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When the Animal Protection Act Fails Us in Alberta.

Its time to talk about ethical breeding practices and the sub standard care the majority of Alberta breeders provide.

As I am aware that this may not be a popular post, it is an essential one. Especially for buyers, vet clinic employees, rescues and new breeders starting out.

The Alberta Animal Protection Act has been recently updated to reflect the newest ABVMA regulations and restrictions on unnecessary cosmetic surgeries with dogs, yet still lacks sufficient support to implement a breeder registry and mandatory licensing for breeders. In fact in many areas of Alberta (counties and cities), there are no restrictions at all regarding breeding dogs in your home, garage, property etc. As long as the dogs are provided with adequate shelter food and water, there is little concern to their quality of life.

This is where things get tricky and we need to examine what an appropriate quality of life looks like. Essential emotional, social and physical stimulation is required to meet the needs of any animal (humans included), yet still most breeders approach dogs as “livestock” and although you can breed ethically as a license business meeting those animals needs, most choose not too as the overhead for that additional care is not optional for them, or simply not important.

There are many types of breeding programs and set ups that can be functional with the appropriate education, employees and income - but still Alberta often functions on a sub standard level of both education and care.

When you as a buyer view dogs stacked in garages, or kennels and they clearly lack the space and interaction required for successful development, you need to walk away. So often I hear, “but I saved that puppy” - WRONG. By purchasing that dog you perpetuated the cycle and did exactly what that breeder wanted you to do. And because you paid the money asked for that dog, that person will continue to produce more puppies in those conditions.

YOU AS THE BUYER CONTROL THE MARKET. If no one buys the dogs / puppies for the price requested, then the person selling those dogs will likely reconsider the amount of dogs they produce.

It is also incredibly important that we define the difference between “breeders, and “people making dogs”.

So often a real breeder is discredited based on the actions of someone making more dogs for financial gain. So to define what a real breeder looks like let’s state a few points.

A breeder should and will:

have goals for their program

health test their dogs (DNA panelling is the basic)

have extensive knowledge regarding their breed, genetics and the political / economical industry surrounding their breed

usually have a business license and legitimate recognition of their income

provide above standard care for their dogs meeting their emotional, physical, medical and social needs

have a good relationship with one or more vet clinics

Have contracts

know their rights as well as the dogs and the buyers

Make ethical decisions regarding the dogs in their care BEFORE financial gain

Be an active member of one or more recognized, legitimate and established kennel clubs

Register their dogs and know their pedigrees

Have a lifetime return policy on their dogs

Pay taxes on their income

Encourage and mentor when appropriate and needed

Rescue and rehome dogs of the same breed even if they are not their own production

Work with buyers and manage medical issues of the dogs they produce

Practice honestly, transparency and advocacy

Have an established social media presence and reputation

Show their dogs (where applicable)

Backyard Breeders often disguise themselves as reputable breeders ruining the sanctity of dog breed conservation. To help buyers, vet / rescue/ authority personal and aspiring breeders identify what an irresponsible person creating more dogs looks like, let’s state a few facts:

Houses dogs in inadequate living conditions

Fails to meet the animals emotional, physical and medical well being

Provides the minimal standard of care -Reproductively abuses and animal by breeding it too young, too old, too many times and/or in dangerous unethical and unsanitary conditions

Allows puppies to leave their mothers at 6 weeks

Allows dogs to die while in their care due to preventable conditions

Does not have strong relationship with any vet clinic

Does not register their dogs

Does not health test their dogs

Does not belong to any recognized legitimate kennel clubs or registries

Has or has had animal cruelty/neglect charges against them

Cannot financially afford to feed or meet their dogs medical requirements

Allows the animals to live outside year round (breed specific exemptions)

Does not have references

Has no traceable social media presence

Only accepts cash

How do you identify breeders from people making more dogs? ASK QUESTIONS. And if they can’t or won’t answer them, move on.

The reality is that all breeders are going to have dogs with issues at some point in their program, that’s just genetics and the law of averages. As much as a breeder tracks their lines and health tests there are so many recessive genes that cannot be tested for and congenital birth defects  that cannot be predicted. That being said, a responsible breeder will work with a reasonable and rational buyer to find a solution and deliver the best quality of care for their dogs.

This brings me to the main point of this post. Animal abuse, neglect and blatant disregard for an animals well being and development.

Many breeders in Alberta turn a blind eye to the obvious care concerns in other “people / breeders” programs. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen breeders continue to work with individuals knowing their standard of ethics is sub par. I have seen many upsetting things, and quietly from behind the scenes advocated for those animals in need.

But now its time for everyone in this community to open their eyes.

Melissa Radis (MM Bulldogs) has been breeding for long enough to understand what is required of this breed. Without getting into slander or personal opinions, it is time to simply share some facts.

Melissa Radis currently has 15 charges of animal cruelty/ abuse and neglect against her in the city of Edmonton resulting in her dogs being seized and a ban from owning or breeding domestic animals. Yet, she continues to breed and other breeders continue to support her by studding their dogs to her.

Now to their credit most people are unaware of these charges and conditions, which is what this post is valuable. Melissa has many Co-Own families that house her dogs, which is why this post is essential.

If you have a dog from Melissa Radis (MM Bulldogs) as a pet or on a Co-own, please know that she cannot legally own  dogs based on these animal neglect and abuse charges. Please also review the pictures to know the conditions your dog is being kept in while it is in her care for breeding / whelping. YOU HAVE RIGHTS TO THAT DOG AND CAN KEEP IT FROM HER REACH. You also are that dogs ONLY ADVOCATE.

She is currently out on bail and has breeched all of her conditions. She also has new additional charges being added to her docket for this months (May 2020) court dates. If you have an active co-own dog of Melissa’s that is being bred, has recently been bred or has puppies on the ground, please contact the Edmonton Police Services and report it.

Be advised that Melissa is violent, aggressive and a methamphetamine addict who has an extensive case with the Edmonton Police Services. She is dangerous and will send criminals and other addicts to your home to try to reclaim her dogs.

CALL THE POLICE AND GET A RESTRAINING ORDER.

If you are a breeder who supports, associates or works with Melissa, my question to you is why? Why sacrifice your ethics and reputation based on her actions?

If you are a buyer love your dogs and keep it away from her. If you are a potential or future buyer, I hope this factual information is enough to dissuade you from supporting her.

It is time we started to ban unethical breeding practices as a community. If we stand together and discredit and ostracize people who are unethically breeding dogs within our community we can make an impact where the APA and Animal Control fail us, but most importantly fail these dogs.

Build better breeding practices. Lead by example.

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Some of the official court evidence against Melissa Radis of MM Bulldogs.

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Pododermatitis in dogs

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Interdigital Cysts (Pododermatitis)

Pododermatitis is not really a diseases but an inflammation caused by a multitude of underlying disorders. It’s more like a general term used to describe an affected dogs inflamed paws. The inflammation definitely leads to irritation on the dog’s toes, nails and foot pads. They become swollen and painful to the extent your pet is unable to even walk properly. If your dog has a cheerful and playful personality, pododermatitis can stop him right in his tracks.

The symptoms may vary depending on the underlying disorders and the observations made by the clients. These are the most common complaints:

Redness especially on the paws

Chronic foot licking and salivary staining

Bleeding in the paws or foot digits

Excessively biting at the paws or nails

Foul odor

Sloughing pads or nails

The dog may become lame or have difficulties walking on hard surfaces

Ulcerations of the paws

Thickening of the pads

Aneroxia, weight loss or vomiting

There are several conditions or disorders that are commonly named as the culprit behind Pododermatitis. These are the typical causes;

Allergies

Some environmental allergies can cause this condition in dogs. They usually cause inflammation in the skin. Skin allergies tend to occur commonly in the dogs as young as 4 months. They affect mainly the feet resulting in scratching, rubbing, licking and chewing at the affected areas. The triggers for such allergic reactions can be food items or other times airborne allergens such as dust mites and pollen.

Anatomical factors

Anatomical factors comprise of dog paws and toes that have developed poorly. You will find that the bigger dog breeds have predisposed weight bearing. However, dogs with obesity and conformational disorders may easily suffer from Pododermatitis because of improper weight bearing distribution. This might increase friction between the skin and the footpads.

Parasites

The mite Demodex is a parasite that can infect the haired skin found on the dog’s feet. This parasite can be found in limited numbers in the skin of most dogs. However, in others due to a compromised immune system the mite can grow in large numbers resulting in swelling, hair loss and bleeding sores.

Other factors

Bacterial and fungal infections may trigger this inflammation to occur in dogs. It’s also attributed to conditions such as cancer, decreased levels of the thyroid hormone, trauma, increase in the levels of steroids and poor grooming.

Diagnosis

The vet may take a skin scrapping to determine if there are demodex mangemites.

A cytology which examines the existence of bacterial or yeast.

Allergy tests, biopsies and a surgical exploration if an allergy is suspected to be the cause.

Treatment

Since there are multiple potential causes of this condition, a specific diagnosis has to be made before administering treatment. In the case of allergic or immune-related causes, the condition cannot be cured, although there are many holistic supplements that can be used to help boost the immune system. The goal here will be to reduce the clinical signs and prevent recurrences.

Foreign bodies are simply identified and then removed to solve the problem. If the underlying cause is a hormonal disease, then the vet may decide to supplement with the hormone especially in the instances of hypothyroidism. On the other hand, a cancerous tumor is removed through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

Sometimes the issue may be generalized demodicosis. The treatment involves ivermectin or milbemycin.

Interdigital cysts can be cured by draining and applying a antiseptic topical daily or epson salt soaks.

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The development of Calcinosis cutis in a Bulldog post radiation for a Pituitary mass.

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Calcinosis cutis - the long term effects of Steroids

I would like to take a moment to talk about steroids and the long term effects they have on bulldogs (any dog for that matter).

If you have adopted from our program then you know we promote a home cooked, raw diet with supplements as well as reaching for holistic or over the counter meds before using vet prescribed steroids and antibiotics that have steroids.

Allergies are a part of owning a bulldog, and believe it or not its pretty impossible to breed out. But many purebreds and bully breeds have allergy issues, and I have spent many hours trying to figure out why. One of the easiest things to do when you have a bulldog that's scratching and itchy and miserable is to reach for steroids. These steroids and immune suppressant drugs include Cytopint, Vanectyl-p, Apoquel, Prednisone, Dexamethasone and many ear antibiotic or topicals that have cortisteroids in their ingredients. A lot of vets simply don't care to educate the long term effects of these drugs or maybe they just don't believe the negative impact of steroids in bulldogs, or to be fair some pet owners push for an instant fix - but at the end of the day the evidence and consequence is detrimental to your dogs overall well being and life span.

Diet is truly the only way to eliminate irritation in your dogs, and this takes time, money and education. LESS IS MORE with your bulldog, so "when in doubt, take it out". The most common food allergies we see in bulldogs after testing and raising literally hundreds of them is Chicken, Eggs, Grains, Shellfish, Squash and Salmon. Some dogs are terribly allergic to white fish's instead of salmon but usually there is always a fish allergy.

A chicken allergy does not mean your dog can't have any poultry, in fact many do really well on turkey or duck. And yes, rice and oats are considered a grains. Squash is divided into two groups winter and summer squashes and yes 95% of bulldogs that we have tested cannot eat one of the two.

Shellfish allergies often are acute and misdiagnosed as colitis due to their parallel symptoms, but don’t be fooled shellfish can cause some serious reactions in your dog. Unfortunately most Glucosamines are derived from shellfish, so finding a plant based glucosamine is key to long term avoidance.

Allergies develop with exposure, meaning a dog that has been eating fish for two years can suddenly have a reaction to their food. This throws a lot of pet owners off and they assume it can’t be their diet, which again is incorrect.

Dogs also go through cycles of allergies or development of them. We see major milestones and indicators  in the first 6 months of life, then after two years, 4 years and after 6 years of age. This means your dog is ever changing and you will need to pay attention to the early signs of allergies prior to them exploding into serious issues.

Some vets will discredit holistic hair and saliva tests, but they have always worked for us and our study group is quite large. If you are familiar with veterinary science or genetics than you understand that a generalization does not cover a "breed specific study group" meaning if 300 bulldogs weren't tested then the results on a blanket canine study may not apply to bulldogs. As well vets are not nutrionalists, they are vets - meaning although your vet may be lovely they have limited training and research regarding extensive diet and supplementation for your fuzzy friend. They are medical experts, not nutritional experts so always use your better judgement and research if you are going to switch to a vet recommended food for allergies.

I have attached some pictures of one of our older dogs (in sequence of development) who recently finished radiation treatment for a pituitary mass and unfortunately had to be on steroids for 3/4 months post radiation in order to eliminate edema of the brain which could kill him - so we had no choice.

Now like I said, we don't use steroids on our dogs, especially long term and I am horrified by consequences of them. I have never personally had to deal with such a massive skin issue as this boy is having. As if this guy hasn't had to over come enough, now he has to fight through a potentially life threatening skin condition.

Steroids cause something called Calcinosis cutis, which is in short a build of calcium deposits in the skin causing hair loss and painful thickening. Calcinosis cutis has no cure except removing the steroids from the body and breaking down the calcium with a potent topical that can cause renal failure in humans if you absorb it through your skin. Unfortunately, steroids are also immune suppressant meaning they kill your dogs immune system so that secondary infections can run rampant. This guy now has MRSP which is a mess to control and eliminate as well as being contagious to humans and your other pets. If MRSP is left untreated it can go into the blood stream and kill your dog. MRSP and MRSA are also the result of an over use of antibiotics in our animals creating super bugs that have very limited options to treat.

So guys, its just not worth it. I know steroids may seem like the easiest choice, but long term in the end it is an awful mess to correct and your dog will be miserable.

If you can't afford allergy tests, pet insurance or to home cook/raw feed your dog - or at the very least find the premium dog food without grains to feed then you probably shouldn't consider buying a bulldog.

As well I have attached a screenshot from a medical journal article written by a board certified dermatologist that discusses how storage mites found in ALL kibbles contribute to environmental allergies.

I hope this can help some of you and you will reconsider reaching for steroids over a thorough diet overhaul. 

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Hotspots in Bulldogs

"Hot spot" is an area of acute moist dermatitis that is created by the dog chewing or scratching a particular area of it's body. They look terrible and have a sudden appearance. It is very typical for an owner to come home from work and find this big, smelly, oozing sore on their dog that they know was not there when they left for work. They do spread quickly and can easily go from a small red spot on the dog's skin to a huge disaster in a short period of time.

A cause is not always known, but most dogs that suffer from hot spots usually have allergies or have been bitten by insects, especially fleas. Dogs with thick coats (double coats) are the most susceptible to this skin condition. The humidity under the coat is believed to be one of the reasons for the increased risk in these breeds. Poorly combed or matted coats also have an increased risk for hot spots.Treatment for this condition includes clipping the hair from the area to allow it to dry. Not all hot spots have to be shaved, but the larger infected ones heal faster if clipped. The area of dermatitis is then cleaned with an antiseptic.

The next steps in the treatment plan involves keeping the dog from continuing to scratch or chew the hot spot and to treat the infection. Most dogs are given a short course of corticosteroids to relieve the itchiness and decrease the inflammation of the area. Antibiotics are recommended also to treat the infection present in the skin. Some cases need a topically applied astringent to help dry up the sore.A hot spot when treated should look much better in 48 hours and be completely healed within one week. Dogs that suffer from one hot spot may tend to repeat the condition.

Once an owner has seen a hot spot, they are more capable of identifying them in the future and can seek help early in the process. Home remedies are difficult, but if you find your dog has a hot spot on a Saturday night and you can't get to a veterinarian until Monday, you can clean the area thoroughly. You can wash with shampoo, rinse and dry. Or clean with Baby Wipes with lanolin and aloe. Or wash with Bigeloil. Then apply a medications such as Panalog, Bag Balm, Sulfadene, or 1% cortisone cream. Clean and apply medication daily. You should see improvement by the second day. If not, go to the veterinarian.

-Bulldog Forum

http://www.bulldogsworld.com/health-and-medical/hot-spots

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A Breath of Fresh Air: Why Soft Palate Surgery for Bulldog Breeds is Necessary

A couple of years ago my French bulldog underwent a simple procedure to repair her soft palate. Though a little bloody and a bit painful, my then eight year-old Sophie Sue came through brilliantly.

Within 24 hours she was good as new –– better, even, for her ability to breathe (almost) like a normal dog. But too few pug-faced breed owners opt for this simple surgery.

As a kid I loved bulldogs, but thought I’d ever own one. I’d seen too many train wreck cases suffer the multiple abnormalities that are inherent in their breed (due to unchecked breeding pracices). My three Frenchies (one is no longer with us) have sort of fallen in my lap –– ironically, due to the very health concerns I despise. Still, I love them dearly, and because I have the means to care for them, I can live with their shortcomings knowing they’re better off in my home than in most others.

Short-faced (brachycephalic) bulldogs (and many other blunt-faced breeds) have small (hypoplastic) windpipes, closed up (stenotic) nostrils, excess oral and respiratory tissues clogging their airways, dwarfed limbs with abnormal joint angles and spinal abnormalities (leading to severe arthritis), a predisposition to obesity, and often suffer severe skin allergies, to boot, which makes them prone to infections in all the deep skin folds they possess.

For the record, Frenchies fare much better than English bulldogs in almost every aspect of their health. I strongly recommend that bulldog lovers consider this breed over the English variety. Fewer puppy mills and backyard breeders seem to breed Frenchies –– so far –– so their genetics are often not as warped. Their smaller size makes for fewer orthopedic issues, too.

I tell everyone who is not dead-set on spending lots of cash in vet bills, running high AC bills, and working daily on hygienic ministrations to stay far away from these breeds. Yet the English variety is one of the most popular breeds at our hospital. Some clients buy them to breed them, figuring they’ll make a bundle of cash, before realizing that small litters with mandatory, expensive C-sections and a lower-than-normal survival rate (for the mom, too) is a poor choice for an entrepreneurial endeavor. To make matters worse, too few owners are willing to undertake the necessary procedures required to make their bulldogs comfortable: daily cleanings, arthritic management, allergy testing and treatment, and surgeries to open their airways or remove redundant skin when necessary.

To properly care for a bulldog, soft palate resection is perhaps the most necessary procedure, dramatically improving their comfort level. When dogs can’t breathe well because this long, droopy piece of surplus flesh clogs the opening to the larynx, it’s a must. If it’s not removed, the fleshy soft palate gets ever-droopier as they age, worsening their respiratory symptoms. Here's a visual primer:

Brachycephalics snore more (experiencing disturbed sleep), get hotter in simple situations (like taking a car ride), and can even suffer heat stroke when excited, anxious or over-exercised. Even a walk down the block in South Florida, for instance, is impossible for these guys. Consequently, their joints hurt more with the weight they inevitably gain and the muscle mass they eventually lose.

It’s a common cycle that’s rarely reversed, even by vigilant, hard-working, responsible owners. Few people are bulldog-worthy; they assume these problems are part of having a short-faced breed –– and thus explain them away. Worse still, some consider the rasping breath and the snoring as "cute."

Last year, my cousin’s Frenchie, Hugo, was neutered and had his soft palate shortened at the same time. I did the first part and I imported my boyfriend for the second. He’s a vet surgeon –– and you should know that a specialist should always perform this procedure unless a GP (general practioner) is specifically trained for it and takes on many resections a year.

By the time he woke up, Hugo was feeling pretty groggy but his breathing was already markedly improved. His typical rasp was gone and he seemed minimally put out by the whole thing. There’s something to be said about the well known gentle bulldog demeanor, here. They recover very well from anesthesia –– with careful monitoring to ensure their airways aren’t clogged by their large tongues and other tissues upon awakening.

If you have a bulldog or a pug, you should know that you almost certainly need to ask your veterinarian about this procedure. Yet even vets don’t always get it. To be sure, the surgery’s not cheap, but our planet’s supply of "free" oxygen is priceless to your dog.

Dr. Patty Khuly

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Our beautiful new babies at 4.5 weeks of age. ;)

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As per Ruthann Phillips of the Georgia Bulldog Rescue

Shopping list: ​Original Listerine (gold)

Gold Bond Powder

Aveeno Diaper Cream

Lemon Juice, in the plastic lemon works best

Stridex acne pads (or generic equivalent)

Hemorrhoid cream

Baby wipes

Plastic squeeze bottle (like the ones for hair dye or Ketchup/Mustard)

​​Face Folds: Clean daily.  Apply Listerine, on a cotton ball, to each skin fold.  Dry with another cotton ball then apply Aveeno Diaper Crème to each fold.  Don’t forget the folds under the eyes, but be sure not to get the cream in the eye.  If moisture is a problem, use Aveeno one day and Gold Bond Powder the next.  It’s easier to get Gold Bond in folds with an old make up brush.

​​Tail pocket: Clean daily or as needed (particularly after BM) with a baby wipe, then dry with facial tissue.  Squirt in gold Bond Powder. (I put all Gold Bond powder in a squirt bottle mentioned above, tip is great length to reach deep pockets.  Also, you don’t have powder flying all through the air.)

​​Interdigital Cyst: These look like pea-sized lumps that appear on the top surface of the paw.  They are red and can be painful.  Clean the area of IDC with a Stridex pad, be sure to wipe the top of paw and under the paw pad then apply hemorrhoid cream to top and bottom of affected area on paw. (I do this at bedtime and by the morning most cysts are gone) Even though you see the cyst on the top of the paw, it’s origin is under the pad.  Also during baths, can add Epson Salts to the water and allow the feet to soak.

​​Mucous: After exertion bulldogs will sometimes begin to choke on phlegm.  If this happens a squirt of lemon juice will break up the thick mucous.

​​Skin irritation: Most can be treated with twice a day application of Listerine, after dry apply Gold Bond Powder.  If irritation persists or additional spots turn up it’s time for a vet trip.

​​Ears: I clean ears with a baby wipe every other day.  2 times a week I instill a small amount of solution into the canal and do a more thorough cleaning.  Never stick a Q-tip deep into the canal.​

Elaine’s Ear Wash Recipe for yeasty or nasty ears:

​

1/3 c water

1/3 c apple cider vinegar

1/3 c peroxide

​

Mix together and store in one of the bottles mentioned above, the tip of this bottle is the perfect length to get into the out portion of the ear canal.  When wet ears is a concern after bathing, substitute peroxide with alcohol.  I keep both solutions on hand and use the alcohol recipe after baths or playing in water.

​​Fleas: mix Original Dawn with water (50/50).  I use an old Dawn bottle.  Wet fur slightly, then bath with this mixture.  Fleas have an oil bubble surrounding them.  When wet, the flea begins adding to it’s protective oil bubble.  The Dawn breaks down the oil bubble leaving the flea vulnerable.  Rinse, then bathe with flea shampoo for heavy infestation.  If light, you can get away with using regular dog shampoo.

​​For dry skin: Selsun Blue or T-gel shampoo.

​​Itchy skin: 1-cup apple cider vinegar in 1-gallon water.  Pour over dog after bath…DO NOT RINSE OFF.

​​Itchiness from allergy or insect bite: 1 mg of Benadryl per pound.  i.e.  50 pound bullie gets 50 mg of Benadryl twice a day.

​​Kennel cough: Since Bullies have a difficult time breathing on a good day, Kennel Cough can be a very serious matter.  Most should be placed on Antibiotics prophylactically to prevent pneumonia.  BUT…. Kennel cough is just a “doggy cold” and can be symptomatically treated with cough medicine, until you get to the vet.  I dose with whatever the dose is for a child 12 and over.

​​Limping: If the dog injures himself, is favoring a leg and has no obvious signs of fracture…. 24 hours of crate rest!

​​Dog doesn’t like to get a bath: Try spreading peanut butter on the bathtub wall or ledge.  This will keep them busy.

Rescue Dogs pulled from the shelter absolutely must be kept in quarantine for 7 days to prevent spread of Kennel Cough to other dogs in the home.  DO NOT BREAK THIS RULE!!!!  The worst week of my life was having to care for 5 dogs with Kennel Cough because I didn’t follow my own rule.

​​For outdoor temperatures greater than 72 degrees:  Bulldogs can only stay outside for a few minutes.  They are very heat intolerant and have been known to collapse and die from heat stroke on a mild day.  No heavy exertion, uncontrolled running or prolonged time outside on warm days.  When the tongue begins to turn purple…you’ve been out too long!!!

Bulldogs usually can’t walk great distances before pooping out.  On walks start out with short distances.  I won’t be fun carrying a 50-pound bullie back home after he’s collapsed half way through your walk.

​​Accidents on carpet: 1 cup peroxide, 1 tsp baking soda and 1 squirt hand soap.  Mix in an open plastic container with a plastic spoon.  Pour over stain, no need to scrub.  Cover area with towel and allow it to dry overnight.  Next morning, vacuum.  Removes urine stain and the odor…COMPLETELY!  I’ve been using this for 3 years and have never had it discolor my carpet or my upholstery (yes, I’ve used it on my sofa).

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Welcome to the world Mishka and Wadsworth puppies, we can’t wait to watch you grow! ;)

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Good Basics.

All dogs carry defective genes. These defective genes are usually "recessive" - that is, their expression can be covered up by the presence of a normal gene for that function. It is estimated that the average dog carries 4 to 7 defective genes in it's DNA. (The human estimate is 10 to 12). Since genes are always carried in pairs, most of these abnormal genes are carried in a only single dose, so that their presence is completely concealed by the other, normal gene.

What is a gene? 

A useful analogy is that a gene is like a set of instructions given to a particular workman doing a small job on a very big construction site. Each workman gets two sets of plans. If one set is damaged, he still has one good set, and the job can proceed. But if both sets are damaged, the job will not be finished, or it will be done wrong. A gene is a large molecule, a long double strand of DNA, composed of a backbone of two long sugar molecules linked by pairs of smaller molecules called "bases" or "nucleotides". It is the sequence of these nucleotides that encodes the information contained in the gene.

How does a gene become defective? 

During normal cell division, an exact copy is made of each and every gene in the cell, and then it divides into two daughter cells which are each an exact copy of the original cell. Defective genes are caused by a "mutation". If something happens to disrupt the exact replication of the DNA during cell division, a defective gene results. Only a few changes in the base sequence can render the information in that gene useless. The process of aging is undoubtedly the effect of accumulated random defects of this sort, as are most types of cancer.

In the formation of egg and sperm, a special type of division takes place. Instead replicating the genetic material, so that both the daughter cells have a full complement of genes (two genes of each type), the genetic material is divided, so that each reproductive cell has only one gene of each type. When sperm and egg finally meet, the full complement of genes is restored, and a new individual, carrying half of its mother's genes and half of its father's genes is created.

Selective breeding.

Nearly all breeding of domestic animals is selective as opposed to random. Years ago, before the era of scientific genetics, breeding was done more by phenotype than by pedigree. Race horses tended to be bred by the stopwatch. That was where the money was. Dairy cattle were bred by the volume and quality of their milk, meat animals, by the speed of maturation and ratio of feed to meat, and so on. Later, it was recognized that breeding together closely related animals tended to speed up the process of "fixing" the desired traits within a few generations.

Breeding by pedigree is the type of selective breeding most often practiced today. It nearly always involves some degree of inbreeding. The logic is simple. We know that an animal's traits are genetically controlled. We can even calculate the percentage of a particular animal's genes residing in the cells of one of its descendants. When we mate closely related animals whose family shows (has the phenotype of) the desired trait, we are reasonably sure it will appear in the offspring. Some breeders have carried this practice to remarkable extremes, failing to realize there is a "catch" to the pedigree method.

What about those defective genes? The ones you can't see because they are "covered up" by intact ones. When we breed closely related animals, (let us say because they have super rears), we can see the desired trait. This trait is genetically controlled, like all traits. These two closely related animals share the genes for their super rears as a result of their close genetic relationship. What we can't see is the PRA gene or the kidney disease gene that these two animals also share as a result of their close genetic relationship. When we double up on the good rears we are also doubling up on the particular hidden defects they share.

We can see the results of this type of concentration of mutations in some human populations which have been relatively inbred by reason of isolation due to status, geography, or religion. Some examples that come to mind are Tay-Sachs disease in eastern European Jews, and hemophilia in some royal families.

Phenotype breeding has been largely neglected in recent years. It has fallen into undeserved disrepute as the more popular inbreeding has produced faster and more dramatic changes. I say undeservedly, because it has much to recommend it, and avoids some of the serious pitfalls of inbreeding. Again, we look at the phenotype of two relatively unrelated animals. They both have good rears, which we want. Why do they share this trait? For the same reason that the two related ones did: they both have the set of genes which produce good rears. But what about hidden, bad genes? Since these animals could not have been selected for unseen characteristics, (after all, if you can't see it you can't consciously select for it), they probably do not share many of these defective genes. To be sure, they still carry their load of defects in their own private collections, but they most likely each carry a different set. This being the case, it is very unlikely that any one offspring will inherit two copies of the same defective gene. It is very likely, however, that they will all have good rears.

Phenotype breeding is still selective breeding. We are selecting those animals which show the desired traits, while minimizing the probability of doubling up on hidden, undesired ones. Inbreeding and linebreeding, on the other hand, selects for both the phenotypic and genotypic traits, and dramatically increases the probability of producing animals homozygous for defects.

The lesson in all of this is that we should pay less attention to pedigrees, particularly in terms of looking for similarities on paper when we breed, and more attention to the dogs themselves. All too many breeders make their breeding decisions on paper, and not in the flesh. We need to consider the pedigrees as they relate to the qualities of the parent animal - did his mom and dad have good rears - rather than to insist he be related to our prospective brood bitch. We can get the results we want by breeding unrelated "like to like", without the tragic by products of inbreeding.

- Eddie Salas GSB Kennels

[bronzeiconbulldogs-blog]

Fading Puppy Syndrome

Ovulation timing and preventing “Fading Puppy Syndrome” By Jane Killion

The causes of “Fading Puppy Syndrome,” where puppies inexplicably begin to fail and die within a few days of birth, is still poorly understood.  Breeders valiantly try heroic measures to save the puppies - a few puppies might make it, but many, if not most, may still slip through a breeder’s fingers like so many grains of sand.

But new research about dogs, combined with established knowledge about farm animal breeding, has led to new ideas that could stop some cases of Fading Puppy Syndrome before they start.

“Passive is aggressive protection”

Most mammals (animals that drink their mother’s milk as babies) are born with incomplete immune systems.  They are not capable of developing their own immunity and they would almost certainly die unless they got immunity from an external source.  So they rely on “passive immunity” to survive.  Passive immunity simply means immunity derived from another individual.Human babies acquire passive immunity while still in the womb.  The maternal antibodies cross the placenta to the infant, and the baby is born with some protection from disease.Dogs have a different method of granting passive immunity to their offspring.  Puppies (like calves, piglets, foals, and kittens) receive little or no maternal antibodies while in the womb – little or no maternal antibodies cross the placenta to the puppies, and the puppies are born with very little or no immunity to disease.  They rely on drinking their mother’s colostrum after they are born to gain the antibodies they need to survive. Colostrum - it’s a two part story Just to review, colostrum is the first milk the bitch produces in the first few hours after whelping. One of colostrum’s principal functions is to pass on maternal antibodies to the puppies.  Whatever the bitch has immunity to, her puppies will also have immunity to, if they drink her colostrum in a timely fashion.  There’s a big catch, however, which this clip from our film “Puppy Culture” explains.

RACE AGAINST TIME

The reality is that “gut closure” (the time when the puppies’ intestinal walls close and are no longer able to absorb colostrum) begins within just a couple of hours of birth.  In a recent study, 22 Beagle puppies were given colostrum at 0, 4, 8, 12, or 24 hours after birth.  The puppies’ immunoglobulins were measured, and the results are startling:

There was a significant fall off of absorption immunoglobulins after only four hours after birth.

Absorption fell steadily with each hour.

By the time the puppies were 12 hours old, there was very little, if any, absorption of immunoglobulin.

THE TAKE AWAY:

Your goal is to get every puppy nursing on colostrum within the first four hours of his life.

But it’s crucial each puppy ingests colostrum in the first 12 hours of life.

HOW CRUCIAL IS IT? 

A 2014 study by Royal Canin looked at the correlation between   how many antibodies a puppy had at two days old (serum immunoglobulin concentration) and neonatal death rate.  The results are dramatic and quite clear - low antibody levels at two days old have a very strong correlation with neonatal death rate.

LIFE AND DEATH NUMBERS

195 puppies from 34 litters of 12 different breeds in a French breeding facility were included in the study.  Blood was drawn on the puppies at two days old and antibodies measured. The correlation between neonatal survival and antibody levels at two days old is striking:

95% of the puppies with antibody levels above 230 mg/dl at two days old survived to three weeks old.

Only 56% of puppies with antibody levels below 230 mg/dl at two days old survived to three weeks old.

WHY SHOULD THIS MATTER SO MUCH?

“Fading Puppy Syndrome” is a catch all phrase applied to any neonatal puppy that dies from unknown and uncontrollable causes.  There are lots of reasons a puppy might “fade” including congenital abnormalities, constipation, chilling, hypoglycemia, inadequate maternal care and/or lack of competent breeder or veterinary intervention.

But the Royal Canin study seems to indicate that the lion’s share of fading puppies are fading because their low antibody levels made them unable to fight off routine viruses and bacteria to which all puppies are exposed at birth.

THE BIG FOUR:

In the Royal Canin study, 91% of neonatal deaths occurred in the first week of life, which is a typical pattern for “fading puppies.” The most common culprits in early neonatal deaths in the study were the “Big Four:”

• E Coli • Streptocuccus sp • Staphylococcus sp • Herpesvirus

The truth is that most all puppies are exposed to the “Big Four,” either in the birth canal or shortly thereafter in the environment. Things like E Coli, staph andstrep naturally occur in the birth canal of a normal and healthy bitch. Puppies get banged up coming down the birth canal and their umbilical cords are lovely hosts for bacteria.  There’s all kinds of exposure and perfect conditions for opportunistic infection in the birth process.

While it’s certainly good practice to provide a clean whelping environment, it’s laughable to think that you can provide a truly sterile environment for your puppies.   The only real defense against these pathogens is the passive immunity the puppies derive from their mother. So it would appear that getting passive immunity into our puppies via colostrum is the single greatest factor within our control in reducing neonatal deaths. Well, That’s Useful Information...Not. OK, for the one or two of you out there who are not hip to the idea of taking blood from the jugular vein of a two day old puppy, this is not particularly helpful information.  How do you know if your puppies have sufficient antibody levels, and what can you do about it if they don’t?

Interestingly (and unfortunately for us), the Royal Canin study found that you can’t predict a puppy’s antibody level by testing his mother’s antibody level.  There was no correlation found between the 34 dams’ antibody concentration levels and those of their offspring.  So that method of “backing into” puppies’ antibody concentrations is out.

But there was another, more helpful finding for breeders trying to determine antibody concentrations in their puppies.

WEIGHING IN ON THE SUBJECT OF ANTIBODY CONCENTRATION

The Royal Canin study found that simply weighing puppies in the first two days of life is a reliable predictor of antibody concentrations.  Puppies who did not gain weight in the first two days of life also had low antibody levels. This is consistent with well-established research in the cattle and swine industries.  However, unlike the cattle and swine industries, we still don’t have data on exactly how much weight gain is necessary to cross the “magic” 230 mg/dl threshold.  The Royal Canin study did demonstrate that weight gain in the first 2 days has a direct correlation with a puppy’s antibody concentration, but they did not draw a specific conclusion about what a safe weight gain would be.

The practical takeaway for breeders is, while it’s normal for a puppy to lose some weight in the first day after birth, we would be well advised to consider that a puppy that does not gain weight by the end of 48 hours may have dangerously low serum immunoglobulin concentration.

OK, SO WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS INFORMATION?

At the time of this writing, we are unaware of any commercially available alternative sources of antibodies for puppies.  There are, however, a few different protocols to boost immunity in puppies:

In the first few hours of life, you can feed your puppies a few drops of plasma from a healthy adult dog.

After gut closure has begun (approximately 4-12 hours), the plasma should be injected into the puppies abdominal cavity.  YIKES! Probably not DIY so this is another reason to align with an experienced repro vet before having a litter.

You can buy frozen plasma for this purpose or you might consider having blood drawn on your bitch so you can have your own frozen plasma.

Please note this information on plasma is not meant as veterinary advice.  For further study, here is a link to an article by Dr. Jean Dodds that outlines her protocol for frozen plasma supplementation, together with references for her recommendations.

If the bitch has colostrum, but for some reason the puppy is not nursing in the first 4 hours, you can express colostrum and feed it to the puppy.  This method will quickly convince you of the need for someone to invent a dog-milking machine.

You can give your puppies frozen dog colostrum (either by collecting and freezing it yourself or acquiring it elsewhere) - of course warmed to dog-body temperature.  There’s very little data on this kind of supplementation in dogs but in other animals it has been shown that colostrum does degrade somewhat with freezing.

WAIT, BACK IT UP, SO WHERE DOES OVULATION TIMING COME IN?

If there’s one thing you might have noticed, once a puppy “misses” his golden window to take in colostrum naturally, you’re playing catch up with some labor intensive, scary, and not 100% proven tools.  So your first concern as a breeder should be to try to get the puppies on the ground and nursing in a timely fashion.

As it turns out, when an animal struggles for a long time in labor, or never goes into real labor, her offspring may be unable to benefit from colostrum after birth.   It’s thought that the stress and lack of oxygen (hypoxia) from prolonged labor may trigger premature gut closure, but the mechanisms for this are still not well known. However, it is a very well known fact in livestock industries that dystocia (prolonged or difficult labor) is likely to reduce passive immunity transfer, and the Royal Canin study cited dystocia as one of the common causes of decreased passive immunity transfer in dogs.

Timely veterinary intervention and/or breeder assistance has been shown to improve outcomes in livestock industries, and dog breeders would be well advised to adopt the same “best practices.”  However, before you can know when to intervene, you have to know when your bitch is due. And that, my friends, is where ovulation timing comes in.

STILL COUNTING FROM BREEDING DATES? DONT MAKE ME COME OVER THERE.......

It’s vitally important for breeders to understand that breeding dates do not control due dates.  Bitches have a gestation of 63 days from ovulation (or 65 days from LH surge).  90% of bitches will whelp in this time frame +/- two days. Breeding dates are irrelevant. It’s very well accepted science that it is ovulation, not breeding dates, that determines the bitch’s due date.

If you have not done ovulation timing, you have no reliable way of predicting when your bitch is due.  Your breeding date might have been very early and you might be thinking that your bitch is not due yet, when she actually could be 4 or 5 days overdue.

The puppies could be suffering from hypoxia and stress without you realizing it.  And if they suffer from hypoxia and stress, they may not be able to get passive immunity.  Finally, without that passive immunity, they won’t be able to fight off commonplace bacteria and viruses, and they can die.

A full discussion of ovulation timing and predicting whelping dates is beyond the scope of this article, but please see the end of this article for links to studies/articles which explain the science of ovulation timing and predicting due dates.

I know a lot of breeders feel that ovulation timing is a waste of time and money because those breeders have no problem getting their bitches pregnant without doing ovulation timing.  But I’d like to encourage you to look at ovulation timing in a new light, as a basic health protocol that could save the life of your dam and her puppies.

IS THE CURE WORSE THAN THE DISEASE? 

While dystocia certainly can have a negative impact on passive immunity acquisition, intervening with a cesarian section presents its own set of problems.  Some bitches are reported to have delayed milk production after cesarian sections, and some cesarian section puppies are noticeably more listless and slow to nurse, all of which wreck havoc with timely colostrum absorption.  But are the C sections themselves always to blame? Symptoms or Causes? Before you assume that the c-section is the culprit when a bitch and her puppies do not do well afterwards, ask yourself these questions:

When was the cesarean performed? Breeders often have an emotional (or financial) aversion to c-sections and thus wait until their bitch is long overdue, and/or weak and exhausted before finally caving in and taking her to the vet.  Poor milk production can hardly be blamed on the c-section in that case.

How long were the puppies stuck? Were they hypoxic (deprived of oxygen)?  Listless post-C section puppies are probably more often due to the stress of being stuck for too long, rather than the ill effects of anesthesia.

Was the veterinarian a skilled surgeon? Don’t just assume your regular vet is going to be able to do a good c-section for you - ask a lot of questions. You need a vet who actually regularly performs c-sections, who has a trained staff to assist.

What kind of anesthesia is the vet using?  Years ago, anesthesia left mothers and puppies groggy, but newer anesthesia drugs are very different, offering almost an immediate recovery for both the bitch and her puppies.  Don’t assume your vet is using the latest and greatest anesthesia drugs - ask questions.

I’m not going to “take a stand” on doing c-sections, but I will take a stand on being prepared to, should it be necessary with these three things, at minimum,

1. Form a relationship with a good repro vet/surgeon who uses the latest and best anesthesia.

2. Do ovulation timing so you know when your bitch is due.

3. Don’t wait too long to intervene.

A good vet who’s experienced in canine reproduction will have a lot more tools to pinpoint due dates and monitor the health of the litter while they are still in the womb – for instance, we can use x-rays and ultrasound to monitor fetal heart

rates, position, maturity and often detect when a litter or puppy is stressed or needs help getting out.  But at the very minimum, being prepared with the above three things forms a basic level of preparedness that every breeder should have.

I want breeders to re-evaluate ovulation timing as part of a compassionate pregnancy wellness protocol for the bitches that they care about, and the puppies of those bitches.

Again, there are a lot of reasons for “fading puppies” and ovulation timing is not a cure-all preventative. But in the midst of a lot of things we can’t control, ovulation timing and  forming a relationship with a good repro vet/surgeon are things we CAN control.

We all have so much emotionally and financially invested in our litters, and our bitches are counting on us to look after their interests - why not take every measure possible to improve outcomes for our girls and their puppies?

[bronzeiconbulldogs-blog]

Meet our newest Turkey’s out of Kronos and Gypsy. All these pups have been adopted, and our next litter currently has full deposits. Can’t wait to watch these little monsters grow! Stay tuned for updates! ;)

[bronzeiconbulldogs-blog]

SO JUST HOW LONG DO YOUR PET’S SHOTS LAST?

Definitely longer than a year!

According to the top pet immunologist (aka vaccine expert) in the world, Dr. Ronald Schultz, Ph.D. – “ Annual revaccination provides no benefit and may increase the risk for adverse reactions.”

What the heck are adverse reactions (or side effects)?

Well according to the other rock star pet immunologist Dr. Jean Dodds:

“Side effects from dog vaccinations can occur anywhere from instantly up to several weeks or months later. Vaccines can even cause susceptibility to chronic diseases that appear much later in a dog’s life (Dodd, 2001).

Severe and fatal adverse reactions include:

•Susceptibility to infections.

•Neurological disorders and encephalitis.

•Aberrant behavior, including unprovoked aggression.

•Vaccines are linked to seizures. Distemper, parvovirus, rabies and, presumably, other vaccines have been linked with poly neuropathy, a nerve disease that involves inflammation of several nerves. (Dodds,2001)”

SO HOW LONG EXACTLY DOES YOUR PET’S VACCINE LAST?

According to the recommendations of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), (basically the dudes who set the standards for the vets): “Among healthy dogs, all commercially available [core] vaccines are expected to induce a sustained protective immune response lasting at least 5 yr. thereafter”

Here’s the breakdown of the core vaccines from Dr. Ronald Schultz:

Minimum Duration of Immunity for Canine Vaccines:

Distemper- 7 years by challenge Parvovirus – 7 years by challenge Adenovirus – 7 years by challenge Canine rabies – 3 years by challenge

The moral of the story here, if you have no idea when your pet is due or has been vaccinated, then just run a titer test and this will confirm if you are due, rather than over-vaccinate your poor pet, setting the stage for future problems!

What’s a titer test?

A titer test (pronounced tight-errr) is a laboratory or in-house veterinary test measuring the existence and level of antibodies (necessary to fight off disease) in your pet’s blood. Basically, it’s a test that will tell you whether or not you actually need to vaccinate your pet.

It’s also super useful when making a decision about vaccinating a pet with an unknown vaccination history, or for determining if pets have received immunity from vaccination.

Vaccinating your pet is super important so don’t lose the overall message here: VACCINATE, JUST DON’T OVER-VACCINATE!

According to Dr. Dodds:

“Vaccines have achieved many important benefits for companion animals, and has saved more animals' lives than any other medical advance.”

Want more on titer testing? Check it out: http://ow.ly/RPeLn

For more vaccine information, head on over to Dogs Naturally Magazine’s website and type vaccines in the search bar.

Rodney Habib - Pet Nutrition Blogger

"An educated, informed and well-researched community of pet owners can only put more pressure on the pet food industry to be better! When pet owners know better, they will only do better!"

[bronzeiconbulldogs-blog]

Universal "Principles" in Breeding

Some principles in breeding are universal....regardless of breed. For example the gestation period for dogs is 63 days wether it is a shorty bull, a poodle, a shepherd or a rottweiler, they are pregnant for 63 days. Even "rock wilders" and "bordexes" are pregnant for 63 days ...universal. 

If you breed a sire and dam who both carry the same faults, you'll have some or all pups with those faults- that's universal regardless of breeds.

All dogs of the same breed are not identical. They are consistent in type when they have the characteristics that make them identifiable on sight. If you can look at the shape, movement, expression in its face, see that it's coat is the correct texture, length and color and can discern what breed it is, then the dog has breed type and you recognize a Brittany spaniel from a King Cavalier Spaniel. Even spaniels as a group have traits that define them from hounds. So-in established breeds, we have groups. In groups we have breeds. In some breeds we have varieties. Varieties are smaller groups of the breed, defined from the original by variations like size or coat length. Then, we have newly evolving breeds....these composites are mixed purebred dogs. That's how breeds begin but they are only perpetuated into a real breed when consistency in type gets locked in.

New Breeds receive traits from both purebred parents and the first years are usually inconsistent because all traits do not pass the same way to each puppy. When you sort dogs to breed, you should choose dogs who display the features you want the pups to have. Then, you 0sort the pups, and keep the ones who display those features for the next generation. When you do this, you are stacking the traits you want to keep and if done enough times, you'll eventually have the traits locked in and the breed will become consistent in type. That takes a lot of dogs and a lot of years. Consistent breeds come from consistent vision and consistent sorting of dogs and that is a universal principle...

Consistent blueprints (standard) used by consistent builders (breeders) and inspected by consistent authority (judges) makes a consistent breed. Now, wether it's established breeds or mixed breeds, hybrids, or composites know this very simple principle....

If you put it in, it will come out sooner or later. So, if you don't want it...Don't put it in. If it's in there, you either breed to it if you want it, or away from it if you don't want it. This is sorting. When you know a breed, you know lines and when you know blood, you know what it does and the more times you breed, the deeper you know it.

So, none of it is equal. There are no perfect dogs and as no two dogs exactly the same. Then, to make it even harder, there's genotype and phenotype. Genotype is invisible to the naked eye, it's the genetics - what the dog carries but does not display. Phenotype is what you're looking at. So you may be looking at a dog with a good rear. When you breed it, you have 5 pups, 3 good rears, 1 fair and 1 faulty and you say, where did that cowhocked narrow rear come from?....that's genotype and phenotype. It came out because it was in there, even though it wasn't displayed. Working with the blood, you are aware of the good and the bad. Breeding generations, you as the breeder of the great grandsire, the grandsire and the sire and first hand, you know EXACTLY what's in the blood, what you bred for and away from and where the faulty rear probably came from.

So, to think every specimen of every breed is identical or equal is the same as thinking that every breeder has the same eye and skill. Ridiculous. But do most people stereo type breeds ? All the time!! I'm sure the "rock wilder" breeder does not have the same quality the rottweiler breeder does. How many times have people assumed every english bulldog is unhealthy or that every greyhound is fast? That's a complete misconception. Dogs are as individual as people and the very specimens we use define our generations. So, I said all that to say this-

Be very aware of what you are mixing. Go deeper than just the breed. Look for dogs that have what you want and stack the odds in your favor. Don't hope, line it up how you want it. It's alot harder to play on the one that's right out of its 5 littermates that are wrong, than playing with the one that's right out of a litter that's right. 

When mixing, you get consistent when litters and generations are PLANNED AND SORTED and the criteria for keepers does not change drastically but progresses toward the ideal.

Perfect Example : Not all english bulldogs have high rears.....which means they are out of standard for their breed since the ideal english bulldog, should be higher in the rear. Newsflash...not every dog is a show dog. I used eb in shorties. I hate high rears. I looked for eb specimens who were basically out of standard and did NOT have high rears. I used the ones that weren't right for their breed but perfect for my idea. Don't put a bulldog in and expect clean bites outta the gate...You will have to accept an undershot jaw or prepare to put years in washing it out. When you're building a foundation, you're planning the future. Make it solid and save yourself the work and time of fixing it later. What you do now, especially when mixing directly affects the time it takes to develop consistency in type. And without consistent type, you have a work in progress.

Wrapping it up-

Do not stereo type breeds or breeders. Evaluate and choose what you want to see more of and don't change your mind.

Our productions are a direct reflection of our sorting skills and our choices. Consistency in type makes a breed.

And use the K.I.S.S. philosophy -Keep It Simple Stupid. It's a matching game, period. 

- Eddie Salas GSB KENNELS