Breed Health
Bea (Tova's Gotta Dance) celebrating her 18th birthday!
General Health
Windsprites are a generally healthy breed and most will live comfortably to about 15-18 years of age. The average genetic COI of Windsprites as of September 2024 is 21%, with many breeders working towards lowering this number. In pursuit of that, backcrosses to Whippets for genetic diversity are quite common, resulting in smooth-coated offspring in the first generation, as seen above.
In the past, ​Collie Eye Anomaly and Multi-Drug Sensitivity had a significant presence in the breed. While we do still have some carriers in the breed, dogs are not affected unless they inherit two copies. Thankfully, through genetic testing in partnership with Embark and careful breeding practices, these issues are no longer a threat to our dogs.
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Immune-related issues such as Allergies and Inflammatory Bowel Disease have been known to occur in the breed. A small number have Exercise-Induced Hyperthermia or Addison’s Disease. Further research is needed to confirm the prevalence of these concerns.
Backcrossing and Outcrossing
The International Windsprite Club has allowed for backcrossing Windsprites to Whippets since its early days. This practice remains quite common to this day and it is integral to maintaining and improving the genetic diversity and health of the breed. Access to genetic testing via partnership with Embark allows responsible Windsprite breeders to plan pairings carefully and ensure that genetic coefficient of inbreeding is taken into account, rather than relying on significantly less accurate pedigree-based estimations.
When a long-haired Windsprite is crossed with a Whippet, the resulting offspring are considered smooth Windsprites. Because the gene for long hair is recessive, smooth Windsprites lack the overall length, texture, and feathering of a coated Windsprite. However, they often exhibit a more plush, dense coat than the close, firm coat of a purebred Whippet. Despite their short hair, these smooth Windsprites carry the gene for long hair and their offspring each have a 50/50 chance of being either coated or smooth when crossed back to a long-haired Windsprite. Typically, the resulting coated dogs may then be bred on and continue to contribute to the overall population, with an added infusion of diverse Whippet blood.
At present, while Whippet backcrosses are recognized by the club in the first generation and are allowed participation in separate conformation classes specifically for the smooth-coated variety, additional backcrosses and outcrosses are not sanctioned by the International Windsprite Club.
The Windsprite Health Survey
The IWC requests that all Windsprite owners submit responses to the Windsprite Health Survey, available online as a fillable form, in an effort to track genetic and health conditions found in the breed. The survey is lengthy so that we get as complete a picture as possible of the health of our breed. Please be as specific and detailed as possible when describing conditions. Please fill out this survey for both living and deceased Windsprites. Submissions for both smooth and coated Windsprites are welcome. We appreciate your time and consideration to provide the most complete information possible. Thank you!
Please note: The IWC Health Committee is in the process of developing a new and improved health survey. In the meantime, the existing survey is still available below.