Although Hypothyroidism does not occur frequently in GSPs, it has on occassions made an unwanted appearance. It is felt that as there is a test to evaluate any dog with relatives suffering from this condition, it might be judicious to have him/her screened for this condition should you plan to breed from them.
General Thyroid InformationAutoimmune thyroiditis is the most common cause of primary hypothyroidism in dogs. The disease has variable onset, but tends to clinically manifest itself at 2 to 5 years of age. Dogs may be clinically normal for years, only to become hypothyroid at a later date. The marker for autoimmune thyroiditis, thyroglobulin autoantibody formation, usually occurs prior to the occurrence of clinical signs. Therefore, periodic retesting is recommended. The majority of dogs that develop autoantibodies have them by 3 to 4 years of age. Development of autoantibodies to any time in the dog’s life is an indication that the dog, most likely, has the genetic form of the disease. Using today's technology only a small fraction of false positive tests occur. As a result of the variable onset of the presence of autoantibodies, periodic testing will be necessary. Dogs that are negative at 1 year of age may become positive at 6 years of age. Dogs should be tested every year or two in order to be certain they have not developed the condition. Since the majority of affected dogs will have autoantibodies by 4 years of age, annual testing for the first 4 years is recommended. After that, testing every other year should suffice. Unfortunately, a negative at any one time will not guarantee that the dog will not develop thyroiditis. The registry data can be used by breeders in determining which dogs are best for their breeding program. Knowing the status of the dog and the status of the dogs lineage, breeders and genetic counselors can decide which matings are most appropriate for reducing the incidence of autoimmune thyroiditis in the offspring.
Dogs should not receive any type of thyroid supplementation for 3 months prior to thyroid testing.
The Purpose of TestingTo identify those dogs that are phenotypically normal for breeding programs and to gather data on the genetic disease autoimmune thyroiditis Thyroid AbnormalitiesThyroid abnormalities fall into several categories—two types will be defined by the registry.
Autoimme thyroiditis is known to be heritable |
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Over 40 years of dedication to the advancement of canine health © Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, 2009 |
Eye testing is open to all dog owners, whether they own pure breeds or cross breeds and it takes the form of a standard visual check carried out by an Opthamologist qualified to certify their findings to the KC/BVA .
There are currently 50 breeds of dog known to be affected by at least one hereditary eye condition, and in an effort to reduce or iradicate these conditions the BVA in conjunction with the Kennel Club have set up breed schemes to encourage breeders to screen their stock by offering their dogs up for testing. This testing may take the form of a one off examination, a Blood test to test for a certain gene, or annual eye examination dependent on the mode of inheritance or known pattern of presentation of the particular condition.
Although testing should never be discouraged for GSPs, the fact that in over 50 years of this breed being in the UK it is yet to present with any known hereditary eye conditions that the BVA consider worth noting. The view of most breeders is that it must remain a test that owners use at their discretion and should not become mandatory, unless of course a hereditary condition arises in the future that can be addressed by an eye examination.
Please click here for the BVA website, with details of the current Eye Schemes. They would suggest that ALL dogs be tested, whether or not the breed has any problems or not, however inpractical or unfair this might seem. One might then be led to ask, exactly who might benefit from all this testing of healthy animals. The Eye Panellists would certainly personally benefit financially, as every breeding animal would in their lifetime bring in an income of around £360 One might also ponder on the question of how much of these fees if any, might then be ploughed back into researching eye conditions?
Below is a list of the Panel of Examiners as at 1 July 2008 - Chief Panellist: Professor S M Crispin :
England
Professor P G C BEDFORD BVetMed PhD
DVOphthal FRCVS DipECVO
Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane
Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA
Telephone 01707 666333
(see part time clinics)
N J BURDEN BVSc CertVOphthal MRCVS
The Hale Veterinary Group, 19 Langley Road
Chippenham, Wiltshire SN15 1BS
Telephone 01249 653561
J CARTER BVetMed DVOphthal MRCVS
Exeter Veterinary Ophthalmology Referrals
c/o Raddenstiles Veterinary Surgeons
Liverton Business Park, Salterton Road,
Exmouth, Devon EX8 2NR
Telephone 01395 264747
Mrs B COTTRELL MA VetMB
CertVOphthal MRCVS
109 North End, Meldruth, Royston
Hertfordshire SG8 6NX
Telephone 01763 261674 (corrected 21/02/08)
Professor S M CRISPIN MA VetMB BSc DVA DVOphthal DipECVO FRCVS
Cold Harbour Farm, Underbarrow,
Kendal, Cumbria LA8 8HD
Telephone 020 7908 6380
S R ELLIS BVSc CertVOphthal MRCVS
Riverbank Veterinary Centre
16/22 Watery Lane, Preston,
Lancashire PR2 2NN
Telephone 01772 726745
(See part time clinics)
P J EVANS Ma VetMB
CertVOphthal MRCVS
Eye Veterinary Clinic, Marlbrook
Leominster, Herefordshire HR6 0PH
Telephone 01568 616616
(See part time clinics)
Miss H J FEATHERSTONE BVetMed
DVOphthal DipECVO MRCVS
Willows Referral Service
78 Tanworth Lane, Shirley, Solihull,
West Midlands B90 4DF
Telephone 0121 7451354
K J FRASER BVMS CertVOphthal MRCVS
37 Caldecott Road, Abingdon
Oxfordshire OX14 5EZ
Telephone 01235 528177
(see part time clinics)
J V GOODYEAR BVMS
CertVOphthal MRCVS
Glenthorne Veterinary Group
37 Monk Street, Tutbury,
Burton-on-Trent, Staffs,
Telephone 01283 813343
Dr D J GOULD BSc (Hons) BVM&S PhD DVOphthal DipECVO MRCVS
Davies Veterinary Specialists
Manor Farm Business Park
Higham Gobion, Hertfordshire, SG5 3HR
Telephone 01582 883950
D HABIN BVMS DVOphthal MRCVS
Calder Vet Group, 159 Centre
Huddersfield Road, Mirfield
West Yorkshire WF14 9DQ
Telephone 01924 492155
Miss C L HEINRICH DVOphthal
DipECVO MRCVS
Willows Referral Service
78 Tanworth Lane, Shirley, Solihull,
West Midlands B90 4DF
Telephone 0121 7451354
M P C LAWTON BVetMed CertVOphthal
CertLAS CBiol MIBiol DZooMed (Reptilian) FRCVS
12 Fitzilian Avenue, Harold Wood
Romford, Essex RM3 0QS
Telephone 01708 384444
P McPHERSON BVMS
CertVOphthal MRCVS
Minster Veterinary Centre
Orchard Lodge, Newark Road
Southwell, Nottinghamshire NG25 0ES
Telephone 01636 812133
I K MASON MA VetMB
CertVOphthal MRCVS
Seadown Veterinary Hospital
Frost Lane, Hythe, Hants SO45 3NG
Telephone 02380 842237
J R B MOULD BA BVSc DVOphthal
MRCVS
Eye Veterinary Clinic, Marlbrook,
Leominster, Herefordshire HR6 0PH
Telephone 01568 616616
Mrs L J NEWMAN BVMS
CertVOphthal MRCVS
Pearl Veterinary Group
Longbow Business Park, Harlescott,
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
SY1 3AS
Telephone 01743 465554
R PONTEFRACT BVMS
CertVOphthal CertEO MRCVS
43 Empingham Road, Stamford
Lincolnshire PE9 2RJ
Telephone 01780 764333
P W RENWICK MA VetMB
DVOphthal MRCVS
Willows Referral Service, 78 Tanworth Lane
Shirley, Solihull, W. Midlands B90 4DF
Telephone 0121 7451354
Ms K SMITH BVetMed CertVOphthal DipECVO MRCVS
Davies Veterinary Specialists
Manor Farm Business Park
Higham Gobion, Hertfordshire, SG5 3HR
Telephone 01582 883950
S TURNER MA VetMB DVOphthal MRCVS
The Mandeville Veterinary Hospital
15 Mandeville Road, Northolt
Middlesex UB5 5HD
Telephone 020 8845 5677
(See part time clinics)
C G B WARREN BA VetMB
CertVOphthal MRCVS
Westmoor Veterinary Centre, Brook Lane
Tavistock, Devon. PL19 9BA
Telephone 01822 612561
J J YELLOWLEY BVSc
CertVOphthal MRCVS
Rosemount Veterinary Hospital
24 Old Woking Road, West Byfleet,
Surrey KT14 6HP
Telephone 01932 341058
Scotland
M G DAVIDSON BVMS
CertVOphthal MRCVS
19 Hillhouse Road, Edinburgh
EH4 3QP
Telephone 0131 3320458
(see part time clinics)
A T McKENZIE BVMS
CertVOphthal MRCVS
McKenzie, Bryson & Marshall MsRCVS
21 Hill Street, Kilmarnock
Ayrshire KA3 1HA
Telephone 01563 522701
A E WALL BVMS CertVOphthal MSc
MRCVS
Fish Vet Group, 22 Carsegate Road
Inverness IV3 8EX
Telephone 01463 717774
(See part time clinics)
Wales
H CORMIE BVMS CertVOpthal MRCVS
Cormie Referrals, Tri-ar-Ddeg
13 The Elms, Oakdale
Blackwood, Gwent
NP12 0EP
Telephone 07813 197222
Mrs G E HUBBARD BVetMed CertVOphthal
MRCVS
Cibyn Veterinary Clinic, Llanberis Road
Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 2BD
Telephone 01286 673026
Northern Ireland
I MILLAR BVMS CertVOphthal MRCVS
Earlswood Veterinary Hospital
193 Belmont Road, Belfast BT4 2AE
Telephone 02890 471361
Eire
Dr T D GRIMES BVetMed DVR DVOphthal
MRCVS DipECVO
Dept. of S A Clinical Studies
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
University College Dublin,
Belfield, Dublin 4 Eire
Telephone 003531 7166022
PART TIME CLINICS
England
Professor P G C BEDFORD
Cayton Veterinary Surgery
60,Hatfield Road, Smallford,
St Albans, Hertfordshire AL4 0HL
01727 852667
Professor S M CRISPIN
Hampton Veterinary Centre
Hampton Heath, Malpas, Cheshire SY14 8JQ
Telephone 01948 820345
and
Oakhill Veterinary Centre
Lake Rd, Windermere
Cumbria LA23 2EQ
01539 488555
S R ELLIS
Paragon Veterinary Group
Townhead Road, Dalston
Carlisle, Cumbria. CA5 7PZ
Telephone 01228 710208
and
Castle Veterinary Surgeons
Montalbo Road, Barnard Castle
Co.Durham DL12 8ED
Telephone 01833 637700
and
Willows Veterinary Group
Holly House, Mobberley Road
Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 8HT
Telephone 01565 632253
and
Fairmoor Veterinary Centre
Fairmoor, Morpeth
Northumberland NE61 3JN
Telephone 01670 505321
P J EVANS
Lansdown Referral Services
The Clock House Veterinary
Hospital, Wallbridge Stroud
Gloucestershire GL5 3RD
Telephone 01453 752555
and
Zetland Veterinary Group
The Veterinary Hospital
32 Zetland Road
Redland, Bristol BS6 7AB
Telephone 0117 9445111
K J FRASER
Crossroads Veterinary Centre
54 West Wycombe Road
High Wycombe
Buckinghamshire HP11 2LP
Telephone 01494 459095
S TURNER
Stone Lion Veterinary Centre
41 High Street
Wimbledon Common
London SW19 5AU
Telephone 020 8946 4228
and
Brown & Nuttall Veterinary
Surgeons
Chimneys, Hailsham Road,
Heathfield
East Sussex TN21 8AD
Telephone 01435 864422
Scotland
M G DAVIDSON
Ardene House
Veterinary Practice
Skene Road
Kingswells
Aberdeen AB15 8PJ
Telephone 01224 740700
A E WALL
Insches Veterinary Centre
5 Insches Holding
Inverness. IV1 2FF
Telephone 01463 711777
and
Cumming and Argyle MsRCVS
Norgate House, Rogart
Sutherland IV28 3VA
Telephone 01408 641352
Wales
H CORMIE
Fair Lane Veterinary Clinic
Fair Lane, Carmarthen
Carmarthenshire, SA31 1RX
Telephone 07813 197222
and
St James Veterinary Group
35-37 Lewis Road, Neath,
SA11 1DJ
Telephone 07813 197222
and
Summerhill Veterinary Clinic
45 Summerhill Avenue, Newport
Gwent NP19 8FQ
Telephone 07813 197222