Whippet Health
Heart Testing
The National Whippet Association hold heart testing clinics at the annual Championship Show.
The NWA are offering at the Championship Show 6th May 2019
Heart Screening Session (auscultation only)
Cardiologist: Dave Fisher BVetMed CertSAC CertSAM MRCVS
Certificates will be provided. Cost £15 per dog
Payment will be CASH ONLY on the day
You will NEED:
your dog’s KC registration documents
your dog’s microchip number
your Vet’s name and address
(If not already microchipped we may be able to provide a small number of chips on the day at an additional cost of £10.00 per dog)
Booking in will commence when the show opens (from 9am), you will be given a number to say you have paid and in order we can keep track of how many dogs are booked in/left to screen.
Screening will take place in a separate room from the show, whenever you are free
To pre-book email [email protected]
Please click below for the results from each year.
The NWA are offering at the Championship Show 6th May 2019
Heart Screening Session (auscultation only)
Cardiologist: Dave Fisher BVetMed CertSAC CertSAM MRCVS
Certificates will be provided. Cost £15 per dog
Payment will be CASH ONLY on the day
You will NEED:
your dog’s KC registration documents
your dog’s microchip number
your Vet’s name and address
(If not already microchipped we may be able to provide a small number of chips on the day at an additional cost of £10.00 per dog)
Booking in will commence when the show opens (from 9am), you will be given a number to say you have paid and in order we can keep track of how many dogs are booked in/left to screen.
Screening will take place in a separate room from the show, whenever you are free
To pre-book email [email protected]
Please click below for the results from each year.
Breed Council Health Survey
2005 - 2012
Firstly, thanks to all those who participated in the Breed Council Health Survey, I was told by both the KC Health Information Officer (who analysed the data for me) and a friend, who is a statistician by trade, that the response was extremely high although it may not seem it when you read the figures considering the number of Whippets that are registered with the Kennel Club in any one year.
There were not any surprises in the results, the main health issue being cardiac conditions with trauma not that far behind. It should also be noted that several of the other conditions that appear on Table 1 (e.g. neurological, orthopaedic & musculoskeletal) were linked to trauma, not surprisingly. The breakdown for cardiac conditions does not appear in the main report but it is as follows:
Of the 61 dogs (7.5% of the total number of dogs) reported to have/have had cardiac conditions, specific information was given for 56 instances of 10 conditions, broken down as follows:
Bradycardia 1
Cardiac (not specified) 4
Cardiomyopathy 4
Congestive heart failure 3
Enlarged heart 1
Heart attack 2
Heart failure 2
Heart murmur 36
Mitral valve disease 2
Pulmonary valve malfunction 1
NB This is not necessarily 56 separate dogs as one dog may have/have had one or more of the conditions listed either at the same time or different times
As you will note, murmurs were by far the most common cardiac condition. However, to put this into context, from the information given by owners, the majority of those dogs with murmurs were neither on medication nor showing clinical signs and most lived to normal life expectancy. This does not mean we should become complacent but I believe the conclusion can be drawn that neither have we any real concerns with the breed’s health.
Caroline Osborne Breed Council Health Co-Ordinator
There were not any surprises in the results, the main health issue being cardiac conditions with trauma not that far behind. It should also be noted that several of the other conditions that appear on Table 1 (e.g. neurological, orthopaedic & musculoskeletal) were linked to trauma, not surprisingly. The breakdown for cardiac conditions does not appear in the main report but it is as follows:
Of the 61 dogs (7.5% of the total number of dogs) reported to have/have had cardiac conditions, specific information was given for 56 instances of 10 conditions, broken down as follows:
Bradycardia 1
Cardiac (not specified) 4
Cardiomyopathy 4
Congestive heart failure 3
Enlarged heart 1
Heart attack 2
Heart failure 2
Heart murmur 36
Mitral valve disease 2
Pulmonary valve malfunction 1
NB This is not necessarily 56 separate dogs as one dog may have/have had one or more of the conditions listed either at the same time or different times
As you will note, murmurs were by far the most common cardiac condition. However, to put this into context, from the information given by owners, the majority of those dogs with murmurs were neither on medication nor showing clinical signs and most lived to normal life expectancy. This does not mean we should become complacent but I believe the conclusion can be drawn that neither have we any real concerns with the breed’s health.
Caroline Osborne Breed Council Health Co-Ordinator
Breakdown of results for the Whippet Breed Council Health Survey
January 2005 – May 2012
(collated 01.06.12)
January 2005 – May 2012
(collated 01.06.12)
263 individuals responded to the invitation to complete a Whippet Breed Council Health Survey circulated during 2011/12.
The average length of time that respondents had owned whippets was 16.6 years (n = 257, min = 0.5 years, max = 60 years).
Participants currently owned an average of 2.8 Kennel Club registered whippets (n = 257, min = 0, max = 12) and 30.2% (58/192) had bred a litter between January 2005- May 2012, while 69.8% (134/192) had not.
71% (159/224) participate in showing, 18.3% (41/224) in racing, 14.3% in obedience, 13.4% (30/224) in lure coursing, 9.4% (21/224) in agility, 1.3% in flyball and 16.1% in "other". Of these respondents, 73.7% (165/224) participated in only one activity, 14.7% (33/224) in two, 8% (18/224) in three, 1.3% (3/224) in four and 2.2% (5/224) in five.
64.3% (169/263) of Whippet owners said that they did not have any health issue to report, while 35.4% (93/263) did.
58 respondents provided information on litters that had been bred between Jan 2005 – May 2012, accounting for 136 litters. Where specified, 12.3% (15/122) of litters were produced via caesarean section, while 87.7% (107/122) were not.
An average of 6.5 puppies were born per litter (866/136), with a maximum of 12 puppies being born in 3 instances. 47% (401/866) of the puppies born Jan 2005 – May 2012 were female and 53% (453/866) were male.
14 litters were reported to have had instances of puppies being born dead (min = I puppy dead per litter, max = 12 puppies dead per litter).
19 litters were reported to have had at least one puppy die between birth and weaning (min = 1 puppy dead per litter, max = 5 puppies dead per litter). The cause of death of these puppies was described in 11 cases (4 cleft palates, 2 lack of oxygen during birth, 1 fading, 1 fluid on lungs, 1 rejected by dam, 1 seizures and fading and 1 severe umbilical hernia).
42 litters had at least one puppy born with retained testicles, accounting for 54 puppies in total (min = 1 puppy born in a litter with retained testicles, max = 4 puppies born in a litter with retained testicles).
263 respondents provided information about 809 dogs, of which 430 were male, 332 were female and 47 were not specified. The average age of the dogs described which were still alive was 5 years old (n=618, min = 1, max = 17, mode = 1), and the average age of those that had died was 11.4 years old (n=128, min=1, max = 19, mode = 13). In 54 instances the dog was not specified to be alive or dead.
Of the 809 dogs, 239 dogs were said to have/have had health issues (121 living dogs, 112 deceased dogs and 6 unspecified). Participants were asked to define these health issues by placing them into predefined categories. The most commonly reported health issues were cardiac conditions (61 dogs), traumatic injury (41 dogs) and neurological conditions (28 dogs). See Table 1 for a breakdown of these conditions.
Data regarding dogs affected by health conditions was broken down into dogs 9 years and younger and 10 years and older. Older dogs were reported to suffer from cardiac, endocrine and neurological conditions more frequently than younger dogs. Younger dogs were reported to suffer from immune and reproductive conditions more frequently than older dogs. The results for this breakdown can be found in Table 2.
Respondents were given a free text box in which they could describe in further details health problems their dogs suffered from. 129 participants described health concerns which had an impact on one or more of their dogs
Within the free text box participants reported the cause of euthanasia in 21 cases. Reasons for euthanasia included:
Cervical Vertebral Instability (pts aged 13)
Auto-Immune Haemolytic Anaemia (pts aged 13 and 9)
Unspecified tumour (pts aged 13 and 3)
Heart failure (pts aged 12)
Uunresponsive seizures (pts aged 12)
Lymphangiectasia (pts aged 10)
Demodex (pts aged 10)
Haemangiosarcoma (pts aged 7)
Ruptured cervical disc (pts aged 10)
Cardiomyopathy (pts at unknown age and aged 9)
Non-treatable gastric problems (pts at unknown age)
Aggressive behaviour (pts aged 3)
Disc trauma (pts at unknown age)
Kidney failure (pts aged 16)
Lung congestion (pts at unknown age)
Stroke (pts at unknown age)
Myleofibrosis (pts at unknown age)
Unresponsive immune mediated problems (pts at unknown age).
The average length of time that respondents had owned whippets was 16.6 years (n = 257, min = 0.5 years, max = 60 years).
Participants currently owned an average of 2.8 Kennel Club registered whippets (n = 257, min = 0, max = 12) and 30.2% (58/192) had bred a litter between January 2005- May 2012, while 69.8% (134/192) had not.
71% (159/224) participate in showing, 18.3% (41/224) in racing, 14.3% in obedience, 13.4% (30/224) in lure coursing, 9.4% (21/224) in agility, 1.3% in flyball and 16.1% in "other". Of these respondents, 73.7% (165/224) participated in only one activity, 14.7% (33/224) in two, 8% (18/224) in three, 1.3% (3/224) in four and 2.2% (5/224) in five.
64.3% (169/263) of Whippet owners said that they did not have any health issue to report, while 35.4% (93/263) did.
58 respondents provided information on litters that had been bred between Jan 2005 – May 2012, accounting for 136 litters. Where specified, 12.3% (15/122) of litters were produced via caesarean section, while 87.7% (107/122) were not.
An average of 6.5 puppies were born per litter (866/136), with a maximum of 12 puppies being born in 3 instances. 47% (401/866) of the puppies born Jan 2005 – May 2012 were female and 53% (453/866) were male.
14 litters were reported to have had instances of puppies being born dead (min = I puppy dead per litter, max = 12 puppies dead per litter).
19 litters were reported to have had at least one puppy die between birth and weaning (min = 1 puppy dead per litter, max = 5 puppies dead per litter). The cause of death of these puppies was described in 11 cases (4 cleft palates, 2 lack of oxygen during birth, 1 fading, 1 fluid on lungs, 1 rejected by dam, 1 seizures and fading and 1 severe umbilical hernia).
42 litters had at least one puppy born with retained testicles, accounting for 54 puppies in total (min = 1 puppy born in a litter with retained testicles, max = 4 puppies born in a litter with retained testicles).
263 respondents provided information about 809 dogs, of which 430 were male, 332 were female and 47 were not specified. The average age of the dogs described which were still alive was 5 years old (n=618, min = 1, max = 17, mode = 1), and the average age of those that had died was 11.4 years old (n=128, min=1, max = 19, mode = 13). In 54 instances the dog was not specified to be alive or dead.
Of the 809 dogs, 239 dogs were said to have/have had health issues (121 living dogs, 112 deceased dogs and 6 unspecified). Participants were asked to define these health issues by placing them into predefined categories. The most commonly reported health issues were cardiac conditions (61 dogs), traumatic injury (41 dogs) and neurological conditions (28 dogs). See Table 1 for a breakdown of these conditions.
Data regarding dogs affected by health conditions was broken down into dogs 9 years and younger and 10 years and older. Older dogs were reported to suffer from cardiac, endocrine and neurological conditions more frequently than younger dogs. Younger dogs were reported to suffer from immune and reproductive conditions more frequently than older dogs. The results for this breakdown can be found in Table 2.
Respondents were given a free text box in which they could describe in further details health problems their dogs suffered from. 129 participants described health concerns which had an impact on one or more of their dogs
Within the free text box participants reported the cause of euthanasia in 21 cases. Reasons for euthanasia included:
Cervical Vertebral Instability (pts aged 13)
Auto-Immune Haemolytic Anaemia (pts aged 13 and 9)
Unspecified tumour (pts aged 13 and 3)
Heart failure (pts aged 12)
Uunresponsive seizures (pts aged 12)
Lymphangiectasia (pts aged 10)
Demodex (pts aged 10)
Haemangiosarcoma (pts aged 7)
Ruptured cervical disc (pts aged 10)
Cardiomyopathy (pts at unknown age and aged 9)
Non-treatable gastric problems (pts at unknown age)
Aggressive behaviour (pts aged 3)
Disc trauma (pts at unknown age)
Kidney failure (pts aged 16)
Lung congestion (pts at unknown age)
Stroke (pts at unknown age)
Myleofibrosis (pts at unknown age)
Unresponsive immune mediated problems (pts at unknown age).
TABLE 1
TABLE 2
