Swelling of the Brain

BXRchicProPit · Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 6:09 pm Post subject: Swelling of the Brain

I just want to know some of your thoughts on Pits' brain swelling issue in the event of the "sudden attacks".
In case any of you don't know (and I'm sure that most of you do), there has been evidence and studies involving the actual head of Pits (and other dogs) after euthanized because of attacks. A notable amount of Pit Bulls have a significant amount of swelling of the brain.
I just want to know your thoughts on this.
Thanks for any replies. Wink

loves-da-pits · Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 7:46 pm Post subject:

I believe it's just another Pitbull myth.

I'd be interested in reading any study and evidence to the contrary if you can find it.

BXRchicProPit · Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 9:10 pm Post subject:

I don't know that it's true or not, but I was told this the other day by a person (who owns pits-2 actually) that is an Animal Control officer.

I was just wondering what other thought.

does anyone know of any links or books (or anything?) that states (credibly) whether it is "a fact" or states (credibly) that it is "a myth".

spencerpits · Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:43 pm Post subject:

For what it's worth, most AC officers know less about the breed than John Q Public. I feel this is another pit bull myth.

EDIT: I did find this on k9aggression.com:

goob · Senior Member Joined: 20 Mar 2004 Posts: 810

In the 80s, it was Doberman Pinschers whose brains were said to swell and make them crazy, it's only pit bulls now because they're the present "bad" breed.

Sara · Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 7:32 pm Post subject:

"Rage" disease or syndrom is a disease found in German Shorthair pointers (I think...a gun dog none the less) and it causes fits of rage in a dog for no reason... PERHAPS this disease is a sweling of the brain???perhaps this is why the dogs studdied attacked...

ALSO trauma causes swelling as noted above...so it's possible and likely that because Pits are the most abused breed out there that out of all dogs studied they'd have an enlarged brain due to all the beatings they sustained by the idiots who owned them who's behavior was likely the ROOT to the animals aggression in the FIRST place...

VERY one sided "study" with no specifics to make it credible...

BXRchicProPit · Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 8:07 pm Post subject:

[quote="SaraALSO trauma causes swelling as noted above...so it's possible and likely that because Pits are the most abused breed out there that out of all dogs studied they'd have an enlarged brain due to all the beatings they sustained by the idiots who owned them who's behavior was likely the ROOT to the animals aggression in the FIRST place...
[/quote]

This was a theory of mine as well...
maybe these dogs take such a blow to the head that the trauma is then caused and the dog reacts accordingly (not limited to pits, however)

Sara · Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 8:15 pm Post subject:

Yes exactly what I was saying...which is why one would see a higher number of pits with enlarged brains that are in that subgroup of "attackers"... How many of these dogs were ever abused or suffered trauma? We don't know... Perhaps Rage Syndrom was part of some of these instances...does that caus swelling??? We don't know...

Statistics are only as good as the methods used to gather them...all can be biased by poor education and information so I'd absolutely say this is a myth.

True_Pits · Super Senior Member Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 1446

LMAO Yes its definately a fact, all Pit Bulls will one day attack and kill their owners because their brains swell. There is so much overwhelming evidence in this indepth study.

someday · Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 11:47 pm Post subject:

LOL..I sense sarcasm.. but can you actually vote sarcastically?? lol...now our lovely statistics are screwed up..hehe

spencerpits · Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2004 6:53 am Post subject:

One-sided or not, I'd love to see these "studies" on pit bulls' brains.

BXRchicProPit · Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2004 8:46 pm Post subject:

I'd like to see the studies of all of the dogs' heads that were "sent off" for study after an attack or something.
Not breed specific at all, just see what the findings are in general about dogs that attack.
I think it was said a little while back that golden retrievers have one of the high-bite rates.
I dont know about bites in general...
we've had a Dalmation (somewhat notorious), a Husky mix, a rottie/GSD mix, a Yorkshire terrier, and a scottie mix (and now my boxer). The scottie mix bit my brother when he was a baby and the yorkie didn't like anyone to sit on the floor and especially had an issue with babies learning to crawl or walk!
Point: the two small dogs that we had (scottie mix from a shelter as a young adult-history unknown AND the yorkie-owned since puppy from a breeder) were the two "mean" dogs.
The 2 big guys and my boxer---never one problem!

I think that more folks should be anti-small-dog instead of anti-pit or anti-dobe, etc. (simply IMO, obviously---I'm sure that there's perfectly nice small dogs too out there!--my great aunt has 2 pugs that are wonderful)