There is a puppy from a litter I bred who is almost 3 months old and has been diagnosed with TVD. I kept 2 girls from that litter to run on with. My question, besides checking them at my GP vet, and probably taking them to a cardiologist for a echo/doppler what else should I be concerned with and prepared for? I am even wondering if I should place the 2 girls even if they come back cleared??? I guess I am asking what options I am looking it? If I decide to keep them, what do I need to aware of and prepared for(The Good and or possibly the Bad)?

TIA

Good luck. I don't envy your position. I probably wouldn't waste the time and money at the GP's and go right for doing the full echo, though if you want it OFA certified, you will need to wait until a year. Possibly your GP can do a listen for now.

Even if the 2 girls pass on their echos, since the mode of inheritance is not known, I am sure some will say that it would not be worth the risk to keep these girls in the breeding pool. Is there anyway to find out if the dam or sire side has any other history of producing TVD?

And just as a silly side question, you are SURE the male was diagnosed with TVD and not just someone saying that there is a murmur and that's what it is with no proper examination to back it up?

The first thing I would do is get a second opinion on the affected puppy, unless it is just such a clear cut case of valve dysplasia that there is no question.

Secondly, I am assuming both parents were echo cleared? If not, then get echo clearances on both the girls you kept and both parents. While echo clear is no guarantee that you won't produce TVD, it may narrow down where it came from. With TVD - it only takes one parent to pass it on. At 3 months, a board certified cardiologist will be able to detect valve abnormalities.

Finally, share the results of all tests with the ARCH database - ask your cardiologist about it. Until we have a DNA test, the ARCH database is our only hope of a thorough research database for cardiac issues in our breed.

Others may have other suggestions and recommendations, these are just the first steps I would take.

If you have someone you can trust (stud dog owner, mentor, etc) to send the pedigrees in question for research, then do so. It won't protect this litter, but may give you some insight in what to avoid in the future.

I am the OP. Mother and her parents echoed clear. Sire all dogs in at least 3 generations. Sire Has been used alot. The puppy diagnosis was by a specialist, there is no doubt.
Yes this leaves me with a dilema. You hear rumors, Its to bad there is just not a way where this secrecy and lack of communication can be put to the side and have info shared, which of may of possibly averted this situation. No one wins in this, especially the breed itself. I would like to hear from others who found themselves unexpectantly in my situation as well.

I was in your position as well. I chose to spay and place the girl I was running on when I heard about the TVD diagnosis of a littermate. Mom was subsequently cleared, dad was never done, but from the lines we see TVD frequently, but can't mention!

I agree - secrecy is ridiculous when the breed's health is involved.

We know there are a few well known studs that have passed it. They are still being offered and the owners know the offsprings information. Sad we can not tell. That is why the mentor or another close friends are such a good idea. Yes, it could have been the female but after a few examples we know it is more than likely the stud. Some do keep the siblings. I would just be afraid it would come back to bite me. Seems like more and more are getting calls these days with puppy problems. We try to be so careful with our breedings. Not sure what we can do.

I was in your same exact shoes. I ran on two girls. Brother diagnosed at 12 weeks. I took the 3 other siblings in for echos at 4 months and all cleared. Based on past history and speaking with the stud owner I decided to keep both bitches in my program. Issue now is where to breed to?

There is no easy or correct answer, since we do not truly know 100% mode of inheritance. I wish you the best of luck making the best decision for your program.

I had a similar situation about 12 years ago. Male with TVD, kept the sister. Bred her at 2 yrs and had pups cleared. Bred her three times and did not produce TVD.

I feel that if you throw out every relative for everything - that there would be nothing to carry forward.

I would run on them and maybe in 2 years, we will have some idea of how to determine where the genes are.

what about something like the Georgia Gooch book?

Years ago there was a publication put out that listed the pedigrees of dogs that had produced PRA. Controversial for sure, but it helped, IMO.

Guess someone would have to be willing to throw out their Labrador career to do it though. What about an anonymous website with TVD pedigrees?

How long til Meg Sleepers research is out?

I had a litter from echoed "clear" parents. There was a known producer back 3 gens in the pedigree. None of this litter had any heart issues, but when bred, two of the bitches (bred to different echoed clear males from heavily echoed lines) did produce TVD. It can skip generations. My advice is not to breed a sibling of a TVD affected.