19 February 2009

Dear Hon. Secretary

New Kennel Club and Animal Health Trust Partnership starting at Crufts 2009

As you may be aware from advance publicity there will be renewed emphasis on the health and happiness of pedigree breeds at Crufts 2009 and the Animal Health Trust is pleased to be involved in this initiative.

The Animal Health Trust (AHT) is a charity which has been at the forefront of scientific and clinical advances in canine medicine for over 60 years. We are now leading the efforts to tackle canine inherited disease in the UK and our expert veterinarians are continually developing better ways to diagnose and treat serious illness. Our canine genetics research receives generous funding from the Kennel Club Charitable Trust. Thanks to a new partnership, to be announced at Crufts, the KC and AHT are taking steps to accelerate this work over the next five years.

This letter gives examples of some of the work we are doing to help pastoral breeds and invites you to come to meet our scientists and clinicians at the NEC in early March.

In recent years our Canine Genetics Group has identified the mutations and developed DNA tests for various inherited conditions in eight pedigree breeds including the one responsible for hereditary cataract in the Australian Shepherd. The Group is now working hard to achieve the same success for many other genetic mutations, such as the one which causes idiopathic epilepsy in the Border Collie, primary lens luxation in the Lancashire Heeler and hereditary cataract in the Old English Sheepdog and Samoyed. Furthermore, we have already started to investigate the emerging condition of primary glaucoma in the Border Collie, in particular the mode of inheritance of Australian imports with differing degrees of this condition. Meanwhile, our Molecular Oncology Group is researching the combination of genes which make the German Shepherd susceptible to mammary tumour and haemangiosarcoma.

In addition to our work on inherited diseases, the AHT continues to improve veterinary techniques and find new treatments for illness and disease. We have excellent state-of-the-art equipment and experts in most of the main clinical specialties. Several of our procedures are, to the best of our knowledge, available nowhere else in the UK. For example, one of our soft tissue surgeons is using minimal invasive surgery for the removal of small skin cancers, and our ophthalmologists are using an ECP laser to treat glaucoma and retinal detachment with good results. With regards to specific research into the health of pastoral dogs, our Neurology Unit is working closely with our geneticists to find out the prevalence of congenital sensorineural deafness among Border Collies and to determine the heritability and genetic factors involved.

These past successes and current projects are examples of what can be achieved when there are strong links between breed societies and the AHT. For the opportunity to meet members of all our genetics groups, or an expert from our clinical staff, to put questions to them and to hear more about what they do for all breeds in the pastoral group, you and your members are welcome to visit us at the AHT section within the Kennel Club’s Dog Health Stand in Hall 3 and at our neighbouring stand during any day of Crufts 2009.

I thank you for reading this letter and hope that you will distribute the invitation it contains to your members. I enclose a document giving more details regarding the Kennel Club stand at Crufts 2009.  If you would like to support the vital research work of the AHT, a donation of any size would be welcome. Such donations can be allocated specifically towards canine genetics research or a particular clinical unit. Furthermore, you may be interested to know that in 2009 we will be launching a new supporters’ scheme with breed clubs and societies such as yours in mind. We will be contacting you by letter or telephone later in the year with details.

We look forward to meeting you at Crufts in March.

Yours sincerely

Dr. Peter Webbon

Chief Executive

PS On our AHT stand, we will be promoting the ‘Make your Dog a Star’ competition. Entrants will be given the opportunity to have a photo of their dog taken on the dfs “set”. The winning dog will be featured in the next dfs television advertising campaign. Good luck!