Helping With AHT Research

[wotton12000]

Hi All

I've just sent Rosie's data to Sarah Blott at the Animal Health Trust. Sarah said that pet owners have an important role to play in the collection of data so that the research team will be able to fully evaluate the Cavalier population.

Sarah's contact details are: Dr Sarah Blott, CKCS Health Breeding Programme, Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 7UU or sarah.blott@aht.org.uk

Information may be sent by post or electronically.

You need to send:

• MRI certificate
• Heart test certificates (all of them)
• Eye test certificate
• 5 generation pedigree or KC registration document

We are also requested to donate DNA samples from our dogs by obtaining a DNA cheek swab kit from Lisa Jeffery (0163 750659 ext 1214 or email her at lisa.jeffery@aht.org.uk

It will take a little of your time, but please do this to help this vital research. Please email me if you have any questions or need any help.

Carol

[Alison_Leighfield]

Will pet owners be required to send all four items as listed?
I'm just wondering how many will actually have heart and eye certificates.

Alison.

[Ciren]

i would love to help but as stated i don't have ANY of the above. depending on price however i would be happy to get them?

[Karlin]

It is important to note that the MAIN thing you need is a scan result and EITHER a KC registration number and/OR a five generation pedigree. If you have a rescue dog of unknown background, that won't help in the particular work Sarah is doing.

My understanding is that you do not need to have heart info but if you have it that is very useful. You also do not need to have eye certs.

I am going to check if she is also taking other registry numbers -- eg CKCSC or AKC. If you have dogs in other countries that have been MRId and have a 5 gen. pedigree then please submit!

[wotton12000]

Hi Alison, Amy, Karlin

My guess is that any of the listed certificates would be helpful, but pedigree or KC reg is essential to identify the dogs.

If you don't have all the certificates, perhaps you could consider getting them. Auscultation by a veterinary cardiologist would not be expensive (they will just listen for a heart murmur); eye test by an ophthalmologist, I'm not sure (when I had Rosie's done at a Cavalier Club health clinic, it cost £18, I think); mini MRI is the most expensive - around £250 - at one of the low cost centres.

It is a chore and an expense, but I would like to think that pet owners could play their part in helping the Cavalier breed to survive and be healthy.

It's just a thought, and a response to Sarah's comments about how important pet owners' data would be. Please don't see this as any kind of pressure.

By all means crosspost.

Carol

[Jan Bell]

but pedigree or KC reg is essential to identify the dogs.

Carol,

I would also be quite happy to help, but could you just clarify the above for me, as I don't know much about this.

Toby is 11 years old, and he was KC registered but I have no details of his pedigree. I bought him from a lady who I met via my agility dog trainer and I didn't have much interest in this at the time.

Will Toby's information be of use? I would be quite happy to have the heart and eye tests done, but assume the mini MRI would mean having an anaesthic. I am not sure about putting him through this?

My other Cavalier Rufus is only 18 months old - is he too young to be of assistance?

[Ciren]

Peaches came from a puppy farm so she doesnt have a pedigree.

[Cathy Moon]

Will US members be allowed to participate?

[wotton12000]

Hi Jan

If you have the Kennel Club registration certificate for your dogs, this is sufficient.

I think Toby's heart and eye data would be useful. If he has reached the age of 11 years and has no heart murmur he has some very good genes.

Data from dogs of any age is useful but there's a case for leaving Rufus until later, say two and half years to three years. A dog may be clear of MVD and SM at 18 months but go on to develop it later. Data from older dogs I think is more useful.

Cathy, The plan is to start with UK dogs and maybe include overseas dogs later. You could check this with Sarah, though.

Carol