ABTC Health Education Committee

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The ABTC created the Health Education Committee in 1995 to oversee matters relating to the health of our dogs.   While Tervuren generally are healthy dogs, certain conditions occur with some frequency.  The most notable of these would be seizure disorders, cataracts, hypothyroidism, allergies, dysplasia (hips and elbows), and osteochondritis.   Recently, cases of PRA and Von Willebrands disease have surfaced.  The ABTC has long been at the forefront of improving the overall health of our breed by encouraging responsible breeding, and regular health screening through OFA and CERF registry.   The Club is making a concerted effort to track the incidence of health problems in Tervuren, and takes positive steps to develop and encourage use of screening tools to control them.

Anita Aborn, Chair

Tracey L. Gilbert, DVM -- Tracey Gilbert has owned Tervs since 1968. She is a practicing companion animal veterinarian in Green Bay, WI. She is active on the board of the local Humane Society as well as several other organizations. Tracey and her Tervs are active in conformation, obedience, agility, and tracking, and have begun basic herding lessons.

Lisa Dare -- Lisa is a graduate of the University of California at Berkley, and did graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She has been involved in purebred dogs since 1978. Lisa trained as a professional scholar, and now works as a photographer and in film production.

Deb Eldredge, DVM -- Deb is a veterinarian, graduating from Cornell in 1980. She has had Tervs since 1985. Her professional interests include behavior and internal medicine. She is active in performance sports, most notably, herding and agility.

Cathy Greenfield, DVM -- Cathy is a board-certified veterinary surgeon and professor of surgery at the University of Illinois. She switched from Rottweilers to Tervuren in 1986, and actively participates in tracking, obedience, and conformation. She is a graduate of the University of Florida (DVM), North Carolina State University (internship), and Michigan State University (residency and master's degree). She has new daughter and two Tervuren at this time.

Libbye Miller, DVM -- Libbye graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in 1982. She lives on a small farm in Kentucky with her husband, Tervs, Arabian horses, and a small flock of very harassed sheep.

Nancy Burka

The late Don MacManus was a charter member of the Health Education Committee, as well as a member of the ABTC Board of Directors. Don piloted the 1998 Health Survey of Tervuren, the Tervuren census, and was actively involved in many projects of the committee. Don published many articles on health, genetics, and other topics in the TNT. He attended a variety of educational seminars on health issues on behalf of the ABTC. His last project was to develop the Tervuren calendar as a fundraiser for the epilepsy study.

Epilepsy genetic marker study--Researchers at UC-Davis are working to identify the major gene effecting epilepsy in Tervs. We hope this will lead to a genetic screening test for epilepsy! See articles below.

PRA genetic marker study-- Researchers at Michigan State University are working to identify the gene causing PRA in Tervs. We hope this will lead to a blood test for PRA in our breed! See articles below.

 White blood cell count determination of Tervuren--Cathy Greenfield, DVM conducted a survey of Tervuren at the 1998 Specialty in Delevan, WI to determine the normal values for white blood cell counts in Tervuren. Normal WBC values of Tervuren appear to be lower than the values reported for the average canine population. The results of the study will be published in TNT.

1998 Health Survey--Don MacManus conducted a survey of ABTC members to develop an overview of the incidence of health problems in Tervuren. The results of this survey were printed in Tervuren News Tales Dec/Jan, 1999, and are available in the on-line library below.

Anesthesia Primer - Libbye Miller, DVM

How to Read CERF and OFA Numbers

1998 Health Survey -- Don MacManus

Genetic marker for epilepsy -- Anita Oberbauer, Ph.D.

Canine Epilepsy -- George Brewer

PRA study participants needed -- Karen Johnson

Evaluating the Thyroid -- Deb Eldredge, DVM

Thyroid and the Tervuren -- Deb Eldridge, DVM

Understanding Elbow Dysplasia -- Libbye Miller, DVM

Results of hematologic analyses and prevalence of physiologic leukopenia in Belgian Tervuren   - Cathy L. Greenfield, DVM, MS, DACVS; et. al.

Summary  of CERF statistics 1999, 1998 & 1997 -- Summary of eye examinations registered with the Canine Eye Registration Foundation

AKC Canine Health Foundation -- National independent foundation established in 1995 for the purpose of advancing canine health. The ABTC maintains a donor-advised fund within the CHF for funding of the epilepsy study and future projects.  Donations qualify for income tax deduction.

American Animal Hospital Association

American Veterinary Medical Association

Canine Health InformationCenter -- General and breed specific information.

NetVet -- Interesting site full of resources from Washington University's Division of Comparative Medicine

Orthopedic Foundation for Animals -- voluntary registry for hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation, thyroid disease, heart disease, and several other genetic disorders.  OFA registrations can be downloaded from this site.

VetMedCenter -- impressive and professional site for veterinarians and the public.

Canine Diversity Project -- follow the genetics link at the top of the page for an excellent overview of genetics and breeding

Cyber-Pet, An Introduction to Genetics

Canine Epilepsy Net (U of MO)

Canine Eye Registration Foundation   -- Information about CERF and its procedures, as well as the Veterinary Medical Database

Infectious Organisms

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