Above is the pedigree of this litter. The pedigree is linebred on two well known influential Spanish Ibizans, Floquet and Flora.
Linebreeding has the advantage of concentrating favorable characteristics, in addition to unveiling those characteristics that
are not favorable, such as genetic disease. To my knowledge, this is the first linebreeding on PocaRoba dogs outside of
Spain that have been evaluated by a board certified ophthalmologist. No other Spanish dogs have been reported with this
condition. To my knowledge, it hasn’t been present in past Poca Roba litters although health testing, including ophthalmic
evaluation, is not performed on those dogs to my knowledge.
If anyone knows of other Ibizans with congenital cataracts and/or microphthalmia in either Spanish bred or American bred
dogs I urge you to please contact me. If Floquet and Flora are truly not affected then either one of them can be the carrier.
Finding who the carrier is is of utmost importance as it will enable us to potentially continue forward with certain lines of dogs
that have been bred down from ANY import with Floquet OR Flora in their pedigree.
Ideally, to completely eliminate all potential carriers and stop this genetic disease, ALL dogs with ANY Floquet or Flora in
their pedigree should be removed from the breeding population. Those with pedigree knowledge and those who keep up
with the breedings in the US and aboard, will realize that if those recommendations were taken to heart, approximately ½ of
the Ibizan population will be eliminated from the breeding population. This would be a devastating blow to an already meager
population. Thus, in an attempt to save as much genetic diversity as possible, it becomes vital to determine which one is the
carrier (Floquet or Flora). This will be possible through a few select breedings and possible test breedings that I will expand
on in a future letter.
Although not every Ibizan line is directly affected by these findings, every Ibizan breeder should be concerned as they affect
the breed as a whole. I’ve listed every breeding that I know of that has the possibility of having and producing carriers below
. If you know of any other breeding from descendents of Floquet or Flora please contact me. I’ve listed names of dogs and
their breeders as an illustration of the magnitude of this problem and as an invitation to band together, help the IHCUS
Health and Research committee, to find were this devastating condition is coming from and how best to control it and
hopefully, eventually, eliminate it.

List of potential congenital cataracts and microopthalmia carriers and their breedings:
**DC Homer De Can Poca Roba;
CH Bramblewoods DeJavue Forthcoming: Rose Bednarski
DC Elida’s Speck of Miles- Kathy Kelly
**DC Kok-Rapid De Can Poca Roba
CH Imagery: Fire Dance - Bonnie Fleming
CH Jemm’s Exquisite Ana Alisian – Alisa Barbour
**CH Rosita De Can Poca Roba
CH Wirtu Norcal Dude in Edan- Judy Parker
**CH Rumba De Can Poca Roba
CH Bramblewood’s Round of Appaws: Robin Castillo
**CH Rumbero De Can Poca Roba
CH Bramblewood’s American Idol- Judy Parker
**Flanders De Can Poca Roba
Bramblewoods Icycold Elegance – Dr. Karen Katt
**CH Juerga De Can Poca Roba-
Amberlithe Caprecio Uno- Teddy Burke
CH Ferran De Can Poca Roba- Teddy Burke
**Blaia De El Pollet-
Amberlithe Caprecio Uno- Teddy Burke
**CH Ferran De El Pollet-
CH Juerga De Can Poca Roba- Teddy Burke
CH Wirtu Norcal Dude In Eden:
CH Eden’s Magic Trick- Stephanie Bonner
CH Wishsong Na Mho Ringhan- Roberta Hozempa
CH Elida’s Gem In Eden- Kathy Kelly
CH Rosita De Can Poca Roba- Judy Parker
CH Dejavue Where No One’s Gone Before
DC Gryphon’s Dark Victory- Rose Bednarski
Dejavue Touch Me All Over Again-
Davinci Nahala Chaos Reigns- Julie Morris
DC Orion’s XXX of Eden
DC Ahram’s Shadia of SunRich- Janelle Richy
DC Wirtu’s Spanish Tantivey- Kathy Kelly
CH Bramblewood’s Nor’Wester At BoDeans
CH Special Acres’ of Malachite- Lynna Campbell
CH Ruby’s Lil Angel In Eden- Dean O’Neal
CH Wirtu’s Lord Of the Ring RL
DC Special Acres’ Clown Princess– Irva McDougald, Mary Pyle, & Susan Short
CH Mystickal Maats Magick- Ed Kimble
CH Icycold Nickeroos First Star:
CH Lykan’s Red Moon Rising- Nicole Granville

One of the purposes of the Health and Research committee is to be a common place were Ibizan owners and breeders
can ask advice or be open with health concerns. Please, everyone lets be part of the solution and work together.
I’m always open to questions and concerns. If you know of or have a dog with cataracts, in the US or aboard, please
let me know.
Once I have more information I will let you know. In the meantime, on expansion of the recommendation of the genetic
ophthalmology department at the University of Pennsylvania the current recommendations are:
i) Do not breed any Spanish import with Flora or Floquet present in their pedigree, until further notice. Especially, those
Spanish imports who are direct descendents of Floquet and/or Flora. Dogs with this recommended restriction are
designated with ( **) above.
ii) CERF test EVERY Spanish import and all of their offspring. Although, they will most likely have normal CERFs,
it is important for pedigree analysis to document this or ANY abnormalities, even those incidental, minor and insignificant
findings. Please have these CERF forms copied and sent to the Health and Research Chair as documentation.
iii) For those with 2nd and 3rd generation from Spanish import breedings with Floquet or Flora, I urge you to postpone
your breeding plans if possible. If not, all breeding rights must be controlled by you and this should be expressed in your
contract. Every breeding performed with these dogs has the potential to produce more asymptomatic carriers.
I urge everyone to abide by these current recommendations. Autosomal recessive abnormalities are not going to
disappear if you continue to “outcross”. Every puppy from a breeding of a potential carrier (from the litters listed above
and other litters from Flora or Floquet offspring) has a 50% chance of being an asymptomatic carrier. Thus breeding these
dogs might result in normal CERFs but carriers that are continuing to produce more carriers. If these recommendations
are ignored, we most likely won’t see this disease in the near future BUT in 10-15 years there is a real chance we will see
numerous blind liters once you are no longer able to “outcross” and have to breed back to related descendents.
Unfortunately, importation of European dogs won’t resolve this problem as many breedings over the past 10 years have
incorporated Floquet and/or Flora.
Once more information is known, individual pedigrees can be discussed and depending on the situation and dog, test
breedings may be offered in the future. If you or your veterinarian have any questions, concerns or more information on
other dogs or the litters listed above feel free to contact me directly.
More information regarding congenital cataracts, microphthalmia and autosomal recessive traits will be published in the
upcoming Third Eye if not before. After the December 2008 evaluation of these puppies IHCUS will be able to make
more complete and specific breeding recommendations.
Until next time--
Sincerely,

Katie Belz DVM
Chair, Health and Research Committee
And the IHCUS H& R Committee

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