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Welcome, I will try to briefly describe some of the common health problems affecting our breed. Some of these are genetic. Some are not. Scroll down for information on some feeding do's and don'ts.
Luxating patellas---This is a very common problem that affects most toy breed dogs. It is caused by the groove in the plate of the kneecap usually being too shallow. Therefore the kneecap is not held firmly in place when the dog moves the knee as it should be. It causes the kneecap to move either to the inside or outside of the knee. It can also be affected by the tendons surrounding the kneecap not being strong and tight enough to properly hold the kneecap in place in this groove. There are 3 levels of this problem varying from very mild to very severe. Severe cases may justify costly surgery. Mild cases are usually tolerated quite well by the animal. Often the owner will not even be aware their dog has a mild case of this. It is genetic and hereditary. An affected dog should not be used for breeding. However this problem often shows up in an occasional dog here and there where it is not a problem in the family. This can also be the result of an injury. Even slight injury to the knee can loosen the kneecap and cause this to develop with time. PRA -- otherwise known as Progressive Retinal Atrophy. Causes blindness through atrophy of the retina. Onset can be at a young age but often is not apparent even through opthamologic eye testing until later in life. This disease is unpredictable. It is considered hereditary however it is often carried as a carrier. A dog which can produce this but doesn't show the disease himself. Making this problem difficult to control even with routine eye testing of breeding stock. Legg-Perthes disease-- This is a terrible disease that usually makes it's first appearance around 6-8 months of age. You will first notice a limp in the back leg. It will worsen until it is terribly painful. What happens with this disease is that the femur dies from a lack of proper blood flow. It begins to decay and deteriorate. Surgery can be done to remove the dead portion of the bone. This along with physical therapy usually results in comfortable life for the dog. It is a hereditary disease but the mode of inheritance is still very confusing and unclear. This disease is still being studied intensively for the mode of inheritance seems to defy the laws that we presently know. |
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Things to NEVER give any dog Chocolate- toxic and deadly in moderate to large doses.
Onions- Will cause blood problems and can result in death. Old fashioned rawhide chews- These have caused many many bowel obstructions resulting in costly and painful surgery. Cooked bones- they will splinter and cause stomach and intestinal damage. RAISINS & GRAPES Update following- Based on report provided by VMRCVM Vet Notes Animal Poison Control Center has documented multiple cases of grape and raisin poisoning in dogs within the last couple of years. Presumably, this has occurred in the past but attributed to other causes. What Kind of Grapes & Raisins? The source of the problem has been varied. Grapes of all varieties and growing conditions (including homegrown) have been implicated. Raisins are usually made from white seedless grapes, but all raisins of any source should be considered kidney toxic (chocolate covered raisins as well). Why? The toxic principle is unknown. Grapes contain low amounts of tannins compared to acorns, a known kidney toxicant in large animals. Grapes lack significant amounts of Vitamin D, another known kidney toxicant. It is unlikely pesticide residue is involved due to the wide variety of grape types involved. So far the majority of toxicosis reports have been in dogs. However, feeding grapes or raisins to cats and ferrets should also be discouraged, as poisonings have been reported in these species as well. How Many Would Poison Your Dog? The minimum toxic dose is approximately 0.3 oz/kg body weight. This would correspond to about 2 grapes per kg body weight, or roughly 1 grape per pound of body weight. 15 lb dog = 12-14 grapes could be deadly 25 lb. dog = 23 grapes could be deadly 50 lb. dog = 50+ grapes could be deadly 75 lb. dog = 75 grapes could be deadly Raisins, having lost their water content are considered more toxic at 6 raisins per kg of body weight, or 2-3 raisins per pound of body weight. Think how many raisins are in ONE small snack pack of raisins – maybe enough to kill your dog. 15 lb. dog = 30-45 raisins could be deadly 25 lb. dog = 50-75 raisins could be deadly 50 lb. dog = 100-150 raisins could be deadly 75 lb. dog = 150-225 raisins could be deadly What are the symptoms? Symptoms appear 6-24 hours after the dog eats raisins or grapes (average is 12 hours). Initially, symptoms are gastro-intestinal signs, followed by kidney problems. Vomiting is usually the primary sign, with diarrhea, depression/lethargy, anorexia, colic, dehydration and sharply decreased urine output. The course of the toxicosis is anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks. Dogs with kidney problems have a guarded to poor prognosis. Diagnosis is based on history of recent exposure and clinical signs. On bloodwork, the kidney values are increased. Typically BUN, creatinine, phosphorus and potassium are elevated (sometimes serum calcium as well). The urine sediment will have hyaline casts and the urine specific gravity will be either hyposthenuric or isosthenuric (diluted to the concentration of water of less concentrated than water) at SG 1.006 to 1.010. Treatment If the raisins or grapes have been ingested within 2-3 hours, vomiting should be induced followed by activated charcoal to limit further absorption. Treatment is based on preventing further absorption if appropriate and maintaining urine output & electrolyte balance. The vet may also give an osmotic cathartic (to speed up GI passage of toxin without absorption). The animal should receive an isotonic saline solution IV at twice maintenance rates for 48 hours. Anti-nausea medication, diuretics and peritoneal dialysis may be needed in some cases. |
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