Uk Kennel Club Dog Health Group's First Annual Report

[lappiemum]

FYI in case people haven't already seen this - UK Kennel Club's health Committee's Annual report (for the full report see http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/download/1...lreport2010.pdf ) has some interesting reading, although I'm struggling a bit with the robustness of some of their statistical 'analysis'. Link to the article below is at http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/3671/23/5/3 - while it is in the UK, its worth a read as we known that many of these discussions are happening here, and I'm sure our legislators are looking to what is happening overseas.

Dog Health Group's first Annual Report

19-Apr-11

The Kennel Club’s Dog Health Group has published its first annual report which details the continuing progress that is being made towards improving pedigree dog health.

Dog Health Group Annual Report 2010

The Dog Health Group has been tasked with ensuring that dogs are bred to enjoy healthy, happy lives. Its work includes continually updating the Kennel Club Accredited Breeder Scheme so that dogs are bred responsibly and well, and researching and monitoring the health of dogs so that the relevant tests and tools can be developed to help combat certain conditions. It also involves ensuring that dog showing and judging is a positive force for change.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “The Dog Health Group plays a seminal role in influencing Kennel Club policy and guiding the health projects with which it gets involved, so that it can ensure the best outcome for dogs. The Group is made up of – and works closely with – breeders, human and dog geneticists and veterinary surgeons.

“Over the last year our priorities have been to make changes to ensure that our Accredited Breeder Scheme is more robust than ever, so that puppy buyers have confidence about who to buy from and that dog shows only reward healthy dogs in the show ring. We have also continued to invest in the life-saving work and research that is being carried out at the Kennel Club’s Canine Genetics Centre at the Animal Health Trust and developed new strategies to continually improve genetic diversity.”

Some of the achievements in 2010, which have been agreed by the Dog Health Group and its three subgroups, are:

GENETICS

•Significant investment into groundbreaking work at the Kennel Club’s Canine Genetics Centre at the Animal Health Trust, whose molecular geneticists work with breeders, vets and scientists to identify dog diseases and develop DNA tests to help combat them. There are more than 30 DNA tests so far.

•Development of Mate Select, a revolutionary online system that will enable breeders to plan their breeding programmes according to the impact that it will have on genetic diversity. It will also give breeders and potential puppy buyer’s access to available health information for every Kennel Club registered dog.

•Broadening of the Breed Register to accept dogs of impure or unverified origin, in order to expand genetic diversity.

•Reduction of the lifetime limit of litters registered per bitch to four, effective from 1 January 2012. Under the Breeding and the Sale of Dogs Act 1999 a maximum of 6 litters per bitch is allowed.

BREEDING

•Work towards UKAS accreditation of the KC Accredited Breeder Scheme, as recommended in the Bateson Report.

•Formalising of important rules, which although already implicit in the scheme, to ensure that the scheme is as robust as possible. These include requirements that no mating should take place if health tests indicate that it is inadvisable to do so and that breeders should microchip puppies prior to sale.

•Continually appointing Regional Breeder Advisors throughout the country who ensure that the rules of the scheme are upheld by its members.

SHOWING AND CONFORMATION

•Introduction of veterinary assessments for the fourteen high profile breeds, which have been identified as being more prone to suffer from certain health issues, at dog shows from 2012. Dogs will need to pass these veterinary assessments before their champion status or Best of Breed awards are confirmed to ensure that only healthy dogs win top awards.

In addition to the steps above the Kennel Club has produced a detailed guide for veterinary surgeons to enhance their understanding of each breed and the health tests that are required and recommended. This is a central plank of the Kennel Club’s strategy, helping to ensure that puppy buyers get solid advice on the ground, from the experts that they know and trust.

ENDS

[126.11]

19th April 2011

Notes to Editors

The Kennel Club’s Dog Health Group was established in January 2010, to replace and expand the remit of the Breed Health and Welfare Strategy Group. Other actions taken by the Dog Health Group include:

Breeding

•8 new breed specific requirements have been added to an already substantial list and 4 clinical health tests. A further 46 breed specific recommendations were approved.

Showing and conformation

•A continued education programme for judges so that they realise the key role that they play in ensuring that dog shows only reward healthy dogs.

•Breed Health Coordinators have been appointed in each breed, with whom the Kennel Club engages about key health issues within their breed.

•The Kennel Club keeps a keen eye on the health of breeds, taking feedback from those who are on the front line. Judges of high profile breeds are now required to submit Breed Health Monitoring reports to the Kennel Club, with their assessment of the breed’s health. An interactive tool, Breed Watch, has also been introduced to the Kennel Club website, enabling breed clubs, judges and health coordinators to input issues that they note within breeds to alert judges and breeders to health concerns and tendencies towards conformational exaggerations.

[shortstep]

•Development of Mate Select, a revolutionary online system that will enable breeders to plan their breeding programmes according to the impact that it will have on genetic diversity. It will also give breeders and potential puppy buyer’s access to available health information for every Kennel Club registered dog.

This I will expect to see here, as it was listed on the 10 point plan (EBV) and the uni I would expect would run it.

I wonder where/how the The KC is getting their dog information and how they are verifying it, with it being public this is a big step.

I think there has already been a push to get some/all the vets hooked up here to the AVA so office visits can be sent automaticly and data banked. I guess they could find the dog by cross referencing Microchip to ANKC registrtion records??

I am going to look at the other link now.

Thanks for posting this.

Edited April 20, 2011 by shortstep

[shortstep]

Just some comments.

I thought the limit of 2 c sections for bitches interesting.

Breeders require to get a license must present the license in order register litters.

GSD new FCI standard addressing hock and back.

Interesting information on Judges and observers grading dogs general appearance of health (at dog shows), observes much harder on dogs than judges. Grades starting with the worse Mastiffs, Neo Mastiff, Bloodhound, Saint, Douge de Bord and more listed. page 14

Page 16 is the list of the problems noted by breed. Several mentioned the dogs were lame, eye were frequent observation, loose skin and overweight dogs. Worth a read.

No more removing whiskers on show dogs.

Chinese Crested added to the high profile list (dogs that need more monitoring) due to hair being removed for showing.

Lots of Hip stats national and international for almost all breeds. Hips page 19 - 24 elbows no breed breakdowns page 25

New plan for syringomyelia for KCS, KCCS and Griffon Bruxellois pg 25

DNA results now on pedigrees and go forward on all generations!!!

Irish setter now both parents must be CLAD and GPRA clear to register a litter.

Irish Red and white, CLAD and vWD clear for both parents to register a litter. I have questions about eliminating carriers but do not know enough about these diseases, but this population can not afford to lose any dogs if at all possible to keep them. Anyone know why they would not allow carriers?

Long list of DNA testing Schemes by breed