Pro Club News

Diligent breeders regularly health test their breeding stock before including them in planned litters.

Breeder Lorraine Effa of Loriben Yorkies in Abbotsford, British Columbia, practices careful breeding by studying pedigrees and putting a great deal of thought into choosing breeding partners. Not surprisingly, she had high expectations that a particularly promising 6-month-old male, Loriben's Strike Up the Band ("Archie"), could easily become a finished conformation champion.

Breeder Lorraine Effa of Loriben Yorkies in Abbotsford, British Columbia, practices careful breeding by studying pedigrees and putting a great deal of thought into choosing breeding partners. Not surprisingly, she had high expectations that a particularly promising 6-month-old male, Loriben's Strike Up the Band ("Archie"), could easily become a finished conformation champion.

Owners of Standard Poodles diagnosed with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) commonly describe early signs of the disease — poor appetite, intermittent vomiting and lethargy — that could fit several disorders.

When her bitch, CH Rocket City's Angel Among Us, gained 10 pounds in the last couple of weeks of pregnancy, Pat Rzonca of New Caney, Texas, didn't think too much about it.

When Karen Moriello bought 3-year-old "Lefty," a male yellow Labrador Retriever, she hoped to provide a loving home in Brooklyn, Wis., for a dog who could no longer compete in field trials due to exercise-induced hyperthermia.

Hardworking dogs know the natural stress that comes from competing in field trials and hunting. In fact, virtually all dog sports involve stress related to travel, being in unknown surroundings and a change in routine.

Few Cocker Spaniel owners recognize the signs of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA), though the breed has an increased risk for developing the fast-acting, potentially fatal illness.

A dedicated Siberian Husky enthusiast who enjoys conditioning and working her dogs for sledding sports, Karen Yeargain of Prineville, Oregon, frequently posts pictures of her winning sprint and mid-distance racing dogs.

Despite living in Norway, an ocean and a continent away from the U.S., Line Leret manages the website for the Health & Genetics Committee of the Papillon Club of America.

Seeing a beloved canine companion lose control of his body, suffer spasms and foam at the mouth is a shock for any breeder, especially one who had no idea epilepsy was in the dog's bloodline.

Dalmatian enthusiasts who have attended a regional specialty show or the Dalmatian Club of America National Specialty during the past year may have noticed the blood draw clinics.