CSH(tm) - An Aid to Breeding Healthier Dogs!
The Certificate of Sound Health program, promoted initially by the BTHS, has been identifying and rewarding dogs of sound health for several years now. Yet many fanciers, particularly newcomers, remain unfamiliar with the CSH(tm) suffix attached to the names of certain dogs in ads.
The CSH(tm) program evolved several years ago to give breeders and owners a method to reduce the risk of their dog having one or another heritable illness. Before the CSH Program, "word of mouth", notoriously unreliable, was the only way for breeders to decide which dogs to use and which ones to avoid. Consequently, the Certificate of Sound Health(tm) under the auspices of an independent Health Society filled, and still fills, that gap.
How the program works.
The CSH(tm) Program works in several ways. A dog qualifies by passing key health tests. Any dog is eligible. Upon passing the basic tests, the owner is awarded both the right to apply the CSH(tm) suffix to the dog's name for advertising and other purposes and may choose a beautiful frame-worthy Certificate.
Numerous breeders have embraced the CSH(tm) designation as an eligibility criterion for selecting mates. In so doing, they have reduced the risk of genetic disorders in their own kennels. And many health-informed buyers now regard breeders who participate in the program with heightened confidence and often steer other buyers their way.
Two unique features of the CSH(tm) program are 1) it is the only program to address multiple disorders simultaneously and 2) the requirements can adjust to changes in disease incidence or improvements in test methods. Depending on the breed, CSH(tm) tests screen for heritable orthopedic problems, deafness, kidney disease, heart disorders, thyroid condition, visual problems.
A basic principle of the program is affordability. As you know, the range of veterinary health testing can run the gamut from routine and economical to specialized and expensive. And ordinarily, the more expensive a test is the more certainty it offers. However, the CSH(tm) program encourages the use of affordable tests that provide useful, if not conclusive, information to the breeder community rather than requiring more conclusive, but expensive, tests to qualify. Knowing, then, that a dog holds the CSH(tm) gives a breeder key information about the overall genetic soundness of that dog. Now s/he can incorporate health as a more important variable in his/her decision to breed from that particular dog.
Of course, the CSH(tm) shows only that a dog was healthy in specific ways at a certain point in time. Some genetic conditions, such as hereditary kidney disease, may give early warnings via today's lab testing methods even before the clinical condition begins to appear. Therefore, the CSH(tm) needs to be time-limited and renewed periodically with the kidney test and veterinary exam being redone. Hereditary deafness, on the other hand, is detectable early and is permanent. Therefore, passing the deafness requirement one time is sufficient.
The repeating tests should probably be done at regular intervals at least during a dog's breeding life anyway, CSH or no CSH. And when the tests are re-done, renewal is a simple matter of sending in the updated results. Breeders are encouraged to identify the expiration date of the CSH(tm) when using the suffix in advertising the dog.
It goes without saying that a dog's owner should never apply for a Certificate of Sound Health if the dog is afflicted with a disease not covered by the program. Obviously, no program can cover all conditions. And for this reason holding the CSH(tm) shouldn't itself be viewed as a guarantee. But it does provide excellent information about the most important breed problems we face today
Verification
Breeders have discovered that others have falsely advertised their dogs to be certified or to hold the CSH(tm). A health program can only succeed if breeders and owners are honest about the health of their dogs. Breeders need to be able to trust that a potential mate is as genetically sound as claimed.
To avoid any confusion, CSH(tm)dogs can be verified @ 508/649-7876 or on the Internet at http://www.healthydogs.com where these dogs are recognized. Among those listed are National Specialty winners, Stud Dogs of the Year, international competition finalists, top quality champions and of course some favorite 'couch potatoes'.
Requirements for CSH(tm):
The Certificate of Sound Health is awarded upon our receipt of the following:
A completed application showing that the dog has passed the required health tests with photo, registration and application fee ($10) - Click->CSH Requirements
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An
application for the Certificate of Sound Health
can be obtained from breeders, Breed Clubs, or by Clicking
Here->
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