SPECIAL NOTICE
New Worldwide Otterhound Health Study - NCSU & Canine Health Foundation
 
 The Board of Directors of the OHCA along with the Health Committee is pleased to announce the club has received a grant from the AKC Canine Health Foundation to study the incidence of epilepsy in the Otterhound breed. The club is reaching out to notify you that club members and friends will be receiving an email from the researchers at North Carolina State University. This study is endorsed by the breed club. Your participation as Otterhound owners in this survey will be of help to all as we search for answers to this malady affecting our breed. We encourage you to participate especially if you have an Otterhound that has had seizures currently or in the past. Even dogs that have since passed away would be helpful for the study.
 
The OHCA is partnering with the North Carolina State University-Companion Animal Epilepsy Research Laboratory to conduct a survey-based study to learn more about the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and mode of inheritance of seizures in the Otterhound breed.  We are sharing our database with the study investigators Dr. Karen Munana, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology). All survey responses will be handled with confidentiality.
 
If you have not received an email from the club regarding this and would like to participate, simply Contact Us with your email address and we will forward it to NCSU for inclusion in the survey. If you wish to opt out of participating in the study, please respond to their email upon receipt or do not reply.

Reproduction Bank at a Glance
How does this bank work?
The Bank accepts deposits of semen from purebred Otterhounds, and owners of bitches who qualify can withdraw the semen of their choice for a mating.
Can any male donate?
Yes any purebred Otterhound can donate semen except Otterhounds who have seizures or are cryptorchid.  Non-seizing offspring or siblings of seizing Otterhounds can donate, but their semen will be held in reserve for 10 years to be sure they do not have seizures.  Then it will be available for use.  There will be a full disclosure about the dog’s health history for the owner of the bitch in bank records which are available online.
Are there any requirements?
Males and females using the Bank need to have a CHIC number.  Each needs to be tested for Glanzmann’s, have hip x-rays (possible at age 24 months) and blood submitted to the University of Missouri.  Results of the Glanzmann’s and hip x-rays must be made public.  If the dog is too young for a hip x-ray, we will still be happy to collect him and wait for your report to be published on the OFA website.  Females also need a CHIC number.
Any exceptions?
We will accept semen from deceased dogs whose sperm was frozen before CHIC was established.  And we will accept semen from dogs that are too young to have their hips evaluated by OFA. However, we will not keep semen after a certain amount of time if they do not have their required health testing.  Owners of the dog will be reminded before any semen is destroyed.
Who decides which semen goes to which bitch?
The owner of the bitch does.  The owner of a bitch who meets the requirements to use the Bank may select the semen of any male on the available list.  Further information on this is available on our website:  https://www.ohca-reprobank.org/
Will the Bank be in conflict with stud owners?
No.  No dog’s semen will be released from the Bank until there is no more semen available from that dog from other sources.  If the dog has died or is sterile and the owner no longer has any privately owned semen, the semen will be available from the Bank.
Can the puppies sired by frozen semen owned by the bank be registered with the AKC?
​Yes.  The AKC has approved the Ownership of Semen by the Reproduction Bank, (a non-profit organization).

What's the Worry?

Otterhounds have been mentioned in history since the 1200's but the narrowing of the gene pool has resulted in less genetic material to help the breed survive and thrive.  The Otterhound Club of America under the leadership of Elizabeth Conway had the forethought to approach the American Kennel Club for permission to establish a Reproduction Bank to collect and store genetic materials.​

OHCA Reproduction Bank Board of Directors

Joellen Gregory, DVM President

Linda Schrader Vice President

Eibhlin Glennon Secretary

Becky Van Houten Treasurer

Frances Ward Director

For more information about the Otterhound Breed please refer to the following websites:

http://www.otterhound.org/

http://www.otterhounduniversity.com/

https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/otterhound/