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.
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!