Health & Welfare Sub Committee

The Health & Welfare Sub Committee was established in 2009.

Objectives

  1. To monitor breed health and develop future breed health surveys
  2. To Encourage Clumber Spaniel owners to participate in health surveys and carry out screening for known health conditions in the breed
  3. To Provide a contact point for help and advice with regard to health problems
  4. To Provide information on testing sessions
  5. To Fund raise for further research
  6. To Liaise internationally with other breed club health committees

The Sub Committee has also produced two leaflets; one outlines the information provided here and the other is a letter to a Vet introducing the Clumber Spaniel. We hope that both will be useful to new owners and would encourage breeders to include copies in their “Puppy Pack”.

Clumber Spaniel Health & Welfare Information (Updated 2018)

Clumber Spaniel Information for Veterinary Surgeons (Updated 2018)

Health screening

Health screening is recommended for all dogs particularly those being bred from. Current health screening recommended by the Clumber Spaniel Club:

KC/BVA hip and Elbow scorin7g.

Hip Scoring and Elbow Scoring has to be done by a veterinary surgeon. The dog will need to be heavily sedated or put under anaesthetic. X rays will be taken of the hips and forwarded to the KC/BVA who will assess and score them, the lower the score the better. A fee will be charged by the veterinary surgeon for carrying out this procedure as well as a fee by the KC/BVA.

Eye testing

Eye Testing is recommended by the Club and is also carried out under a KC/BVA scheme. The Clumber Spaniel Club offers a subsidy for all Clumber Spaniels being eye tested as follows:

  • At the Club’s annual eye testing day: £20 of the cost for each Clumber Spaniel tested that is owned by  an existing member and £10 of the cost for each Clumber Spaniel tested that is owned by non members.
  • All Clumber Spaniels aged 8 and over will be tested at the Club’s expense.
  • For all other eye tests the subsidy will be £10 for each dog tested owned by an existing member and £5 for each dog tested owned by a non member once a copy of the eye test certificate is received by the Breed Health Coordinator.

Completed eye test forms may be forwarded to the Clumber Club Breed Health Coordinator for inclusion on the Club’s database.

Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC)

EIC causes affected dogs to have profound exercise intolerance, although not all affected dogs will show symptoms. It is a simple recessive gene trait, and a DNA test is available.  Carrier dogs should not be bred to other carriers, but may safely be bred to clear dogs.

Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Phosphatase 1 Deficiency (PDP1)

PDP1 is a rare condition in Clumbers. It is a debilitating exercise intolerance condition, with fatal outcome usually before the dog reaches 3 months of age. A simple cheek swab will determine whether the dog is a carrier of PDP1 or is “clear” of the disease. Carriers should only be mated with “clear” status dogs.

Testing for EIC & PDP1 is carried out by Laboklin and the Club is able to offer members a discount on testing for both tests; further information on this can be obtained from Carol Page on 01489 589734 or by following this e-mail

The Sub Committee monitors the health of the Breed through the health surveys and health screening schemes as detailed above. It also carries out the annual review of the Breed Health Plan which has been developed to provide information on the current health status of the Clumber Spaniel and guidance and recommendations on breeding practice to assist with the improvement of both health issues and genetic diversity.