CHIC Q&A - Check Your CHIC Knowledge

1. What is the purpose of CHIC (the Canine Health Information Center)?

a. To work with parent clubs to identify health issues and create a central database where information is compiled.

b.  To create and maintain a central health information system that will support research in canine disease and provide health information to owners and breeders.

c.  To create scientifically valid diagnostic criteria for the acceptance of information into a central health database.

d.   To base the availability of health-database information on individual dogs at the consent of the owner.

e.  To create additional revenue for the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals to pursue OFA-sponsored research.

f.   a, b, c, d only

g.  All of the above.

2.  The following health certifications are required by RRCUS for a CHIC certification:

a.  Hip and elbow screenings from OFA, GDC (Institute for Genetic Disease Control in Animals), OVC (Ontario Veterinary College), or Penn-HIP (University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program).

b.  OFA Thyroid only

c . OFA Thyroid or certification by a veterinary pathologist or endocrinologist.

d.  CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation)

e.  OFA Cardiac

f.  OFA BAER (brainstem auditory evoked response, for deafness)

g.  a, c and d

h.  a, c, d, e, and f.

i. All of the above.

3.  A dog with a CHIC number has passed all its health tests.  True or False?

4.  The CHIC requirements exactly mirror the health-screening requirements in the parent breed club’s code of ethics.  True or False?

5. To obtain a CHIC number, special paperwork must be submitted with OFA

certifications.  True or False?

6. Having a CHIC number means all your dog’s testing results are in one place. True or False?

ANSWERS

1.  f. CHIC gives parent clubs the opportunity to create an open database for use by owners, breeders and researchers. CHIC also allows parent clubs to identify their breed’s particular health concerns.  

2.  g. In Rhodesian Ridgebacks, a CHIC certificate requires hips and elbows by OFA, OCV, GDC or Penn-HIP; OFA thyroid or certification or a veterinary endocrinologist or pathologist, and CERF. Optional tests include OFA Cardiac and BAER.  

3.  FALSE: Having a CHIC number simply means your dog has been tested in the required areas and you have disclosed the results. If the certifying authority gives a certification for less-than-optimal results, then CHIC will consider that requirement satisfied. For example, OFA will give an OFA number for failing hips, elbows or less-than-normal thyroid results. If the owner checks the box on the OFA that indicating this information can be disclosed, the dog will receive a CHIC number, provided all the other requirements for testing are met.

4.  FALSE. The screening requirements for a CHIC number are stricter than the RRCUS code of Ethics. RRCUS made the CHIC requirements more stringent to encourage owners and breeders to test for other health concerns that we know exist in the breed but whose prevalence is not yet well defined and so are not mandated in the RRCUS code of ethics. Owners and breeders who get CHIC numbers on their dogs are taking an extra step for the breed. By getting the testing done and declaring the results, they tell the community that it not about the kennel name or breeder, but rather about the Ridgeback breed and open disclosure.

5.  FALSE: All OFA and CERF certifications are automatically entered into the CHIC database without additional paperwork. However, if you do Penn-HIP, OVC or GDC, there is a one-time $25 fee per dog to have this data added to CHIC. OFA needs to receive the fee, a copy of the test results and a signed note requesting the results be entered into the CHIC database. Additional results after the one-time fee is paid are recorded at no charge. There is also no charge when entering results on an affected animal from a non-CERF or non-OFA source.

6.  TRUE: All your dogs’ health information will be in one easy-to-read place along with the health information on sires, dams, siblings, offspring who have received health evaluations.

For more information about CHIC, visit www.caninehealthinfo.org.