Perhaps one may think I am haranguing dog fanciers about correct forequarter assemblies, but I believe that this excerpt is well worth a quick glance, especially for Irish Wolfhound fanciers. Many purebred dog fanciers, as well as Thoroughbred Race Horse enthusiasts, are familiar with the name Mrs. Florence Nagle. For those who may not be, just click on her name for more information, though, suffice to say she was the Grand Dame of Irish Wolfhounds.
Update on Respiratory Virus
As I posted on April 18, after returning home from an indoor all-breed kennel club dog show (see Possible Respiratory Virus Warning post for more info) I can confirm that we, in fact, had picked up a respiratory virus, a.k.a. Kennel Cough. We have two hounds symptomatic with a cough and nasal discharge and one or more others who are coughing without fever. We are temping everyone diligently because the strain originating in Chicago was and is both stealthy and a killer. As reported by my veterinarian, many dogs in that region were behaving normally and were asymptomatic of a cough yet had fevers, and sadly, some died as it was too late.
My veterinarian and I are pursuing a proactive but cautious approach, using Cephalexin on hound(s) with nasal discharge and temping them several times daily. Though we may be conservative, we urge caution against complacency, especially if it is possible that this is the Chicago strain.
One hound was on Cephalexin for four days and did not respond favorably nor quickly enough to our satisfaction, though his temperature was slightly above normal. Therefore, we chose to switch his antibiotic. Due to his being a yearling, age 21 months, I am cautious about using an antibiotic drug that may cause problems during the developing stages of growth in a dog under 18 months of age, such as Baytril or Ciprofloxacin. Though many people assume that the growth plates are closed by the age of 21 months, I believe, in my considered opinion, he is not entirely grown. In my experience, he still has not fully developed and appears quite youthful. So, instead, we are using a combination antibiotic, Clavamox, to treat the bacterial infection, without the risk to further, if any, growth stages. We did so at a significantly greater expense as the drug had to be purchased at our local pharmacy. Though it can be purchased online at a reputable, veterinary pharmacy, such as Drs. Foster & Smith, we did not have time to have it shipped. Notably, this antibiotic drug has a relatively short shelf-life, so we do not keep it on hand. To treat this particular hound's cough we are using Tramadol with good results.
For a wolfhound without nasal discharge nor temperature, we are not treating with any drugs, but again, we monitor their temperatures closely. In general, we will use a cough suppressant, an excellent choice being Robitussin DM. However, the administration is not easy and must be done carefully, so the hound does not aspirate the syrup. Lastly, I administer a good quality Probiotic in pill form to any hound being treated with antibiotic and I also increase all the wolfhound's Vitamin C supplement to as much as 4000 mg per day, given throughout the day and with food. Any questions, just ask.
Type or Soundness, Which Do You Choose?
A long time ago, in what seemed to be a different world from that of today's purebred dog conformation sport, conversations used to take place regarding type and soundness. Back then, we read magazine interviews of well-known judges and one paraphrased question often put to them was "Which would you choose, type or soundness?" As was often the case, many all-breed judges replied, "You cannot have one without the other."
Possible Respiratory Virus Warning
A quick alert to everybody. Please be aware that after attending the Trap Falls Kennel Club on April 10, 2016, at the Eastern Exposition Center, otherwise known as the Big E, in Springfield Massachusetts one of my exhibited wolfhounds is symptomatic of kennel cough. Notably, this was our wolfhounds first indoor dog show, therefore, we had spent a great deal of time inside getting them acclimated to the environment as it provided valuable training. Normally, when I attend indoor dog shows I spend as little time inside as possible to limit my hounds exposure to potential viruses.
We are in the beginning stages of this kennel cough, to the best of my observation, so the severity of this particular virus is still yet to be known. It could be a minor respiratory virus that will not require aggressive drug protocols. I will repost if it does become a much more serious viral infection.
Toxins in Motel & Hotel Rooms
Recently, my husband and I attended an all-breed dog show and our ring time made it necessary for us to get a motel room the night before. Because we would not arrive until 11:00 PM and were checking out at around 6:30AM, I reserved a room at a budget hotel chain. It was only for 6 or 7 hours so why spend the extra money on a higher priced hotel room. It was here that I had growing concerns on an issue that I do not believe has even crossed people's minds: formaldehyde emissions from substandard flooring and furniture in budget motel accommodations.....
The Front End
Lately, having returned from a specialty breed show, as well as an all-breed dog show, I am now, more than ever, flummoxed with the quality of purebred dogs. I will add more conversations and thoughts on several other topics, but this post is concerning the forequarter assembly. I am speechless about the condition of front ends on dogs.
The central and important principle to understand is that a canine’s front end is responsible for supporting more than half of the dog’s weight. These bones are not useless or trivial components of the canine anatomy.
Here We Go Again, Foreign Dog Show Judges
Well, I am just back from a Specialty Breed Dog Show with another International Judge presiding over the judging competition, and all I can say is, here we go again! There are too many instances of foreign judges who are not familiar with AKC Procedures presiding over AKC dog show assignments. We are continuously running into the same problem, over and over again.
Looking Back
While researching material on my computer for a friend of mine I rediscovered this intriguing and somewhat humorous article I wrote in 2005, at the request of the Irish Wolfhound Club of England for their annual magazine. Wow, it brought me back in time. It is entertaining (in a dark way) in several parts as it describes trials & tribulations of dog show travel, but it also provides insights into our breed. Take a look back in time....
The 6 Pillars of Choosing Commercial Pet Foods
OK, so you choose not to Naturally Rear your dogs and are feeding commercial dog food. Here is a re-post of Dr. Jean Dodds "The 6 Pillars of Choosing Pet Food" that may aid you in your quest to provide the best nutrition possible for your dogs. I also included her "Food Sourcing: Six Tips When Choosing Your Pet’s Diet" that can be of value as you wade through all the different brands of pet foods...Read more!
It's All About the Money!
Our purebred dog conformation events have been transformed. The first sentence in the AKC Mission Statement is, “The American Kennel Club is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its Registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function.” I would suggest “...and breeding for type and function” needs reconsideration and updating......
While We Are on the Subject!
Update on my Airline Travel Blog Post
Here is news worth sharing related to my Airline Travel post on March 11. Oh, the joys of airline travel! An old friend flew in from San Diego to the East Coast yesterday and on one leg of the trip another passenger was having emergency heart problems. Thankfully, there was a Doctor on board and reportedly stabilized the patient with the emergency equipment on board, but not without even more drama as the pilots warned all passengers that the flight was going to have to make an emergency landing.
Then on the second leg of this same trip, a passenger seated next to my friend was vomiting in her airsick bag nearly the whole flight! All the stewards did was to give her more airsick bags and club soda. Though, I sympathize with this ill person, it seems to me that the best course of action would have been to move them to one of the restrooms instead of leaving them to continuously wretch in front of and next to close quarter seatmates. Or, even temporarily place the ill person in the stewards flight seat outside the restroom.
How can you leave a passenger wretching like that in such cramped areas, particularly with the risk of other passengers getting sick due to the repulsive smell and sounds? Can you imagine? You are seated in a 17-inch wide airline seat and the person next to you is vomiting nearly the whole trip! I know I would not be able to stand it. Unbelievable, go ahead airlines -- make the seats even smaller.
The Disappearance of the Old-Guard
The Old Guard, canine husbandry’s authorities, are sadly leaving us. Indeed, as unfortunate as this is, it also leaves us with a very pressing issue. Many of the Old-Guard had an underlying foundation of knowledge of other species such as horses and cattle and were able to apply it efficiently and successfully to canine breeds. Their departures are especially worrisome when you consider who may be filling their ranks....
Dog Show Judges & Airline Travel
A Holistic Approach to Anesthesia for Pets
Dr. Jean Dodds, DVM, new blog post, in case you have not read it, on a holistic approach to anesthesia for Pets by Shawn Messonnier, DVM, especially for teeth cleaning...
My friend and colleague, Dr. Shawn Messonnier, was very kind to pen this article on anesthesia for pets – particularly in regards to dental cleanings. Dr. Messonnier, a 1987 graduate of Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, opened Paws & Claws Animal Hospital in Plano, Texas, in 1991. He has written several articles for many of the top pet publications in the nation. - Jean Dodds, DVM
Most pets have periodontal disease that must be addressed. This involves cleaning the teeth, and a proper dental cleaning must be done under sedation/anesthesia in order to thoroughly treat the periodontal pockets below the gum line that accompany dental disease.
A holistic approach to anesthesia is a safe alternative to traditional anesthetics. The holistic approach allows minimal amounts of sedation/anesthesia to be used, minimizing risk to the patient, even in older dogs and cats, and ensuring a quick and complete recovery. We typically do dental cleanings and tumor removals using this approach on small and medium-sized dogs and cats 15 years of age and older without any harm to the pet! For larger and giant sized breeds, the age to be cautious with anesthesia can be 10-12years.
At my clinic in Plano, Texas, we’ve had great success using this holistic anesthetic approach, so much so that we get patients from around the area (and even from out of state) in order to minimize the risk of sedation and anesthesia. By using this approach we’ve been able to help even high risk patients have necessary surgery for cleaning the teeth and removing tumors.
The approach involves a proper pre-sedation evaluation, and choosing the right anesthetic based upon this evaluation. Tiny doses of sedatives/anesthetics are used, just enough to allow the pet to lightly sleep while the teeth are properly and thoroughly cleaned. With this approach, the pet is barely asleep, minimizing the risks so often seen with more traditional anesthesia (depressed heart and lung function, lowered body temperature, etc.) Once the procedure is finished the pet can go home fully awake (without the hangover effect so commonly seen with traditional anesthesia) and acting totally normal.
There is no reason your pet, even an older pet, shouldn’t have proper medical care just because of a fear of anesthesia. Please look into a more gentle, safe, and natural approach to anesthesia and surgery and your pet will not only survive but even thrive and awake healthier!
http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/139796181181/holistic-anesthesia-dental-dogs
Purebred Dog Breeding Practices
A friend of mine sent me a recent article from the Albany Times Union Newspaper titled, "Regulate Breeding Practices." Presumably, this article is just one of the thousands that appear on a regular basis throughout the country damning purebred dogs. Most likely many dog fanciers dismissed it accordingly, as it is by yet another misinformed animal rights lackey bloviating about purebred dogs...
Six-Pack Abs
In my opinion, as a Judge, there is nearly nothing more satisfying than examining a dog whose muscling is hard as a rock. Truly, nowadays this is a rarity because many dog entries are poorly conditioned having soft and squishy muscling. In fact, this is not localized to a few breeds but runs the gamut of our breeds...
What Are They Looking For?
Have you recently heard this question ringside at a dog show? Perhaps even you have asked this a hundred times over. More often than not, it is posed rhetorically as a reflection or criticism of your observation. I am referencing the deliberations and decisions made by the AKC dog show judge. We all at one time or another have stood ringside and observed judges that have left us shaking our heads and muttering, “I must have missed something!” Even more frustrating is attending our breed specialties, and we are left altogether bewildered. Here, in particular, we ask, “What are they looking for?” ...
Parent Club Shared Services
Currently, Parent Club’s organize independent national specialties across the country all the while incurring excessive costs for just up to two hundred entries. We should consider consolidating some of these national specialties, holding them simultaneously resulting in shared costs. What about implementing ‘enhanced parent club shared services.’ More specifically, what I have in mind are related breed’s hosting their national specialties together while sharing services...read more!