Page 16 - Issue 1_2018_Neat

REPORT OF THE AKC DELEGATE

14-15 December
Orlando, Florida
William I. Christensen, MD, MPH, Delegate

Canine Health Committee: $26,000 will be made available to the veterinary schools for scholar-
ships in January 2018. These are awarded by the schools themselves,
CEO of the AKC Canine Health Foundation, Diane Brown, updated the rather than the AKC, but the recipients must have some involvement
committee on current and planned work of the Canine Health Founda- with AKC. For example, two of the current recipients have been AKC
tion. The Research Grants Portfolio has been organized to identify the Breeders of Merit, several have been involved in the Juniors program,
program area under which each proposal falls. All active research pro- and several more have been active in other AKC events.
grams are included, but those which are new have been highlighted.
Two pages reference those articles published during 2017 which have In response to guest questions, Diane Brown noted the increasing
resulted from AKCCHF-funded research programs, demonstrating the scientific evidence of the adverse health effects of early spay and
scientific impact of that funding. This information is available on the neuter. This evidence needs to be broadly shared with veterinarians
AKCCHF website, including active links to the research publications and veterinary students.
cited.
The impact on AKC events of last spring and early summer’s canine
Dr. Brown noted that both the epilepsy and tick-borne disease initia- influenza outbreak, concentrated in the southeast U.S., was reported
tives are close to the goals required for matching funds from the AKC by Keith Frazier. Early in the outbreak no-show rates rose from the
and are anticipated to have reached these goals by year’s end. (ATCA usual level of 17% to 30-60%. This was followed by a 18% decline in
contributed to the tick-borne disease initiative, and those funds will the entries themselves. The estimate is that AKC events lost 23,000
be among those matched.) entries in 2017 due to the outbreak.

A new emerging infectious disease initiative has been launched. The Eddie Dziuk reported on the “harmonization of testing” being promot-
purpose is to provide updated information in response to the spread ed by the International Partnership for Dogs, a non-for-profit whose
of arthropod-borne diseases into new areas due to a warming climate, members are primarily the national kennel clubs of Scandinavia, a
recent disease outbreaks such as CIV, and the introduction of novel Swedish dog insurance company, the AKCCHF, and the OFA. Currently
diseases by global canine travel, included imported rescue dogs. For an estimated 30-50 labs are reporting the results of more than 200
example, outbreaks of leptospirosis have been reported in dogs in tests without regulations, inspections, quality control or proficiency
Puerto Rico after the hurricanes, and cases of drug-resistant heart- testing. The goal is to bring order and standardization to this field.
worm infection and brucellosis, amongst other re-emergent infectious Joellen Gregory stated that the Otterhound club is currently awaiting
disease, are also being reported. These informational reports are be- acceptance of its non-for-profit status by the IRS. The AKC has agreed
ing written by Dr. Jason Stull and Michelle Evason, now at the Atlantic that club can be registered as the “owner” of the sire for the stored
Veterinary College of the University of Prince Edward Island, and semen and sign the registration applications for any breeding derived
are posted on the AKCCHF website. They are intended to be shared from this material.
broadly, not only with dog owners but also with legislators at various
levels to alert them to the need for protective regulations relative to AKC Liaison Carmen Battaglia summarized his analysis of low-entry,
the importation of dogs. low-number breeds, which the AKC defines as those having fewer
than 3500 entries in AKC conformation events per year. This defini-
AKCCHG-produced webinars are also available on the website. The tion includes 90 breeds, representing 45% of the AKC Stud Book. 60
most recent, by Dr. Jerome Bell on clinical genetics, has been well breeds, including Australian Terriers, are approaching “extinction in
received and should be of interest to the ATCA membership since conformation sports,” with 80% of the low-entry breeds having fewer
Dr. Bell will be our education day speaker at the Asheville National than 1000 entries/year. 50 parent clubs have national specialties with
Specialty. fewer than 20 entries, and 17 clubs do not have national specialties at
all. Four of the breeds average only two litters per year. This obvi-
Dr. Brown that new research initiatives will be announced early in ously raises concerns about genetic diversity as well as the ability of
2018 and that these will be eligible for up to one million in matching judges to evaluate rare breeds. Of the 9000 foreign dogs registered
funds from the AKC. by AKC per year, 25% are German Shepherd Dogs and Bulldogs, only a
small fraction of which are ever bred. Whereas 5-6 years ago only 30%
Eddie Dziuk, CEO of the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, reported of breeds were low-entry, now 46% are. Dr. Battaglia stated that only
that the OFA website has been updated and moved to a new platform. about 2% of all German Shepherd Dogs registered are ever bred.
This was in response to the outdated nature of the old platform. Im-
provements included the suggestions of website visitors. In response Marcie Zingler pointed out that decades ago low-entry
breeds could have the sexes combined at a show, which would give
Keith Frazier, AKC staff liaison, reported on behalf of Mari-Beth O’Neill those breeds a better chance for available points. If points were more
on veterinary outreach programs. 7/16 of the 2017 “lunch and learn” available, absenteeism would be lower and entries higher.
sessions with veterinary students have been held since September.
The information presented includes the mission and history of the Peter Piusz reported on progress in the AKC Marketplace. 159 of
AKC, current initiatives including research funding, and information the parent clubs now have health statements posted. Two issues
on AKC events. Eddie Dziuk reported that an Ohio State program had continue regarding rescue groups identified with parent clubs: either
included a dog show tour, which was well received by the students. an authorized rescue group has not been identified or a list of 20-30
Margaret Pough reported that she has included veterinary students in different organizations has been offered without any guidance as to
the whelping and post-whelping care of several litters. which ones may be better.
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