CONTACT DETAILS
FIELD SPANIEL SOCIETY HEALTH COMMITTEE
Name
____________________________________________
Address
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Phone
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E-Mail
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Health Seminar
(Open to All Breeds)
Great Alne & Kinwarton Memorial Hall, Alcester, Warks B49 6HL
Breed
Sunday 8th February 2009
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9.00 For 9:30 am Start
No. of FSS Members Tickets ______@ £15:00
Total £_________
No. of Non Members Tickets ______ @ £20:00
Total £_________
Total Amount
£_________
Names of those attending
Speakers
Canine Reproduction
& Fertility
Angelika von Heimendahl
BVMS Cert V Repro MRCVS DipECAR
Canine Epilepsy
BVSc, MIBiol, CBiol, DECVN, FRCVS, RCVS
& European specialist in Veterinary
Neurology
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Cheques Payable to the Field Spaniel Society
Bookings / /Payments / Enquiries to Shula M Shipton (FSS Health Officer)
121 Malvern Street, Stapenhill, Burton-on-Trent Staffs. DE15 9DZ
Phone 01283 530408 Email mishules@btinternet.com
Geoff Skerritt
Tickets
FSS Members
£15:00
Non FSS Members £20.00
Contacts
Shula M Shipton (FSS Health Officer) 01283 530408 mishules@btinternet.com
Ann Harding (Health Coordinator) 01179-402274 harding@blueyonder.co.uk
Kate Robertshaw 01282-859535 kmannochmore@live.co.uk
John Robertshaw 01282-859535 john@mannochmore.fsnet.co.uk
Agenda
Motivation
Canine Epilepsy
9:00
Meet for Coffee and Biscuits
9:30
Canine Reproduction and Fertility - Angelika von Heimendahl
Including what we can do to try and help achieve a successful and
healthy litter. It will pay special attention to problems related to the
Field Spaniel but should offer valuable information to anybody
involved in dog breeding.The focus of this discussion may be directed
based on the questions and issues raised by the attendees.
10:45 Tea Break
11:00 Canine Reproduction and Fertility - Angelika von Heimendahl
Continuing the discussion including any issues raised during the
tea break.
Questions and answers.
12:30 Lunch
13:30 Canine Epilepsy – Geoff Skerritt
Including the diagnosis and causes of Canine Epilepsy; the protocols
to follow; treatments, breeding protocols and research. Including late
onset epilepsy which has been experienced in the Field Spaniel
Though this will be focused towards the Field Spaniel, it will be of
interest to any breed which suffers from this problem.
14:45 Tea Break
15:00 Canine Epilepsy – Geoff Skerritt
Continuing the discussion including any issues raised during the
tea break.
Questions and answers.
An independent survey of fits, seizures and convulsions was conducted on
Fields in 1997 and it was noticed that there seemed to be a high occurrence
of seizures in older Fields. The main area of concern was Fields between the
ages of 5-9 years of age. Following this the KC’s own health survey,
completed by our members, highlighted that neurological problems (including
epilepsy) was the third highest health problem in our breed, behind tumours
and old age. This survey however could not determine precisely what the
cause for this was. There are many causes for seizures, including trauma,
toxins, tumours and of course idiopathic. Idiopathic epilepsy is a diagnosis by
elimination. That is, they look for other causes of seizures and if they can't
find any, they make the diagnosis of idiopathic epilepsy. At this time no one
yet has been able to determine which applies to the Field Spaniel. The FSS
Health committee has been mandated to investigate this by the membership
and to try and get a pedigree / DNA study done of this problem.
Geoff Skerritt BVSc, MIBiol, CBiol, DECVN, FRCVS, RCVS is a European
specialist in Veterinary Neurology and one who has had much experience
with Canine Epilepsy in general and with Field Spaniels in particular. We are
hoping to utilize his expertise in the study of this condition in Field Spaniels.
Canine Reproduction and Fertility
With a small gene pool the Field Spaniel has always had a difficulty in
maintaining diversity and vigour. In recent years we have noticed a number of
problems with both dogs and bitches, but mainly with the fact that bitches are
missing, pups are being reabsorbed, born dead or dying within the first week
of being born. Not only is this heartbreaking for the breeder, but reduces the
number of animals available in the gene pool. The Field Spaniel needs help
in investigating the problems and help with moving towards more viable
litters.
Angelika von Heimendahl MRCVS, DipECAR studied Veterinary Medicine
at Berlin University, Germany. Moving to the UK in 1992 she was involved in
cattle embryo transfer and IVF. Becoming a senior resident at the Royal Vet
College of London in 1999 working mainly with small animal reproduction,
she now runs a private referral service in Cambridge where she works for
Cambridge University as an External Clinical Consultant. In 2003 she gained
a Diploma of the European College of Animal Reproduction.