THE FRENCH BULLDOG CLUB OF ENGLAND presents

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THE FRENCH BULLDOG CLUB OF ENGLAND presents
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FRENCH BULLDOG HEALTH SCHEME

• AGENDA
• Introduction
• Objective
• Suggested Health Levels
• Support to the Membership
• Additional Steps
• Further Information
• Summary

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INTRODUCTION

• Background
• Kennel Club Initiative
• Fit for function
• Fit for life
• Frenchie Health Levels
• French Bulldog Club of England actions
• Health Sub Committee meeting 25th January 2009
  30th May 2009
• Research by Committee members

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KENNEL CLUB INITIATIVE

• FIT FOR FUNCTION-FIT FOR LIFE
• SOME ASPECTS OF THIS SCHEME INCLUDE
• Aim to make Breeders, Judges puppy buyers aware
  of the opportunities that there are to work with
  the Kennel Club on health related issues and
  remind them that a dogs health would be the most
  important consideration in any decision they
  make.
• The majority of pedigree dogs currently live
  without any illness which is detrimental to
  their quality of life. The aim is to increase
  this, to every single dog having the opportunity
  of a healthy life.
• Halting the trend towards exaggeration in certain
  breeds encouraging participation in and funding
  of research into health testing.
• Educating judges
• Further developing the Accredited Breeder Scheme

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OBJECTIVE OF THIS SESSION

• To inform members
• To outline current thinking
• To propose next steps
• To obtain membership support

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FRENCHIE HEALTH LEVELS

• Currently no recognised health testing in UK
• American databases show 95.1 of Frenchies spines
  showed abnormalities.
• Frenchies in line with other dogs have changed
  over the last 40 years e.g. length of backs and
  tails have shortened.

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THE FRENCH BULLDOG CLUB OF ENGLAND ACTIONS

• Health sub committee meetings held
• January
• May
• Research by committee members
• Contacted specialist veterinary surgeons
• Spoken to Animal Health Trust
• Searched the internet

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BASIC HEALTH SCREENING

• The health assessments are set at a basic level.
• All participation is voluntary.
• Many of the tests are carried out by your own
  veterinary surgeon as part of a general health
  check.
• If the initial assessment findings show a
  potential problem then further testing may be
  considered.

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SUGGESTED HEALTH LEVELS

• BRONZE CERTIFICATE
• SILVER CERTIFICATE
• GOLD CERTIFICATE
• ELITE CERTIFICATE

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BRONZE LEVEL CERTIFICATE CRITERIA

• KC REGISTRATION
• MICRO CHIP/PERMANENT TATTOO IDENTIFICATION
• HEART TEST
• BREATHING TEST
• HEARING TEST

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SILVER LEVEL CERTIFICATE CRITERIA

• BRONZE LEVEL
• PATELLA TESTING
• EYE TESTING

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GOLD LEVEL CERTIFICATE CRITERIA

• BRONZE LEVEL
• SILVER LEVEL
• HIP TESTING
• SPINE TESTING
• CRUFTS QUALIFICATION

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ELITE LEVEL CERTIFICATE CRITERIA

• BRONZE LEVEL
• SILVER LEVEL
• GOLD LEVEL
• STUD BOOK No
• 2 X BRONZE PROGENY
• 1 X SILVER PROGENY
• 1 X GOLD PROGENY
• (PROGENY- 4 individual puppies from a minimum of
  2 litters)

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CLUB SUPPORT OFFERED TO THE MEMBERS

• Heart Testing
• Eye Testing
• Micro Chip/Tattoo
• Breathing
• Hearing
• The club will look to organise a health clinic
  where these tests may be carried out

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HEART TESTING

• WE PROPOSE TO ARRANGE FOR A CARDIOLOGIST TO VISIT
  AT A FUTURE CLUB EVENT.
• COST APPROX. 10 PER DOG
• (1/3 of the cost if visiting a cardiologist
  independently)

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EYE TESTING

• ANIMAL HEALTH TRUST
• TEST FOR HEREDITARY CATARACTS
• Price 67.00 www.aht.org.uk
• Forms may be downloaded or collected from Club
  events.
• Kits for taking cheek swabs are available by
  phoning 01638 555621 or email swab.request_at_aht.or
  g.uk
• SWABS MAY ALSO BE AVAILABLE AT CLUB EVENTS.

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MICRO CHIP/TATTOO

• Brian King (Kingsline) will attend Frenchie
  shows/events offering his Micro chipping service.
• Cost 15.00 (2.00 of each microchip donated to
  Frenchie Health Scheme)
• This may also be obtained through your veterinary
  surgery.

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BREATHING

• Basic breathing test to ascertain any signs of
  difficulty or stress after a short period of
  exercise.

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HEARING

• A basic hearing test can be carried out by your
  veterinary surgeon.
• Further testing to BAER standard (Brainstem
  auditory evoked response) is available from the
  Animal Health Trust. Information can be found on
  their website www.aht.org.uk
• Cost 16.00 vat

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ADDITIONAL OPTIONS

• BY THE INDIVIDUAL THROUGH THEIR VETERINARY
  SURGEON
• Patella-Putnam scored test
• Spine x-rays
• DSM-DNA swabs
• Hips x-rays

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PATELLA

• PUTNAM SCORING
• Graded 1-4 via clinical assessment
• Through your veterinary surgeon (preferably an
  orthopaedic specialist).
• Approx cost (consultation charge)
• 20-25.00 vat

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SPINE X-RAYS

• THE PREFFERED FORMAT FOR THESE X RAYS IS TO USE A
  DIGITAL FACILITY.
• allowing transmission via email
• POSSIBLE ASSESSMENT OF X RAYS BY TAPPING INTO THE
  AMERICAN SPINAL DATABASE (to be confirmed)

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DEGENERATIVE SPINAL MYELOPATHY

• OFFERED BY THE ORTHOPEDIC FOUNDATION FOR ANIMALS.
  WWW.OFFA.ORG
• (exclusive license arrangement with the
  university of Missouri (USA))
• ORDER FORMS AVAILABLE VIA THE INTERNET
• TEST KIT INCLUDES
• FTA CARD, COLLECTION SWAB MAILING LABELS (foam
  tipped applicator swabs for collection of the DNA
  cheek sample are applied to the FTA card for
  submission)

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Degenerative Myelopathy Research

• The fee for each test is 65 and includes the
  test kit, laboratory processing, and subsequent
  registration in the OFA databases
• This is part of an ongoing collaborative
  Degenerative Myelopathy research project
  involving scientists at the University of
  Missouri the Broad Institute of MIT Harvard
  University.
• In addition there are FREE DNA tests for DM
  offered to dogs meeting one of the following
  criteria
• Any dog (any breed) diagnosed as potentially
  affected with DM by a veterinary surgeon
• All dogs 10 years of age or older from the
  following breeds ONLY
• Boxer
• Chesapeake Bay Retriever
• French Bulldog
• Pembroke Welsh Corgi
• Rhodesian Ridgeback

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FURTHER INFORMATION SOURCES

• Books
• Healthy Frenchies Healthier Frenchies by Jan
  Grebe Dr Ann Windsor
• Web
• FBC of America www.fbca.com
• Animal Health Trust DNA testing www.aht.org.uk
• Orthopedic Foundation for Animals www.ofa.org

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SUMMARY

• We (the owners and breeders), the Veterinary
  profession and the KC want healthier dogs
• Nothing currently set up for Frenchies
• The proposal from the club is that
• Responsibility is with the individual
• Club will help and has made suggestions
• Further information will be available
• But we need your support

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ANY QUESTIONS?