gundoglover

I don't know this product. I've found that either kelp powder or livamol works for "winter nose" in retrievers. You only need a small amount. But the breed of dog may make a difference - different products may work for different breeds.

Perhaps a mouse that had eating rat poison elsewhere, crawled into your yard to die & your dog ate the mouse?

According to the vet, heartworm is not an issue in my area due to the cold weather making it hard for mosquito populations to persist. However, I use Revolution for flea, mites, worms (apart from tape) & it also does heartworm. So, if I travel to a show in heartworm areas, I don't have to worry.

It is worthwhile having the murmur investigated. Murmurs can have multiple causes - holes, valve problems, dog breathing heavily while being ausculated, etc. An xray will show structural deformities but won't show flow problems. For that you need a doppler ultrasound. I would take the trouble to have the investigation because it has been known for dogs to have idiopathic murmurs with no disease. It would be a pity for your dog to be on medication unnecessarily. If I were you I would contact the closest university veterinary school and see if they have the equipment and will do the test cheaply (to train students). This way you will get an opinion from a specialist veterinary cardiologist on the teaching faculty.

John Shanks, Gundog & Obedience judge, founder of Werriwa ABDTC, foundation member of Golden Retriever Club of NSW, passed away yesterday after a long illness. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday 17th February, 10 am, in the North Chapel of Forest Lawn Crematorium, Camden Valley Way, Leppington. The family invites all John's friends to attend the service and join them for morning tea in the cafe at Forest Lawn following the service.

I've fed raw meaty bones for more than 20 years. It doesn't seem to weaken pasterns or feet - if anything, the feet and pasterns get strengthening exercise from holding the bones while the dog eats. Dogs with longer pasterns seem to take longer to come up on them. It is important to feed the meat with the bone. That way they get the balanced minerals from the bone. Feeding calcium without the correct balance of phosphorus and magnesium will lead to joint problems. So, if the dog is fed the raw meat without the accompanying bones small enough to chew and digest (or sufficient ground sterilized bonemeal - not the stuff that goes on the garden), they will be worse off than if they are just fed a good kibble. I note that others have had problems with impaction (and vets would see these, when they occur, so this would influence their views). The meaty bones that I feed are always raw and from small or young animals and a variety of sources: chicken, lamb, veal, pork. Once or twice a week they get sardines, yoghurt & an egg. Each day, they get a spoonful of oil (cod liver, olive or sunflower) and kelp powder. The oil may act as a lubricant because I have never had a dog with a bowel impaction (or maybe I've just been lucky). ETA: I've fed puppies from weaning on this diet with no problems. It is important to keep puppies from becoming overweight - too much weight will flatten feet and bend pasterns!

How is she today?

Sounds like she may have injured the toe or nail. I had a dog who dislocated a toe once who behaved in a similar way to that which you've described. It is worth a trip to the vet if the dog doesn't spontaneously improve soon. Early treatment usually leads to quicker recovery.

Dr Willis has been collecting HD scores for breeds for a few decades. From this database he calculates the heritability of HD for these breeds, eg 40% for German Shepherds, 25% for Golden Retrievers. The heritability is that part of the variability in HD in a breed that can be influenced by breeding. The other component is from environmental factors (rearing, feeding, exercise, etc). Heritabilities are different for various breeds because they differ in the degree of variability they display, and therefore the breeding choices available. As a breed, Golden Retrievers are more similar to each other in radiographic hip construction than German Shepherds. So, Golden Retriever breeders require more generations to reduce the level of radiographic HD in their breeding programs than German Shepherd breeders. For both breeds the environmental factors outweigh the heritable component. However, selection of sire and dam and puppy environment up to about 8 weeks are the only factors that breeders have in their control. Hence the importance of x-raying breeding stock and being aware of the HD status of their near relatives.