This article is slightly more than an update on the hip registries operating in the U.S. (and Canada, to a great extent). I hope to not only bring you the current status of each as we turn the corner into 2003, but also stress again the importance of lobbying for an …
Still Arguing About The Standard(s)? (subtitle: “Where’s the Beef?”) Many have spoken about the GSD Breed Standard in many places, but some have not been allowed to add their voices in the official journal of the GSD Club of America. Those who run the club also run the magazine, and how much of a tight …
The term Pre-Colombian refers to artifacts and cultures that existed in the New World (Western Hemisphere) before the arrival of Christopher Columbus, a.k.a. Christobal Colombo, a.k.a. C. Colón. It has been my great pleasure to judge and lecture in such places that have pre-Colombian art and architecture, from the Caribbean’s …
Denny Kodner has unfortunately given us cause for using mixed metaphors: she has not only missed the boat, but she has gone off the deep end in doing so. She should have learned better after 50 years of exposure to the breed, but her dedication (some would say prostitution) to the …
Revised December 2011. The pup the Smiths bought was a very promising individual with a great pedigree. Here, they hoped, was the foundation of their successful showing and breeding future. But in a matter of a couple of weeks, a previously unnoticed cowhocked condition developed and worsened. They shrugged this off, having heard that dogs …
Revised December 2011. Continued from Part 2 OTHER DISORDERS Intussusception — In very young pups (and other animals including humans) the intestine can invaginate (one part slips inside another). The condition, also referred to as “telescoping intestines,” also occurs in adults, but not as frequently. Most common immediate causes include worms and other parasites, and …
Revised December 2011. Continued from PART 1 Torsion Commonly called bloat, sometimes described as gastric dilation/volvulus (GDV), this is a terrifying and usually fatal emergency disorder that German Shepherds and many other deep chested dogs experience. A twisting of the entrance and exit to the stomach traps the food and gas. As the stomach swells, …
Revised December 2011. (This is PART 1 of a series on canine digestive-tract disorders in several breeds, including megaesophagus, polyps, pancreatic Insufficiency, and torsion/bloat (volvulus). Megaesophagus (Gastric Dilation) After skin problems, the next most common and next most frustrating set of disorders to the dog owner and the diagnostician are those of the alimentary canal, …
What constitutes a “new breed”? Since all members of the canine family are related, the line between breeds is not always distinct. This is especially so where isolation tends to result in differences, while at the same time geographical proximity tends to allow some exchange of genetic material. Look at the development of the Akbash, …
First, let me say that at this time, I am an infrequent breeder of working GSDs, having had 8 litters in the past 10 years. Every time I get ready to whelp a litter, I have the same discussion with my vet: Where do you stand on giving me a prescription for Oxytocin. My conservative …