Page 66 - Chow Life - Spring 2018

AKC Gazette
Excerpt

by Love Banghart

CHOW CHOW HEALTH SURVEY –

Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA)

The Orthopedic Foundation for throughout the world, predominantly Pyometra affects 4.1% of our chow
Animals (OFA) offers online breed the United States. These responses females.
surveys for a number of breed parent will guide us in prioritizing funding In behavioral disorders, the highest
clubs free of charge. All collected and efforts to improve the health of percentage (2.7.2%) of the chow chows
data is used only in aggregate and is our breed. are timid, which reinforces the need
kept strictly confidential. No survey The survey results thus far show that for early and continued socialization.
results are traceable to any individual our main problems are entropion (>17 Within the dentition category,
dog, kennel, breeder or owner. The %) , arthritis (>11.7%) elbow dysplasia underbites occurred in 0.9% of the
information will be valuable to the (>4.8%), and hip dysplasia (>8%). population and overbites occurred in
Chow Chow Club Inc. as we assess Entropion has been a documented 0.5% . The average litter size is 3 – 4
the health issues of our breed. The problem in our breed for decades puppies and we are thrilled to see that
Chow Chow survey results can be and we feel that good progress has the largest percentage of chows live
viewed online at https://www.ofa.org/ been made, but we obviously need to for over 10 years. This lengthened
about/educational-resources/health- continue the efforts. The numbers life span is evidence that the Chow
surveys#api_summary. show that stomach cancer is the most Chow Club Inc. focus on health
This survey was developed in frequent type of cancer found in our improvement is working!
cooperation with the Chow Chow breed (3%); that less than 0.5% of the This online survey is the third in
Club Inc. Health Research Committee population has cardiac problems; a series of health surveys for our
chaired by Yvette Ferguson and was and 1.3% of the population suffered breed. The surveys in the past have
released to the online users in January, from elongated soft palates. Cruciate not been online and we feel that the
2009. Chow owners are asked to ligament problems occurred in 4.1% OFA offer to host the survey has
enter data for each chow chow (living of the chows. The leading problem in been instrumental in improving the
or deceased) owned during the last endocrine disorders is hypothyroidism response. The opportunity to share a
5 years. At this time we have over (2.4%). focus on improved health is rewarding
2881 responses for all concerned and will help to
to the survey build a solid base for moving forward
from many in this quest for healthier canine
countries companions.

This article first appeared in the March 2009 AKC
Gazette and is reprinted with permission. To read
the online Gazette, visit www.akc.org/pubs.

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