Bichon Frise Club of America, Inc.
MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB
2006 HEALTH SURVEY FOR BREEDERS
Mail to: Anne Jones
Deadline: March 15, 2007
PLEASE FILL IN THE BLANKS
5872 Allee Way
Braselton, GA 30517
PART 1: INTRODUCTION
Bichons are counting on you! You can influence the health of Bichons Frises by completing this
survey and sending it to the address above. The data from the last major health survey for Bichons
was collected in 1992, 14 years ago. Current data is needed to determine the prevalence of diseases
in Bichons Frises. The focus of this survey is to identify the top 10 diseases in Bichons, which will be
useful in prioritizing health research resources and for developing disease prevention strategies. Anne
Jones, who will be the only person to view the surveys, will tabulate all information. Then Anne will
send only the numbers to Nancy McDonald, who will develop the final report that will express the
incidence of each disease as a percent value. Therefore, your anonymity will be protected, which can
be augmented by not placing your return address on the envelope.
This survey is reaching you via mail with the BFCA Bulletin if you are a BFCA member, and is also
available on the BFCA Health Committee web site www.bichonhealth.org where you can download and
print it. We ask that only Bichon breeders complete this survey and that BFCA member breeders
encourage non-member breeders to access it online, print it, complete it, and mail it to the above
address. We encourage you to also complete our online health surveys on individual Bichons at
www.bichonhealth.org, which can be anonymous if you do not include your email address: Death
Reports and Health Incident Reports. The data from these online reports is maintained separately from
the data recovered from this breeders survey, and will be shared with BFCA members every 5 years,
with 2007 being the next year to report.
This data must be as accurate as possible, including exact vet diagnosis when known! Please enter
the total number of Bichons that you are reporting in this survey so we can calculate incidence as a
percent value. Include all healthy, sick, and dead Bichons that you whelped between 01/01/1992 and
12/31/2006. This 14-year period is significant because statistics are most valuable for older dogs, which
have more time to develop diseases. Do not include Bichons unless you are informed of their
status, and be sure to include healthy Bichons. This will give you the incentive to contact puppy
buyers that you have not heard from recently for reports on their Bichons that were bred by you.
A simple one-page veterinary survey is attached that can also be downloaded and printed from
www.bichonhealth.org, and the results sent to Anne Jones for tabulation. Data is needed on the
prevalence of diseases in Bichons that veterinarians treat, which often includes Bichons purchased
from puppy mills, pet stores, and irresponsible breeders. Please encourage any veterinarians you
know to participate by sending them a copy of the survey (preferably with a stamped, self-addressed
envelope), or directing them to the BFCA website. We promise to mail or email them the results of both
our breeders and veterinary surveys, in return for their time involved in completing the veterinary
survey.
Thank you for your support,
Health Survey Committee
Anne Jones
Nancy McDonald
Vickie Halstead, Chairman
BFCA Health Committee
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PART 2: BREEDING INFORMATION
With the understanding that your privacy will be fully protected, please answer the following:
1.
Are you a member of BFCA? Yes ________ No _________
2.
Indicate the number of years you have been involved with Bichons: ____________
3.
What is the total number of Bichons you whelped from 01/01/1992 to 12/31/2006
(include stillborns): ______________
# of litters ________
# of females_______
# of males ________
4.
What is the total number of Bichons you are reporting on in this survey:
(Include only Bichons that you know have experienced health issues since
birth, those that you know have no health issues, and those that you know of
their death.) ________________
5.
How many Bichons live with you at this time? ______Male ______Female ________
6.
What is your average litter size since 1992? _____ Smallest?_____Largest?______
7.
How many Caesarian sections since 1992? ___________
8.
At what age do you breed a bitch for the first time?________ last time?___________
9.
How often do you usually breed the bitches? _______________________________
10.
How many breedings since 1992 were natural? _________
How many artificial vaginal inseminations (AI)? _________
How many surgical inseminations?____How many endoscopic inseminations?_____
How many using fresh chilled semen?_____ How many using frozen semen?_____
11.
How many times since 1992 have stud dogs owned by you sired litters? _________
PART 3: VACCINES AND PREVENTIVES
At what age/s do you currently vaccinate puppies with core vaccines (Distemper, Adenovirus
or Hepatitis, Parvo, Parainfluenza)? ______________________________________________
How often do you currently vaccinate adult Bichons with core vaccines? ________________
Rabies? _______________________ Bordetella? ____________________________
Corona? _______________________ Leptospirosis? __________________________
Does your veterinarian agree with your vaccine protocol? _____________________________
Have you changed the frequency of vaccinations since 1992? _________________________
If so, how has the change affected the health of your Bichons? ___________________
______________________________________________________________________
How many of your Bichons have had reactions to vaccines since 1992? __________________
What brand of Heartworm preventive do you use? ___________________________________
Do you give your Bichons flea preventives? _____ Brand _____________________________
How many of your Bichons had reactions to this since 1992? _____________________
PART 4: PREVELANCE OF HEALTH CONDITIONS
Indicate any health conditions below that you KNOW either caused illness or death in any
Bichons that you whelped from 01/01/1992 to 12/31/2006, declaring the sex and number
affected, and the age of diagnosis if known (for many inherited diseases ONSET AGE is
crucial information). List all diseases for each dog, even if they are numerous.
***NO HEALTH PROBLEMS***
Total # of living Bichons you are reporting on that
currently have no histories of health problems:
TEMPERAMENT ISSUES
A) Aggressive
B) Fearful
C) Separation anxiety
D) Other (be specific)_________________
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MALE
FEMALE
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ONSET AGE
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NEUROLOGICAL
A) Head tilt
B) Vestibular syndrome (dizziness)
C) Dementia (senility)
D) Dyskinesia (movement disorder)
E) Meningitis
F) Seizures
G) Other_______________________
MALE
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FEMALE
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ONSET AGE
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HEART AND CIRCULATION
A) Murmur (persistent, unknown cause)
B) Subaortic stenosis (SAS)
C) Patent Ductus Arteriosis (PDA)
D) Heart failure
E) Cardiomyopathy
F) Valve dysfunction (mitral or aortic)
G) Other_______________________
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RESPIRATORY
A) Tracheal collapse
B) Lung cancer
C) Kartagener’s Syndrome (triad)
D) Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD, sinusitis)
E) Other_______________________
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SKIN AND COAT
A) Hot spots (recurrent)
B) Hair loss
C) Rash, hives
C) Pruritis (significant itching)
D) Chewing/biting (persistent)
E) Dermatitis (non-specific)
F) Surface tumors/warts
G) Sebaceous cysts
H) Other_______________________
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EYES
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
F)
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Cataracts
Glaucoma
Retinal dysplasia/folds
Corneal dystrophy
Keratitis sica (dry eye)
Other__________________________
ENDOCRINE (Hormones)
A) Addison’s disease
B) Cushing’s disease
C) Diabetes
D) Hypothyroidism (low thyroid function)
E) Other___________________________
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__________
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EAR, NOSE, MOUTH
A) Chronic nasal discharge
B) Dental cavities
C) Tooth loss
D) Gingivitis (gum infection)
E) Cleft palate
F) Deafness
G) Frequent ear infections
H) Other__________________________
MALE
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FEMALE
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ONSET AGE
__________
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SKELETAL
A) Elbow dysplasia
B) Hip dysplasia: type________________
C) Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (hips)
D) Patellar luxation (knees)
E) Arthritis: site_____________________
F) Anterior cruciate ligament tear (knee)
G) Other___________________________
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GASTROINTESTINAL
A) Pancreatitis
B) Liver shunt
C) Microvascular dysplasia (liver)
D) Hepatitis (liver)
E) Chronic gastritis (stomach)
F) Umbilical hernia
G) Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
H) Gallbladder disease
I) Other___________________________
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KIDNEY/BLADDER
A) Struvite bladder/kidney stones
B) Calcium oxalate bladder/kidney stones
C) Bladder infections (frequent)
D) Kidney disease: specify_____________
E) Kidney failure
F) Incontinence
G) Other___________________________
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HEMATOLOGIC (BLOOD)
A) Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA)
B) Autoimmune thrombocytopenia (ITP)
C) Von Willebrand’s disease (bleeding)
D) Lupus (SLE)
E) Other___________________________
CANCER (other than listed above)
A) Hemangiosarcoma (blood vessels)
B) Breast
C) Leukemia
D) Other: specify____________________
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__________
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REPRODUCTIVE
A) Litter aborted or absorbed
B) Infertility
C) Uterine dystocia
D) Poor libido
E) Prostatitis
F) Cryptorchidism (testicle/s retained)
G) Other___________________________
MALE
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FEMALE
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PART 5: RESEARCH PRIORITIES
Rank the following areas of canine health research that you feel are the most important for
Bichons Frises by placing the letter in the appropriate blank.
These current ongoing research projects are not included: cataracts, patellar luxation, calcium
oxalate bladder stones, and allergies.
Most important _____________
2nd most important ____________
rd
3 most important __________
4th most important ___________
a) Addison’s disease
b) Arthritis
c) Cancer (What type?)
d) Cardiomyopathy
e) Chronic gastritis (stomach)
f) Corneal dystrophy (eyes)
g) Cushing’s disease
h) Deafness
i) Dental disease
j) Diabetes
k) Elbow dysplasia
l) Hip dysplasia
m) Hypothyroidism
n) Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
o) Kidney failure
p) Liver shunt
q) Pancreatitis
r) PDA (heart defect)
s) PCD/Kartageners
t) Retinal dysplasia/folds
u) Seizures
PART 6: DEATH REPORTS
How many of the Bichons that you whelped from 01/01/1992 to 12/31/2006 are known to you
as having:
MALE
FEMALE AGE OF DEATH
A) Died of disease or illness? (include above) ______
______
______
B) Died of traumatic injury?
______
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C) Died of an unknown cause?
______
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D) Were stillborns?
______
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TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS:
______
______
What is the average life span of your Bichons?
________________________________
Do you think the life span of your Bichons since 1992 is: Longer ______ Shorter ______
If living longer, indicate your theory as to why: Improved nutrition or environment?_________
Improved screening for inherited diseases?_____Changes in vaccination schedules?_____
Other reasons:_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
List details of diseases/illnesses that caused deaths if too numerous to list above, including
age of death (continue on back if needed): _________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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PART 7: COMMENTS (on back of page)
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