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Grooming, Health Care and Other Schnauzer Facts
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Knowledge is power...
Below are some links to informative articles and web sites. These are directed towards educating the puppy buyer and Miniature Schnauzer lover...
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pictured above left, CH Adamis Ball Breaker, "Tyrone" photo by Dr. B. Roucco
"An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less."
Dr. BJ Palmer
Short for Canine Eye Registration Foundation. ALL reputable breeders test both their breeding stock and puppies for common eye disorders. Before you buy a puppy ask your breeder for a copy of the puppies CERF form or Veterinary Ophthalmologist eye exam. If the breeder can not produce this form, you may want to find out why. As a breeder of purebred Miniature Schnauzers, I can not think of any reason not to test our puppies and provide the puppy buyer with the peace of mind that accompanies knowing that their new puppy is free of juvenile eye disorders.
To learn more about CERF, please follow this link to the Canine Eye Registration Foundations Web page. http://www.vmdb.org/history.html
Myotonia is a disorder that affects the growth and movement of young puppies. I have been told that its effects are similar to Muscular Distrophy in humans. Myotonia runs in specific lines of dogs and most affected dogs have those known carriers in their pedigrees. The good news is that there is a DNA test to tell if a dog is affected or a carrier of this life threatening disorder.
To learn more about this disorder, please follow this link to the American Miniature Schnauzer Clubs web page. An informative article about the disorder and the DNA testing is available with a test submission form. http://amsc.us/myo-form.pdf _(adobe acrobat reader required)
Portosystemic Shunts aka "Liver Shunts"
It is no secret to any Miniature Schnauzers breeder that liver shunts have become a rising concearn. I am unsure wether or not the problem is congenital (inherited) or environmentally induced in our breed. There is a very informative article on a web site called "Maltese only" below is a short excerpt from that web page and a link if you would like to read the entire article.
Portosystemic shunts are abnormal vascular connections between the hepatic portal vein (the blood vessel that connects the gastrointestinal tract with the liver) and the systemic circulation. Such anomalies cause blood in the gastrointestinal track to be diverted past the liver, there by limiting the liver's vital functions in metabolism and detoxification of compounds and the body's defenses against intestinally derived pathogens. This effectively exposes the body to toxic by-products of digestion (toxins and bacteria) and mimics the effects of liver failure.
To learn more about Portosystemic Shunts, please follow this link to the Maltese only Web page. http://www.malteseonly.com/shunt2.html