Equal Partners - You and Your Vet

The most brilliant vet in the world can't get your Afghan Hound to talk.  YOU must speak for your dog.  And that means you must pay attention and be observant of how your dog is acting and feeling.  A good vet wants to prevent a serious problem from developing.   The only way he can do this is for you to consult with him and give him the information as soon as you notice your dog is acting "different" or seems to be feeling poorly.  To do the best job he can, your vet needs and welcomes the information you give him.  He wants to tell you about results of tests, to discuss his choice of treatment and alternative choices, and to share decisions.  You must make it clear to your vet that you are willing to share and learn.  You must make your vet know that you wish to be a full partner in the care of your Afghan Hound.

Good care involves plenty of exercise, good coat grooming habits (including care of the teeth and nails), taking care of your dog's ears to keep them clean and checking for parasites both inside and out.  Work with your vet to establish good habits for caring for the health of your Afghan Hound.

 Click here to see AHCA Recommended Books and Videos.

CHIC

CHIC- What it is and what it does

Current CHIC numbers and OFA status 

The Afghan Hound Club of America entered the CHIC program in 2007. CHIC is sponsored by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and the AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF). 

CHIC is a centralized canine health database collecting health test results from multiple sources and making those results available online. The AHCA has required tests for hip dysplasia, eye anomalies through CERF, and thyroid testing. CHIC numbers do not imply normal results and do not certify animals for breeding purposes. CHIC is about encouraging health screening, sharing health results and increasing health awareness in order to help breeders make better informed breeding decisions and to improve the health of this already healthy breed.  I am proud to have been instrumental in a small way, in having the AHCA participate in this program.

OFA sends quarterly reports on participants, as well as a year-end summary.

If you have questions or concerns, please let me know.

Midge Martin, AHCA Health Chair ( kaihorn@att.net )

Sandy Frei, co-chair ( sstormhill@aol.com )

CHIC Reports are in PDF file format and you must have Adobe Acrobat installed on your computer in order to download and read the CHIC Reports.  Click on the Acrobat Reader button below to download your free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

 Quarterly Registry Summary     Current Registry Data               

1st Quarter 2009                                   CHIC Data                Cumulative CHIC Data

2nd Quarter 2009

  AKC Canine Health Foundation News Alert

  AKC Canine Health Foundation Annual Reports