My gut feeling after 26+ years in this breed is that there is absolutely no link between early onset MVD and big, cushy heads. I know of several dogs that never developed MVD at all--all of them had big cushy heads. In my own dogs in almost every instance it was the dogs lacking cush that fared the worst regarding MVD (average onset 7-8 years) and the dogs with big cushy heads fared quite well (average onset 9-11 years). I've studied pedigrees and dogs all these years--I just don't see it. For every dog or line that *proves* this point, there is another dog or line that *dis-proves* it.
I think it would be nice if this were the answer--at least we would have a *seeable* direction to take. But I'm almost ready and willing to bet there is no link whatsoever between big cushy heads and early onset MVD. Trying to keep an open mind--but I just don't see it. Laura Lang ========================================================= "Magic Commands": to stop receiving mail for awhile, click here and send the email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20NOMAIL to start it up gain click here: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20MAIL E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] for assistance. Search the Archives... http://apple.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ckcs-l.html All e-mail sent through CKCS-L is Copyright 2002 by its original author.
