Internal Parasite Control in Hunting Kennels

For all practical purposes, you need two products for internal parasite control ("worms") in hunting dogs.  Now, this doesn't address heartworm prevention.....just intestinal parasites.

Fenbendazole is available as a white liquid or a powder.  The liquid is handier.  It is marketed as Panacur or Safegard and is available in most farm stores.  Now, if you only have one or two dogs, it is cheaper to buy the product from your veterinarian.  But, if you have a large number  of dogs, you might be justified in buying a liter bottle.

Fenbendazole needs to be dosed for 3-5 straight days by mouth. Your veterinarian can give you an appropriate dose. Fenbendazole treats hookworms, whipworms, and roundworms.  It does not treat tapeworms.  It is very safe and effective.

I do not recommend Valbazen (a similar product) due to reports of blood problems after its use.

Pyrantel (Strongid, Nemex, etc.) is a yellow liquid that is useful in puppies.  It treats roundworms and hookworms.   In my hands, it is not as effective as fenbendazole but is a one-day treatment.  I use it mostly on puppies.

Tapeworms are a whole "nuther ballgame.  The drug, praziquantel, is more expensive so I don't reco that kennels routinely use it.  Your vet can do that for you and your total cost/year will be less.

Now, if you are using a heartworm prevention product that also  treats "worms", you may not need to worry about treating specifically for intestinal parasites.  A conversation with your vet will be in order to clarify your exact needs.

For my own dogs (I have four hunting dogs), I take a stool sample to the clinic 4 times per year and my technicians check them under the microscope.  Then, I treat as needed.  Since they are on heartworm prevention year round and are in off-ground kennels,  I admit, I rarely find any parasites.

Red Mange/Demodecosis

Back in the day, forty years ago, a diagnosis for Red Mange or, more correctly, Demodecosis was devastating.  Essentially, there was no cure.  Oh, we tried everything and, some of them worked. What we didn't know was that some dogs with demodecosis cure themselves spontaneously when their immune system kicks in.  So, some of the weird drug protocols we used got credit for the cure when, if fact, they had little to do with the dog's skin becoming normal.

The good news is that, nowadays, we have excellent results with newer treatments.  Now, there are two types of Red Mange:  the "localized" kind and the "generalized" kind.  Localized is normally discovered on puppies and appears as several circular or patchy lesions that are not connected.  This is the kind of demodecosis that often self-cures.  The problem is that we cannot tell early on if the puppy will clear up on its own or will become the dreaded "generalized" form.  So, we end up treating them all aggressively.

The much more serious "generalized" form is characterized by multiple lesions usually covering large parts of the dog's skin and often with a secondary bacterial infection on top of the mange itself.  These cases present a much more difficult challenge but are still quite treatable if the owner is willing to go the distance.

There are one or two drugs available to veterinarians that effectively treat demodecosis, i.e. kill the actual mite that, burrowed into the skin, is causing the problem.  Additionally, we often have to treat the secondary bacterial infection, usually a Staph infection with antibiotics and topical treatments.  The treatment course can be long....several weeks....but, unless there is an underlying health issue in other organs in the dog, the prognosis is good.

I think the key for hunting dog owners is to realize that home treatments just waste time and money. And, as a general statement, the tendency to get demodecosis is hereditary.  Don't ignore any skin lesion on a puppy. Early treatment is cheaper and faster.

A Good Book to Own

If you own hunting dogs and need a good reference book about breeding, nutrition, health care, etc. you might check out Sports Medicine for Hunting Dogs on Amazon.

I gives you enough information to talk to your veterinarian intelligently and also has a lot about breeding systems, dog food, and general care of outdoor dogs.  Cheap too.

Microchips

The microchip industry for animals is in a bit of disarray. For one thing, the chips that are most commonly used in North America are not useful in Europe.  Secondly, the "readers" that most animal shelters and veterinary clinics use often will not read all types of chips.

So, what's the reco?  Currently, I only use a chip that is useful worldwide.  We have dogs that travel overseas for hunt tests, with military families, and just vacationers so we think it is important to have a "universal" chip installed.

Of course, the problem is with the readers.  Unless the person scanning the dog as a reader that will pick up all types of chips, this universal chip I recommend might be missed.  The good news is that all newer readers can, in fact, read any type of chip.

Also, it is crucial that an owner register the chip in the dog.  Just to install a chip and not register it with the company's database is useless.  Sure, someone will find the dog in rural Kansas and take it to a shelter or veterinary clinic and the chip will show up. But, if that number is not "registered", there will be no way to locate the owner.  Of course, the chip company can determine that the chip was sold to XYZ Veterinary Clinic in Tyler Texas and maybe the owner can be located using the clinic's records but that can be iffy.

And, remember, there is no substitute for a good collar with a legible nameplate on it to get your dog back. If Farmer Brown finds the dog, he won't know the dog is chipped but he can read that nameplate.

All my dogs are chipped, tattooed, and have a solid collar with two nameplates on them with complete contact information listed.

Kidney Failure and Dog Food

There is a myth, common among even veterinarians, that a high-protein dog food can cause kidney failure. This has been disproven in numerous studies.  In one that I recall, dogs were fed a food with 50% protien as fed for three years with no increase in kidney function tests.

Now, it is true that if a dog has kidney problems, they can benefit from lower and higher-quality protein levels.  There are special prescription only dog foods just for this purpose and they are an important tool in managing the renal failure patient.

The reality is that we often never know the actual cause of renal failure in dogs.  It can vary from an infection like leptospirosis to an autoimmune condition. But, it ain't the dog food.

Introduction to Birds:  According to George Hickox, well-known bird dog trainer, the best way to introduce a 12 week old puppy to birds is with a "locked-wing" pigeon and this is what I do with my own puppies.

Simply take one wing of the pigeon and cross it over the other one firmly but not so much as to hurt the bird.  Once this is done, the pigeon can flap and walk but not fly.

Take the puppy to an enclosed area e.g. a small pen and toss the bird to the other end.  The pup will run to it, bark at it, and, finally, pick it up.  Since you are in an enclosed area, it can't run off with it. Catch the pup, take the bird and repeat this 5-6 times until the puppy says  "Hey, these birds are fun!"

Put the puppy up, unlock the pigeon's wings (it won't be hurt) and place it back in its home for work another day.

Later, you can take the pigeon out to a field and using a water-hose hobble (available from Lion Country Supply) so it can't fly off, the pup can find the bird in cover and may actually point it!  (You will need a helper for this.)

Good luck with your pup and take care of your pigeons...they are great birds to work with.

OK, I think I have finally figured out how to stop all the junk, spam, and other clutter on this blog.  Lets see how it goes from here.