Health Survey AWS

The Health and Genetics Committee is so excited to be able to make an on-line Health

Survey available to all owners of American Water Spaniels. The results of this

confidential survey will provide insight into the overall health of our breed.

The survey is available through the website of the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals

(OFA) a name we all know and trust. All entries and results are completely confidential.

No names are recorded, no stamps are needed and everyone can see the results for the

overall entries instantly. OFA is providing this service to breed clubs at no cost.

The survey has a very inclusive set of health conditions which have been known to occur

in dogs. You will take one survey for each dog. When you start, you will see a concise

list of conditions which may have affected your dog, such as cancer/tumors, eye disorders

or liver disorders. When you select one of these, the next step will offer you a

comprehensive listing within that category. If you don’t see a diagnosis that your dog

may have received from a veterinarian, you should select “Other” and then you will be

able to describe that diagnosis.

Please take a few moments of your time to fill out the survey for as many of your dogs as

possible. All living or deceased dogs are needed, healthy included, so that a true picture

of breed health can be seen. The survey asks that your results be based on a diagnosis

from your veterinarian, so you may want to review the survey first and check your dog’s

health records for accuracy.

The results of this survey will assist the club in observing the overall health picture of

AWS. We will be able to make better decisions about where to focus our efforts and

money. The background statistics will allow us to see if there are trends or new concerns

over the coming years and will help us garner attention and research funds from the AKC

Canine Health Foundation (CHF) if needed. Educational opportunities for breeders and

owners can be planned if we find breed-specific health issues.

Your efforts to complete this survey will be more appreciated than we can say. Please

pass the word to all AWS owners you know. AWS is a breed of small numbers and we

need to do all we can to keep them healthy!

The survey can be reached directly at: http://www.offa.org/surveys/survey_aws.html