Spay Neuter
- Spaying and Castration, Effects on Cancer Risk and Behavior, Linda Aronson, DVM
- Spaying and Neutering, Pros and Cons of Early Procedure Linda Aronson, DVM
- NEW. Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs (2020). Most frequent purebred breeds with a balance of small and large were selected from UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital electronic records (Beardies were not among them). Health risks based on sterilization age varied widely depending on breed. Heavier dogs had higher health risks if neutered or spayed before the age of one year. In most cases, the age of neutering did not increase the risks of these joint disorders or cancers. Small-dog breeds seemed to have no increased risks of joint disorders associated with neutering, and in only two small breeds (Boston Terrier and Shih Tzu) was there a significant increase in cancers.
- NEW. A similar study was done on mixed breed dogs of five weight categories using the same veterinary hospital database and diagnostic criteria for joint disorders and cancers. There was no significant increased occurrence of one or more cancers, compared with intact dogs, in any weight category. However, in the three categories of dogs weighing 20 kg or more, neutering before 1 year generally was significantly associated with risks of one or more joint disorders above that of dogs left intact, commonly to 3 times the level of intact dogs, with sex differences in the degrees of joint disorders associated with neutering. For the dogs in the two weight categories <20 kg, no increased risks were found for joint disorders.
- NEW. A Golden Retriever study of dogs 1-8 yr was published in 2012, also from UC Davis. There were no cases of cranial cruciate ligament tear diagnosed in intact males or females, but in early-neutered males and females the occurrences were 5 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Lymphosarcoma was diagnosed in almost 10 percent of early-neutered males, 3 times more than intact males. The percentage of hemangiosarcoma cases in late-neutered females (about 8 percent) was 4 times more than intact and early-neutered females. There were no cases of mast cell tumors in intact females, but the occurrence was nearly 6 percent in late-neutered females. Study of other breeds is vital to understanding if the risks also apply to them.
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Ear Care
- Ears, Linda Aronson, DVM
- NEW. External Ear Infections in Dogs. VCA Animal Hospitals
- NEW. Canine Ear Inflammation and Infection. AKC CHF. 2011
Foot Care
- Beardie foot massage, Noel Thurner
- Foot and pad care, Linda Leek
- NEW. Dog paw care tips, Pets.webmd
- NEW. 15 Tips to stop your dog from slipping on the floor. Dr. Buzby’s Toe Grips.
Infectious Disease
Lyme Disease. It is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and rarely, Borrelia mayonii. It is transmitted by tick bite.- Lyme Disease Revisited, Linda Aronson, DVM
- NEW. Cornell University: Clinical signs, diagnosis (Lyme Multiplex antibody profile which can detect early or later infection, monitor protective antibodies after vaccination, recovery after treatment), prevention (ticks), discussion of meaning of different detectable antibodies.
- NEW. Vaccinating dogs against Lyme Disease, 2 points of view.
- Leptospirosis (1998), Linda Aronson, DVM
- Leptospirosis. Is There An Epidemic? Linda Aronson, DVM. 2010.
- Leptospirosis, A Case Study, Faith. Cindy Mendonca
- NEW. Merck Manual Key Points:
- Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease found in multiple wild and domestic species, including dogs, and often transmitted by direct contact with urine or other body fluids of an infected host, although environmental contamination by urine can lead to transmission if conditions are suitable.
- Diagnosis is by serologic testing, along with one or more methods to identify the organism in tissues or body fluids.
- The treatment of choice is doxycycline, with appropriate supportive care as needed. Other antimicrobials, such as enrofloxacin, may also be effective. Vaccines can be used for prevention. Multistrain vaccines that include locally prevalent serovars should be used.
- Zoonotic infections are not common; however, occupational exposure is a risk factor. The principle route of transmission is by contact with infectious body fluids.
NEW. Canine Influenza. Although a very contagious virus among dogs (e.g., causing serious outbreaks in shelters), there are no known cases as of early 2023 where the virus has infected humans.
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Teeth and Mouth Care
- Dental Care 1, Linda Aronson, DVM
- Dental Care II, Teri Flemming and Vicki Byard
- Teeth, Linda Aronson, DVM
- NEW. Brushing Your Pet’s Teeth, petcoach.co Remember that plaque begins to harden into tartar within 3-5 days. It is ideal to brush your pet’s teeth once or twice per day to minimize the presence of any plaque. Always aim for daily dental care for your pet, just as you aim for daily dental care for yourself. The hardest thing about home dental care for pets is just getting started.
- NEW. Normal canine dentition. Purina. Includes a dentition chart.
- NEW. Malocclusion
- NEW. Periodontal disease and canine chronic ulcerative stomatitis
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