Best Way To Approach Breeder.

[SilverHaze]

A line of dogs in our kennel (all the racing lines) have talons. It doesn't matter how often you cut them - they are as long if not long than the nails on the dog pictured. The grow so quickly it just amazes me. I'm forever pinning them down and cutting nails (and i'm not hesitant about taking a fair whack off each nail!)! Yet my boy from completely different lines barely needs his touched once a year!

Nails can be very deceiving!

Hope the visit the Gary brings some good news. I swear by a good chiro over a regular vet any day for all things musculature.

[Dogsfevr]

. Not sure why others are having a knicker twist over them.

Simply because long nails do alter the way a dog walks & the way the foot sits.

When this altered it affects muscles & other aspects of the dog .

Also the longer the nails the longer the quik grows & the less you can trim off.

We see dogs weekly with long nails & i can safely say most have flat feet or walk a tad odd to compensate due to the nails often curling under the foot.

Commen sense would tell you its uncomfortable

Just consider the way we walk if we get a blister on our foot

You will also see dogs with longs nails especially on slippery surfaces slip & slide more or grasp the ground with grim death.

Edited April 10, 2009 by settrlvr

[Dory the Doted One]

Hi Settr...Oh, I get that. I truly do. Just seemed that so many people were focussed on the length of the nails and not really reading what the issue was. Why beat the owner up? Especially after they said that the dog had been inactive and the nails weren't accessible.

I know heaps of people that only get their dogs nails done when it goes to the groomers or the vet clinic. And it is SHOCKING the number of times they aren't 'really' done because the groomer/nurse/vet was a erred on the side of caustion and barely even took the tip off. Which is annoying when you are the Vet Nurse that gets them when they do have talons and you can't do a damn thing with them because the quick is too close. And the owners don't bother to check because they trust and rely on their service provider to have done them for them.

My other peeve with the postings was that I have seen so many 'good' dog owners and breeders with dogs that have talons. My OWN dog has talons. I don't need it pointed it out, endlessly. Dory spends a large part of life sleeping on the couch, walking on the beach (soft sand) or driving in the car. Now we have a paved yard, but she is pretty lazy unless you are doing something with her. She's a pain to clip nails on, and lately I haven't had a chance to sit still long enough to file her nails...hence talons. It's very easily done.

You know what....LOL...whatever....it's the nature of forums. Everyone wants to contribute in some way, and if that means banging on about something that has been endlessly banged on...who are we to judge? I'm doing it right now.

[Chocolate]

OK, so I've contacted the breeder, and yes, I feel like an idiot for not doing it sooner. She has said that she hasn't come across it before but to increase vit C just as a matter of course.

Great you've spoken with the breeder but I'm not sure the advice is sound regarding the vit c. It seems to be one of those recommendations passed from breeder to breeder without a sound knowledge base.

[Fyscha]

From what I can gather the idea behind vit c is that it helps the body absorb all the other vitamins and minerals more effectively. Coming from more sources than just the breeder. From what I've read elsewhere, yes, it seems to be a pretty common recommendation, but also a good one. If there is a reason you think otherwise I'd be glad to hear it, but at the moment I don't think it will hurt anything.

[Crisovar]

OK, so I've contacted the breeder, and yes, I feel like an idiot for not doing it sooner. She has said that she hasn't come across it before but to increase vit C just as a matter of course.

Great you've spoken with the breeder but I'm not sure the advice is sound regarding the vit c. It seems to be one of those recommendations passed from breeder to breeder without a sound knowledge base.

Do you think that maybe sometimes Breeders do know about these thing

[Crisovar]

. Not sure why others are having a knicker twist over them.

Simply because long nails do alter the way a dog walks & the way the foot sits.

When this altered it affects muscles & other aspects of the dog .

Also the longer the nails the longer the quik grows & the less you can trim off.

We see dogs weekly with long nails & i can safely say most have flat feet or walk a tad odd to compensate due to the nails often curling under the foot.

Commen sense would tell you its uncomfortable

Just consider the way we walk if we get a blister on our foot

You will also see dogs with longs nails especially on slippery surfaces slip & slide more or grasp the ground with grim death.

Totally agree, and so many dogs have issues with their feet that cause them pain that simple regular nail trimming would have prevented.

I becomes a viscous circle the nails get too long the dog is uncomfortable or in pain walking, they walk even less, nails get longer.

It is a very important and often neglected aspect of pet ownership.

So if some of us seem to be banging on about it, well there is good reason.

[Danois]

OK, so I've contacted the breeder, and yes, I feel like an idiot for not doing it sooner. She has said that she hasn't come across it before but to increase vit C just as a matter of course.

Great you've spoken with the breeder but I'm not sure the advice is sound regarding the vit c. It seems to be one of those recommendations passed from breeder to breeder without a sound knowledge base.

Vit C is very beneficial for problem feet (caused by growth as opposed to bad structure) - its not a 'breeder' theory but is actually widely used. It helps with the pasterns and also corrects east/west feet - especially when a puppy is teething.

This is because Vitamin C helps proper calcium absorption and a dog (like a human) cannot produce and store their own Vit C. This is a well established scientific fact.

Dogs excrete any excess Vit C in their urine so you cannot overdose them on it.

[raz]

Yeah, we are booked in to see Gary Barnsley, from what I can gather he is a pretty good choice for our second opinion.

I took one of my dogs to Gary. I was very happy with the treatment.

[mita]

This is because Vitamin C helps proper calcium absorption and a dog (like a human) cannot produce and store their own Vit C. This is a well established scientific fact.

Yes, that advice is given to women who have to take supplements for osteoporosis.

[Chocolate]

This is because Vitamin C helps proper calcium absorption and a dog (like a human) cannot produce and store their own Vit C. This is a well established scientific fact.

Yes, that advice is given to women who have to take supplements for osteoporosis.

Women are human not canine though.

[Chocolate]

OK, so I've contacted the breeder, and yes, I feel like an idiot for not doing it sooner. She has said that she hasn't come across it before but to increase vit C just as a matter of course.

Great you've spoken with the breeder but I'm not sure the advice is sound regarding the vit c. It seems to be one of those recommendations passed from breeder to breeder without a sound knowledge base.

Vit C is very beneficial for problem feet (caused by growth as opposed to bad structure) - its not a 'breeder' theory but is actually widely used. It helps with the pasterns and also corrects east/west feet - especially when a puppy is teething.

This is because Vitamin C helps proper calcium absorption and a dog (like a human) cannot produce and store their own Vit C. This is a well established scientific fact.

Dogs excrete any excess Vit C in their urine so you cannot overdose them on it.

You are right that humans cannot produce their own vit c but incorrect regarding dogs.

[Chocolate]

OK, so I've contacted the breeder, and yes, I feel like an idiot for not doing it sooner. She has said that she hasn't come across it before but to increase vit C just as a matter of course.

Great you've spoken with the breeder but I'm not sure the advice is sound regarding the vit c. It seems to be one of those recommendations passed from breeder to breeder without a sound knowledge base.

Do you think that maybe sometimes Breeders do know about these thing

I think that it's possible that because a breeder knew Vit C to be good for humans they asssumed it was the same for dogs and so the word spread from breeder to breeder.

[Chocolate]

From what I can gather the idea behind vit c is that it helps the body absorb all the other vitamins and minerals more effectively. Coming from more sources than just the breeder. From what I've read elsewhere, yes, it seems to be a pretty common recommendation, but also a good one. If there is a reason you think otherwise I'd be glad to hear it, but at the moment I don't think it will hurt anything.

It can hurt your dog's kidney's and liver. Dog's make their own Vit C you don't need to supplement it.

[mita]

This is because Vitamin C helps proper calcium absorption and a dog (like a human) cannot produce and store their own Vit C. This is a well established scientific fact.

Yes, that advice is given to women who have to take supplements for osteoporosis.

Women are human not canine though.

Fair comment, Chocolate.

[Fyscha]

Ah you've gotta love forums.

Everyone has a different opinion and everyone thinks they are right. Human nature I guess.

It makes it hard for those of us who know we don't know and are looking for information.

For now, I think I'll keep her on Vit C and discuss it with the vet in a week.

Thanks for the input chocolate, I will look into it further.

Edited April 11, 2009 by Fyscha

[rebbullamstafs]

Not real sure where you are, or even what vet you have already used, but 2 vets i would highly recomend are Bruce Thompson in Orange (Springside Vets) and Ruth Thompson at Blayney, we had a dog we bred quite a few years back had a ligament problem in her front feet, Bruce gave us some tablets, no idea what they were now, we joked and called then elastic tablets, as thats what her feet and legs looked like at the time, so came home gave her them twice a day crated her for 2 weeks, and it worked miricales, she has never had a problem since and is now 6 years old.

However the owners who we took her from in regards to the problem had also been feeding her nothing but cooked food, as that what they ate, so the dog can too, was thier reasoning.

We never feed puppy food to our pups, always a good quality dry adult dry food.

and as many are saying loose gravel, or big stones, we have blue metal dust in our runs, and it really helps with flat feet and pastern problems, bought a dog with bad feet, and in about a month of having on the blue metal dust his feet were nice again.

My pet hate i am sorry is flat feet!!

[Danois]

This is because Vitamin C helps proper calcium absorption and a dog (like a human) cannot produce and store their own Vit C. This is a well established scientific fact.

Yes, that advice is given to women who have to take supplements for osteoporosis.

Women are human not canine though.

OK, so I've contacted the breeder, and yes, I feel like an idiot for not doing it sooner. She has said that she hasn't come across it before but to increase vit C just as a matter of course.

Great you've spoken with the breeder but I'm not sure the advice is sound regarding the vit c. It seems to be one of those recommendations passed from breeder to breeder without a sound knowledge base.

Do you think that maybe sometimes Breeders do know about these thing

I think that it's possible that because a breeder knew Vit C to be good for humans they asssumed it was the same for dogs and so the word spread from breeder to breeder.

From what I can gather the idea behind vit c is that it helps the body absorb all the other vitamins and minerals more effectively. Coming from more sources than just the breeder. From what I've read elsewhere, yes, it seems to be a pretty common recommendation, but also a good one. If there is a reason you think otherwise I'd be glad to hear it, but at the moment I don't think it will hurt anything.

It can hurt your dog's kidney's and liver. Dog's make their own Vit C you don't need to supplement it.

Chocolate - this seems to be something you have knowledge of - can you perhaps point me in the direction of articles/ research to this extent as I am interested in reading more on this as it refutes every thing I have ever read and been advised.

I stand corrected on the production of it - however at times a dog can require more than it can produce (teething for example) so supplementation is beneficial.

Excess is excreted through kidneys.

Wish I was the breeder who started it all - even research fellows in canine neuropathy in the big old States have seized on their little idea and done research on it.

[Chocolate]

Danois here is one resource link:

http://home.att.net/~wdcusick/013.html

[Chocolate]

Ah you've gotta love forums.

Everyone has a different opinion and everyone thinks they are right. Human nature I guess.

It makes it hard for those of us who know we don't know and are looking for information.

For now, I think I'll keep her on Vit C and discuss it with the vet in a week.

Thanks for the input chocolate, I will look into it further.

Fyscha, I know what you're saying, it's difficult to know what to do for the best sometimes. Good luck with your pup.