Originally Posted by
aey1604
Just wondered if anyone else had any experience of this condition in their Berner or other breed or a similar condition called systemic histiocytosis (apparently they are closely linked). Thanks.
I am sorry to hear about your girl as it sounds like her immune system is highly compromised. Histio is the pandemic disease in Berners and THE reason the average age is 7 (histio deaths can strike as early as age 2 causing this average).
I have personally lost every Berner I have had to histio - different forms as it can manifest in 4 different ways but nonetheless histio. I never recommend anyone get into this breed until they have first studied up on histio and are prepared for this cancer.
Here are a few sites for your reference if you have not seen them already:
Histiocytosis
Histiocytic Diseases of the Bernese Mountain Dog
THE 2011 Berner-l Cancer Fundraiser 2011 for research into Malignant Histiocytosis in the Bernese Mountain Dog!
We just completed our largest fundraiser for histio research led by Dr. Breen at UNC. He is making good progress in identifying the genetic mutation but we have a long, long way to go.
Dr. Moore at UCDavis is a great expert on this cancer - all forms and is responsive to questions. As he states, chemo is a waste of time, money, and quality of life on most forms and so far I can attest that I have found no treatment that buys much meaningful time when faced with true systemic histio.
Due to the lack of necropsy done by most people, it is severely under-reported in Berners, but I can tell you that of the hundreds of Berners I have known, histio takes 65-75% of them and I have personally known more than a dozen in the past year alone.
The severe immune deficiency in this breed - coupled with the high rate of auto-immune disease and cancer (histio, hemangio, and mast cell being the primary cancers seen) is the reason that the largest natural rearing and raw feeding dicussion group on the web is for Berners specifically, as vaccines, pesticides, herbicides, water and food quality, and other chemicals are all key to managing the fragile Berner immune system.
Dr. Moore states that this is a cancer that is genetically carried (and many think every Berner carries it) but that it must be triggered by an external antigen - hence the careful precaution above by many experienced Berner owners.
Until we find answers to this horrible cancer that takes this wonderful breed too young, just know that the BMDCA Health committe, and most any breed steward can help navigate the path if you don't have a breeder experienced in the breed with knowledge of the health implications. Just go to the Breed Steward page on the BMDCA site.
Good luck!