CATARACT

If you dog does not seem to see well anymore, if he told everything in its path and run into his pupil is not black, but whitish, then the chances that your dog has cataract or cataract-very large.

What is cataract?

In the eye of the dog is a flexible lens that can change shape to the light as it should on the retina to focalization. In this way the dog views as to adjust the various objects to identify cross his path and the objects that are farther away. To be able to see perfectly, the crystalline lens totally transparent. But as a dog ages, the crystalline lens thickens and age making it increasingly cloudy. The pupil of the hondenoog, usually black in color, then shows bluish reflections and then more and whiter. As this process progresses, the dog gradually reduced vision and blind. That in itself is a normal phenomenon, but sometimes that is not. This is the case when the crystalline lens thickens at any age.

The causes of cataract

The most common cause of cataracts in dogs is the aging of the crystalline lens when the pet reaches an older age. The disease evolves slowly, it may take several months to years, but mostly cataract begins at the age of seven to nine years. Cataracts can however also occur in young dogs from six months to one years. In that case, hereditary cataracts and certain dog breeds have often prone than others: Afghan Hounds, American cockers, German Schepers, Siberian huskies and poodles. Other races have sometimes suffer from hereditary cataract, which is present at birth, as the Boston Terrier and the Westie. This type of cataracts usually affect only one part of the crystalline lens. Cataracts can also occur with poorly controlled diabetes if diabetes-in which the glucose in the blood for a high-glucose concentrations increased near the eye makes. This is expressed by the transformation of glucose to sorbitol in which the crystalline lens to become cloudy. This type of cataract occurs very rapidly. Finally, trauma or severe inflammation may also result in a more cloudy lens.

The treatment of cataract

In older dogs with cataracts, the age evolution of the disease delayed by a syrup containing amino acids. The only effective treatment for cataracts is surgery, however, but that is rarely presented in older dogs because the operation often complications occur and because the dogs have a comfortable life can lead to cataract, even if they are less able to see. In younger dogs, the treatment consists of addressing the cause to ensure that the disease evolves. Hereditary cataract finally can sometimes spontaneously disappear so that the dog has a nearly normal vision. Cataracts in puppies can move when the lens grows so the dog as an adult has normal vision.

Progressive retinal atrophy, or PRA as it is frequently termed, is a long recognized, hereditary, blinding disorder. 

It is inherited as a simple autosomal recessive in most breeds. The first modern description of this problem was in Gordon Setters in Europe, in 1911, but since then PRA has been recognized in most purebred dogs. Millichamp et al. In 1988, described PRA in Tibetan Terriers. Also in 1988, it was found that PRA in Cockers, Poodles and Labradors was the result of a mutation at the same gene locus in all these breeds.

PRA is a disease of the retina. This tissue, located inside the back of the eye, contains specialized cells called photoreceptors that absorb the light focused on them by the eye’s lens, and converts that light, through a series of chemical reactions into electrical nerve signals. The nerve signals from the retina are passed by the optic nerve to the brain where they are perceived as vision. The retinal photoreceptors are specialized into rods, for vision in dim light (night vision), and cones for vision in bright light (day and color vision). 

PRA usually affects the rods initially, and then cones in later stages of the disease. In human families, the diseases equivalent to PRA (in dogs) are termed retinitis pigmentosa.

In all canine breeds PRA has certain common features. Early in the disease, affected dogs are nightblind, lacking the ability to adjust their vision to dim light; later their daytime vision also fails. As their vision deteriorates, affected dogs will adapt to their handicap as long as their environment remains constant, and they are not faced with situations requiring excellent vision. At the same time the pupils of their eyes become increasingly dilated, in a vain attempt to gather more light, causing a noticeable "shine" to their eyes; and the lens of their eyes may become cloudy, or opaque, resulting in a cataract.

The big difference in PRA among breeds is in the age of onset and the rate of progression of the disease. Certain breeds, notably including the Collie, the Irish Setter, the Norwegian Elkhound and the Miniature Schnauzer, have early onset forms. In these breeds the disease results from abnormal or arrested development of the photoreceptors—the visual cells in their retina, and affects pups very early in life. In other breeds, including the Miniature Poodle, the English and American Cocker Spaniel, and the Labrador Retriever, and many other breeds, including the Tibetan Terrier, Tibetan Spaniel, and Lhasa Apso, PRA is much later in onset. Affected dogs in these breeds appear normal when young, but develop PRA as adults.

Diagnosis of PRA is normally made by ophthalmoscopic examination. This is undertaken using an instrument called an indirect ophthalmoscope, and requires dilatation of the dog’s pupil by application of eyedrops. Broadly speaking, all forms of PRA have the same sequence of ophthalmoscopic changes: increased reflectivity (shininess) of the fundus (the inside of the back of the eye, overlain by the retina); reduction in the diameter and branching pattern of the retina’s blood vessels; and shrinking of the optic nerve head (the nerve connecting the retina to the brain). These changes occur in all forms of PRA, but at different times in the different breed-specific forms. Usually by the time the affected dog has these changes there is already significant evidence of loss of vision.

Fig. 1. The normal retina. Note the many prominent blood vessels.

Fig. 2. A mid-stage PRA retina. Notice how the vascularity has been markedly reduced.

Confirmation of the diagnosis can be undertaken by electroretinography. This is an electrical measurement of retinal function somewhat similar to an electrocardiographic test of heart function, but with two differences: the electroretinogram (ERG) can only be recorded as a response to a flash of light (ie: it is not a free running signal like the EKG); and accurate recording of the ERG requires that the dog be anesthetized. In all dogs showing clinical evidence of PRA, the ERG is severely diminished or extinguished. The ERG can also be used for early diagnosis of specific forms of PRA, that is to detect PRA-affected dogs before they demonstrate clinical evidence of disease. This requires very carefully controlled ERG recording conditions, and a well defined understanding of the age of onset and rate of change of ERG dysfunction in the specific form of PRA under consideration.

Cherry Eye is an inflammation of the Harderian Gland, an accessory tear gland of the conjunctiva inside the lower eyelid. It occurs in eyes that have a poorly developed ligament holding the gland in position. 

The gland is contained within a fold of conjuctiva commonly called the "third eyelid". Normally the lower pole of gland is anchored to the connective tissue inside the bony orbital rim. In the abnormal eye, the inferior ligament is absent or poorly developed. When the gland becomes inflamed and swollen, it flips up from under the "third eyelid" and herniates from under the lower eyelid, (see the figure below.)

Through repeated inflammation and herniation, this condition is associated with the development of "dry eye" or kerato-conjunctivitis sicca. Surgery can restore the gland to it's proper position. Removal of the gland can precipitate "dry eye" and so should be avoided. Relatively small, almond shaped eyes whose structures are well supported by the infraorbital malar complex (cheekbones) are rarely subject to cherry eye. Breeders should select stock with healthy eye conformation, and prospective owners should look for a small almond eye when purchasing a puppy.

Occasionally the gland will swell and herniate acutely from allergy, injury or infection. If your dog does develop a cherry eye, it is important to reduce it as soon as possible to avoid drying and further injury which can turn an acute herniation into a chronic one.

replace the gland into it's normal position under the "third eyelid" membrane by a simple manual maneuver. While stretching the eyelid in a superior lateral direction, put gentle but firm pressure on the medial lower lid as indicated in the figure. This maneuver will generally work on cherry eyes that have been present for less than 24 hours, and are not very large or infected. Antibiotic drops should be used for about 48 hours following replacement of the gland.

Medisch Centrum voor Dieren

Isolatorweg 44

1014 AS Amsterdam

Tel.: 020-7400600

Diergeneeskundig Centrum Bekenland

Geesterseweg 16

7275 BM Gelselaar

Tel.: 0545-481666

Dierenkliniek Bron

Kennemerstraatweg 263

1814 GH Alkmaar

Tel.: 072-5112133

Dierenkliniek Zutphen

Laarstraat 71

7201 CC Zutphen

Tel.: 0575-513151

Dierenkliniek Sneek

Kanaalstraat 3

8601 GA Sneek

Tel.: 0515-412112

Dierenkliniek Emmeloord

Espelerlaan 77

8302 DC Emmeloord

Tel.: 0527-613500

Dierenkliniek Oost Drenthe

Hoofdweg 26 A

7871 TC Klijndijk

Tel.: 0591-513151

Veterinaire Specialisten

Boxtelsebaan 6

5061 VD Oisterwijk

Tel.: 013-5285900

Dierenkliniek Hellendoorn

Ommerweg 54

7447 RG Hellendoorn

Tel.: 0548-655065

Universiteitskliniek voor Gezelschapsdieren

Yalelaan 108

3584 CM Utrecht

Tel.: 030-2539411

Dierenkliniek Den Dolder

Dr J.C. Boswijklaan 11a

3734 EA Den Dolder

Tel.: 030-2282211

Specialistencentrum De Wagenrenk

Keijenbergseweg 18

6705 BN Wageningen

Tel.: 0317-419120

Dierenkliniek Den Heuvel

Oirschotseweg 113A

5684 NH Best

Tel.: 0499-374205

Dierenziekenhuis Limburg

Aldenhofstraat 11

6091 GP Neerbeek

Tel.: 046-4376700

Dierenhospitaal Visdonk

Visdonkseweg 2a

4707 PE Roosendaal

Tel.: 0165-583750

Kliniek voor Specialistische Diergeneeskunde

Barbarakruid 2

3068 SB Rotterdam

Tel.: 06-10460877

Diergeneeskundig Specialisten Centrum Den Haag

Regentesselaan 190

2562 EH Den Haag

Tel.: 070-3602424

Introduction

Since there are different coat types, we can't advice you on which shampoo is the best to use. Make sure to use a dog shampoo. Dogs' skin is a different pH than peoples' so it's not a good idea to use human shampoo on a dog.

Clean your brushes and comns on a regular base, this prevents the coat from getting static.

Keep in mind that it takes almost 2 years for every hair you pull out during bathing and grooming to grow back to normal length.

Set out all the items you need during bathing, and make sure they are within your reach while bathing the dog. This prevents the dog from jumping out of the tub to follow you when you want to go get your stuff.

The necessities:

Shampoo

Conditioner

Watering pot or empty bottle

Towels

Measuring cup

Whisk

Remove the rubber bands from the dog's top knots. Best do this with special band removal scissors.

Put cotton wool in the ears of the dog, to prevent water from getting into the ears. This could cause ear infections.

Make sure the water has the correct temperature before you start rinsing your dog. Too hot water will cause burns, and too cold water will be very uncomfortable for your dog. When the water has the right temperature, begin by thoroughly wetting down the coat.

Slowly pour the mixed shampoo over the dog. Squeeze or 'stroke' the shampoo into the coat. Do not work it back and forth like you would do with the hair on your head, this contributes to matting and knotting. If your dog is really durty, you can rince out the shampoo and you repeat these steps.

Rince out thoroughly. Left in shampoo can cause itsch and irritations

Take the the watering pot or bottle with mixed conditioner and pour the mix over the coat. Follow the same steps as when using a mix of shampoo. Rince out thoroughly. In case the coats tends to mat easily, you can leave in some conditioner

Lift the dog out of the tub and let it shake the water of it's coat. After that, you take a towel and your sqeeze the coat dry. Don't rub the towel, this will create new knots. Continue using the 'stroking', squeezing the hair, and patting methods for best results

Clean your brushes and comns on a regular base, this prevents the coat from getting static.

Keep in mind that it takes almost 2 years for every hair you pull out during bathing and grooming to grow back to normal length.

If properly trained early as soon as they are a puppy, the Lhasa Apso will come appreciate bathing, hair combing and clipping.

Teach them to lie down on their side while grooming them. It will take some time before they will accept lying on their side, they fist need to get used to grooming and drying.

What is needed for drying/ grooming?

Metal comb with smaller and larger side

Small soft slicker brush.

Tail comb

Pin brush with rounded tip pins

Face comb

And of course a dryer!

While drying carefully tease the mats out with your fingers or of with the soft slicker brush. Be careful not to tear any hair out. Don't use a comb to remove mats. Always brush the mats from the bottom and not the top. Brushing from the top upwards is uncomfortable to the dog (you're brushing it the wrong way, for one thing), and brushing from the top downwards just makes the mat even worse and even painful. After all mats are removed, you can brush the coat from the top to the bottom with the pin brush.

To prevent the coat from irritating the eyes it is wrapped in small bands. These bands are availble at dog shows, online pet shops, pharmacies and orthodontists.

What is needed to make top knots:

Comb the hair backwards and devide it in two equal parts. Devide one part in three equal parts.

Gather up the hair in the first part. When you are happy with the pouf and part, secure this with a small rubber band.

Gather the first banded part with the next part you devided before. Secure both with a rubber band. Next you take all banded hair, gether it with the remaining part, and secure all with a rubber band.

The moustache of the Lhasa Apso can be put in bands as well. This prevents the dog from getting hair in it's mouth, and it prevents the moustache from getting when while drinking.

Create a part from the inner eye corner straight down and lift the section to make sure you accidentally didn't take any hair of the beard. Wrapping a band around moustache and beard will ty the dog's mouth.

Secure this part with a band. Now you create a part from the outer eye corner straight down, and secure this part together with the part you just put a band in.

Repeat the same steps on the other part of the moustage, and you're finished!

Bacteria play a major role in the formation of plaque and tartar. Bacteria live on remnants of food in the mouth. When bacteria combine with saliva and food debris in the channel between the tooth and gum, plaque forms and accumulates on the tooth. When bacteria continue to grow in the plaque, and as calcium salts are deposited, the plaque hardens to become a limestone-like material called tartar.

In time, the bacteria work their way between the gums and teeth, causing the gum and the deep, bony structures of the jaw to separate from the teeth. Now we have what is termed periodontal disease. Without treatment, pockets of bacteria build up below the gums forming abscesses. These pockets of pus may appear along the gumline and further separate the tooth from the gum, which allows more food and bacteria to accumulate, and the process continues

To prevent dental disease, your dog needs routine dental care at home. But to perform good home care, you need to start with clean teeth. Brushing will remove plaque but not tartar. So if your dog's teeth have tartar, it is necessary for your veterinarian to remove it and polish the teeth. This professional veterinary dental cleaning is often called a prophylaxis or "prophy." Dental cleaning by a Lhasa Apso:

Overall

Worms in dogs and cats are very common. The tapeworms and roundworms that the most preventable in most cases not that much harm. Massive infections may, especially in young animals, certainly problems like diarrhea or cause blockages. There is also danger that people, especially children, a worm infection, through contact with dog or cat.

It is therefore very important to prevent worms from your pets. They should therefore be wormed at least 2 times a year. If they are much in contact with children is 4x per year strongly recommended. So 1x per year to the vaccination is really weinig.

Pups and kittens should be dewormed because they often via the milk or even before birth may be infected. They must therefore an age of 2, 4, 6 weeks and 2, 4, 6 months treated against worms. Then 2-4x per jaar.Als animals to go abroad because they prevent even more important in warmer countries (eg France, Spain, Italy, ...) worms can reach far more serious: heart worms, hook worms.

Tapeworms (dipylidium caninum, Taenia spp.)

Pieces of tape worm in the faeces are excreted. . Adult tapeworms (dypilidium caninum)

There are several types of tapeworms that can infect dogs and cats. The most important ones are the Dipylidium caninum and Taenia soorten.

Lintwormen are several worms from a lot of concatenated segments exist. Rarely will you encounter an entire tapeworm. Only the individual segments are frequently found. These often look like dried rijstkorreltjes.Honden and cats are infected by eating an infected intermediate host is encapsulated in the muscle tapeworms. These are eg fleas between hosts (for dypilidium), mice, rabbits, cattle, pigs (raw meat!). 

Then the tapeworms grow depending on the species from worms to a few centimeters to a few meters. These worms have regular segments in which eggs are loose. These are again eaten by the intermediate host which in turn infected. A dog or cat eats again and the circle is rond.Ook people (especially children) may be infected by tapeworm eggs!! Dogs and cats usually have little trouble themselves tapeworms. Sometimes some irritation in the skin around the anus by tickling of worms.

The treatment can be done with most standard ontwormingstabletten or paste 's. This 2-4x per year should be given. Especially when the animals have much contact with small children should be held 4 times a year. There are also injections that 2x a year could be given. Because some tapeworms are transmitted by fleas, should also be free of fleas.

Roundworms (Toxacara canis, Toxacara canis, Toxascaris Leonidas)

Adult roundworms (Toxascaris leonidas)

Roundworms are worms that about 15 cm in length. They have a circular cross section and a smooth surface. 

Dogs and cats are infected by eating eggs from the feces of other dogs or cats. Cats (and dogs) may also be infected by eating an intermediate host, such as an animal infected muizen.Wanneer the worms are mainly in the intestines. 

Sometimes the act roundworm larvae, however come from the gut via the liver and the lungs back into the stomach right. This way they can end up in the muscles where they encapsulation. In bitches and queens, these larvae are activated so they can infect puppies and kittens through the milk. It is even possible that the dog pups are infected before birth zijn.Vaak are not many signs, especially in young animals but sometimes you can say the following things: big bellies, diarrhea, obstructions, vomiting, coughing ...

As with roundworms ribbon worms can also be people (especially children) infect. Here, the larvae circulate through the body mainly in the liver and encapsulation.

The treatment / prevention is 2-4x per year. Most are suitable for worming. The above injections tapeworm are not used against roundworms. However, there are a number ontvlooiingsmiddelen in the form of a pipette against roundworms to use. In the case of difficult cats do not like swallowing pills is to combine this with the ontwormingsinjectie

( roundworm + tapeworm).

Hookworms (Ancylostoma spp., Uncinaria spp.)

The sharp "teeth" of a Hookworm (Ancylostoma)

The hook worm is primarily an intestinal inhabitant. There are species that occur in the Netherlands (Uncinaria) and species that need higher temperatures (Ancylostoma), as is the case in Southern Europe is.De hookworm larvae enter the body by being eaten (bowel, breast) or they insist inside the skin (especially the southern European species). In the intestines especially southern European species can cause serious damage. With their strong jaws (see picture), they can bite off pieces of mucosa. This leads to bleeding as manifested by bloody diarrhea or very dark. In more serious cases, anemia and severe weight loss itself occur.

Treatment and prevention can be implemented in most standard ontwormingsproducten. Especially when the dog going abroad is a preventive treatment should be instituted. So good in your holiday worming.

Heartworms (dirofilaria immitis)

Adult heartworms in a blood clot

The heartworm is (so far) only for the south. Both dogs and cats can be infected. The worms, however, tend more to the north. The first infections are seen halfway France. They are worms that are transmitted by blood sucking mosquitoes. The larvae from the mosquito saliva in blood will reach the main pulmonary artery to attract and develop into adult worms of 15-30 cm. In severe cases, they are still in the heart. 

Ultimately, this leads to blood vessel damage, pneumonia and heart problems. The dog or cat is coughing (sometimes with blood), gets nervous, belly fat with moisture, ... The first symptoms of the disease can often begin again after the animal half years to one years back in Nederland.De treatment of heartworm is very difficult and dangerous. If a drug is given by the adult worms in the blood kills, then you can cause serious blockages of blood vessels occur. Thus there is an imminent death of the dog or cat optreden.Het is very important to prevent severe infections. The young larvae in the blood can easily be slain.

 If you have less than 4 weeks on holiday, it is adequate to the holidays with a ground worming heart that kills worms (this is NOT the most appropriate deworming), followed by a treatment one months later. Go longer than 4 weeks on holiday on holiday should be treated every 4 weeks and return home again. There are also a few ontvlooiingsmiddelen on the market (strong hold, lawyer) who also works against heart worm.

Giardia

Although giardia is not a worm, yet he must also be named. It is also one-celled intestinal parasite that frequently occurs. Sometimes they can cause prolonged diarrhea with weight loss and sometimes braken.De most worms do not address giardia. A single (fenbendazole, albendazole) does. There are also free resources specifically addressing (metronidazole).

Treatment, the parasite test

Because many types of resources are the different types of parasites (worms, fleas, ticks, ...) there is not a standard way.

SOURCE:  © F. Loonstra

Cycle of the Flea:

The flea sucks blood on the dog when he jumps and 36 hours later she starts to lay eggs, up to 50 per day. After several weeks there in 1000 and falling to the floor in the living room, dog bed, bed and car. After one to 10 days, the them eggs and larvae will feed on skin peel fresh and vlooienpoepjes of the pet waste. These larvae pupate and dolls, some days up to 2 years after hatching. If they all hatch at once, we have a flea infestation and the floor seems to move.

To survive depending on the pets are fleas. Previously particularly in August-October issues with fleas, now the whole year, thanks to central heating in homes.

Problems of fleas and ticks in dogs and cats:

o Itching, scratching a lot, suddenly just before the tail biting,

o Bald on the tail,

o Open biting the skin. (Itching is much more natural causes, loose hair, insect bites, food allergy)

o sucking blood (especially in puppies can be life threatening, have white mucous membranes and nose, stop eating and die)

o Fleas as a transmitter of the ribbon worm (segments as grains of rice in the stool).

o Flea Allergy

o Draw bring Lyme disease and Babesiosis (waters blood, blood parasite) over.

How do I find fleas on my dog? Against the grain pat on the back of the tail and immediately see:

o One or two fleas: too much, THEREFORE ACTION.

o If you only see little fleas or flea vlooienpoepjes shit.

o flea is properly controlled.

o In the crotch fleas are clearly visible.

What can you fleas do:

o Environment handle, most importantly, (90% of the fleas are out of the pet)

o Multiple and often vacuuming, best tiles or sailing.

o Spray your house with a good flea spray, especially for your one days / weekend / weekly road.

If you do not, your house is infested with fleas when you return. All hatching fleas waiting hungrily for their favorite food, blood on legs. Jumping up from the carpet when they feel vibrations from human or animal.

All animals in house, so both dog and cat treat with a good flea plea veterinarian or pet. Means that the fleas are dead-selective toxic: toxic to insects but not mammals.

Aerosols: Aerosols for the animals, basket and carpet spray, important to the eggs and larvae to kill. Important are the moorings of the hond.Vet-kem Ovitrol: spray that works against eggs and adult fleas.

What kinds of resources and the animal?:

Flea Powder: Cheap, effective, particularly for a single flea, best with the flea, every night as combs, water bowl next to a little detergent, then sinking the fleas. For young dogs and cats, sick and weak animals perfect.

Flea Shampoo: Works well at the moment, but temporary, repeat every two weeks.

Dog Fashion: drawback to larger dogs often only the front work, often less effective vlooiengif, buy good quality (water etc), often the best flea collar at the vet. Advantage: not too expensive, tape can be invalidated, for example swimming.

Drops in the neck (little pipe, Tiguvon, Advantage) Advantage: All those blood sucking fleas, go to ziele.Nadeel: Fleas must bite first, before werkt.Werking is systemic, so the whole dog / cat to get the poison to make. Only mature, healthy animals.

Pills through the feed:

o Programm: vlooienpil ¨ ¨ type, makes the flea eggs sterile. Suitable for people who have the dog on a flat and not (much) come out. All cats and dogs simultaneously treated. We use self Artis also the maned wolves (with area spray) (goes in the feed). Not effective against adult fleas themselves.

o Cyflee: Advantage: kill all the fleas and ticks suck blood, disadvantage: Fleas must bite first, before it works. Not for puppies and kittens. Operation is systemic, so the whole dog / cat gets to the poison it.

Sprays on the animal, plant species with a nozzle, the wet animal.

Newer funds on the market:

On pyrethrinebasis: Defendog: spray for the dog, working 2 months against fleas, one months against ticks, (several years) is not cheap, very safe and effectief.Defencat: Foam for cats

Frontline: ticks and fleas Not cheap, but effective, fleas die by contact force, ie not only the fleas have to bite. Can also young animals, pregnant and lactating bitches and queens used, is in the sebaceous glands are, Little or no absorption through the skin. dog can swim, washed with shampoo and just cuddled. Safety margin for humans and dogs (selectively on the neurotransmitter of the Flea) long time that works. Dog: 3 months fleas, ticks 5 weeks Cat: fleas 6 weeks.

Obesity is not only in humans but also in dogs a common problem. Research shows that over 50% of our dogs are overweight. Like a dog with overweight people has a greater risk of developing health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, skin complaints and breathing problems

Weight gain occurs when a dog gets more food than it consumes. This can be prevented by the dog to move more. The older dog often moves less, so as seniors enter an appropriate diet is very wise

After neutering change the metabolism, so these animals after surgery require less energy. It is also wise to switch to a light food, or as n 30% of normal power reduction.

All dogs have an ideal weight for their size and breed. Given the differences between animals is sometimes difficult to determine whether an animal is overweight. A few points which you can recognize if your dog is overweight.

* The ribs are hardly noticeable.

* Difficulty in walking

* Slow moving  

* Shortness of breath

* Less playful  

* Poor stamina

* Many sleep  

Obesity prevention is better than cure. Give the dog as little as possible cookies.

And any snacks you provide should be deducted at the normal daily diet.

It is hard, the dog never agree to something nice, but we believe a fat dog feel really unhappy.

If the obesity problem is, you can contact your veterinarian. This can then prescribe a proper diet, and weight loss guide.

There is the possibility of having your bitch tested for progesterone levels. This progesterone is important for determined the ideal mating time for a bitch. If, for example, you have to travel a long distance for the stud dog of your choice (we have had people who travel to the south of France or to Denmark), it is a comforting to know that ovulation has actually taken place in the bitch.

This can be done with the Ovucheck Quantitative Assay test, a very reliable test which measures the progesterone levels and is thus certainly not a visual test for ovulation which is based on discolouring or the highly unreliable stip test.

The measure for determining ovulation is the progesterone level in the blood. Progesterone is a hormone that is released by the ovaries and only occurs during the last stage of ovum development and rises to higher levels when ovulation actually takes place. We can measure the levels of progesterone in the blood by means of a laboratory test and a progesterone metre.

How does it work? The Vet takes millilitre of blood and places it in the centrifuge. From this a sample is taken (in duplicate) which is used in the test. Next, four standard values (of which the progesterone value is precisely known) are introduced and the unknown sample from your dog. These standard values are 0.5, 1, 5, and 10 ng progesterone (ng = nanogram). Thanks to a chemical reaction, these substances are combined in Petri plates. After several treatments (rinsing, new substances added using a pipette) the reaction is stopped. The test substances and the blood now combine with a colouring agent to the progesterone and this can be determined with a light metre.

The disadvantage of this test is that is takes almost an hour and a half before a result is known, but you then have a reliable result on which we can give a good, well-founded advice, either concerning a subsequent test or that you should take your bitch to the stud.

              As advice, we use the following:

< 3 ng,  test again in 3 days

3-5 ng, test again in 2 days  

5-7 ng, test again in 1 day  

7-10 ng, mate in 24 hours time  

> 10 ng, mate immediately  

There is in addition a wide variation in different dogs concerning the best mating time. There are bitches which already ovulate on day 8, but we have also had bitches which do not ovulate until day 29. And with success: three beautiful puppies. Actually, a season which lasted far too long, but it can happen. A good ovulation and the best mating time will, however, not guarantee that this will lead to a successful gestation. 

There are many other factors important for this. The womb must be suitable for encasing the fertilised eggs, the transport of the eggs through the Fallopian tube to the womb must take place normally, the bitch must not contract any diseases or illnesses, the hormonal balance be good and remain so throughout the pregnancy, and naturally the sperm of the stud dog used must be of good quality if a successful fertilisation is to take place. In short, the progesterone test is a great way of increasing the success rate for a pregnancy, but unfortunately it gives no guarantee that puppies will actually be conceived or born.

Bron: Animalclinic Twente

When a bitch is mated, it is important to write down the date of the mating so that you can calculate when the puppies can be expected. You must now, within three weeks of the mating, fill in the so-called mating declaration and submit it to the Dutch Kennel Club.

Breeders who are members of the Breed Club,  De pekingees en Dwergspanielclub, must also notify the Breed Club of the mating within three weeks.

Remember, you must also submit the results of the  shows and eye tests of both parents to the Breed Club.

The average pregnancy of the Lhasa Apso is between 58 and 63 days. It is often the case that the more puppies the bitch is carrying, the shorter the pregnancy; but even with a large number of puppies, the pregnancy should last at least 58 days. If the puppies are both sooner, their chance of survival is small because the lungs of the puppies are not yet fully developed. If the bitch has only a few puppies, the pregnancy may last longer, but at most 67 days. You should then contact your Vet.

28 days after the mating, you can have your Vet examine your bitch to feel whether she is pregnant, or have an echo made.

Most pregnant bitches can go through a period in which they eat badly or vomit. This generally happens when they are 3 weeks pregnant.

It is possible after the pregnancy has lasted for 7 weeks to have an X-ray made; it is only at this age that the puppies have formed bones that can be seen on an X-ray. The advantage of an X-ray is that you can see exactly how many pups you can expect. However, you can often tell yourself whether a bitch is pregnant after 7 weeks. The disadvantage of an X-ray is the radiation to which you expose both your bitch and the puppies.

If the bitch is pregnant, she does not need any additional food for the first 7 weeks. From 7 weeks onwards, you can also give her a good quality puppy food. NEVER give extra calcium in her food.

This can result in bone deformation in both the pups and the mother.

From 57 days, you can start taking the temperature of the bitch; the normal temperature is around 38.5° C.

As the birth approaches, the temperature can drop to around 36.5° C. If the temperature rises again to 38.5° C, she will whelp within 24 hours. She will also lose slime from her vagina; this should be clear or milky.

When determining whether a bitch is in whelp, the following percentages give the accuracy of the examination method used:

• echography 94%

• womb palpitation 88%

• X-ray 100%

One point: not all vets can carry out all forms of examination; always contact your own vet or consult internet.

The whelping box

To make sure your bitch will have a smooth delivery a piecefull area to put the whelping box is a must. The bitch must feel at ease when going into labor. The whelping box should be big enough for your bitch to stretch out in, and have a door way to go in and out. You do not want your bitch to have to jump in and squish a puppy. The whelping box should have a guard rail to help eliminate suffocation and trapping behind the bitch.

New born puppies are unable to keep themselves warm, for that they need their mother or a heat source. Heating lamps and heating pads are highly suitable to keep your puppies warm.

What is needed for the delivery?

Scissors to cut cord,

Hemostats to crimp cord

Un-waxed dental floss to tie cord if needed.

Surgical gloves and K-Y jelly.

Thermometer, Vaseline, book and pen.

Flashlight in case of power outage.

Ribbons if needed to identify puppies

Scale good quality

Preemie bottles and Canine Milk Replacer

NutriCal for Dam and some warm broth or canine milk.

Syringe to syringe fluids in Dams mouth (or spray bottle)

Foamy, sleeping bag, and pillow to camp beside whelp box

Calcium, either calsorb, vanilla ice-cream, or tums.

Stages of labor

Usually a day before the delivery starts the bitch can become distressed. Her temperature will drop. She may refuse food, and her stolls may turn dark.

The second stage usually begins with a rather clear, or mucous-like discharge from the vulva. In the second stage of labor contractions should start. There will be more discharge, and the presentation of a round golf-ball size membrane sack of water. Some vets recommend not letting her puncture this sac. This is the protective sac that the puppy is in. After presentation of this sac, the puppy could be out in about 30min. If the bitch continues to strain hard for longer than 45 minutes on a single puppy, it is wise to call your vet. Remember, there should never be time limits, as every situation is different. It is always best to call your vet and do what he/she recommends.

The third stage is the presentation of puppy and delivery of placenta. The puppy may or may not be still in his sac. This needs to be removed immediately, just rip it with your fingers, clamp off the cord (cut & tie), and start rubbing the puppy till you hear him gasp. Then let him nurse till next puppy comes. This can happen minutes or a couple hours after the first one. Make sure you count one placenta for each puppy. Some breeders let the bitch eat ½ the placentas.

After all puppies are born the bitch will probably want to go to sleep. Let her do so. Clean up the mess, and make sure every puppy has found a nipple. A few hours after the delivery can you check if your bitch is prepared to leave her puppies for a while, so that you can quickly wash and dry her.

Call your vet in case:

Nothing has happened at the 65th day of the pregnancy;

You notice a dark green or smelling stream coming from the vulva;

After straining hard for longer than 45 minutes there still is no puppy;

More than 2 hours have elapsed after a puppy being born, and you expect more puppies;

The bitch acts upset or agressive towards her puppies;

The bitch keeps restless after the delivery (there might be another puppy, or a placenta);

In any case, it's usefull to inform your vet about the upcoming delivery, and have him check your bitch 24 hours after the delivery.