The OFA Chinook Health Survey is looking for your Chinook!
“The only way that breeders can produce healthier dogs is if owners and other breeders share information on the health of the dogs. THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK TO THE BREED YOU LOVE.” Jerold S. Bell, DVM, Veterinary Genetic Counseling
What is the OFA Chinook Health Survey?
Many of us know the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for their long time work on health and DNA databases and for their association with CHIC’s (Canine Health Information Center) certification program. OFA also offers another valuable service to the breeds: a breed specific health survey where owner information is confidential and where numbers only are reported. Results are updated daily on the OFA website.
What is the OFA Chinook Health Survey?
Many of us know the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for their long time work on health and DNA databases and for their association with CHIC’s (Canine Health Information Center) certification program. OFA also offers another valuable service to the breeds: a breed specific health survey where owner information is confidential and where numbers only are reported. Results are updated daily on the OFA website.
What Chinooks are needed for the Health Survey?
Participation in the OFA Chinook Health Survey is open to all Chinooks who are AKC or UKC registered or who are qualified to be registered. Information submitted is not identifiable by any individual, breed club or by the OFA.
Participation in the OFA Chinook Health Survey is open to all Chinooks who are AKC or UKC registered or who are qualified to be registered. Information submitted is not identifiable by any individual, breed club or by the OFA.
Who should participate?
It is important to have information on all living and deceased Chinooks - going back as far as owners can remember. Information is needed on all Chinooks: healthy Chinooks, Chinooks with little or no health issues and Chinooks that have experienced health problems. This information will give a detailed view of the entire Chinook population. (If we only have responses from Chinooks with health conditions, it will look like a much higher percentage of dogs have problems so please include your well Chinooks too.)
Many of the survey questions were suggested by the OFA for the participating breeds. You may not find any items related to your Chinook or you may find several. This survey is designed to present questions on a wide array of traits, symptoms and diseases, many of which may never apply to your Chinook.
It is important to have information on all living and deceased Chinooks - going back as far as owners can remember. Information is needed on all Chinooks: healthy Chinooks, Chinooks with little or no health issues and Chinooks that have experienced health problems. This information will give a detailed view of the entire Chinook population. (If we only have responses from Chinooks with health conditions, it will look like a much higher percentage of dogs have problems so please include your well Chinooks too.)
Many of the survey questions were suggested by the OFA for the participating breeds. You may not find any items related to your Chinook or you may find several. This survey is designed to present questions on a wide array of traits, symptoms and diseases, many of which may never apply to your Chinook.
How much time will the survey take to complete?
The survey is detailed so please take your time, refer to your vet reports as needed and go over the items one by one. If you select a particular general health issue you will find a drop down list with several choices for you to choose from. If you were to click on all of the health issues, you will see what diagnoses are listed in each drop down list - this may help to remind you of some earlier health issue that you had forgotten about. If you do this, just remember to unclick the boxes that do not pertain to your Chinook.
You will want to set aside some time to prepare for and to complete the health survey but this will be time well spent as you will be providing much needed health information on our unique and cherished Chinook Breed. Excluding the prep time, the survey itself will take about 5 minutes to complete. If you have more than one Chinook, keep track of the dogs you have entered so you will know which dogs still need to be included.
Once you have filled in your answers, it is helpful to go back over the survey to make sure that you did not miss any questions - check to see that all your responses have been recorded. When you have verified your information you should hit “Submit” (see the gray “Submit” bar under the line: “Your contribution to this Chinook health information database is appreciated!”). You will then find your responses added to the “Results” section. If you find you are unable to complete the survey after starting it, there is a “Cancel” button to the left of the “Submit” button.
The survey is detailed so please take your time, refer to your vet reports as needed and go over the items one by one. If you select a particular general health issue you will find a drop down list with several choices for you to choose from. If you were to click on all of the health issues, you will see what diagnoses are listed in each drop down list - this may help to remind you of some earlier health issue that you had forgotten about. If you do this, just remember to unclick the boxes that do not pertain to your Chinook.
You will want to set aside some time to prepare for and to complete the health survey but this will be time well spent as you will be providing much needed health information on our unique and cherished Chinook Breed. Excluding the prep time, the survey itself will take about 5 minutes to complete. If you have more than one Chinook, keep track of the dogs you have entered so you will know which dogs still need to be included.
Once you have filled in your answers, it is helpful to go back over the survey to make sure that you did not miss any questions - check to see that all your responses have been recorded. When you have verified your information you should hit “Submit” (see the gray “Submit” bar under the line: “Your contribution to this Chinook health information database is appreciated!”). You will then find your responses added to the “Results” section. If you find you are unable to complete the survey after starting it, there is a “Cancel” button to the left of the “Submit” button.
How do I update by Chinook’s Health Information?
If the status changes for your Chinook, please update only what has changed. There is no need to enter things that have remained the same: simply go back to take the survey, mark where you are asked if the survey is a first time survey or an update of a previously surveyed dog, and enter what has changed. That’s it!
If the status changes for your Chinook, please update only what has changed. There is no need to enter things that have remained the same: simply go back to take the survey, mark where you are asked if the survey is a first time survey or an update of a previously surveyed dog, and enter what has changed. That’s it!
I’m ready to get started - where do I find the Chinook OFA Survey?
Go to the OFA website: www.OFA.org. Scroll to the very bottom of the page and look for “Educational Resources” and click on “Breed Health Surveys”. Find “Health Surveys by Breed” and scroll down to find “Chinook”. Go to the orange box and click on “Answer Survey”. You can also click on “Results” to find current survey results.
An important note to our Chinook Breeders: Would you share this notice with your owners and ask them to take the Chinook health survey? Click here for printable version
The success of the OFA Chinook Health Survey depends on our Chinook owners. Your participation will help to ensure that future generations of Chinook owners will enjoy the love and companionship of a healthy, active, long-lived Chinook.
Go to the OFA website: www.OFA.org. Scroll to the very bottom of the page and look for “Educational Resources” and click on “Breed Health Surveys”. Find “Health Surveys by Breed” and scroll down to find “Chinook”. Go to the orange box and click on “Answer Survey”. You can also click on “Results” to find current survey results.
An important note to our Chinook Breeders: Would you share this notice with your owners and ask them to take the Chinook health survey? Click here for printable version
The success of the OFA Chinook Health Survey depends on our Chinook owners. Your participation will help to ensure that future generations of Chinook owners will enjoy the love and companionship of a healthy, active, long-lived Chinook.
Thank you for your participation!
Chinook Club of America Board of Directors
March 2019
Chinook Club of America Board of Directors
March 2019