Health

Our club works with the Chow Chow Breed Council regarding all things health. You can see more via- https://chowchowbreedcouncil.com/

One of the main health initiatives you can take part in is the Chow Chow Bronze Health Certificate. The QR code to the right will allow you to download the Bronze Health from. Print the form and take it to your vet to complete. Once filled in, email it to chowbreedhealth@gmail.com
and our Breed Health Coordinator (BHC)

It is also recommended that dogs undertake a British Veterinary Association (BVA) eye test. Clicking- https://www.bva.co.uk/canine-health-schemes/eye-scheme/find-an-eye-panellist/ will take you to their page where you can find local eye testing for yourself. Throughout the year, this will vary as other locations host events.

Hip and elbow testing. There are two main avenues in the UK for hip and elbow testing: one is BVA, the other is https://vetscoring.com/

BVA is more widely recognised by the RKC; vet scoring has more details for the owner and a quicker turnaround. It depends on why you want to undertake health testing. If you want information, both work. If you want the RKC to acknowledge and publish your results, the BVA is the avenue to take.

Hip scoring

Hips range from 0- 53 on each joint, 0 being perfect. The current UK average via BVA is 17 and 10 (combined and one leg). Hips are graded on 9 areas. One area is the Dorsal Acetabular Edge; if this area has a score of 3 or more, there will typically be issues in the rest of the hip/ all lower areas on the form. We typically see scores in the first three areas assessed; once the fourth has a score, the rest of the hip generally has scores as well. The first three areas being scored are:

Norberg angle

This is calculated by measuring from the centre of the femoral head to the cranial effective acetabular rim. The larger this angle is, the better the score. 90° is 0; therefore, +15 to 90° is 105°. This angle shows the joint is tight.

Subluxation

This is where the centre femoral head sits in relation to the dorsal acetabular edge (far side of the hip x-ray). The further over this line the femoral head is, the tighter the hip joint will be. This part of the joint can change through the day (it may become worse with weight being on the joint), therefore, assessment on this may not be 100% accurate; the actual score may be one point higher. [Scores of 1, 2 and 3 are most common]

Cranial acetabular edge

This is the curved part of the socket that faces the femoral head. Ideally, this should be one continuous curve with a small uniform gap to the femoral head. A higher score can be indicated through straightening of the curve; a high score in this area will lead to scores in the subsequent areas of the hip. [A score of 2 is most common]

Elbow scoring

Elbow scoring ranges from 0- 3 on each joint, 0 being perfect. Under 40% of chows have recorded a score of 0. A score of 1 indicates minimal bone change (<2mm). Grade 2 relates to a bone change of 2-5mm. A grade of 3 indicates well-developed degenerative joint issues and >5mm of change. Understanding this, we can see that a score of 2 could be just worse than a score of 1 or just under 3. Vetscoring provides this information, and breeders can make a more informed decision about a score of 2 if the dog is just worse than 1 or just better than 3. The Chow Chow Gold certificate is for elbows graded 0 or 1. Elbow scores do not generally worsen with age.

If you complete Bronze, Elbows, Eyes and Hips you can then apply for Silver Health Certification via the BHC. For gold – Clear Eye testing; Hip Scoring being under the breed average at the time of being scored, Elbow Scoring having a maximum score of 1:1.

You can also download the brinze form below and email it back to chowbreedhealth@gmail.com

Bronze health Download

Referances