April

ok, so she is not a setter, but Florence has her own page. She is a gorgeous Maine Coon who we are hoping to show.

Having done a lot of research into Thyroid disease in dogs, mostly caused by Autoimmune (lymphocytic) Thyroiditis and the high susceptibility of English Setters to the condition we have taken the decision to screen all of our breeding stock for Thyroglobulin autoantibody (TgAA) which shows the presence and levels of the antibodies that can over time affect the function of the Thyroid gland. Regular (annual to bi-annual) testing is required as levels can change over time up to the age of about 6 years. The mode of inheritance is not known, but it is unlikely to be a simple recessive gene. We will use the results to inform our breeding program alongside the other health testing we under take to try and ensure the health of our dogs and the breed as a whole. At the current time there is no wide spread screening within the breed in the UK.