The following health clearances were recommended by the CHIC Committee and approved by the GWPCA Board at their May 18 Board Meeting. These are the clearances that will be required in order for a GWP to receive a CHIC number. The recommended health clearances are not mandatory but are strongly recommended.

REQUIRED for a CHIC Number:

• OFA: Hips 2 years & Elbows 2 years -or- PennHIP 1 year
• OFA Thyroid- 2 years or PRIOR to breeding and YEARLY after that until 4
• CERF- any age and YEARLY if in a breeding program
• Von Willebrand's Disease- DNA test any age

Recommended:

• Cardiac- 2 years by cardiologist
• Patellas

For more information, please visit:

• The OFA website at www.offa.org
  
• The CHIC website at www.caninehealthinfo.org
  
• The PennHIP website at www.pennhip.org

It is important to remember that just because a dog has received a CHIC number does not mean it has passed all health clearances. It means that the owner has had the required tests done and has let the results be open to the public. This means that you will be able to research a dog with a CHIC number on the OFA website and see what the results were. Do not assume that a dog with a CHIC number has passed all of the health clearances, you will still need to research that dog on the OFA website to see what the results were. The Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) is exactly that: a place to gather information on breeds.

GWPCA CHIC Survey Results

A 6 question survey of GWPCA members was conducted from April to July of 2008. Results of the survey were used by the GWPCA CHIC Committee and GWPCA board of directors to establish requirements for a GWP to receive CHIC certifiation. Survey results are available for download.

 

| Sunday, July 20, 2008;11:39 AM CST |