INTRODUCTION
While I am a German Shepherd Dog breeder, I have much all-breed experience in handling, judging, and consulting; as a scientist I also have been drawn to certain medical aspects of cynology (dog science). This said, we proceed to the subject; viz., the fairly common occurrence of impaired health that is traceable to, or at least suspected of coming from, a defective hormone production and regulatory system — specifically involving the thyroid gland. Incidentally, some readers may already know that Greyhounds, GSDs, Chow-Chows, and a few other breeds have greater incidence of low thyroid activity than the general or average dog population. Some breeds of dogs do better (have less “need” of as much of the hormones) than others, but enough breeds do not, especially in the low normal range. If your vet picks up a textbook that tells him your dog must be healthy because it is within that range of “low-normal”, sing to him or her from the Gershwin song, “It ain’t necessarily so!” Also, remember that the base ranges that are now considered the norm were established on Beagles, and that breeds do indeed differ in regard to their hormone needs.
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This is part two of a four part article on canine digestive issues written by Fred Lanting. Please visit Fred’s site to read the rest of the article.
Commonly called bloat, sometimes described as gastric dilation/volvulus (GDV), this is a terrifying and frequently fatal disorder that German Shepherds and many other deep?chested dogs experience. A twisting of the entrance and exit to the stomach traps the food and gas. As the stomach swells, the twist is more unlikely to be relieved without veterinary help. Great strides in surgical treatment have been made, but the key to reducing the high mortality is still time. Recognize the symptoms and get the dog to a veterinary surgeon, preferably an emergency or trauma-oriented hospital. Simple dilation (swelling due to gas) may not be serious as long as the dog is able to pass food into the duodenum, but it has been estimated that 80 percent of all dogs that experience simple dilation will someday also have torsion. Continue Reading »
Breeders’ responses to early puppy deaths vary. Some expend a great deal of effort, while others “let nature take its course” and stoically hope the next breeding will be more successful. Many have discovered that neonatal puppy mortality is preventable or call be reduced through scrupulous attention to prenatal and postnatal care. These breeders, who in the past may have accepted 20 to 25 percent mortality before weaning, have learned that such losses can be reduced dramatically by simple changes in management, including veterinary checkups. Continue Reading »
There is no one “secret to a long and healthy life”, although many make money by selling books, products, and programs based on such a title and concept. But there certainly is a combination of ignorance and lack of will that inhibits most of us from reaching toward that goal.
As one trained in “the scientific method”, I am perhaps luckier than the average bear in finding a path through the forest of misinformation and pseudo-science. The heart of true science is clear observation of facts and their repeatable verification, which includes testing of the hypotheses under many conditions. I have been asked by several editors at various times, to write my “formula” for health and vigor. As soon as I do, however, there is still a chance that I could be suddenly diagnosed with fatal pancreatic cancer or have a piano fall on me from a third-story balcony because I couldn’t make out the lettering on the detour sign warning “keep clear”. Continue Reading »
