We shall shortly be putting more information on health matters here but in the mean time, if you have had an Irish Water Spaniel who has sadly died, we would be extremely grateful if you would complete the confidential questionnaire below. The Sporting Irish Water Spaniel Club in conjunction with the Irish Water Spaniel Association are collaborating to build up an ongoing picture of the longevity of the Irish Water Spaniel and to identify and monitor the occurrence of any serious health issues. The details of your dog(s) do not have to be related to recent dogs you have owned but if you have previously completed the questionnaire and have no information on new dogs please do not complete as your details will already be collated.

• More dogs need to be vaccinated in order to produce what is known as herd immunity, a level of vaccination where it is unlikely that disease can gain a foothold, this is estimated to be 75% of a population, well above current UK levels.
• The concept of core vaccinations, required by all dogs world wide, and would include diseases such as canine distemper and parvovirus and non-core vaccinations relating to an individual dog's geographical and lifestyle exposure and an assessment of risk benefit ratios.

• A revised schedule of puppy vaccinations involving an initial vaccination at 8 to 9 weeks of age followed by a second vaccination 3 to 4 weeks later, and a third vaccination given between 14 to 16 weeks. This is then followed up by a further injection at 12 months.

• After 12 months, core vaccines do not need to be given boosters on an annual basis, but more likely at 3 year intervals. Non core vaccines, because of the way most of them are manufactured will still need to be given annually.

At the breeder's symposium there was also some sobering news for people who do not vaccinate, but instead, prefer to use homeopathic alternatives. In short, the message was that they don't work and unpublished research was cited where all of the dogs injected with CDV after being given homeopathic remedies died, where as the vaccinated dogs did not.
It was also stated that adverse reactions to vaccinations have a very low incidence and very adverse reactions an extremely low incidence.

                                                                         Download the full guidelines    

                                                                          Visit the WSAVA web site

HEALTH SURVEY

Health Survey Questionnaire

The SIWSC is again running the survey to try to establish the average lifespan and causes of mortality in the IWS.

The survey involves asking members and non-members alike to try to recall details of past dogs. What we need from IWS owners past and present is the following information for dogs that have not previously been reported on:

·        The dog's registered name

·        If spayed/castrated

·        Age of dog when it died

·        The cause of death

·        Any previous major health problems

Hopefully we will be able to collect as much data as possible on dogs, some that died many years or even decades ago, right up to the present day. Please only use this questionnaire if this is a new report. We already have the details on file from previously completed questionnaires of dog’s names and causes of death.

The IWS has traditionally been thought of as one of the longer-lived gundog breeds, however there is mounting evidence to suggest, and for reasons as yet unknown that this may no longer be the case.

When sufficient new data has been collected it will be forwarded to the Geneticist, Dr. Malcolm Willis, who will analyse the material and try to establish whether there are any health problems or patterns that are statistically significant and therefore need addressing.

It is anticipated that this survey may very well become a vital tool in securing the future health and well-being of the breed, so we need your input. It must be stressed from the outset that the success of such a survey depends upon your participation and the confidentiality afforded to the data provided. All material and information that is supplied in relation to this survey will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Lifespan and Mortality Details - Form Criteria

·        Dog's registered name - as with Kennel Club UK, Irish KC, Dutch KC, American KC  etc.

·        Spayed or castrated – please answer Yes or No.

·        Age of dog - in years and if possible months.

·        Cause of death - i.e. natural causes such as old age, accidents, bloat (GDV) or put down with conditions such as various forms of cancer (where possible please specify i.e. liver, lymphosarcoma etc.), kidney infection, bad temperament, epilepsy etc.

·        Health problems during dog’s life - do you recall any serious health problems that affected the dog during its life?

Health Survey Questionnaire

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DRUG WARNING

      For more than ten years there have been regular reports, albeit anecdotal, of serious adverse reactions by Irish Water Spaniels to the commonly prescribed POTENTIATED SULPHONAMIDE group of antibiotics. This type of antibiotic proved to be both effective and economic in disease management following the Second World War. SULPHAMETHOXAZOLE and TRIMETHOPRIM are used in combination for their synergistic activity and known by the generic term CO-TRIMOXAZOLE or CO-TRIM.

C0-trimoxazole was commonly prescribed by General Practitioners until the autumn of 1994 when it was withdrawn for human use, except in exceptional circumstances. This drug does, however, continue to be a popular choice in veterinary medicine.

The published side effects for Co-trimoxazole are:

Source: British National Formulary, September 2005

It is therefore advisable for all owners of the breed to alert their Veterinary Practices and Boarding Kennels to the risks involved. The breed would appear to have lost several animals, world wide, through the side effects of Potentiated Sulphonamides, and many more dogs have been rendered seriously ill until treatment was withdrawn or altered. The following brand names, in addition to the generic CO-TRIMOXAZOLE, should be avoided or treated with caution when prescribing for Irish Water Spaniels:

TRIBRISSEN                                  TRIMACARE

DELVOPRIM                                  CHANOPRIM

DUPHATRIM                                  TRIMEDOXINE

NORODINE                                     BORGAL SULPHADIOXINE TRIMETHROPIM

ZAQUILAN SULPHADIMETHOXINE BAQUILOPRIM

SULFATRIM 80/400     (NETHERLANDS)

DERAMAXX                 (USA)

DERACOXIB                (USA)

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