Surveys & Reports
Survey Instructions
The Bichon Frise Club of America thanks you for considering submission of one of our health surveys. The Health Committee of the BFCA tracks health data on Bichons in order to prioritize research funds, and to recognize and prevent diseases. This data will be shared with members of BFCA and visitors to this site.
Health Incident Report
This is a report on an individual Bichon, which can be submitted online or sent via postal service to Vickie Halstead, the chairman of the Health Committee (mailing address is included at the end of the survey). We are mostly interested in hereditary diseases, but welcome reports on any diseases. There is no need to report infectious diseases that are common to dogs, such as kennel cough, etc. We do ask that you try to use veterinary diagnosis whenever possible.
Death Report
This is also a report on an individual Bichon, which can be submitted online or sent via postal service to Vickie Halstead, the chairman of the Health Committee (mailing address is included at the end of the survey). This survey can be completed anytime after the loss of your beloved Bichon.
Breeders Survey Results
Bichon breeders completed this health survey in March of 2007, reporting healthy, sick, and dead Bichons that they whelped between 1/1/1992 and 12/31/2006. The goal of the survey was to determine the top 10 diseases in Bichons. See results by clicking on tab to the left.
Rescued Health Database
Bichon rescue groups please complete this form at least yearly or at the most monthly, and submit it via mail or email to Vickie Halstead. This will help us track disease incidence in rescued Bichons. Be sure to include the total number of rescued Bichons so we can calculate disease incidence as a percent value, which includes those that are healthy.
Vet Survey Results
Veterinarians submitted these health surveys in the winter of 2006, reporting their opinions as to the prevalence of diseases that they have seen in Bichons since 1995. See results by clicking on tab to the left.
Internet Data
The BFCA health committee has been answering health-related email inquiries for 9 years from primarily Bichon pet owners in the US and other countries via the BFCA web site at www.bichon.org, and now via this web site from the ‘Ask Us’ page. The data obtained from these inquiries are not scientific, but do reflect patterns in Bichon health problems despite the fact that pet owners do not always provide an exact diagnosis.