We are once again offering health testing and sample collections at the National Specialty. Here is a step-by-step guide.
Yes, this is a lot of information. Our advice to you:
- Take a few deep breaths.
- Choose what tests/samples you want to do.`
- Depending on the test, buy the test through the Deerhound Store or make an appointment.
- Complete the forms for each test you are doing. You must complete Factor VII and cystinuria forms in advance, but we recommend you complete all forms in advance.
- If you have a question or problem, don’t hesitate to contact us, preferably before your head explodes. We are happy to help you.
What we’re offering:
Wednesday, May 14 (evening), and Thursday, May 15 (all day): Cardiac ultrasounds: Echocardiograms with cardiologist Meg Sleeper, VMD, DACVIM (cardiology). The cost is $275 for Deerhounds (DCM Project dogs $250), $285 for other breeds. Wednesday is just about full, but there are still appointments available on Thursday, including Thursday evening,
Friday, May 16, 4:30–6 P.M.: Eye Clinic: OFA eye exams with ophthalmologist (and SDCA member) Michael Blair, DVM, MS, Rph, DACVO. These exams are open to all dogs at the specialty. Cost: FREE!
Thursday, May 15, 6:00–8:30 PM: Blood Draw & Cheek Swab Clinic, offering:
CHIC DNA Bank sample collection (blood draw): FREE, and samples are welcome from all Deerhounds that don’t already have a sample in our CHIC DNA Bank.
Cystinuria testing at the University of Pennsylvania (urine sample): FREE We’re looking for samples from:
- • 10 intact, male dogs who have not formed crystals or stones (we still have a couple of slots left).
- • 10 samples from neutered male dogs (who may or may not have formed stones).
- • 10 samples from dogs who have formed stones but have not been neutered yet.
We also need DNA: we can collect a blood sample if Penn doesn’t already have blood on file for your dog.
Please contact us to register.
PLEASE NOTE THAT URINE SAMPLES MUST BE KEPT REFRIGERATED (FROZEN IF MORE THAN A DAY) IF NOT SUBMITTED DIRECTLY TO THE SAMPLE COLLECTION. If you collect the urine before the clinic on Thursday evening, please find Miranda Levin at the show to get your sample into the clinic freezer.
Factor VII testing (blood draw) at the University of Pennsylvania: This testing is open to all Deerhounds. We are offering our usual show special: blood submitted for the test will be $30, provided you allow Penn to also use the blood for its cystinuria research. The usual cost for this test is $75, and the SDCA is subsidizing the rest of the cost.
Cheek swab collection for Delayed Post-Operative Hemorrhage (DEPOH, also called Hyperfibrinolysis Syndrome or Delayed Bleeding Syndrome): We will be collecting cheek swab samples for Delayed Post-Operative Hemorrhage (DEPOH) testing during the Blood Draw/Cheek Swab Clinic on Thursday, May 15, from 6-8:30 PM. Besides telling you whether or not your dog is at risk for this potentially fatal condition, it supports Dr. Court’s research in slow drug metabolism and hyperthermia. You can learn more about his work here. The cost to you is $35 per dog. This testing is open to all Deerhounds whose owners are attending the specialty who have not already been tested.
Instructions for Dogs that Will Be at the Show
Register
Cardiac Clinic: Wednesday evening, May 14, and all day Thursday, May 15
We have slots left ON THURSDAY for the cardiac clinic. To register, please pay for your echo(s) at the Deerhound Store. You will receive an email with appointment information after you register.
OFA Eye Clinic: Friday, May 16, 4:30–6 P.M.
We have slots left for this clinic. To register, please make an appointment HERE. Just click on an available time to make an appointment. You will receive a confirmation email after you register.
Blood Draw/Cheek Swab Clinic: Thursday, May 15, 6:00–8:30 PM:
DEPOHGEN™ Testing Cheek Swab Clinic: We have slots left for this clinic. To register, please pay for your exam(s) at the Deerhound Store. Select the “Test at Show” option. You will receive an email with appointment information after you register.
Factor VII Testing: We have slots left for this clinic. To register, please pay for your exam(s) at the Deerhound Store. Select the “Test at Show” option. You will receive an email with appointment information after you register.
CHIC DNA Bank: We will be collecting blood samples for the DNA Bank at the clinic. We have slots left for this clinic. To register, please make an appointment HERE.
Please note that if your dog is already in the DNA Bank, there is no need to provide another sample. To see if your dog is already in the CHIC DNA Bank, go to the OFA web site. Click on “Advanced Search” in the upper right corner. Select our breed and check the “Check to see only dogs in DNA Databank” box. If your dog is not in the DNA Bank already, we would love a blood sample to support all of our research projects.
Urine Samples
You need to sign up for the new urine test for cystinuria in advance (slots are limited), but you do not need to make an appointment to drop off urine samples: you can drop off the sample (or bring the dog—we have collection supplies) to the cheek swab/blood draw clinic on Thursday, May 15, 6:00–8:30 PM. If you collect the urine before Thursday evening, the sample must be kept FROZEN. Please find Miranda Levin at the show to get your sample into the clinic freezer ASAP.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE COMPLETED ALL PAPERWORK BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENTS, AND REMEMBER: THE FVII FORM MUST BE COMPLETED ON-LINE, SUBMITTED, PRINTED OUT, AND BROUGHT TO THE CLINIC.
Complete All Forms
COMPLETING FORMS AHEAD OF TIME IS REQUIRED FOR DEPOHGEN™, FACTOR VII, AND CYSTINURIA TESTING AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR CHIC DNA samples. Cardiac and eye clinic forms will be handed out at the show and will also be available at the clinics.
PLEASE NOTE: THE PENN SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK ON CELL PHONES! IT MUST BE DONE ON A COMPUTER, SO PLEASE!!!!!!!! DO YOUR FVII FORMS BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR THE SHOW.
1. CHIC DNA Bank Form
We will have forms at the show, but if possible, please complete the form ahead of time (highly recommended). HERE is the form. You also need to complete a blood draw waiver. Cost: FREE! The SDCA and the OFA subsidize the cost.
2. Cystinuria Study Forms
You will be sent the forms you need to complete once you register for urine testing by contacting us.
Research Release and Waiver: If this is your dog’s first sample for Penn, so blood is being drawn, you must also complete this Penn Research Release Form and a blood draw waiver.
3. Factor VII testing forms
Test Form: We MUST USE Penn’s on-line submission system, so please log in/create an account and complete this form before the specialty. Please put “SDRH Specialty” in the comment line. The form needs to be submitted to Penn electronically, so keep going until you are at the end and have submitted the form to PennGen and end up with a form to sign and print out. PLEASE bring the printed copy to your sample collection appointment.. The Penn system does not like cell phones, so you need a computer to use it. We will not be able to send the samples to Penn without this form, so please don’t forget it!
Waiver: You also need to complete this blood draw waiver.
4. Cheek Swab Collection for Delayed Post-Operative Hemorrhage (DEPOH)/Anesthesia Sensitivities Research
After you register for this test in the Deerhound Store, you will be sent the form via email.
5. Waiver
If you have blood drawn from any of your dogs at the show, you will also be asked to complete this 2025 SDCA WAIVER FOR BLOOD DRAW.
6. Cardiac and eye forms will be available at the show. If you want to complete your paperwork in advance (highly recommended), Miranda Levin will have copies of the OFA Advanced Cardiac Database (ACA) and eye clinic forms, so just find her (she’ll be arriving on Tuesday evening) to get as many as you need. Forms will also be available at the check-in desk at the clinics. Please bring a photocopy (or snap a picture with your phone) of your dog’s AKC registration certificate to ensure accuracy when completing the ACA and eye clinic forms. It is also helpful if you bring your dog’s microchip number, if your dog has one.
Finally, by submitting samples to CHIC, Washington State University, or the University of Pennsylvania, you agree to update your dog’s health upon request, up to and including the age and cause of death.
If You Are Bringing Samples from Home
We welcome samples collected for the CHIC DNA Bank, Penn cystinuria research, Factor VII testing, and DEPOHGEN™ testing from dogs at home that are not going to be at the show.
Urine samples must be kept frozen, and blood samples must be kept chilled. Please complete all of the forms for these dogs (using the directions and links above) and drop off your samples on arrival by finding Ashley Steffey, Carol Duarte, or Miranda Levin at the show. Please note: it is difficult to keep the urine samples frozen, and the hotel freezers do not always do a good job!
A SPECIAL PLEA TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEUTERED MALE DOGS: WE NEED URINE and DNA FROM YOUR DOG FOR OUR CYSTINURIA STUDY! Please consider bringing a urine sample to the show. Urine samples must be kept frozen the entire time they are in transit and can’t be allowed to thaw before they are brought to the sample collection. If Penn doesn’t have DNA on file, we can send you a saliva kit that is easy to do at home. Cost: FREE! To register, contact us.
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR SAMPLES FROM RECENTLY DIAGNOSED DOGS. To register, contact us.
Sample Collection Instructions
Sample collection instructions for the CHIC DNA Bank. HERE is the form you need to complete.
Sample collection instructions for urine samples. PLEASE NOTE: YOU MUST REGISTER FOR CYSTINURIA TESTING BY CONTACTING US. If your dog has not participated in the Penn study before, please also complete this Penn Research Release Form. If no DNA is on file at Penn, we’ll send you a saliva kit—please contact us ASAP so we can mail you a kit.
To bring a sample for DEPOHGEN™ testing, buy the test through the Deerhound Store and choose the “Test at home” option. You will then receive sample collection instructions.
To bring a sample for Factor VII testing, buy the test through the Deerhound Store and choose the “Test at home” option. You will then receive sample collection instructions.
All samples MUST be accompanied by completed forms—see above. Remember—for Factor VII samples, we MUST USE Penn’s on-line submission system, which does not like cell phones, so please register and complete this form before you arrive. Please put “SDRH Specialty” in the comment line. The form needs to be submitted to Penn electronically, so keep going until the form is submitted to Penn and you have a form to sign and print out, which you need to bring to your sample collection appointment. We will not be able to send the samples to Penn without this form, so please don’t forget it.
To drop off your samples, please find Ashley Steffey, Carol Duarte, or Miranda Levin at the show. You can also drop off samples at the blood draw clinic on Thursday, May 15, 6-8:30 p.m. Please note: it is difficult to keep the urine samples frozen, and the hotel freezers do not always do a good job, so if you are bringing urine, find one of us as soon as you arrive.
Finally, by submitting samples to CHIC, Washington State University, or the University of Pennsylvania, you agree to update your dog’s health upon request, up to and including the age and cause of death.
If you have any questions or problems, please contact us.