Tick-Borne Disease Foiled Our Fall Breeding Plans

Despite our best efforts to protect her, Gudgeon, like so many other dogs, has picked up a tick-borne disease.

Last weekend, we were within 24 hours of hitting the road to drive to Ohio to do a breeding when we learned that Gudgeon had tested positive for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. We were looking into a slight limp that had developed with some stiffness after resting.

Our dogs are tested annually at wellness visits and again if they seem unwell in any way. When investigating any instances of unwellness, we always want to rule out tick-borne diseases as they can cause joint pain, lethargy, inappetance, etc. The standard test for tick borne diseases used in most vet practices is the IDEXX SNAP 4Dx. It tests for Heartworm Disease, Lyme Disease, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasmosis. Gudgeon was all clear on the SNAP test. So, we were taking the next step to visit Dr. Sherman Canapp at Veterinary Orthopedic Sports Medicine. In addition to looking for other explanations for her limping, he ran a more sensitive tick panel which tests for additional tick-borne diseases that are not picked up with the SNAP test. And, this is how we discovered the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever infection.

And, thank goodness that we did discover it when we did. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever can be deadly for the infected dog and the antibiotic used to treat the infection can cause defects in puppies in utero. Of course our commitment to Gudgeon’s care comes before any hopes that we may have for a litter. So, Gudgeon started treatment right away and we postponed our breeding plans. Gudgeon is in good health and good spirits. She has an appointment for bloodwork and urinalysis to make sure that the RMSF isn’t causing any organ damage. And, today, she started physical therapy to help with the orthopedic effects.

It is important to say that our dogs are always on flea and tick preventatives. We’ve used different products over the years. Gudgeon has been on Bravecto for the last two years or so. In the past, we found Seresto collars to provide perfect protection, but we don’t like our dogs to wear collars all the time. So we tried something different. Obviously we need to change course now that we know what we know. Ticks are a big concern here in Maryland for the dogs and for us. Now, over the last decade our dogs have had Ehrlichia, Anaplasmosis, and now, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. And, the humans have had a few cases of Lyme Disease. We are not about to live our lives in a bubble, so we will step up our protective measures and keep enjoying the great outdoors. Have I mentioned yet how much I hate ticks? We really wanted to raise a litter of pups this fall and welcome new folks into our extended dog family, but, instead, we will take care of our Gudgeon and make sure she’s alright.

And, so, motherhood can wait.

Health: One Important Piece of the Puzzle of Breeding

Dogs are imperfect biological beings, just like us. We humans experience health issues and hardship related to those issues and yet no one suggests that our parents should not have fallen in love and started a family. Animal husbandry, and in our case, dog breeding, is a bit different in that we manage nearly every aspect of reproduction and determine so much about the future generations of our dogs. We decide which traits we hope to carry forward and we do our best to increase the chances of producing those traits in each subsequent generation. The best breeders among us do everything possible to reduce the incidence of common illnesses and other conditions that affect the quality of life of pups that we produce. We (responsible breeders) do our best, yet we cannot control everything...as much as we might wish that we could.

People purchase puppies with their hard-earned money. And, just like the parents of a newborn child, they hope that their youngster will live a long, healthy life, free from pain and adversity. But puppies are not a product of manufacturing (like a car). They are flesh and blood and bone, like us. I wish responsible breeders could guarantee perfect health for every puppy that we produce, but it's not possible to provide such a guarantee. What we can guarantee is that we will do everything that a person can do to reduce the risks of health issues by using the tools currently available to us. Responsible breeders do genetic testing for those diseases for which the scientific community has managed to find genetic markers. We x-ray hips and elbows for orthopedic weaknesses. And, we do annual eye exams for those eye conditions that can be visibly observed by a canine opthalmologist. Some of those conditions develop over time, which is why an annual exam is necessary. But, there are more health conditions than there are available tests. So, where we don't have a test, we have to research the health of dogs in the pedigrees of our sires and dams. We talk to owners and breeders of closely related dogs We commit ourselves to doing diligent homework.

When people buy from responsible breeders, they want guarantees that this new recipient of all of their love, hard work, and training will be perfectly healthy. But, as we've already said, no one among us can give you such a guarantee. We can and do promise you that we will devote ourselves to education and research about how to breed the healthiest puppies possible and that we won't compromise or skip any important steps in achieving that goal. But, that is truly the only guarantee that a responsible breeder can offer you.

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Gudgeon and Gina have happy news.

With all of that said, we are pleased to say that our two year-old Gudgeon has just received a batch of results for all of the major health clearances that are most commonly done in our breed. Though the bulk of health screening is now behind us, she will continue to get yearly eye exams. We are happy to report that Gudgeon is clear of the following genetic diseases: Degenerative Myelopathy, Exercise-Induced Collapse, Progressive Retinal Atrophy (pr-cd), and Ectodermal Dysplasia. Her x-rays have been evaluated by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. Her hips received a rating of "Good" and her elbows were found to be "Normal." In addition, she has two clear eye exams. Now, we breathe a sigh of relief and we begin planning for the future of The Weatherdeck.

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