Health Awards - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Links to Questions and Answers

General Hip and Elbows Eyes Cystinuria Heart von Willebrande Disease (vWD) Thyroid  

Start of Questions and Answers

Are the Health Awards only for MCOA members or can anyone participate? They used to be for everyone. Unfortunately, the membership voted at the Specialty in 2003 to make the awards strictly for mastiffs owned solely by MCOA members. So, the Health Committee recommends the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) certificates instead since they are for all Mastiffs as they should be.

Have there been any changes to the Awards criteria since it was first presented? Yes, there have been several changes.

The Board has approved:
  1. Accepting OVC (Ontario Veterinary College) hip and elbow certifications from Canada if the certification was performed after the age of 2 years.
  2. Accepting OFA thyroid and full panel thyroids from labs other then MSU.
  3. Accepting an upper age limit for a Thyroid and CERF certification to be performed at or after the age of 6 years.
  4. Accepting GDC hip and elbow certifications if the Mastiff was tested at or after the age of 2 years.
  5. To grandfather in old or deceased Mastiffs for a Bronze Award if they were CERF'd at or after the age of 6 years and have hip and elbow certification. To grandfather in old or deceased Mastiffs for a Silver or Gold Award if they were CERF'd and Thyroid tested at or after the age of 6 years and meet the other criteria for the Award.


Are there deadlines for sending in an application? Yes, the Awards will be processed and mailed out at least quarterly, hopefully more often. The deadlines for the MCOA Health Awards will be one month prior to the MCOA Journal advertising deadlines in order to process and compile a list of those receiving an award and have them listed in the Journal. The deadlines for the Awards are:
  • November 1, 1999 (normally would be the 15th)
  • February 15, 2000
  • May 15, 2000
  • August 15, 2000


How often will certificates be issued and how soon can I expect to receive mine? We will try to process the certificates as they arrive and as soon as the verification process is completed. We hope to have the certificate issued within four weeks of arrival but you may experience a delay of up to six weeks.

Can I purchase additional originals to give to my co-owners or whoever? Yes, additional duplicate original certificates may be purchased for $5 each, and additional CERF duplicate update stickers may be purchased for $1 each. The person getting the original certificate must have sent in an updated CERF certificate and received their update sticker before duplicate stickers will be sent out. The additional Award certificate will state "Duplicate" on it.

Can someone other than the owner of the Mastiff submit the info for an award? The owner and/or breeder may apply for a MCOA Health Award. Anyone other than the owner or breeder of a Mastiff may apply for an Award if they send in the appropriate documents and the owner's written permission, address and phone number. The owner's address and phone number is for verification purposes.

My Mastiff was purchased as a fully tested adult so the test results are in someone else's name. Can I still send in for the Award? Yes, as long as the Mastiff's Registered Name is listed on the appropriate Certificates and other test documents, your Mastiff can receive an Award. Only the current owner and the breeder get copies. Additional duplicate originals can be purchased for $5 each.

Should I wait until I complete all the testing to apply for an Award, or should I go ahead and send what I have? That is of course up to you. You should only apply for an Award if your Mastiff qualifies for an Award having at least hip, elbow, and CERF certification. The MCOA Health Committee will only issue an Award if the Mastiff passes the required tests to qualify for an Award. If your Mastiff qualifies for a Bronze Award, you may submit the appropriate documents to receive that Award. Then when your Mastiff has passed the additional required tests for the Silver or Gold Award, you can send in the additional documents to receive the next Award. If you feel that you are close to finishing all the testing, and you want to go straight to the Gold, then you can wait and send in all of the test results at once.

When a Mastiff cannot qualify for a Health Award, does this mean that he/she should not be bred? No, not necessarily, it would depend on why they cannot qualify - which defect they have and how severe the defect is. It would also depend on the other strengths and weaknesses of the Mastiff in question and the strengths and weaknesses of his/her relatives. The whole Mastiff must be considered when breeding decisions are made.

When a Mastiff receives an Award does that mean that he/she should be bred? No, the whole Mastiff must be considered. Being able to obtain a Health Award is NOT a sufficient reason, by itself, to breed a Mastiff. Other factors to consider are temperament, "breed type", other health issues not covered by the Health Awards and the strengths and weaknesses of the Mastiff's relatives.

Is OFA the only hip and elbow certification accepted? No, OVC and GDC are also acceptable as long as the x-rays were taken after the Mastiff reached 24 months of age.

Are you saying that the OFA, OVC, and GDC are better at diagnosing hip dysplasia than other agencies? We are not judging any of the agencies that do hip or elbow certifications, nor are we demeaning them by not accepting their reports. We are NOT saying that any agency is inaccurate or misreporting their findings. We encourage breeders to use all of the tools available to them in determining the genetic status of their breeding stock regardless of whether or not it is relevant to achieving an award. The Committee requires that testing for hip and elbow dysplasia be done at or after two years of age and that the information be verifiable. If hip or elbow information cannot be verified, then it cannot be accepted.

Will you ever accept PennHIP certification for hips? Possibly, at some future date, the committee will amend the Award criteria to include PennHIP. At this time PennHIP is not open for verification and has a small database of Mastiffs. PennHIP has been contacted and they refuse to verify any reports that are received by the Awards Committee. The Awards Committee will not issue a certificate unless the hip report can be verified through the certifying agency.

For more information on PennHip and OFA:

For Canadians wishing to participate in the Awards, do you accept the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) hip and elbow report? Yes, the Health Awards criteria includes and accepts the OVC hip and elbow report as equivalent to OFA hips and elbows if the Mastiff was x-rayed at or after the age of two years. http://www.samoyed.ca/Hips.htm

Can Canadians also submit x-rays to the OFA as well as heart, patella and thyroid? Yes, Canadians may submit hip and elbow x-rays directly to the OFA by completing the required OFA application, or they may have the OVC submit the x-rays labeled with the required identification, OFA application and pay an additional fee. If OVC submits the x-rays, you will receive both an OVC report and an OFA certificate if the Mastiff passes and is certified.

Canadians may also send the OFA patella and heart applications just as folks in the US do. The OFA thyroid will have to be sent to an OFA approved lab who will forward the results to the OFA. Fortunately, OVC is an approved lab for submitting samples for thyroid testing. For instructions on sending a sample for an OFA thyroid as well as other OFA certifications please go to: http://www.dclink.com/mastiff/ofacert.htm.

For a complete list of OFA approved labs, please refer to the question Which Labs Are Approved For OFA Thyroid?

How can I get my Mastiff CERF'd in Canada? For a listing of all the veterinarian's in Canada affiliated with CERF, go to: http://www.vet.purdue.edu/~yshen/doctor.html#CAN. If the veterinarian's listed are not near you, please call them and see if they visit other cities on a rotating schedule and will be in a city near you soon.

Can the von Willebrande Disease (vWD) test be performed by any lab? Yes. An excellent lab is the Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, which has extensive experience with the test and provides the MCOA with statistics. Diagnostic Laboratory, College Of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, P.O. Box 5786, Ithaca, NY 14852-5786 Phone: (607) 253-3900 E-mail: las32@cornell.edu

What is Cystinuria? Cystinuria is a metabolic disorder that creates potentially fatal bladder/kidney stones in Mastiffs and many other breeds. Cystine stones are completely different from the more common struvite stones. The treatment for cystine stones is the opposite of the treatment for 98% of the stones vets see in their practice. Please be certain what kind of stones your Mastiff has before undertaking treatment or diet changes as the wrong treatment may increase the stone-causing cystine in your dog, possibly leading to his death.

Is Cystinuria hereditary? In Newfoundlands and people Cystinuria is inherited as an autosomal recessive. The genetics of Cystinuria in Mastiffs is unclear at this point. The data gathered so far does appear to indicate a genetic link. For more information, check out: the section on cystinuria.

How do I test for Cystinuria and where do I send samples? The test is very simple and inexpensive as well as potentially life-saving! Simply collect a small urine sample (about 5 CCs) in a shatterproof and leak proof container, (a red top test tube is good) pack securely with an ice pack and send by overnight mail to UPenn: Dr. John Melniczek / Cystinuria Veterinary Hospital, Room 4020 University of Pennsylvania 3900 Delancey Street Philadelphia, PA 19104-6010 Fill out, print, and include a copy of the Sample Submission Form.

The fee for this test is just $18 at present and FREE for dogs experiencing recurring urinary tract infections or other warning signs such as straining to urinate or blood in the urine.

How many Mastiffs are affected with Cystinuria and is it really a problem? There is no way to tell how widespread this problem is without more testing. We do know that there are more than a few Mastiffs with Cystinuria and that they come from multiple unrelated family groups. This tends to imply that Cystinuria is wide spread. One problem is that cystinuric females often go undiagnosed throughout their lives even when they have stones since their urethra is wider, straighter and shorter than males and does not pass thru a bone.

We know of more than one Mastiff that has died from Cystinuria due to misdiagnosis until after death. This alone should be sufficient reason for every Mastiff owner to have their Mastiff(s) tested for Cystinuria.

What is hypothyroidism? First let's define the word hypothyroidism: Hypo is Greek for abnormally decreased or deficient; the thyroid is the largest of the endocrine glands located next to the larynx, which produces hormones (see below) that are vital to maintaining normal growth and metabolism as well as a storehouse for iodine; isomer suffix of nouns denoting action, state, or conditions. Thus, Hypothyroidism is a condition caused by a malfunctioning thyroid gland resulting in an underproduction of thyroid hormones.

What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism? Hypothyroidism effects Mastiffs in many different ways. Symptoms include, but are not limited to: dry or brittle coat and skin conditions, intolerance to cold, weight gain or loss, infertility, sudden aggression, immune system malfunctions, and various other conditions. Your Mastiff may experience all or none of the symptoms listed above as each case is different.

CLINICAL SIGNS OF HYPOTHYROIDISM Alterations in Cellular Metabolism: Lethargy Mental Dullness Exercise intolerance Neurological signs (seizures, polyneuropathy) Weight gain Cold intolerance Mood swings Hyperexcitability Stunted growth Chronic Infections

Hematologic Disorders: Bleeding Bone marrow failure Low red blood cell count (anemia) Low white blood cell count Low platelet

Occular Diseases: Corneal lipid deposits (corneal dystrophy) Corneal ulceration Uveitis (inflammation of the uvea) Keraconjunctivitis sicca ("dry eye") Infections of the eyelid gland (meibomian gland)

Neuromuscular Problems: Weakness Stiffness Laryngeal paralysis Facial paralysis "Tragic expression" Knuckling or dragging feet Muscle wasting Megaesophagus Head tilt Drooping eyelids

Dermatologic Diseases: Dry, scaly skin and dandruff Coarse, dull coat Bilaterally symmetrical hair loss "Rat tail" or "puppy coat" Hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin) Seborrhea or greasy skin Pyoderma or skin infections Myxoedema (mucus degeneration and thickening of the skin) Chronic offensive skin odor

Cardiac Abnormalities: Slow heart rate Cardiac arrhythmias Cardiomyopathy

Gastrointestinal Disorders: Constipation Diarrhea Vomiting

Reproductive Disorders: Infertility, both male and female Lack of libido Testicular Atrophy Hypospermia (low sperm count) Aspermia (no sperm) Prolonged inerestrus interval Absence of heat cycles Silent Heat Pseudopregnancy (false pregnancy) Weak, dying or still born pups

Other Associated Disorders: IgA deficiency (immune system) Loss of smell (dysosmia) Loss of taste Glycosuria (the presence of glucose in the urine) Chronic, active hepatitis Adrenal gland disease Pancreatic gland disease Parathyroid gland disease

What causes hypothyroidism? There are many reasons for the thyroid gland to malfunction. An inherited form is autoimmune thyroiditis where the body's own immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid gland or reduces it's function. Acquired hypothyroidism can be caused by various problems such as stress for long periods of time, poor nutrition, prolonged infections, chemical agents, etc.

My Mastiff does not show any symptoms of hypothyroidism, so why should I test now? It is estimated that 50-90% of thyroid diseases are inherited, not acquired so it is extremely important to test for this disease early, before any symptoms appear. Without testing your breeding stock you won't know until it's to late if they have the inherited form of the disease and then the predisposition for hypothyroidism is passed on to their offspring. You may also not recognize one of the symptoms as being that of hypothyroidism and your Mastiff may suffer for long periods of time until a correct diagnosis is made.

Can hypothyroidism be treated? Most cases of hypothyroidism can be treated. The method of treatment differs depending on the cause of the condition. Many Mastiffs exhibiting symptoms of hypothyroidism respond to a simple diet change to include additional iodine in the diet, such as that supplied by kelp. Those with the inherited form of hypothyroidism may need medical supplementation with a synthetic thyroid hormone such as Soloxine.

Do I need to test the thyroid more than once and at what age? It is strongly recommended by the OFA and other authorities such as Dr. Jean Dodds, that you do a complete thyroid panel beginning at two years of age, then again at three, four, six and eight years of age. You may want to start testing at the younger age of one year, and if the results suggest there may be a problem, you may want to test every six months. To qualify for and to receive a permanent Silver or Gold MCOA Health Award you will need to submit a CERF Certificate and Thyroid panel that was valid when the Mastiff was 6 years old or older.

Can a Mastiff with clinical manifestations of hypothyroid such as poor coat, weight gain, temperament problems, etc., still pass the OFA thyroid? There are other diseases that could produce these signs, so if the thyroid panel is normal the Mastiff would pass.

Do you recommend obtaining a complete thyroid panel from one of the labs? The OFA does not require a complete thyroid panel for certification since the TgAA (thyroglobulin autoantibody) is most important for identifying the inherited form of hypothyroidism. However, a complete panel to include the Free T4 by Dialysis (FT4D) and TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) is important for treatment. If the Mastiff is below normal for T4 the Mastiff would not pass OFA Thyroid and may need supplemental treatment.

For the purpose of the MCOA Health Award, either an OFA thyroid certificate, or a complete panel thyroid is required and highly recommended.

What tests compose the complete panel thyroid test? Total TT4 (total thyroid hormone thyroxin) Total TT3 (total thyroid hormone triiodothyronine) Free T4 by dialysis (the biologically active unbound fraction of the total T4) Free Unbound T3 (the total triiodothyronine that is not bound with globulin) T4 Autoantibodies (the body's immune response to thyroxine) T3 Autoantibodies (the body's immune response to triiodothyronine) TgAA (Thyroglobulin Autoantibodies) TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone)

Why does one need all these tests? Measuring serum for just the T4 or T3 alone is not a reliable means for diagnosis of thyroid disease in any species much less Mastiffs. It can over diagnose or under diagnose and may fail to detect early stages of the underlying cause of thyroiditis. For example, if just a T4 is done by your veterinarian, the level of T4 for that particular moment may be low. The veterinarian may diagnose the Mastiff has having hypothyroidism and put it on thyroid supplements when it is not necessary, and in fact can actually harm the thyroid gland further. On the other hand, the T4 level may be normal at that time and you think all is well, when in fact, that autoantibodies may be destroying the thyroid gland from within. Some reasons for a lowered T4 may be from illness, certain drugs such as steroids, epilepsy drugs, and non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Illness or drug therapy will not effect the autoantibody production and a full panel thyroid test will show these.

Measuring the free T3 and T4 is important because it represents the biologically active unbound fraction of the total T3 and T4. T3 is the usable thyroid hormone and is produced from T4 after passing through the liver and other tissues. Normally, T3 will bind up with molecules of globulin, forming thyroglobulin, to become usable by the cells of the body.

The Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) is measured because as serum (a component of blood) levels of T4 drop, the pituitary output of TSH rises to help regulate the serum levels of thyroid hormones. Elevated levels of serum TSH are therefore an important indicator of thyroid dysfunction since they wouldn't go up very high if the thyroid was functioning normally and producing normal levels of T4 hormones.

According to MSU, Antech, and Jean Dodds, DVM, an estimated 50-90% of cases of canine hypothyroidism result from heritable autoimmune thyroiditis. In nearly all of these cases, TgAA (thyroglobulin autoantibody) are present in the serum whereas only about 20% of cases of thyroiditis have elevated circulating T3 and/or T4 autoantibodies. So, the presence of elevated T3 and/or T4 confirms the diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis but underestimates it prevalence. Negative (non elevated) T3 and T4 autoantibody levels do not rule out thyroiditis. The presence of eandlevated TgAA levels confirms thyroiditis and promotes early recognition of the disorder so that the Mastiff may be treated, and the owner may wish to remove the Mastiff from their breeding program before the Mastiff has produced offspring.

Do you accept OFA thyroid? Yes.

Does receiving an OFA thyroid mean that the Mastiff does not have any form of thyroid disease, inherited or not? Yes, the OFA thyroid screens for all thyroid disease, inherited or not. Receiving an OFA Thyroid certificate means that the Mastiff was normal AT THAT TIME and does not mean that the Mastiff will never manifest symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Can the OFA Thyroid test be performed by any OFA approved Lab? Yes. MSU has agreed to list the assays of their Premium Canine Thyroid Panel on the OFA report and to send a copy of the report to the submitting veterinarian as well as to the OFA. The MSU Premium Thyroid Panel checks for bound and unbound T3 and T4, T3 and T4 autoantibodies, TgAA and TSH. This may offer you and your Veterinarian more information on the Thyroid function of your Mastiff and MSU will only charge the normal OFA Thyroid Panel fee. With MSU, you will not have to redo the thyroid test if it does not pass OFA standards since you will already have a copy of the failing report.

Michigan State University (MSU) Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory P.O. Box 30076 Lansing, MI 48909 (517) 353-1683 http://www.ahdl.msu.edu/ahdl/ctr.htm

Which Labs Are Approved For OFA Thyroid? Currently, samples may be submitted to: Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory
B629 W. Fee Hall-B
Michigan State University
Lansing, MI 48824-1315
(517) 353-0621

Diagnostic Laboratory
New York State College of Veterinary Medicine
Cornell University, Upper Tower Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14851
(607) 253-3673

Animal Health Laboratory
University of Guelph
Bldg. 49, McIntosh Lane
Guelph, Ontario Canada N1G 2W1
(519) 824-4120 ext. 4518

Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Attn.: Sample Handling
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Minnesota
1333 Gortner Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108
(612) 625-6782

University of California
Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital
Clinical Pathology, Chemistry, Room 1017
1 Garrod Drive
Davis, CA 95616
(530) 752-7380

Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
1 Sippel Rd.
College Station, TX 77843
(409) 845-3414

When is my annual CERF update due? Your Award Certificate will expire on the CERF expiration date. For example, if you CERF'd your Mastiff in October 1999 and received an Award, your certificate will be good until October 2000 when a new CERF certificate will be needed to update the Award.

How will you update the Award when I send in a new CERF certificate? When a copy of the new CERF certificate is received by the committee, you will be sent a new sticker to add to your Award Certificate. The sticker will bear the expiration date of the new CERF.

What if I skip a year between CERF's? You will need to send in the current CERF in order to receive the current year's sticker. Your certificate will have a gap where the expiration date stickers belong and the Mastiff will be considered not current for that particular year.

What if I don't get my CERF done on time, will you except it if it is after the expiration date? Yes, the sticker you receive will bear the expiration date of the current CERF exam.

Will you remind me that I need a new CERF to update my award? No, you will not be reminded when your CERF Certificate expires. The Awards will have a date sticker that shows the month and year that the Award expires which is one year from your CERF exam date so it should be simple to remember when the new CERF is due.

Is there an upper age limit for CERF after which an annual CERF is not required? We felt that a cut off date was necessary and decided on the age of 6 years. One of the reasons for doing a CERF exam annually is because PRA and other degenerative eye diseases often do not manifest until a later age. PRA has been detected in Mastiffs between the ages of 4 months and 5 years. The committee encourages all Mastiff owners to CERF their dog until an even later age, up to 10 years or older.

My Mastiff is over 6 years old, do I still need a current CERF and Thyroid panel to qualify for an initial Award? If your Mastiff qualifies for an Award and was CERF'd at 6 years of age, or older, then your Mastiff can receive an Award without a current CERF. If a thyroid panel was done at 6 years, or older, the thyroid panel does not need to be repeated to qualify for an Award. If the Mastiff was not CERF'd (Thyroid tested) at 6 years of age, or older, then you will need to get a current CERF Certificate (Thyroid panel) to receive an Award. E.g., you will need to submit a CERF Certificate (Thyroid panel) that is either currently valid or one that was valid when the Mastiff was 6 years old or older to receive an Award.

What if my Mastiff has passed CERF for years and now cannot pass CERF? If your Mastiff was normal and now cannot pass CERF, you will not be able to renew his/her Health Award. Except for PRA and some cataracts, most of the eye problems found in Mastiffs that will not pass CERF are detected at a fairly early age, e.g. PPM, entropion, generalized retinal dysplasia, etc. Some late onset cataracts, punctate in particular, will pass CERF.

Does the OFA heart certification have to be done by a cardiologist? No, the OFA accepts heart applications when the Mastiff has been checked by a board certified cardiologist, a specialist or a private practitioner (your own regular veterinarian). The OFA differentiates between the three with a letter in the certification number, a C for a cardiologist, an S for a specialist, and a P for a private practitioner. A heart exam by a cardiologist is highly recommended, but any OFA heart certification is acceptable when applying for a Health Award.

Why don't you require that OFA heart certification be done by a cardiologist? Ideally, all heart exams would be done by a cardiologist. Unfortunately, there are only 86 board certified veterinary cardiologists in the entire U.S., so it would be difficult for some people to only use a cardiologist. The committee voted to accept all OFA heart certification at this time to encourage heart exams, even if performed by a regular veterinarian. The committee reserves the right to reconsider this criteria in the future as heart certifications and access to veterinarian cardiologists and specialists become more available.

Can I get an Award on my Mastiff that has passed away? Yes, if the test results meet the criteria for an Award, then the Mastiff will qualify for an Award. Keep in mind that the CERF and Thyroid tests have to be issued within a year of the Award or performed when the Mastiff was over the age of 6 years.

MCOA Health Committee:
Co-Chairs:
Anna May (951) 704-6022 mastiff@iinet.com  
Jenny Zinn-Boyce (562) 425-8354 jzinnboyce@aol.com    

Members:

Jan McNamee (330) 648-9427 windfallmastiffs@hughes.net 
Dr. Bill Newman (814) 623-9377 dansdad@pennswoods.net  

Subcommittee chairs:

Cancer - Jenny Zinn-Boyce (562) 425-8354 jzinnboyce@aol.com
Cystinuria - Beth Nichols (262) 859-0347 bethmastiff2@aol.com 
Cystinuria - Lisa Edwards-Filu (845) 477-0233 darkmstf@yahoo.com
DNA - Mary DeLisa (303) 929-5529 mwhipple75@aol.com
Health Awards - Karen Flocker (480) 632-5240 mastiffmom@cox.net
Hip - Elbow Dysplasia  Tammy Sholes (828) 428-3355 nicochri@bellsouth.net
PRA - Carla Sanchez (951) 696-4169 CARLACHEZ@aol.com
Seizure Disorders - Doreen Dysert (503) 348-9347 ddysert@hughes.net

Established in 1997 by Constance Parker.