Health Testing
Heart Testing
The Irish Wolfhound Foundation will sponsor screening for cardiac health at the show site on Monday May 20th and Tuesday May 21st. A donation of $60 is requested for EKG/auscultation for hounds under 6 and $30 for hounds 6 and older. Any hound found to have an abnormal EKG or auscultation will be worked into the echo clinic and a $100 donation will be requested. Testing for OFA certification will be available but must be requested when you sign up.
Echocardiogram/EKG (required for OFA cert.) will be $200 for healthy dogs 2 years and under 6 year of age & $100 for dogs over 6 years of age.
Sign up online at www.iwfoundation.org/screening-clinics or contact Frances Abrams at 937-371-3609, iwfhealth@gmail.com to pre-register before May 13th, 2024.
Young Hound Auscultation
To learn if IWs are more affected with congenital heart disease than present data suggests, the IWF is sponsoring an auscultation clinic by Dr Bill Tyrrell and Dr Steve Rosenthal, Monday 11:30-1. Location will be close to ringside. ANY youngster up to 2 years is welcome. No donation will be requested for this first clinic. To sign up, enter your puppy in the LCSII study via the IWF website under “Studies”. Any puppy entered is eligible for auscultation. The exam is brief and with 2 cardiologists the wait time should be minimal.
Blood Chemistry Reference Ranges
Dr. Dan Fletcher from Cornell University will be collecting samples for the research study “Establishing Breed Specific Complete Blood Count and Blood Chemistry Reference Ranges for Irish Wolfhounds.” This research is supported by the IWF and the Greyhound Health Initiative. Important differences in lab values have been identified in Greyhounds and Scottish Deerhounds. By identifying blood parameters that are different between Irish Wolfhounds and other breeds veterinarians will be able to better interpret basic lab work in Irish Wolfhounds.
Any healthy hound over one year in age can help. If your hound participated in the bleeding study at Delaware Valley in Oct 2023 they are already enrolled in this study.
Only a single draw of two tubes of blood is needed. Dr Fletcher will be drawing blood at a location close to ringside Monday and Tuesday until the close of judging. Fifty hounds are needed to complete this study.
If you can participate in this study please complete the screening survey
https://forms.gle/XVReWWVhW9Nr
You may email Dr Fletcher if there are questions about the study at djf42@cornell.edu.
Canine Osteosarcoma Early Detection (COED) Study
Dr Jaime Modiano,lead investigator of the COED study,will be at the Specialty and present a short update of the study Tuesday after judging. He will be available for discussion Tuesday and is especially interested in explaining the research and talking with owners who have hounds in the study and who have supported this research via the IWCA and IWF. There is more information about the COED study at the IWF website.
This page was last updated 04/22/2024.