BIJOU STANDARD POODLES HEALTH CARE

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Contact us: brownpoodles@yahoo.com




"Puppy Layette"

HEALTH CARE

Health Clearances

There are certain tests to be aware of that can help determine how healthy the parents of your prospective puppy are. Unfortunately, these tests can only examine the outward appearance of the dogs, but cannot truly certify that the dogs do not genetically carry the diseases. Therefore, none of these tests are a guarantee that the puppies will be perfect, but they are the best way to reduce your risks. It is very difficult for breeders to say definitively "No dog from my kennel will get these diseases". Testing cannot gaurantee anything other than a reduced chance that these conditions will be passed on. They are not perfect tests, but they are a start, and are our only weapon in the fight to eradicate genetic diseases from pure bred dogs.

It is an erroneous myth that pure bred dogs are more prone to disease than mixed breeds (or mutts). In fact, this has never been proven. Most owners of mixed breeds never have their dogs put through the genetic tests that pure breds under go, so their chance of producing affected offspring is much greater than a pair of rigorously tested pure breds. "Hybrid Vigor", another popular myth, has been repeatedly proven to only have any resonance in the first generation of offspring, and the same genetic diseases rapidly re appear by the second generation of offspring of mixed breed pairs. Add to this the fact that you cannot accurately predict the size, temperment or appearance of mixed breed puppies.

In short, pure bred dogs are not perfect, but many caring breeders are doing their best to improve their over all condtion. Here are some of the things that are being tested for, what their signifigance is, who governs the testing, and what you should look for. Most breeders will perform some or all of these tests, please take the time to ask first. A general site for more info on genetic disease in pure bred dogs is "Eliminating Genetic Diseases in Dogs: A Buyer's Perspective"

Show, Obedience & Temperament Titles

Let's address the question of "What good are titles?". I hear many people say "Why does it matter if my dog's parents have titles? I just want a pet - titles are just a lot of fancy stuff for show dogs." First of all, it *does* matter. Seeing titles lets you know that the breeder of your dog is interested in MORE than just the breeding of dogs - it lets you know that they are serious about improving their breed, not just taking advantage of it. Please, do not be fooled by the claim that this dog has "Champion Lines" or "Champions in the Pedigree". Seeing a few champions two or three generations back does NOT tell you anything about your dog's breeder, except that they haven't done any showing themselves. Knowing that the mother and father of your new pet are conformation Champions ("CH") increases your chances of getting an adult dog that looks the way the breed you chose is supposed to look - and looks are no doubt part of the reason why you *chose* that breed. Knowing that your new pup's parents have an obedience, therapy or CGC title lets you know that your pup came from dogs with more than just looks - that his parents were smart, intelligent examples of the breed you're going to spend the next ten+ years of your life with.

There are different titles for conformation or obedience a dog can obtain through various dog organizations. While it is not necessary for the parents to have any, titles do suggest that the breeder is interested in promoting and improving the breed. There is a saying that "A balanced dog has a title at both ends" - you see, show titles go at the front of a dog's name, and obedience, temperament and therapy titles go at the end of a dog's name. Therefore, a dog with titles at both ends is sound in mind AND looks.
(reprinted with permission from Bullmarket Frogs)

~ A dog with a title at both ends is said to be a Balanced Dog ~

OUR POODLES HAVE:
~ EVERY CONCLUSIVE health test completed
~ are UKC Champions (or on their way) as takes more points to champion UKC than AKC or CKC
~ are Obedience Titled (or on their way)
~ have the calmest most gentle natures of ANY poodles you will ever meet.
~ 24/7 Lifetime Breeder support (we have been around since 1988 !)
~ Our Poodles are the Total Package ~



*Conclusive Health Testing ALL Breeders should be doing*


Hip Dysplasia: $35.00 to OFA certify
Hip Dysplasia is an inherited polygenetic disease that manifests itself in a malformation of the hip joint
in which the ball and socket do not properly fit together. Mildly dysplastic dogs may not exhibit any outward signs.
Moderate to severe cases may exhibit rear end lameness and/or discomfort when getting up.
Arthritis often occurs over time from wearing on the hip joint. Young dogs, five to ten months, may be affected
and older dogs may develop chronic degenerative join disease.
(Breeders should submit hip, patella, cardiac, elbow, thyroid at the same time Vet charge will be around $300.00)
OFA - Orthopedic Foundation for Animals the world recognizes OFA and they also offer certified preliminary Certification
OVC (Ontario veterinary college) Certification done at 18 months is now accepted by OFA for certification but is not graded
PennHip (Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program) now accepted by OFA for Certification
Hip Dysplasia Information
Sample of OFA reports

Elbow Dysplasia: $35.00 to OFA certify
Elbow dysplasia is a general term used to identify an inherited polygenic disease in the elbows of dogs.
Young dogs, four to ten months of age, may begin to show lameness.
The elbows may seem swollen and are held outward from the chest.
(Breeders should submit hip, patella, cardiac, elbow, thyroid, Legg-Calve-Perthes at the same time Vet charge will be $350.00)
OFA Hip/Elbow Application
About Elbow Dysplasia
Importance of Proper Hip Placement

Legg-Calve-Perthes: $25.00 to OFA Certify
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease (LCP) is a disorder of hip joint conformation occurring in both humans and dogs.
LCP results when the blood supply to the femoral head is interrupted resulting in avascular necrosis,
or the death of the bone cells. Followed by a period of revascularization, the femoral head is subject to remodeling
and/or collapse creating an irregular fit in the acetabulum, or socket. This process of bone cells dying and fracturing
followed by new bone growth and remodeling of the femoral head and neck, can lead to stiffness and pain.
Legg-Calve-Perthes Application
Legg-Calve-Perthes Information

Patellar Luxation $15.00 to OFA certify
The patella, or kneecap, is part of the stifle joint (knee).
In patellar luxation, the kneecap luxates, or pops out of place, either in a medial or lateral position.
Bilateral involvement is most common, but unilateral is not uncommon.
Animals can be affected by the time they are 8 weeks of age.
The most notable finding is a knock-knee (genu valgum) stance.
The patella is usually reducible, and laxity of the medial collateral ligament may be evident.
The medial retinacular tissues of the stifle joint are often thickened, and the foot can be seen
to twist laterally as weight is placed on the limb.
(Breeders should submit hip, patella, cardiac, elbow, thyroid at the same time Vet charge will be $300.00)
OFA - Orthopedic Foundation for Animals Application
Information on Patellar Luxation

Congenital Cardiac $15.00 to OFA certify
In Standard Poodles, atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent ductus arteriosis (PDA)
are inherited defects of the heart which can lead to a shortened life span and impaired quality of life.
(Breeders should submit hip, patella, cardiac, elbow, thyroid at the same time Vet charge will be $300.00)
Make sure your Veterinarian listens to the heart BEFORE using any anethetic on the dog.
OFA Cardiac Application
Information on Congenital Cardiac Disease

Thyroid Disease $15.00 to OFA certify (most labs charge $15.00)
The most common cause of primary hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) in dogs is autoimmune thyroiditis.
Autoimmune thyroiditis is an inheritable disease that is seen in all three varieties of Poodles,
but is more common in Standard Poodles. This disorder may affect a dog at any age, but clinical signs
are often seen in dogs between two to five years of age. Hypothyroidism is not generally a life-threatening disease,
but it is a permanent condition. When diagnosed, the traditional, effective treatment is a daily, or twice daily,
dose of a thyroid hormone replacement (synthetic L-thyroxine). Dogs with this condition should not be bred.
(Breeders should submit hip, patella, cardiac, elbow, thyroid at the same time Vet charge will be $300.00)
OFA Thyroid Application
Information about Thyroid Disease

vWD (Von Willebrand's Disease) $119.00 to Purchase (OFA 'used to' certify)
Von Willebrands disease is an inherited bleeding disorder.
In vWD, bleeding is caused by the absence of the von Willebrand’s factor, which is needed in the early stages of clotting.
Bleeding is likely to be mild in Standard Poodles with vWD.
VetGen Lab Application
VetGen Lab
About vWD

PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy in Toy and Miniature Poodles only !)
a slowly developing disease process ~ the affected dog will gradually lose its sight and will usually adjust to its handicap.
Information about PRA
Order PRA Test from OptiGen

NEwS (Neonatal Encephalopathy with Seizures)
Neonatal refers to the time immediately after birth. Encephalopathy refers to a disease affecting the brain.
Thus Neonatal Encephalopathy means a disease of the brain that becomes apparent soon after pups are born.
Affected pups have been weak, uncoordinated, and mentally dull from birth. If they survive the first few days, they nurse adequately.
They may not, however, be able to compete with stronger pups in the litter and their growth may be stunted.
Some cannot stand at all. Others manage to struggle to their feet and walk with jerky movements, falling frequently.
Seizures develop in most affected pups at 4-5 weeks of age. Attempts to control these seizures with medication have proven futile,
and the pups die or are euthanized before they reach weaning age.


DM (Degenerative Myelopathy)
Degenerative myelopathy is a progressive disease of the spinal cord in older dogs.
The disease has an insidious onset typically between 8 and 14 years of age.
It begins with a loss of coordination (ataxia) in the hind limbs. The affected dog will wobble when walking, knuckle over or drag the feet.
This can first occur in one hind limb and then affect the other. As the disease progresses, the limbs become weak and the dog begins
to buckle and has difficulty standing. The weakness gets progressively worse until the dog is unable to walk.
There are no treatments that have been clearly shown to stop or slow progression of DM.
OFA DM information



NEW HEALTH TESTING AVAILABLE

Juvenile Renal Dysplasia (JRD)
Juvenile renal dysplasia (JRD) is an important category of kidney diseases in canines.
Dysplasia is defined as abnormal growth or development of cells or organs.
In the case of JRD the kidney fails to develop properly during embryogenesis in the womb.
At birth immature structures consisting of undifferentiated fetal cells or tissue types
are found in the kidney, and are persistent throughout the life of the animal.
Poodles diagnosed as having symptoms of JRD usually only live until the age of 2.
Validity of the DoGenes DNA Testing:
From: "info@dogenes.com" info@dogenes.com
To: Bijou Poodles brownpoodles@yahoo.com
Sent: Mon, February 22, 2010 11:06:34 AM
Subject: Re: JRD DNA testing
Dear Laura,
We understand that the test will be accepted by OFA once our manuscript is accepted by peer
review. This is currently under revision and I hope that this will happen in the near future.
Sincerely,
Mary H. Whiteley, Ph.D
DOGenes Inc.
MORE INFORMATION:
The JRD DNA test was discovered by Doctor Mary Whiteley (Biologist) and is currently
going through normal patenting processes, following which scientific publication takes place.
It is anticipated this will be completed by July 2009.
In the meantime the JRD DNA Test has been made available by Doctor Mary Whiteley
through her own company DOGenes Inc. of Canada.
The test will not be available elsewhere until the full scientific authentication process
has been completed. It is understandable that until this
patenting of COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING JUVENILE RENAL DYSPLASIA OR CALCIUM OXALATE STONES IN DOGS
and scientific publishing has been completed, many people, scientific, veterinary,
breeders and others, will not accept the validity of the JRD DNA Test.

UPDATE:
From: info@dogenes.com
Subject: OFA
To: "Bijou Poodles"
Received: Thursday, February 24, 2011, 1:10 PM
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals is now accepting RD testing results from DOGenes Inc.
If you wish to submit your dogs results to the DNA Based Genetic Database at OFA please list your dog's microchip number,
or tattoo identification on your envelopes and in the real-time database if you are accessing your results online.

INCONCLUSIVE HEALTH TESTING AVAILABLE:


Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) (DNA testing for Progressive Retinal Atrophy in Toy and Miniature Poodles only !)
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) refers to a group of diseases affecting the retina at the back of the eye.
These diseases cause the cells of the retina, which initially look and function normally, to become increasingly abnormal over time.
In most cases, given a long life, the eventual outcome is blindness.


CERF - The Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF) maintains a registry and offers testing.
~ Certification is not a life time "clearance" and is only good for 12 months from the date of the eye exam ~
Annual re-examination is required for a breeder to be able to state that their Poodles have been CERF tested Clear of eye disease for that year.


Addisons Disease
There is no line or color of Standard Poodles that is not affected by Addison's
and no dogs that can be certified as "clear" of the disease.
Breeders who test for Addison's yearly, are only confirming that their dogs do not have the disease at the time of the testing.
Addison's can strike at any age, so testing for Addison's does not guarantee that the dog will not develop Addison's later in life,
nor does it guarantee that any puppies will not develop Addison's.
As of January 2008, it has been announced that researchers have found that Addison's in Standard Poodles is most probably polygenic,
involving the combinations of several genes. It is not, as was thought earlier, a simple recessive. Until more information is known,
the mode of inheritance remains unknown.
The only definitive test for Addison's is the ACTH stimulation test that is performed on a suspected effected dog (ie symptoms present).


SA (Sebaceous Adenitis)
There is no DNA test available to genotypically detect S.A. The exact mode of inheritance is unknown.
Currently, diagnosis is based on skin biopsy samples, and unfortunately the current screening method may result in false negatives.
Sebaceous Adenitis (SA) is a hereditary skin disease in which the sebaceous glands become inflamed, often leading to progressive loss of hair.
The disease is primarily seen in Standard Poodles, Akitas, and Samoyeds, although there have been reported cases in a number of other breeds
and mixed breeds as well. The disease can develop in a wide age range, with age of onset documented as early as 1 year and as late as 12 years.
Males and females appear to be affected equally.


Often our puppy people and even strangers will contact us with information to share
about cures for some issues they have had with their dogs of all breeds and ages.
I wish to share their comments and solutions with the Public as maybe it might help someone out.



KinderEgg3...KinderEgg2...KinderEgg...Guinnesssurgeryscar
Guinness (Sophie x Beau) came home today and is recuperating nicely.
I wanted to forward the pictures of exactly what was removed.
Who would think a "Kinder Egg" could cause so much emotional and physical pain.
The vet bills added up to approximately $1,500.00 with the x-rays, surgery and hospital stay.
Hope you can post them on your website so that other puppy owners are aware of just how dangerous one of these can be if your pup gets hold of one.
Thank goodness it turned out alright because if a blockage had occurred (which was inevitable)
or if he had choked on it, then I might not have my little guy resting beside me today.
Thanks for all your help and advice during this ordeal. Your support has been much appreciated.
Denise T. - Ontario


BLOAT

Someone recently contacted me that lost a Borzoi due to bloat recently sent me these links to share with anyone worried about bloat:

......................
Bloat Kit................................ Acupuncture to relieve Bloat

The scientific term is “gastric dilatation”. This is when the stomach is stretched by gas and/or food to much bigger than normal size.
Then for some reason, still unknown, it twists and blocks off its own blood supply along with the exit routes of the gas and food that’s in it.
The twisting is called “volvulus”. The bloating is extremely painful, but when there is bloating WITH volvulus/twisting, it is life-threatening.
There is no way to know if the bloating has occurred with the twisting until the abdomen is X-rayed.
Either way, the symptoms are to be treated as an EMERGENCY and the dog needs to be RUSHED to the hospital IMMEDIATELY.
We have never had any of our Poodles have Bloat and or Torsion.
Narrow Deep chested dogs are more physically prone to incidence of bloat and perhaps because
our poodles are wider more shallow chested might be part of the reason we have not experienced it.
A Great Dane breeder that doesn't have any bloat issues (hard to imagine) suggested that Rouine in feeding and
excersise times has aided her in not experiencing bloat. She suggested those that don't keep routines on holidays or weekends are risking it.
When I mentioned her theory to my Vet he did confirm that he sees cases of bloat (all variety of dogs)
on weekends and holidays for the most part and thinks she might be onto something.
We also "free feed" our adults (meaning we leave food down all day long and water)
and I do maintain a routine every day. My vet also suggested that anyone worried about bloat issues could feed
softened kibble to avoid any problems.





Prozyme Supplement
Our present dog, a 9 year old bouvier, had digestive problems as a puppy.
Whatever we fed her, even plain brown rice, came out the same as it went in - undigested with watery stool.
We tried making our own food, feeding raw, different commercial foods, special food from vet, all without success.
Breeder offered to exchange her, but no way we could do that.
Finally, a different vet ran some other tests and it was found that her pancreatic enzymes were at the extreme low end of the scale.
We started adding Prozyme to her food and the problem has been controlled since then.
However, she does not tolerate chicken, which I understand is the base of the food you feed your pups.
Our bouvier eats Holistic Blend Lamb and Rice with Prozyme added to it - gets diarrhea if she gets into anything else.
Prozyme Supplement
According to the manufacturer, Prozyme increases absorption of the nutrients in the food.
Prozyme works in the body once the food is ingested (after mixing the Prozyme with the food;
it is not necessary to let the mixture stand before feeding).
By increasing the nutrient intake from the diet, Prozyme is reported to help with immune and digestive disorders,
poor coat and excessive shedding, skin problems, joint disorders, weight problems,
allergies, lethargy, bloating, flatulence, and coprophagia (stool eating).



I just wanted to mention that Mocha (Raven/Hershy Feb.2009) has been licking her back paw since December.
I was really worried last week, I thought for sure it would be allergies. We I hope not.
Anyway I recieved this email from my mother and wanted to pass on the link to you.
I sprayed her paw the other night and the next morning it was heeled. It was amazing!
Her paw was really raw and there was no redness at all. Anyway, I thought you might be interested in the info I read.
It might help with another poodle lover and save the trip to the vet. Take care and I will send you another pic of Mocha in a few months.
Apple Cider Vinegar As written in an excellent, 1997 article by Wendy Volhard:
"...If your dog has itchy skin, the beginnings of a hot spot, incessantly washes its feet,
has smelly ears, or is picky about his food, the application of apple cider vinegar may change things around.
For poor appetite, use it in the food - 1 tablespoon, two times a day for a 50 lb. dog.
For itchy skin or beginning hot spots, put apple cider vinegar into a spray bottle, part the hair and spray on.
Any skin eruption will dry up in 24 hours and will save you having to shave the dog.
If the skin is already broken, dilute apple cider vinegar with an equal amount of water and spray on.
Louise A.




Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Canine Formula
We have had puppy with chronic ear infection and his owner discovered it was a food allergy to wheat and or chicken.
She went on a salmon based dog food with fruit extracts etc., called Taste of the Wild.
"After a month on this food, his ear infections cleared up and he is currently infection free (going on two months now)".






Dog CPR Instruction Booklet


Choking Dog


Dog Emergency Kit to have on hand



Dog with Insect Bite



Helping Dog having Seizure



Dog with Broken Toe Nail


How to Induce Vomitting in your Dog if drinks antifreeze



Dog that has Eaten Rat Poison