

I also can't find a single non-descendant in South Africa. I do not have enough American pedigree information to comment on the USA Stafford population.

Of course, there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel in that the further and further back such Carriers are pushed back into the pedigree, the less chance there is of Carriers occurring.

However, until a DNA test is available for Hereditary Cataracts, there is NO-ONE who can claim that any of their dogs are HC-free .

Let's get this, and all other hereditary diseases, out into the open where it belongs. If Brindle Mick can occur over 400 times in the back of Black Tusker's pedigree, the same can occur with any one of these dogs.

Why is it that some people are quite adamant that only knowing 3 generations of a dog's pedigree is sufficient? I have never, and will never, be able to understand this narrow-minded view.

Staffanatically yours.