January 1, 2008
OESCA Health Registry
Available NOW!

Visit the new OESCA Open Health Registry at www.oescahealthregistry.org for more information regarding Cerebellar Abiotrophy (CA) and more to come...

September 12, 2007
VetCancer Registry
Your participation is needed NOW.

Cancer is the leading cause of death in Old English Sheepdogs, as it is in many breeds. To help combat this serious health threat, ongoing research requires critical data that you or your vet can provide. Data such as: The sex and age of afflicted dogs. What cancers are most prevalent in OES? What does a specific cancer look like in OES? What treatments work best? 

A great friend to our breed and founding researcher of cerebellar ataxia / abiotrophy (CA) in OES, Dr. H. Steven Steinberg has developed the nation’s largest informational database on cancer in dogs and cats. Dr. Steinberg has agreed to serve as the cancer consultant to the OESCA Open Health Registry. He will be collecting specific data to identify the cancers found in OES and the treatments being used. You and your veterinarian can reach this invaluable cancer resource on the Internet.

What is the VetCancer Registry all about? This registry collects data about neoplasia in cats and dogs; it includes only cases diagnosed by histopathology. The data are basic, but in a format that allows easy manipulation to find trends in animal cancer, to pool data with other clinicians and for further research. Any veterinarian may submit a case through the website. The data are available at no charge to anyone who has access to the Internet at www.vetcancerregistry.com . This website now houses over 7,500 case histories. Although the site is designed for veterinarians, it has become an invaluable resource for individual dog breeders and breed clubs.

Submission of Case Studies – OESCA Health & Research Committee (OESCA HRC) is asking for your help. If any of your OES have had a case of cancer, ask your veterinarian to check out this website and submit your dog’s case. Submitting a case is free, confidential and only takes a few minutes. Please go to the website and print out the form so you can fill in the basic information on your dog to take to your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will complete the remainder of the form by entering your entire dog’s data on the VetCancer Registry website. The OESCA HRC is also asking members to submit old cancer cases from any OES, decreased or alive, for which you have pathology reports. It is important that we gather as much information as possible on the frequency and characteristics of cancer in our breed.

We need your help. It is critical that you share your information. It can help us learn ways to best manage treatment and even prevent the number one killer of our dogs. Your input will help assure that the database contains the most up-to-date information on cancers and cancer trends and will help identify the best treatments for your vet to successfully treat your dog’s cancer. Just as critical, breed specific information in this registry will help decide the best ways research dollars can be spent.

Sad but true – it’s likely that we have all lost beloved dogs to cancer. If you’ve been lucky enough to avoid this cruel fate – it could still happen to one of your dogs in the future. As in people this dreaded disease continues to kill our dogs. Your efforts right now can make a difference. Please share information on all your dogs with documented cases of cancer. 

The OESCA Open Health Registry is fortunate to have this opportunity to partner with the VetCancer Registry. As you enter your dog’s data, you will be helping to develop a data registry on cancer in OES, as well as a scientific resource on canine cancer. You will be contributing data available to you and your veterinarian should one of your dogs need cancer care.

Your participation is needed NOW.

January 19, 2007
Ostrander Hip Dysplasia Study
Participants Wanted!

As some of you may know, the Old English Sheepdog has been chosen to participate in a research study being conducted by the Ostrander Lab to locate the genes for hip dysplasia.

They are looking for 20 unrelated dogs who have been diagnosed by OFA with Excellent hips, and 20 unrelated dogs who have been diagnosed with Moderate to Severe hip dyplasia by your vet, OFA or Penn Hip.

Participation in this study requires a blood sample, 3 generation pedigree, and a copy of your dog's Hip x-rays. If OFA has the copy of your dog's hip x-rays, then a consent for release of the x-rays will need to be signed.

If your dog generously gave blood for this study at the 2005 Centennial Show and was rated OFA Excellent or with hip dysplasia, contact Dana Mosher in the Ostrander Lab to complete the requirements of the study.

If you have any questions, need to sign a consent form, need supplies for drawing blood samples, or to further discuss the study, please contact:

Dana Mosher
Samples Manager/Ostrander Lab  -  CGB/NHGRI/NIH
Bldg 50 Room 5347, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-8000
Phone: 301-451-9390  -  Fax: 301-594-0023  - mosherd@mail.nih.gov