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Keeping Your Dog Healthy

Your dog's health is your responsibility. Genetics aside, the first step toward good health is good nutrition. Feed your dog a quality food. Make sure the ingredients listed are what  you would want to eat. Learn how to read the labels, and do not be fooled by advertising or cute pictures on the bag. Generally speaking, the price of the food is a good indicator of the quality. This does not mean that your dog needs to eat the most expensive food on the market. Be sensible when making your choices, and try to find a good food with top quality ingredients. When feeding a higher end food, you will feed a smaller amount, and have less yard pick-up to do. The cost difference between a cheap food and a mid range food is minimal in the long run, but the expense associated with a cheap food will be measured in later years, through veterinary costs.

Pay attention to your dog's coat. If the coat seems to be dry and brittle, the food you are feeding may not be appropriate. A healthy dog will have a shiny, healthy looking coat.  Fed a good quality food, most dogs will live a longer, healthier life.

One of the most serious health concerns in dogs is obesity. Do not overfeed your dog ! In point of fact, our health guarantee becomes null and void if the dog is allowed to become obese. Food is no substitute for your companionship, and for exercise. Ideal weight dogs will show a narrowing at the "waist", and will have ribs which can be felt through the skin and muscle layers, but which are not prominent. The vertebrae of the spine  should be easy to feel, but the spinal bones should not jut out and be prominent. The belly should be taut and firm, even in older animals.

Pay attention to your dog's teeth - check the back molars and the canines for signs of tartar and plaque build up. Severe plaque and tartar can lead to gum disease (Gingivitis) which in turn can lead to infection. Gum infections can affect organ function, and advanced Gingivitis can result in liver and kidney problems. If you cannot find the time to brush your dog's teeth daily, consider using a product such as LEBA III to help reduce plaque and tartar. This product is expensive, but easy to use, and can save you costly veterinary bills for dentistries and treatment of problems resulting from gum disease.

To Vaccinate Or Not?

There has been much controversy in recent years with regard to vaccination protocol. There is one school of thought which attributes health issues, especially autoimmune problems, to over-vaccination of our animals.  The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) makes recommendations from time to time, but the individual veterinarian establishes his own protocol.

More information may be located at the sites below.
NOTE: The AAHA is now recommending 3 puppy shots at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age, boosters one year after the initial three vaccinations are completed, and then boosters every three years.
Go HERE for more details:

http://www.aahanet.org/PublicDocuments/VaccineGuidelines06Revised.pdf

http://www.critteradvocacy.org/Are%20We%20Over%20Vaccinating%20Our%20Pets.htm

Your decision re: vaccination protocol for your animal should be made in consultation with an accredited veterinarian.

It is however essential that your dog have a check-up ANNUALLY with your veterinarian. At these visits your Vet can check eyes, ears, throat, glands, and skeletal and muscle development. Often an annual check-up will include blood-work and a heartworm test. These will verify that your dog is in good health. The cost of the routine blood-work is about the same as the cost of two vaccinations, and is well worth it in terms of its ability to show what is going on inside your dog.

Talk to your veterinarian about the protocols he is using.

**NOTE** Animals living in, or visiting high risk areas, may need to be vaccinated for rabies more frequently than every 3 years. Animals at risk for Lyme's Disease need to be vaccinated according to current protocol.

For more information about Dr. Jean Dodds current routine vaccine protocols, please visit
 Dr. Jean Dodds' recommendations which are located here:

http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/DODDS-CHG-VACC-PROTOCOLS.HTM

Any questions you have about vaccinations should be directed to your veterinarian.

A Growing Concern: Gall Bladder Disease

In recent years there has become evident a growing problem with gall bladder disease in many breeds, including Shelties. We ourselves almost lost Enya to a perforated gall bladder in the late spring of 2008. Emergency surgery saved her life, but it was touch and go for a long time.

Diagnosis of Enya's problem was fortunately fairly quick, due to the immediate concern and quick response of our veterinarians. Read Enya's story here.

 

Poison Control

The Dangers of Chocolate

Chocolate, if ingested by a dog, can be deadly in even very small quantities! For information on the dangers of chocolate, and how much can be toxic for your dog, please visit this site:

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/10/pets/chocolate-chart-interactive.html

If your dog has managed to get into some chocolate, consult your veterinarian immediately.

Many items which you think are safe can be toxic - even deadly - if ingested by your dog. Household and garden plants are a primary source of poisoning in domestic animals. Below is a list of common garden plants which, if ingested by your dog, may be harmful or even fatal. For more information go to:

http://www.dogpack.com/health/poisonplants.htm

and

http://www.angel-litemaltese.com/Poison.htm

Poisonous Plants by Category
 

 

Those Little Brown Mushrooms

Mushroom poisoning is becoming more frequent in dogs, especially with the wet weather we have been experiencing. Our lawns and gardens are erupting with clusters of LBMs and white mushrooms as well. Most of these are highly toxic to dogs, especially smaller breeds. If ingested the dog will show symptoms within a few minutes. Symptoms include a staggering gait, drooling and a clear anal discharge. The mushroom toxin attacks and destroys the dog's liver, and if not treated immediately will be fatal.

The information below may help you save your dog's life!
 
The following was written by Jo Ann Pavey of Whitegates Shelties in Ontario...

"For those who don't know, we lost a 5 month old puppy to mushroom poisoning and have one family of dogs who will get into them on occasion.  I keep a mushroom poisoning kit on hand at all times.
There is more than one kind of poisonous mushroom.  Some are very deadly.  The deadliest ones don't do their damage immediately, but will completely destroy either the liver or the kidneys over a period of days.
"The toxin I have run into is "muscarine".  Symptoms of muscarine poisoning is leaking of water from the eyes (like big tears), lots of drooling, and leaking of water from the anus.  Poop will be mixed in but it is not diarrhea, it is quite copious amounts of water coming out and the poop just sort of comes with.  If you see the tears, drooling and wet "pants"....this is what you are dealing with.  Usually the dog will recover just fine.  However, in one case we had one puppy died a very short time after ingestion.  Why him and not the others, I don't know.
Muscarine is present in Amanita Muscaria, which I'm pretty sure we don't have.  However, mycologists have found that some LBM's (literally - little brown mushrooms - so numerous in variety they are not classified beyond that) contain even more muscarine than Amanita Muscaria.  This is what I've run into.  Muscarine slows the breathing and the heart, etc.

 "There is an antidote for muscarine toxin, which is atropine.  It increases the heart rate.  It works REALLY well, even if a dog seems very flat.  I keep this in my kit, along with hydrogen peroxide (to make them vomit  if I catch them at it), activated charcoal, ipecac, atropine and two types of syringes, one for sub q and one for going right through the chest into the heart.  I've never had to give the atropine myself (I did take one to the vet for her to do it...he wasn't badly off) and obviously only would in a dire emergency.  However, I'm pretty sure if I had had it, my puppy would still be here.
"NOTE that I learned all this after the fact and at the time did not know what they were getting into (I thought toads).  ALSO my vet did NOT know about this antidote for this type of poison (most do not) so it's worth remembering.  Anything else doesn't really help at all.
"ALSO, if you think you don't have these mushrooms around, think again, they are extremely common and are everywhere.  You probably just don't have dogs that bother with them, as some of mine don't.  I have one "family" that every single one of them has done it at one time or another."

 Jo Ann Pavey
Whitegates Shelties
Ontario Canada
 

Genetic Problems In The Shetland Sheepdog

Like most breeds of dogs (and most crossbreeds and "Heinz 57s" as well) Shelties are known to have a predisposition toward some health problems. These problems are present in all lines of Sheltie, as the breed is young and all dogs have a common background, but can be more prevalent in some lines than in others. In the early years of the breed it was not known how some problems inherited, and thus it was difficult to remove problems from a line. Today this continues to hold true in many areas, but most Sheltie breeders are doing whatever genetic testing is available in order to reduce the incidence of problems in their dogs.

Genetic issue can range from minor to life threatening. Some are readily treated, some cannot be treated and some are a death sentence for the dog.  

As a purchaser you should be aware that genetic health issues do not usually show up until the animal is  two to seven years of age.  Therefore, a genetic health guarantee which is good only for 12,  18, 24 or even 36 months is not worth the paper upon which it is written.

One issue which has come more to the forefront in recent years is an increase in the incidence of Sheltie Eye Anomaly. This eye disease is a simple recessive gene which can be bred out of a line in a few generations if care is taken. Please when buying a puppy, ask if the parents' eyes have been cleared for SEA. Information on how it affects the dog is provided herein. Other eye diseases may or may not be hereditary. Ask your breeder for information about the sire's and dam's eye checks before purchasing a puppy.

Other hereditary issues in Shelties can be epilepsy, thyroid disorders (this can be life threatening if not treated) Hip Dysplasia, Pancreatitis, vWD (von Willebrand's Disease, a blood clotting disord, PDA (a potentially fatal heart disorder), PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy), Sheltie Skin Syndrome (Dermatomyositis) and many others. It is not known how some of these problems inherit, but most  breeders are trying their best to eliminate them. Ask your breeder if the parents of your prospective puppy have been cleared for eyes, hips, and vWD, as these are the most common problems breeders are facing these days. Do not let these scare you away from the breed! These problems and more are in every pure breed of dogs, and with some caution on your part you should be able to find a healthy, happy Sheltie puppy to join your family.

Contact Skyehaven

Sherrie and Cam Sparling
Ile-des-Chenes MB Canada
204.878.2957


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