The Bracco Italiano Health Foundation is fortunate enough to have some limited funding available to assist owners of Bracco Italiano dogs to pay qualifying veterinary diagnostics which otherwise may not be financially possible. Our hope is to not only provide information for the individual dog in question, but also for the breed as a whole.

Due to the limited amount of funding available, the BIHF fund has strict guidelines. The Funds are to be used exclusively for diagnostic testing, not treatment, of Bracco Italiano dogs (either alive or deceased) which may provide valuable information about genetic diseases in this breed. The Funds are also available to qualified research projects dedicated to finding cures or causes of diseases affecting the Bracco Italiano. The Bracco Italiano Health Foundation does not provide funds for indirect costs of any research study.

We hope that this will encourage testing of more dogs, to hopefully provide better information about diseases affecting our breed. It is not intended to pay for medical bills of dogs undergoing treatment, or for routine diagnostics (such as annual bloodwork). Each application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Decisions regarding the BIHF fund are made by the Bracco Italiano Health Foundation Board of Directors.

Enzo was a Bracco Italiano dog owned by a family in Pennsylvania. He was a much loved family member and hunting companion. He passed away after a brief, severe illness and was diagnosed with amyloidosis. This disease is often fatal, and has been described in the breed before, however it has never been well characterized. His sudden death, and the death of other young Bracco Italiano dogs with similar disease, made Bracco owners in this country aware of the need for more information about amyloidosis and other kidney diseases in this breed. The goals of this program will be to provide financial support in obtaining definitive diagnoses in ill Bracco Italiano dogs, especially those with kidney disease and suspicion for amyloidosis. Also, funds from this program may be used to provide financial support to organized veterinary research through the Canine Health Foundation and private or academic research projects to benefit the Bracco Italiano breed.