View OHR articles of incorporation
"An Idea whose Time has Come!" article by Jennifer Krawsczyn
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is an open registry?An “open registry” is a registry in which all information on all animals is available to the general public. This is in contrast to a “closed registry,” in which the only information available to the public is that on animals that have passed screening tests for certain abnormalities known or suspected to be genetic in origin. Examples of closed registries include the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF). What do you mean by the phrase “abnormalities known or suspected to be genetic in origin”?We suspect an underlying genetic cause for many of the abnormalities listed in the database because, among other things, we can trace familial patterns of occurrence in them. Understanding the difference between an animal’s genotype (its genetic constitution) and its phenotype (its physical appearance and/or observable characteristics) will help you understand the information in the database. The genes carried within an animal’s DNA constitute its genotype. The ways in which those genes are expressed in the animal’s phenotype are highly complex and are affected by many factors, including interactions with other genes and the operation of certain environmental factors. Virtually all of the tests currently used to screen animals for abnormalities known or suspected to be genetic in origin actually evaluate phenotypic characteristics, not the actual DNA involved in producing the disorder. In other words, the tests look at the animal's phenotype in an attempt to gain a clearer understanding of its genotype. Why do we need an OHR for Golden Retrievers?Golden Retrievers are susceptible to a large number of diseases and abnormalities known or suspected to be genetic in origin. In fact, just as there are no perfect humans, there are no perfect Golden Retrievers. ALL Goldens carry defective genes. This is true of any dog, be it a purebred dog, a mixed breed dog, or a wild dog. Because of the prevalence of some problems that occur in many breeds (such as canine hip dysplasia (CHD), progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and certain types of cataracts), tests have been developed which are used by breeders to screen potential breeding animals for these conditions. By carefully evaluating potential breeding animals for diseases known or suspected to be genetic in origin, breeders can work to reduce – and perhaps ultimately eliminate – these disorders in the animals they breed. At least that is the goal of doing these screening tests. Unfortunately, the information provided by the tests generally relates only to the animal’s phenotype, which is a product of both genetic and environmental factors. Further complicating the picture is the fact that we do not fully understand either component of the phenotype: the specific genes responsible for most known or suspected genetic diseases in dogs have not been identified by clinical studies, and the impact of complex environmental factors is similarly not well understood. However, by sharing as much information as possible concerning the overall health and occurrence of known or suspected genetic disorders in our dogs, we may ultimately be able to identify patterns of occurrence of these disorders which may help us reduce or eliminate their occurrence through careful, selective breeding. Who are the people involved in creating the OHR?The OHR is a grassroots effort started in 1999 by owners of Golden Retrievers. Some of the people involved in creating the OHR are breeders, others are not. Some show their dogs, some do not. All have one thing in common: an honest desire to put in place a system which may some day contribute to the betterment of the breed. From the beginning, the effort has been strictly voluntary: none of the people involved in creating and maintaining the OHR receive any form of material compensation for their efforts. Current officers of the OHR are as follows:
What information is contained within the database?There are two basic types of information concerning Golden Retrievers contained within the database. The first consists of general information about the dogs that are listed: titles earned, owners names, sire and dam, etc. The second type of information relates to the health and medical history of the dog. There are three general classes of health-related information contained within the OHR. These classes of information are differentiated by the degree of proof and certainty obtained in diagnosing the condition and are clearly indicated in each entry. The first class of health-related information consists of the results of well-established, formal tests, such as OFA, CERF, and PennHip. In each case, a formal rating or result is supplied, together with the date the test was performed and the number of the accompanying certificate. The second class of information concerns things for which formal tests have either not been established or are not widely accepted. In these cases, the owner indicates that the dog either is or is not affected by a specific condition, but there is nothing formal to substantiate the claim. The third class of information consists essentially of free-form comments from the dog’s owner about things related to the first two types of information, or about things that are difficult or impossible to quantify with formal tests currently in existence. This includes things such as descriptions of a dog’s temperament, working ability, conformation, and so forth. While these comments are only as reliable as the ethics and honesty of the person who made them, they are nonetheless valuable in the context of trying to understand the dog in question and to identify patterns that may be genetic. Where does the information in the database come from?The owners and/or breeders of the Goldens in the database contribute all of the information in the OHR. For a number of reasons, it is important to understand that this information is presented exactly as it was entered by Level II users of the database. Although these users have agreed to abide by the terms and conditions governing the OHR, the information is only as good as the intentions and the honesty of the people who provided the data. The people involved in creating and maintaining the OHR make no effort to independently verify any of the entries provided by Level II users. Who uses the information from the database?Information contained within the OHR may be used by anyone interested in the health of the Golden Retriever as a breed. It may be used by breeders who are interested in reducing or eliminating the occurrence of diseases known or suspected to have genetic origins from their breeding programs. It may be used by people seeking to acquire a Golden Retriever from a specific breeding in order to understand the occurrence of health problems in the pedigree behind the breeding. It may be used by researchers as an adjunct to or as a means of helping to design a formal, clinical study aimed at pinning down the causes of a particular disease. In short, there are many kinds of people who could use the information in the database, but all share a common interest in helping to improve the health of the breed. Why do I have to register to view data in the OHR?Access to the information contained in the OHR database is limited to those who agree to the OHR Terms and Conditions. How do I register to use the OHR?Registration is done by completing a form on the OHR website. Click here to register. How much does it cost to use the OHR?Use of the OHR is free. I know that so-and-so's dog is dysplastic. I am not the owner or breeder. Why can't I enter this information in the OHR?In order to minimize misinformation or exaggeration, we feel it is important that only breeders and/or owners document information about their dogs. The owner (or occasionally the breeder) is the person that presents the animal and pays for the examination, and is the person who is given the results of the diagnostic evaluation. While someone else may obtain or learn about the test results, that information rightfully belongs to the owner (or breeder), to share or not, as they see fit. While many of us embrace this open sharing of information, we realize that not all owners and/or breeders are comfortable with sharing the data on their dogs and we must respect their privacy Where do I find an OHR for breeds other than the Golden Retriever?The only other breed-specific health registry we know of is the Berner-Garde Foundation, for Bernese Mountain Dogs. See our links page for links to all-breed health registries. Why do Golden Retrievers have so many health problems?It is important to remember that ALL dogs have genetic problems. Purebred dogs, mixed-breed dogs, wild dogs: none are immune from genetic disorders. The same is true of humans and of all complex living organisms. Dog breeds that appear to be free of genetic problems are probably either not numerous enough for a pattern to have emerged, or they are not being screened for genetic problems in the first place. Why isn't <insert dog's name here> in the OHR?The only reason that a dog’s health records ever appear in the OHR is that the dog’s owner or breeder has entered that information in the database. The absence of any specific dog from the database indicates that the dog's owner or breeder either has chosen not to make that dog's health information publicly available or that they are unaware of the registry. It is suggested that those interested in this registry, who notice the absence of certain dogs they would like to see included, may want to let the dog’s owner know about the registry and how they can enter the dog’s information should they choose to do so. How do I use the OHR to breed healthier Golden Retrievers?The Open Health Registry is useful to investigate possible patterns and frequencies of disorders known or suspected to be hereditary. Because every dog has defective genes, learning what the weaknesses are in your lineage and searching for occurrences of the same or related problems in other bloodlines may help you choose a safer prospect when making breeding and/or purchasing decisions. The OHR may also be useful for those inquiring about purchasing a dog to ensure that they will not be buying into a line with a problem that is beyond their personal comfort level. While no dogs' lines will be totally clear of all disorders, we hope that this registry will be helpful in reducing the likelihood of perpetuating the problems in future generations. What is the mode of inheritance for hip dysplasia?Like most disorders suspected to be genetic in origin, the mode of inheritance of hip dysplasia is poorly understood. Clinical studies aimed at understanding modes of inheritance of genetic disorders attempt to understand the patterns of occurrence of the disorder among a population; that is, how affected and clear dogs are related to each other. Most modes of inheritance for the disorders we encounter are not definitively known, and some (such as hip dysplasia) are thought to be affected by environmental factors as well. We have to depend on the experts to give us their educated guesses on inheritance, but even the experts continue to re-examine and change their theories over time as new information from clinical studies becomes available. Ultimately, we would like to have screening tests for specific genes that are proven to cause disorders, but such tests for most genetic disorders are probably many years away. In the mean time, the best we can do is to be guided by the current state of knowledge based on experts’ opinions and shape our decisions by evaluating as much information as we can get. According to the OHR, my dog has a full sibling with a genetic disorder. Does that mean my dog shouldn't be bred?Having a sibling with a disorder does not mean that your dog is also affected or a carrier. It is important to review the literature on genetics to understand this. It is also important to realize that having an affected sibling increases the odds that this dog is also carrying the defective gene (-s) and this should be taken into consideration when making breeding decisions and in tracking offspring for occurrences of the problem. I forgot my password. Help!If you click on the login link, there is a link below that which says "Forgot your password?" Click on that and you can have your password emailed to you. I forgot my username. Help!Your username is your email address. Try your current email address, and if that doesn't work, try previous email addresses. You couldn't have registered on the site without using a valid email address as your username. My email address has changed. Can I change my username to the new email address, or do I need to register again under the new address?You should change your username to the new email address. You can do this by clicking on the "View and/or edit your account profile" link on the home page. Then click on the "Change email address" link. Whom do I contact if I still need help?This website is run by the Open Health Registry for the Golden Retriever, a nonprofit corporation. The people who work on this site are volunteers. If the above information has not solved your problem, you may contact us at support@healthygoldens.com. |