worming advice needed please!

Hi all,

was wondering if someone could give me some advice please....

As i have mentioned in a previous post, i'm planning to mate my bitch when she is next in season.

She was due last month and so is hanging on

I generally as a rule worm mine every 4 months and my bitch's was due to be wormed last month also.

My vet wants to wait until my hopefully will be pregnant bitch, 40 days in to her pregnancy?

But my friend has advised me to worm her when she's day 1 then on the day 40 as she could reabsorb??

Could any of tell me how you go about it?

As i am a little confused, generaly i just worm every 4 months but due to the fact i'm planning to breed my one of my girls this had complicated matters slightly and would like to get it right.

Many thanks in advance

Love REG

I'm not really sure about this but I usually worm every three months, not four.

Maybe you can have a look here

http://www.stopwormsdead.co.uk/template.php it might give you some advice. If not, I'm sure one of the breeders on here will be along to help you soon

Can I ask, if you are planning on breeding your girl, has she had all the relevant tests including heart, hip and eye tests and also a scan for SM?

What about the stud dog?

Not trying to upset you but having an SM dog, losing a dog through hip dysplasia and knowing those who have lost dogs through SM or MVD, these are things that we are all concerned about.

Responsible breeding is a subject very close to our hearts on here

Hi Donna,
Thanks for replying.
We get our dogs tested each year and so far so good
We arn't going to get them MRI'd as they they arn't displaying any signs of SM.
They have the odd scratch but no more then myself, no squeeks and showing no sign's of being uncomfortable along their spine, head or neck, only when we manage to stand on a foot or tail but lots of kisses soon make up for it
Both myself and my husband feel that their is no point in subecting our girls to sedation for tests that haven't come up with 100% clear results.
The only time i would MRId is if they was showing some symptoms and thats only if i would like to breed from them.
My bitch's are 2 1/2 and not showing any sign's at the moment, the stud dog i have arranged a visit with is also clear along with being tested for SM which is clear also, along with his father and his,which is brilliant
My bitch's parents who are 6 and 8years are also clear, so we feel after careful thought and consideraton, we feel comfortable and happy to breed from her.
I understand that not all breeders would still be happy to and i accept that, but do also know of very good breeders who would agree, and until things become clear and 100% proof i don't wish to go down that line.
We understand how serious SM is and our heart goes out to everyone who goes through the pain or watching their baby in pain or in discomfort.
We are trying to go down the right road and are following the protocol of the ckcs club here in the uk, and we do love our girls to bits.
I hope this helps, i was going to say i look forward to any replies but feel that this subject is very controversial,i may not be smiling , but were always ready to learn
Love REG

I worm every three months, more so because I have multiple dogs and they do a lot of off lead walking with heads down sniffing everything! and they also mingle with other dogs that might not be up to date with their worming. Better to be safe.

Please re-thing about scanning for SM before you breed, the risk is simply to great.
Many pet owners are now asking for both parents to be MRI clear not just the one, and after the loss of three I would insist.
No dog is clear just by being symptom less.

Like Donna said, it is a subject that is close to our hearts. :flwr:

Alison, Wilts, U.K.

Hi REG

What can I say to that reply? My Tri didn't start showing symptoms until last year - he is now seven. He was diagnosed 2 weeks after I first noticed the symptoms because thank goodness I have a Vet who is on the ball.

I personally wouldn't entertain buying a pup from anyone who hadn't had both parents scanned and, as Maxx's syrinx is at the bottom of his spine I would want those dogs to be totally free of all signs (ie I would want an A rated scan from dog and bitch).

I really hope that you will reconsider your decision and have your bitch scanned. After all, it took the CKCS club many years before they introduced a protocol for hearts and eyes but good breeders were already having these checks made on their breeding stock.

One thing to think about.... How would you feel if you bred a lovely litter and sold them all to good loving families. Two years down the line you get a knock on the door and there's one of the families with a severely affected dog who is on the highest doeses of Gabapentin possible. This family are about to lose that precious puppy because your dogs weren't scanned and declared free from SM.

Please don't think I am making stories up as I go along. I know people who have lost extremely young dogs from SM & in fact, a lady who called me only a few weeks ago, devastated because her Cavalier had SM and wanted some help and advice has just lost her precious boy.

Sorry if this hurts but as far as I am concerned you should only be breeding from your bitch if you are 100% certain that she is SM Clear as well as every other test clear. If not, will you be prepared to buy any affected pups back at the full cost charged and then provide them with a home and medication for life?

SM hurts full stop. It hurts the dogs affected, it hurts the families who own them and it also hurts the breed in general. Don't you think that cavaliers have enough bad health problems already without maybe risking another?

I am greatful for these posts and the discussion they provide! I had a question if a dog is scanned once and gets an A rating is that conclusive that they will never develop SM or is it like with the other tests where they will be cleared each year?

I think it would be best and easiest for you to read all the guide lines for SM in Cavaliers to help understand also the different gradings depending on age etc.

Nothing is conclusive, but it would certainly be unlikely for an A scanned dog to develop SM.

Have a read on

www.thecavalierclub.co.uk

Find all the SM information in the health sections, it gives all the grades etc. it's easy to understand so have a good read. :flwr:

Alison, wilts, U.K.