Competitors heading to Crufts 2014 are taking full advantage of subsidised eye testing, being offered by the Kennel Club and British Veterinary Association (BVA) at the event, with over half of the available appointments being snapped up in just one day.

Fifty appointments have been made available at the reduced rate of £20 (a 43% discount per test) on each day of Crufts, which will be held at the NEC, Birmingham, on March 6-9.

The eye testing scheme is run jointly by the BVA, Kennel Club (KC) and International Sheep Dog Society (ISDS) as part of the BVA/KC Canine Health Schemes and examinations are carried out by BVA appointed eye panellists. Panellists look for evidence of hereditary eye disease in dogs that may be used for breeding, and the scheme covers eleven hereditary eye conditions in over fifty breeds of dog.

The BVA/KC Canine Health Schemes team will also be at Crufts in the ‘Breeding for the Future’ zone in Hall 3 to promote the other health screening schemes offered: schemes for hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and Chiari malformation/Syringomyelia (CM/SM).

Commenting, Robin Hargreaves, President of the BVA and member of the Kennel Club Dog Health Group, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the fantastic response from breeders booking subsidised eye testing at Crufts.

“Health screening for common conditions has become an essential part of being a responsible breeder. Not only are these breeders helping to assure the health of their own puppies, but also contributing to our overall understanding of inherited disease and improving the health of the breed as a whole.

“We would encourage anyone heading to Crufts to come and visit the Breeding for the Future zone to find out more about healthy, happy dogs.”

To take advantage of the subsidised eye tests appointments must be booked in advance via the BVA/KC Canine Health Schemes team at BVA on 020 7908 6380. Appointments will be booked on a first come first served basis and payment must be made at the time of booking.