Introduction
The Old English Sheepdog Club of America Health Committee contacted us about conducting a general health survey for Old English Sheepdogs (OES). The purpose was to determine the frequency of specific health problems affecting the breed, and whether there was a relationship between sex and health problems.
Materials and Methods
The questionnaire was designed to survey common health problems in Old English Sheepdogs. Respondents were asked to complete the survey for any dogs they currently owned, co-owned, or who had died while living with them since 1997. The survey was divided into three main sections. The first section asked for general information on the number of OES currently owned, the number of years the respondent owned OES, the number of males and female OES that they did or do own, and what activities owners were involved in with their OES. The second section asked for information on all OES owned or co-owned since 1997 including current age or age at time of death, sex, and cause of death if applicable. The last section addressed specific categories of health problems in OES. Respondents were to indicate how many of their OES had a particular disease as well as the sex of that dog and sometimes the age of onset of the disease. At the end of the survey there was a question that asked the owners for the health problems they are most concerned with, either ones that were listed in the survey or other ones that we had not mentioned.
The Old English Sheepdog Club of America provided the names and addresses of OES owners from its club membership lists, and people requesting surveys. An initial mailing of the surveys was sent off in February 2003. Postcard reminders were mailed off in June of 2003 to all participants who had not responded. Then in September of 2003 another copy of the health survey was sent out with an updated mailing list and then a follow-up copy was mailed in February 2004.
