We are once again offering health testing and sample collections at the National Specialty. Here is a step-by-step guide.

Yes, this is a lot of information. Our advice to you:

  1. Take a few deep breaths.
  2. Choose what tests/samples you want to do.
  3. Make an appointment, if appropriate.
  4. Complete the forms for each test you are doing. You must complete Factor VII and cystinuria forms in advance, but we recommend you complete all forms in advance.
  5. If you have a question or problem, don’t hesitate to contact us, preferably before your head explodes.

What we’re offering:

Thursday, May 11, and Friday, May 12:

Cardiac ultrasounds: Echocardiograms with cardiologist Meg Sleeper, VMD, DACVIM (cardiology). This testing is open to all dogs at the specialty. The cost is $275 per dog (DCM Project dogs $250).

Friday, May 12, 4–6 P.M.:

Eye Clinic: OFA eye exams with ophthalmologist (and SDCA member) Michael Blair, DVM, MS, Rph, DACVO. These exams are open to all dogs at the specialty. The cost is $50 per dog (which Michael is very generously donating to the Health Fund).

Saturday, May 13, 3–6 PM:

CHIC DNA Bank sample collection (blood draw): FREE, and samples are welcome from all Deerhounds that don’t already have a sample in our CHIC DNA Bank.

Cystinuria testing at the University of Pennsylvania (urine sample): FREE as long as we either collect a blood sample from your dog for research or Penn already has blood on file for your dog. We are looking for urine samples from:

  • INTACT DOGS (and a few bitches) over the age of two years.
  • We are especially interested in samples from INTACT MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER DOGS, whether they have been tested previously or not.
  • We are also interested in FOLLOWING INTACT MALE DOGS OVER TIME, so if your dog has been tested before, please test him again!

Factor VII testing (blood draw) at the University of Pennsylvania: The cost to you is $30 per dog. This testing is open to all Deerhounds.

Cheek swab collection for Delayed Post-Operative Hemorrhage (DEPOH, also called Hyperfibrinolysis Syndrome or Delayed Bleeding Syndrome): The cost to you is $30 per dog, and the sample will also support our slow drug metabolism and hyperthermia research at Washington State University. This testing is open to all Deerhounds at the specialty who have not already been tested.

Instructions for Dogs that Will Be at the Show

Make an Appointment

Cardiac Clinic: Thursday afternoon, May 11, and all day Friday, May 12

We have a few slots left for the cardiac clinic. To register, please pay for your echo(s) at the Deerhound Store. You will receive an email with appointment information after you register.

OFA Eye Clinic: Friday, May 12, 4–6 P.M.

We have slots left for this clinic. To register, please pay for your exam(s) at the Deerhound Store. You will receive an email with appointment information after you register.

DEPOHGEN™ Testing Cheek Swab Clinic: Saturday, May 13, 3–6 PM

We have slots left for this clinic. To register, please pay for your exam(s) at the Deerhound Store. Select the “Test at Show” option. You will receive an email with appointment information after you register.

Blood Draw Clinic for CHIC DNA Bank, Factor VII Testing, and DNA for cystinuria study: Saturday, May 13, 4–6 PM

We have slots left for this clinic. To register, please make an appointment below:

If you are having problems accessing the schedule here or need to revise or cancel an appointment, access the schedule through this link.

 

Urine Samples

You do not need to make an appointment to drop off urine samples: you can drop off the sample (or bring the dog—we have collection supplies) and the paperwork (which must be done in advance through Penn’s online system) to the blood draw clinic on Saturday afternoon, 4:00-6:00pm. If you collect the urine before Saturday afternoon, the sample must be kept FROZEN. Please find Miranda Levin at the show to get your sample into the clinic freezer ASAP.

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE COMPLETED ALL PAPERWORK BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENTS, AND REMEMBER: THE PENN FORM MUST BE COMPLETED ON-LINE, SUBMITTED, PRINTED OUT, AND BROUGHT TO THE CLINIC.

Complete All Forms

COMPLETING FORMS AHEAD OF TIME IS REQUIRED FOR FACTOR VII AND CYSTINURIA TESTING AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR ALL OTHER TESTS.

PLEASE NOTE: THE PENN SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK ON CELL PHONES! IT MUST BE DONE ON A COMPUTER, SO PLEASE!!!!!!!! DO YOUR PENN FORMS BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR THE SHOW.

1. CHIC DNA Bank

We will be collecting blood samples for the DNA Bank at the clinic. Please note that if your dog is already in the DNA Bank, there is no need to provide another sample. To see if your dog is already in the CHIC DNA Bank, go to:

https://www.ofa.org/about/dna-repository

Click on “Advanced Search” in the upper right corner. Select our breed and check the “Check to see only dogs in DNA Databank” box.

If your dog is not in the DNA Bank already, we would love to collect a blood sample to support all of our research projects. We will have forms at the show, but if you want to complete the form ahead of time (highly recommended), go to https://www.ofa.org/application-forms and select the DNA Databank form (the download version, not the online version).

Cost: FREE! The SDCA and the OFA subsidize the cost.

2. Cystinuria Study

We will be collecting both blood and urine samples at the show for our cystinuria research at the University of Pennsylvania. The study wants samples from intact male dogs (and a few bitches) age 2 and over. The study only needs one blood sample per dog, but would like two or three urine samples taken over its lifetime, so even if your dog’s urine has been tested already, another sample would be very welcome.

If you have already submitted blood or allow us to take a blood sample at this collection, the testing is free. If you only want your dog’s urine tested, and no blood is on file at Penn, the cost is $55.

We MUST USE Penn’s on-line submission system, so please log in/create an account and complete a sample submission form before the specialty. Please put “SDRH 2023 Specialty” in the comment line. The form needs to be submitted to Penn electronically, and please also bring a printed copy to your sample collection appointment. The Penn system does not like cell phones, so you need a computer to use it. We will not be able to send the samples to Penn without this form, so please don’t forget it!

If this is your dog’s first sample for Penn, so blood is being drawn, you must also complete this Penn Research Release Form.

Cost: $55 if you don’t submit blood or Penn doesn’t already have a blood sample from your dog. If blood is collected or already at Penn, the cost is FREE!

If you owe any money for this test, you will be billed directly by Penn after the test has been run. Penn will send you the results directly in 3-4 weeks.

PLEASE NOTE THAT URINE SAMPLES MUST BE KEPT REFRIGERATED (FROZEN IF MORE THAN A DAY) IF NOT SUBMITTED DIRECTLY TO THE SAMPLE COLLECTION. If you collect the urine before the clinic on Saturday afternoon, please find Miranda Levin at the show to get your sample into the clinic freezer.

3. Factor VII testing

We will be drawing blood at the show for Factor VII testing, and we are offering our usual show special: blood submitted for the test will be $30, provided you allow Penn to also use the blood for its cystinuria research. The usual cost for this test is $75, and the SDCA is subsidizing the rest of the cost.

We MUST USE Penn’s on-line submission system, so please log in/create an account and complete this form before the specialty. Please put “SDRH 2023 Specialty” in the comment line. The form needs to be submitted to Penn electronically, and please also bring a printed copy to your sample collection appointment. The Penn system does not like cell phones, so you need a computer to use it. We will not be able to send the samples to Penn without this form, so please don’t forget it!

Cost: $30 if you allow the blood to be used for cystinuria research. You will be billed by Penn after the test has been run. Penn will send you the results directly in 3-4 weeks.

4. Cheek Swab Collection for Delayed Post-Operative Hemorrhage (DEPOH)/Anesthesia Sensitivities Research

We will be collecting cheek swab samples for Delayed Post-Operative Hemorrhage (DEPOH) testing during the Blood Draw/Cheek Swab Clinic on Saturday, May 13, from 3–6 P.M. Besides telling you whether or not your dog is at risk for this potentially fatal condition, it supports Dr. Court’s research in slow drug metabolism and hyperthermia. You can learn more about his work here.

After you register for this test in the Deerhound Store, you will be sent the form via email.

5. Waiver

If you have blood drawn at the show, you will also be asked to complete this 2023 SDCA WAIVER FOR BLOOD DRAW.

Finally, by submitting samples to CHIC, Washington State University, or the University of Pennsylvania, you agree to update your dog’s health upon request, up to and including the age and cause of death.

If You Are Bringing Samples from Home

We welcome samples collected for the CHIC DNA Bank, Penn cystinuria research, Factor VII testing, and DEPOHGEN™ testing from dogs at home that are not going to be at the show.

Urine samples must be kept frozen, and blood samples must be kept chilled. Please complete all of the forms for these dogs (using the directions and links below) and drop off your samples on arrival by finding Miranda Levin at the show. Please note: it is difficult to keep the urine samples frozen, and the hotel freezers do not always do a good job!

A SPECIAL PLEA TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE INTACT MIDDLE-AGED OR OLDER MALE DOGS WHO HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM: WE NEED URINE and DNA FROM YOUR DOG! Please consider bringing blood (if Penn doesn’t have it already) and urine samples to the show. Blood samples must be kept cool, and urine samples must be kept frozen the entire time they are in transit and can’t be allowed to thaw before they are brought to the sample collection. Please complete a PennGen form before you leave. Cost: FREE!

Sample Collection Instructions

Sample collection instructions for the CHIC DNA Bank.

Sample collection instructions for urine samples. If your dog has not participated in the Penn study before, please also complete this Penn Research Release Form.

Sample collection instructions for Factor VII samples.

To bring a sample for DEPOHGEN™ testing, buy the test through the Deerhound Store and choose the “Test at home” option. You will then receive sample collection instructions.

All samples MUST be accompanied by completed forms—see above. Remember—for cystinuria and Factor VII samples, we MUST USE Penn’s on-line submission system, which does not like cell phones, so please register and complete this form before you arrive:

https://netapps.vet.upenn.edu/PennGen/SampleTesting/Account/Login.aspx

Please put “SDRH 2023 Specialty” in the comment line. The form needs to be submitted to Penn electronically, and please also bring a printed copy to your sample collection appointment. We will not be able to send the samples to Penn without this form, so please don’t forget it.

To drop off your samples, please find Miranda Levin at the show. You can also drop off samples at the blood draw clinic on Saturday, May 13, 3:00-6:00 p.m., in the Ballroom. Please note: it is difficult to keep the urine samples frozen, and the hotel freezers do not always do a good job, so if you are bringing urine, find Miranda as soon as you arrive.

Finally, by submitting samples to CHIC, Washington State University, or the University of Pennsylvania, you agree to update your dog’s health upon request, up to and including the age and cause of death.

If you have any questions or problems, please contact us.