Health issues in Shelties

lovemyshelties said:
Hubby and I learned the hard way with our first trio of Shelties. We didn't get yearly blood work on them and vaccinated according to our vet's recommendations. BIG mistake.

Our current trio (two rescues and one from a backyard breeder...don't ask) get yearly titers instead of blindly vaccinating them. See: http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/titer_test.htm

We REFUSE to put pesticides (spot on flea and tick products) on our Shelties, but instead use food-grade diatomaceous Earth (sprinkled on their skin and on their bedding, in the yard) to kill fleas and ticks.

And we take them yearly (more often if symptoms pop up) for blood work. Just had our Murphy (adopted in Jan 2011) tested for thyroid disease, and his test results were surprisingly normal even though he's a bit chunky.

Finally, we feed them only kibble and wet food that on the Whole Dog's Journal approved list. No more Sam's Club generic kibble.

If all this seems like a hassle to you, you're not alone, but we do all these things to help ensure a long, healthy life for our three amigos.
Click to expand...

Good JOB!!!! I LOVE hearing people say they titer.... I really do. I don't even think 99% of people know ABOUT titering. Your shelties are lucky to have you! I love the whole dog website, too! Learned a lot on there.
 
I am definately not a fan of yearly vaccines either but titering up here is really expensive - more expensive than having the large animal vet come over and do the horse vaccines and you pay a mobile on that! I separate out the vaccines, only give core vaccines, rabies every 3 years, and so far - so good. I also keep them out of slow moving creeks and ponds and if it is a wet season then they get their legs washed after a walk through the bush before they have an opportunity to lick - lepto prevention. Each of the dogs here are on a diet that works for them so I have 3 dogs and 3 different foods. I use Revolution on them and deworm if necessary. Other than that, I have a wellness check done yearly which sometimes can include urinalysis and bloodwork if I am suspicious of a problem. I don't use waterless shampoos, I rinse my floors after washing, use steam only on my carpets, I use no fabric softeners in my dog bedding which gets a double rinse cycle and it gets dried on the line, I do not use air fresheners and I test my water 4 times a year. If I lived in the city they would get bottled water so they aren't consuming flurine and chlorine.
I realize that there could be something brewing that isn't symptomatic until it is bad but lucky for me, I have been blessed with healthy animals. Seeing all the threads about liver, thyroid and kidneys set off a warning bell for me and so Tinsel will be getting some extra vet work to hopefully give us a long time with him. This is one of the reasons I joined the forum - to educate myself on this breed which makes you are all my teachers. Yeah Sheltie Nation!
 
Tagg said:
I am definately not a fan of yearly vaccines either but titering up here is really expensive - more expensive than having the large animal vet come over and do the horse vaccines and you pay a mobile on that! I separate out the vaccines, only give core vaccines, rabies every 3 years, and so far - so good. I also keep them out of slow moving creeks and ponds and if it is a wet season then they get their legs washed after a walk through the bush before they have an opportunity to lick - lepto prevention. Each of the dogs here are on a diet that works for them so I have 3 dogs and 3 different foods. I use Revolution on them and deworm if necessary. Other than that, I have a wellness check done yearly which sometimes can include urinalysis and bloodwork if I am suspicious of a problem. I don't use waterless shampoos, I rinse my floors after washing, use steam only on my carpets, I use no fabric softeners in my dog bedding which gets a double rinse cycle and it gets dried on the line, I do not use air fresheners and I test my water 4 times a year. If I lived in the city they would get bottled water so they aren't consuming flurine and chlorine.
I realize that there could be something brewing that isn't symptomatic until it is bad but lucky for me, I have been blessed with healthy animals. Seeing all the threads about liver, thyroid and kidneys set off a warning bell for me and so Tinsel will be getting some extra vet work to hopefully give us a long time with him. This is one of the reasons I joined the forum - to educate myself on this breed which makes you are all my teachers. Yeah Sheltie Nation!
Click to expand...

You're doing an excellent job! I love you mentioned you'd do bottle water if you lived in the city. I think this often gets overlooked but I couldn't agree more. I haven't given my gang tap water in over a year. It costs me .74 a week for their filtered water :) Little amounts of decreasing toxins add up over a life time.
 
Honestly, I haven't lived in the city since 1975. When I visit relatives there all I can smell is chlorine and cannot get their water down my own throat! They don't smell it at all - amazes me every time.
 
Well it's like I told my vet with Seamus, these rescue darlings have had bad beginnings and no telling what they have been exposed to in their lives.

Our little ones are big moneymakers for puppymills, as I am sure that you all know. Up in Lancaster, the Amish make a lot of bucks off of our little ones. Whenever a Rescue comes to bid and buy from them, they oft times hide the shelties from them. It is just a cruel game that some of them play.

Titer costs are high, that is why we fund Dr. Jean Dodds clinical titer trials. She only has a couple more years to go before her results are published. THe more that people request titers, the quicker the costs come down.


Rescue Rox,

Kate and Harper Lee
 
Layla is getting her full blood panel this year. Beckon and Bits had theirs prior to surgery within the last year. Annie had it done two years ago. that's how we found Bits' liver issues -- treatable if caught early.
 
Natalie just had a good bloodwork prior to her spay and everything was "picture perfert" according to the vet. Liam is due for his boosters in July, so I plan on having bloodwork run at that point, including the thyroid. Emma I plan on doing next January when she is due for boosters.
 
Mally turned 7 years old this month. Next month we are having his bloodwork done, including thyroid testing and a urinalysis.
 
I'm just not a fan having used them on myself and I don't like leaving things in the coat that the dog can lick off again. I would use them at a show but the dog would have it bathed out asap after the day is done. I just try to keep chemicals out of them whenever and wherever possible as they are exposed to soooo many things their bodies were not designed to process just in the environment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top