1992 American Whippet Club Annual Page Four

Caza was bred to the lovely sire, Ch. Bo-Bett's Wild Tobiano, and they gave us a beautiful litter of brindle partis in late September - all stripes in an election year - this is our 'Star-Spangled Banner' litter. The quality ran very deep in this litter. Watch for these balanced, typey puppies - Sun Run's Oh Say Can You See, Sun Run's Dawn's Early Light, Sun Run's So Proudly We Hail, etc.

where breed improvement always comes first
J.P. & Sally deBeque Smith • 250 Weld County Road 3 • Erie, Colorado 80516 • 303-666-9614

Maxine's long-awaited 'move' from the ring to the coursing field started out great the first weekend, with a 1st place finish (BOB) and a 2nd (to our Ch. Sun Run's Joan Pawford), earning her 45 points. But she was derailed from her favorite sport a month later with a toe sprain, followed by a litter sired by the lovely, typey veteran AM. CAN. Ch. Briarwyke's Keep The Change. First, we are expecting these two multiple group winning dogs to produce bright, sound puppies with true 'classic' type. And secondly, we expect Maxine to come out in the spring ready to fire and put the FCH. behind her name.

J.P. & Sally deBeque Smith • 250 Weld County Road 3 • Erie, Colorado 80516 • 303-666-9614

The need for a National Whippet Rescue program was recognized by the Board of Directors of the American Whippet Club and efforts to organize this project began in late spring of 1992. With the aid of many people who have had a local Whippet Rescue effort established for some time, the National concept is becoming a reality. New volunteers are signing up - promising to do what they can to help. Notebooks containing adoption and release forms and information presented as a "HOW-TO" guide for new volunteers are being distributed. Fund raising projects are planned for the future in order to finance this huge effort. A BREEDER'S CODE OF ETHICS will be presented to the Board for approval in 1993. The program will also focus on breeder responsibility, awareness and public education .

The American Whippet Club Rescue program rescues stray, abandoned, relinquished and/or impounded Whippets and provides foster care, with the eventual goal being the adoption/placement of the rescued animal. Dogs are normally spayed/neutered prior to placement.

Check to see if there is a local Rescue effort already in existance. Offer your assistance. Perhaps you could foster a Whippet until a new home is found, could provide trans portation for rescue dogs, help with a fund raising project, check the shelter on a regular basis, send them referrals, or make a donation. If there is not a program in your area, maybe you could unify the local breeders and start one - or volunteer yourself. We plan to hold a Rescue Seminar every year at the National Specialty to help new recruits and to discuss common problems and discuss solutions. If you can help, or would like to make a donation contact: Sally deBeque Smith - AWC Rescue - 250 WCR 3 - Erie, CO 80516 (303) 666-9614 Fax # (303) 857-9444.

If you are a breeder , the most important contribution you can make to Whippet Rescue is to assume responsibility for any dog that you bred or sold. The long term solution to Whippet Rescue is BREEDING CONTROL. Make every breeding count - breed only the best. Breed dogs who have something to offer the Whippet breed - not just because that dog has a title in front of or behind his name. Research genotype and phenotype - don't breed for sentimental reasons or because a dog is locally convinent for you. Make sure you have homes for these puppies you are planning and have the facility and the time to manage them. Allow only the best from your litters to be bred - utilize spay/neuter contracts, spay/neuter deposits, or limited AKC registrations with all your pet buyers to insure compliance. Think how far along the Whippet breed might be if only the top 5 or 10% of our litters were used for reproduction purposes? Make the demand for Whippets high by utilizing BREEDING CONTROL.

( Ch. Elysian Peachtree Parade x Elysian Escapade)
Owner: Terry B. Floyd / Co-owners: James R. Gray, MD and Debra M. Stansell

Lily stole the hearts of all who came to know her. We would like to thank Dr. Gray for allowing us the privilege of being a part of Lily's circle of friends. She was with us here at Trochee for a number of years after a wonderful start with Debbie Stansell and some time at Elysian with Dr. Gray. We will miss her special outlook and style always. Lily's legacy will continue in a lovely bitch, Elysian Water Lily, owned by Bettie Crawford, co-owned by Dr. Gray and myself, sired by Ch. Elysian A-Few Perrier, LCM. We are very proud to have her with us. Watch for her this spring.

FIRST, 9-12 Month Puppy Dog Class at the Midwest Specialty Sweepstakes, Claire Newcombe R

FIRST, 12-15 Month Dog Class at the AWC Southern Specialty Sweepstakes, Wendy Clark

WINNERS DOG, BEST OF WINNERS, BEST OF BREED - 5 points at the AWC Southern Specialty, John Shelton (entry of 140)

From Best in Futurity to Best in Specialty, Kestrel has proven that he has what it takes to win.

Now we hope he has what it takes to be a top producer. Kestrel finished at the age of thirteen months. This is just the beginning . . .

In 1992, the NCWFA experienced great success in our many endevours. Our spring NAWRA and NOTRA race weekends and our six Lure Trials, both ASFA and AKC, witnessed large entries and happy competitors. The "It's a Whippet . .." T-shirts and our fabulous new design proved to be another hit at the WSCS weekend, raising the funds we so desperately need for our Rescue Program, which under the guidance of Lorraine Barnes and Debra Sparks placed 24 hounds in new, loving homes.

The NCWFA extends its congratulations to member Patti Burt and her Winsome Siren, who made history by becoming the first whippet AKC Field Champion west of the Rockies.

On a sad note, 1992 marked the passing of one of the NCWFA's guiding lights and founding members, Betz Leone, a tireless supporter of lure coursing events and a good friend to whippets and whippet fanciers everywhere.

In 1993 we expect more success with our performance events and new accomplishments with our fall whippet specialty match.

The curvaceous and sound Miss Julia, litter-sister to SBIS Ch. Locar's Martini on the Rocks, though infrequently shown, has been the recipient of a BOB from the classes and numerous other awards in 1992. Julia will be taking time out in 1993 for a spring litter by her gorgeous nephew Chip , Ch. Broadstrider's By George. We have high hopes for these linebred babies.

A special thank you to Carol Curry, Julia's breeder, for allowing me to have a whippet who is so "practically perfect in every way"!

FOR OUR 1993 LITTER, WE ARE PLANNING TO BREED "MABEL" TO "KESTREL".
CORRESPONDENCE WELCOMED.

WATCH FOR OUR FUTURITY NOMINATED 1992 LITTER OUT OF ALCYON AUDREY
(11 POINTS, BOTH MAJORS) SIRED BY AM.CAN.CH. SURREY HILLS MY MAN GODFREY.

I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK CHRISTINE AND CRAIG HOPPERSTAD FOR THEIR FRIENDSHIP OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS. THIS IS WHAT MAKES IT ALL WORTHWHILE, LOVING FRIENDS, GOOD TIMES AND BEAUTIFUL DOGS. YOU TWO ARE THE BEST! THANKS FOR SHARING.

(Am.Can.Ch. Morshor's Majestic Dell, FCh, LCM, ROMX x Sophies Choice x Am.Can.Ch. Terrace Hills Diplomat)

Our sincere appreciation to Dianne Bleecker for her efforts with Carolina and allowing "Davin"
to grace our couch in 1992. We hope he can return to meet more "California Girls" in 1993!

LUPINHILL WHIPPETS
LINDA & MARTY PAICH
805/688-3484
688-7119
Box 445
Los Olivos, CA 93441

Three well qualified individuals have been asked to discuss alopecia in Whippets. They are Connie Austin, DVM, Connie Brunkow, DVM and Barbara Henderson, VMD. Their knowledge has made for a very informative and thorough column on the subject.

Dr. Austin states: "Alopecia can be defined as hair loss or lack of hair in areas where it should be found. Many of the causes of alopecia in Whippets are similar to the causes of alopecia in dogs in general. There are some causes of alopecia which occur more commonly in Whippets and some forms of alopecia in Whippets which have been noticed by owners but about which little information has been gathered. This article will review the most common causes of alopecia in dogs with specific mention of conditions listed in the veterinary literature as being more common in Whippets."

Dr. Henderson writes: "Alopecia can be divided into several different categories. Three principle types include congenital, hereditary and miscellaneous.

"Congenital alopecia, which is very rare, is a condi tion that an animal is identified to have at birth. There has been one male Whippet described in the literature with congenital alopecia. There is no treatment for this category of alopecia.

"Color mutant alopecia is seen as an hereditary partial alopecia that is associated with unusual coat color. The disease is incurable and except for the skin lesions the dogs are in good general health.

"Miscellaneous alopecias are those conditions seen secondary to some other dermatoses. Some identified conditions include:

1) Infection: due to bacteria, fungi
2) Parasites: fleas, mites and internal parasites
3) Endocrine disorders: hypothyroidism, Cushing's Disease, ovarian and testicular dysfunction
4) Drugs
5) Chemical and physical agents: burns, self-mutilation
6) Nutritional deficiencies: essential fatty acids and/or B-vitamin
7) Immunologic disorders

"By far the majority of alopecias we see in our whippets today fall into the miscellaneous category.

"Many of the skin problems seen are related to poor nutrition and internal parasites. Frequent stool examina tions by a veterinarian should be performed to check for internal parasites, particularly in those dogs that are being shown frequently.

"There has been an increasing number of whippets diagnosed as being hypothyroid. This condition is easily treated with thyroid hormone supplementation once a veterinarian has completed the appropriate diagnostic tests."

Dr. Austin elaborates: "Causes of alopecia include ones due to internal factors such as genetic or hormonal, and external ones such as nutrition, stress, trauma, physical/chemical factors or biological agents such as parasites or microbes. Alopecias can also be described as reversible or irreversible.

"Three categories of reversible alopecias include parasitic infections, bacterial/fungal infections and endocrine disorders. The most common cause of alopecia in dogs is ectoparasitism (parasites that live in or on the skin). This should be removed as a cause of alopecia before other causes are examined by having a skin scraping performed. This reversible type of alopecia can be caused by demodectic mites which disrupt the hair follicle area. Other ectoparasites like fleas, lice or scabies mites can cause hair loss due to scratching by the dog. Another reversible type of alopecia is from bacterial or fungal (dermatophyte) infections. Fungal infections re sult in weakened hair shafts and subsequent hair loss. All these disorders can be treated using various preparations.

"Endocrine (hormonal) disorders are a common cause of alopecia in dogs in general. The three main endocrine disorders include hypothyroidism, Cushing's disease (hyperadrenocorticism) and growth hormone responsive alopecia. The excesses or deficiencies of these hormones can suppress activity in the hair follicles and cause them to remain in the resting phase, and hair will thus not be replaced when it is lost in the natural cycle of hair growth. Signs which occur with endocrine disorders include:

1) Bilaterally symmetrical alopecia (meaning appearing the same on both sides of the body), and not involving the head or extremities
2) Dark colored skin
3) Chronic (long-term) alopecia
4) Lack of inflammation and no itching "The most common endocrine disorder of domestic animals is hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism generally occurs in middle-aged dogs although it can occur in younger dogs and is recorded as being found commonly in at least three sighthound breeds: Afghans, Irish Wolfhounds, and Basenjis. It can however occur in any dog breed or mix breed. Fifty percent of hypothyroid dogs have some kind of skin/coat change. These signs include bilaterally symmetrical alopecia which may be patchy and include darker skin, excess shedding, and a coarse, dry, dull hair coat with slow regrowth of hair after clipping. Other signs may include lethargy, seeking warm places and/or weight gain. Most cases are due to invasion of the thyroid by white blood cells which destroy the gland."

Dr. Brunkow adds: "M any dogs which test hypothyroid are, in fact, pruritic (itchy) because secondary bacterial infections (usually staph) are frequently present. The hypothyroid skin is damaged, allowing the normal flora to colonize excessively, and they elaborate substances which cause itching. These dogs will also often have skin inflammation secondary to the bacterial infection - one can see staph pustules, crusts, scales and so forth. I have also seen three mildly hypothyroid Whippets which, instead of gaining weight, tended to lose it, until placed on thyroid supplement. Presumably this could have been due to poor digestion secondary to a low basal metabolism."

Dr. Austin continues: "The best diagnostic test for hypothyroidism is the thyroid stimulation test. A resting thyroid hormone level can be affected by breed, age, chronic illness or drug therapy (especially corticosteroid therapy). Therefore, although a thyroid stimulation test is more expensive, it is the accurate, appropriate test to use in diagnosis. In the thyroid stimulation test, a resting level of thyroid hormone is taken, thyroid stimulating hormone is administered and thyroid hormone is measured 8 hours later. The pre- and post- values are compared to establish the diagnosis. Treatment for hypothyroidism consists of thyroxine (thyroid hormone) supplementation on a daily basis. Generally there may be a dramatic improvement in the animal's general attitude but hair re-growth may take months. Twelve weeks should be allowed to decide on effectiveness of thyroxine therapy. Because of the necessity and cost of lifelong therapy, the expense of the thyroid stimulating test is certainly justi fied. Little mention is made of the exact genetic basis of the disease but many diseases which are found to occur more commonly in certain breeds are found to be heritable.

"The second most common endocrine problem in dogs is Cushing's disease. Both skin/coat changes and other changes are due to excess glucocorticoids (stress orsteroid-type hormones) produced by the adrenal glands,

or by excessive administration of glucocorticoids. Hyperadrenocorticism generally occurs in middle-aged or older dogs of any breed and dogs with full-blown disease resemble a "barrel on stilts." It has been seen in dogs as young as one year of age, and dogs may have only one of the many signs which are possible with the disease. Haircoat signs that occur with the disease include:

"Other signs include excessive drinking, eating, and urinating, lethargy, weakness, and enlargement of the abdomen.

"There are several tests used to diagnose the disease, but it is not acceptable to use a resting cortisol test for diagnosis. Resting cortisol levels can reflect immedi ate stress from disease or nervousness at the time of the blood test which is why they should not be used to diagnose Cushing's disease. Some general indications that Cushing's disease may be the problem can be obtained from simple blood tests such as a complete blood count and standard biochemical tests. In these tests high levels of enzymes such as alkaline phos phatase may occur and cholesterol levels may be high. For definite diagnosis an ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) stimulation test and a dexamethasone sup pression test can be used. Treatment can have multiple side effects and should be reserved for full-blown hyperadrenocorticism.

"Growth hormone responsive alopecia is a disease which affects dogs between 1 and 4 years of age and is characterized by a slowly progressive hair loss with no systemic signs. Hair loss occurs primarily on the trunk, caudal thighs, neck and tail, while sparing the legs and head. To date it has been found in Poodles, Chow Chows, Pomeranians, and Keeshonds. Haircoat signs include bilaterally symmetrical alopecia, excess color in the skin and a dull dry easily removed haircoat, and regrowth of hair at sites where a full layer of skin has been removed (as in a skin biopsy). Diagnosis can be confirmed if no other endocrine disorder is present, and if a growth hormone response test is performed. It can be treated with 10 treatments of growth hormone but as growth hormone is diabetogenic the dog must be monitored closely.

"Other endocrine disorders which are less common and occur in intact males include: Sertoli cell tumors, male feminizing syndrome or hyperandrogenism. Sertoli cell tumors of the testicle occur in older dogs (>10 years of age) and occur frequently in the retained testicle of a cryptorchid male. The testicle is enlarged, and alopecia is bilaterally symmetrical in the genital and anal region with dry thick skin. Treatment is castration. Male feminizing syndrome and hyperandrogenism also may result in alopecia and can be treated by castration. An uncommon alopecia in intact females is called ovarian imbalance type I and treatment may involve spaying the affected animal. Ovarian imbalance type II can occur with animals spayed very early in life and can be treated with estrogen. A small percentage of bitches in late pregnancy and lactation may develop alopecia of the trunk. Regrowth of hair occurs at weaning.

"Irreversible alopecias include genetic abnormalities which involve abnormal hair follicles and conditions which result in scar tissue such as trauma, burns or skin tumors.

"One heritable irreversible alopecia which occurs in Whippets is color mutant alopecia. Color mutant alopecia is a hereditary defect of blue-colored dogs of certain breeds including Dobermans, Dachshunds, Chow Chows, Standard Poodles, Great Danes, Italian Greyhounds and Whippets. It can also be seen in fawn Irish Setters and fawn or red Dobermans. This syndrome is probably linked to the genes controlling coat color and is not found in all blue-colored individuals. The animals may have a normal coat at birth but signs usually begin when animals are between 3 and 6 months of age. Some animals may not show signs for up to three years. The haircoat of affected individuals becomes moth-eaten with scaly skin, and brittle, dry hair. The alopecia generally affects only the blue area of the coat in blue-coated dogs. After several years almost all the hair on the trunk is lost although the head, legs and tail may stay normal. There is no cure but the skin can be treated with special shampoos to remove scales. Affected animals should not be used for breeding. Another irreversible type of alopecia was found in England in the 1960's in a single Whippet. The disease is called congenital hypotrichosis. He had partial absence of the hair coat which was symmetrical on both sides, but this is the only report of this problem in Whippets in the veterinary literature. In addition, neither the dam nor sire ever had a problem or produced another offspring with the problem."

Dr. Henderson adds: "One condition very common in both sexes of Whippets is the loss of hair on the top of the tail near the base. This is the area of the tail glands. The hair in this area is dry and brittle and occasionally an oily, scaly material is present. This area should be kept clean with a mild soap and water. No other treatment is required.

"Whippets also can have a thinning of the hair coat on the sternal area of the chest. This is due to their deep chested conformation, normally thin coat, and physical pressure from lying on the sternum."

Dr. Brunkow notes: "Another type of alopecia some times seen in Whippets is 'Whippet temporal alopecia.' In this case, the hair in the area in front of the ears, above the eyes, (the equivalent of the temples) is very thinly haired. This condition may be associated with lack of pigmentation in the skin - the individuals I have seen with it have skin which is mostly pink. The rest of the haircoat is usually normal. Not enough is known about this condition to determine if it is inherited. It is an irreversible condition. It could be a problem because the lack of hair and pigmentation allows more exposure to U.V. rays from the sun, leading to an increase in the incidence of malignant skin tumors."

Dr. Austin finishes with: "Finally, an alopecia problem seen by some Whippet owners is what can be called "bald-thigh syndrome." This has been observed in quite a number of Whippets and consists of a hairless area on the exterior thigh and rump as well as on the tail. This syndrome is also commonly seen in Greyhounds and no definitive idea as to the cause has been established. However, it is thought to be hormonal/endocrine in nature and perhaps related to the stress of racing. The two most likely hormonal causes would be hypothyroidism or Cushing's disease, but the appropriate testing has not been performed. An interesting theory is that in selecting for the fastest dogs, one is also selecting for the dogs with the highest stress/steroid hormone levels.

"In general, Whippets have not been identified as having an excess of alopecic endocrine/hormonal diseases but this may be due to the smaller numbers of Whippets examined so that veterinarians may not be seeing enough Whippets to make a judgement on the frequency of the disease in this breed. Therefore, I would like to encourage Whippet owners to send in information (which will be kept confidential) on any thyroid or cortisol testing done on their dogs (even if the tests came out normal) with the following information: 1) Official name of dog and owner, 2) Age and sex of dog at time of testing, 3) Why was the testing done (i.e. hair loss, obesity, lethargy, etc.)., 4) Other types of test results done on the dog, 5) Treatment tried, length of time, and results from treatment, 6) What signs has the dog developed, and 7) Status of the dog's relatives, if known. Please send any information to Connie Austin, 5522 North 225 West, West Lafayette , IN 47906-9726 and if enough information is obtained we will summarize the findings."

Snow Bun is a breeder's dream that became a reality – Her Record:
17 Bests In Show
58 Group I 31 Group II 13 Group III
6 Group IV
130 Best of Breeds

CAROL A. HARRIS • BO-BETT FARM
7255 W. Hwy 329, Reddick, FL 32686 (904)591-1020
Handlers: Davin McAteer & Shawn Fuller

Left to Right: Easter Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Egg, Easter Lily, Easter Bonnet, Easter Parade and Easter Song.

She commenced her show career at the Kennesaw Sweepstakes
and caught the eye of successful breeder judge Carolyn Bowers.
Thank you Bonnie Crane for showing Bonnet beautifully to Best in Sweepstakes.

CAROL A. HARRIS • BO-BETT FARM
7255 W. Hwy 329, Reddick, FL 32686 (904)591-1020
Handlers: Davin McAteer & Shawn Fuller

upper left: "Easter Lily" loves water. My granddaughter, Summer, loves "Easter Bonnet".

lower left: "Bugs Bunny" loves his friend the calf. My grandson, Wendell, just loves 'em all!

CAROL A. HARRIS • BO-BETT FARM
7255 W. Hwy 329, Reddick, FL 32686 (904)591-1020
Handlers: Davin McAteer & Shawn Fuller