BVA launches syringomyelia scheme at Crufts 2012

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has launched a new scheme to screen dogs for syringomyelia at the 2012 Crufts dog show in Birmingham.

In association with a team from the Kennel Club, the BVA will be informing Crufts attendees about the details of the initiative, as well as encouraging breeders of the most commonly affected canine species to attend screenings.

Under this new project, dogs across the UK will be checked for chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia, inherited conditions caused by the brain being slightly too large for the skull, leading to extreme pain for the animal.

The conditions have been known to affect cavalier King Charles spaniels and griffon Bruxellois, while they are also suspected to be prevalent among Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Affenpinschers and Maltese terriers.

By carrying out MRI scans, affected animals can be removed from the breeding stock, leading to the problem being minimised or possibly eliminated over time.

This week also saw the BVA congratulate the Kennel Club for its decision to introduce rigorous health checks on dogs taking part in this year's Crufts, tests which were failed by the Best of Breed winners in the high-profile bulldog and Pekingese categories.