Hunterdon Hills Collie Club, Inc.

A non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and educating the public on the Rough and Smooth Collie.
For more information, email us at HHCC

Officers:
PRESIDENT:      Mrs. Caroline Jones, Limerick Collies
V. PRESIDENT:  
SECRETARY:      Ms. Evelyn Godown, Roblyn Collies
TREASURER:      

DIRECTORS:

Members
Phyllis Andreasen, Busy Bee Judie Evans, Clarion Jennie Grover, Absolute Evelyn and John Godown, Roblyn Ada Guilliano, Bellbrooke Sandy Henricksen, Braelle Ricki Henry, Glenrevian Caroline "Cookie" Jones, Limerick Henry Kielblock, Starwood	Joe and Joanne Koehler, Jil Cris / Enchanter Debbie Krompka Claire Knapp, Hi-Wood Jill Lanese, Spellbound Dotty MacDougall, Prelude Sharon Myers Madeline and Jackie Oliphant, Ledgedale Helene Reich, Three Tees Joe Reno, Hi-Crest

The Hunterdon Hills Collie Club meets on the First Wednesday of the month from 8:00 til 10:00 pm. Please see the Events page for more details on location of the meeting. If you are interested in coming to one of our events, please e-mail us and we will send you directions. All are welcome.  
 

To become a member, an applicant must come to at least 2 meetings, fill out an application and be voted on.  Membership is $ 10.00 for the year.  

Things To Know Before Buying A Collie.  Where ever you go, please make sure that the puppy's eyes were checked by a certified veterinary opthalmologist.
Collies have 2 genetic problems with their eyes. CEA - Collie Eye Anomoly and PRA - Progressive Retnal Atrophy. Eye checks are done on the whole litter not just one or two. Each puppy is different and usually have different eye checks. If you do not get an eye certificate with the puppy, do not buy the puppy. Most backyard breeders do not do eye checks on the puppies. PRA is Progressive Retnal Atrophy. PRA will result in blindness. Just as the name states … the dog’s eyes will progressively get worse and the dog will go blind. It is an inherited degeneration of the retina called Rod-Cone Dysplasia type 2. By 6 weeks of age the pup may show signs of nightblindness, with marked visual impairment apparent in the first year.
CEA – Collie Eye Anomaly. Estimates are that 95% of collies are carriers of or affected with Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA). CEA can, but does not always, cause blindness as the severity of the condition can vary. Collie Eye Anomaly is an inherited defect characterized by abnormal development of the retina and/or the optic disk. There is no correlation between CEA and sex, coat color, type of coat (rough or smooth), or presence of the merling gene.
The condition can be detected by examination of the retina of the eye as early as 5 to 8 weeks of age. All Responsible Collie breeder have pups checked before selling them, by a veterinarian specializing in ophthalmology.
Because CEA has involved so much of the breed, eradication has had to be slow in order to keep other desirable qualities. Even among the dogs that examine clear, most are carriers of the gene. The Collie Club of America encourages its members to have all their puppies checked as young as possible by a veterinary ophthalmologist. No dog should be used for breeding until examined and found to be above the examiner's standard.
There are collies that also have Normal Eyes. It's estimated that only 5 - 15% of collies in the USA have Normal Eyes.
Hip Dysplasia - Collies have VERY low rates of hip dysplasia ... but it does happen. It is still preferable to have the dogs checked before breeding. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals requires that a dog be 2 years of age before they will give a rating for the dogs hips.
Heartworm Medication - Heartguard contains the drug called ivermectin. Studies were performed on Collies and it was found that Collies had clinical signs of toxicosis at much lower doses of ivermectin than other non herding dogs. Interceptor is the heartworm medication of choice for the herding group. Ivermectin in larger doses than is found in Heartguard has been the cause of death in collies.

ASPCA NATIONAL ANIMAL POISON CONTROL CENTER.  This center is available 24 hours a day and is the only animal-oriented poison information center in the U.S. There is a charge for this service. It's $30.00 per case when using the 800 or 888 number OR $20.00 for the first 5 minutes and $2.95/minutes when using the 900 number.
1-900-680-0000        1-800-548-2423     1-888-4ANI-HELP   1-888-4ANI-HELP   1-888-426-4435  This number will connect you to an ASPCA veterinarian trained to assist pet owners or other vets.  This is the only dedicated animal poison control hotline in the world manned by veterinarians, not telephone operators.

The AKC website has a lot of information on obedience and breed clubs throughout the country. If you would like to visit their site, click Welcome to the AKC.