Turkey Trip

Thanks for asking this question, had never heard of a Pupkus dryer but it sounds interesting & quite compact for traveling - love Clipperworld but notice this brand is not listed on their website, any suggestions as to where would be the best place to acquire one from? Hope you don't mind me asking within your topic africandreams.. :)

One other thing to try, if your bitch is still on antibiotics (or the pups themselves) a few small dollops of natural yoghurt deposited on the tongue with an eyedropper or needle-less syringe will be of benefit to the balance of beneficial bacteria in the puppy's gut. Just enough to cover the finger tip will make a difference in a newborn pup. Used in conjunction with the milk supplementation (or even by itself in some cases) this will often bring some slower pups on and allow them to thrive. Protexin will also help if you can get it - its a concentrated and pure source of beneficial gut bacteria. The antibiotics are a double-edged sword because although needed to counter infection, they also inadvertently destroy the essential natural flora of the gut. You would need to time the yoghurt supp. between doses of antibiotics until the course has finished.

This. What you are proposing is much closer than half brother - half sister. There is a good chance you will create future problems for the dogs and yourself and personally I would never do this mating. A tried and true old adage to remember is "close but not too close". JMO

e_2 For your info and very helpful insight into the process. Have contacted Cryogenes and already had a response, now have a lot of reading to do and maybe something to look forward to. :)

I am in Western Australia and have looked at previous discussions and am still not sure which which import agent would be the best to use for importing frozen semen from the USA. Have found the websites for both Cryogenes and Sires On Ice but they lack enough "nitty-gritty" detail for a first-time numpty and any feed-back from breeders who have actually imported canine FS from the USA would be of most interest please. Ta muchly if you can help.

Sorry, have only just read this and hope all is well now that the bitch has completed her course of antibiotics. - If antibiotics are given they will impact on the normal gut flora of both the lactating dam and her puppies, as each time they feed the pups will also be getting a dose of antibiotic via the dam's milk. While the bitch is under antibiotic medication it is absolutely essential to give the pups some natural yoghurt - she can have some yoghurt too however she will not be as vulnerable as the newborn puppies and will probably not show any symptoms of gut flora imbalance. The symptoms as you describe could well be caused by the pups' ingestion of their mother's antibiotics via her milk, which has completely unbalanced (or virtually wiped out) their own healthy gut flora. Intevention is easy - just half an eyedropper of natural yoghurt syringed or squeezed out onto the tongue (let the pup swallow slowly - don't squirt it) or, simply dip your little fingertip into the natural yoghurt and wipe it off onto the top palate of the pup's mouth. While this may not have been your particular problem this time, there is nothing to lose in giving natural yoghurt to the newborn pups as an "antidote" to the potential gut effects of the post CS antibiotics. We have always used this routine for newborn CS pups (especially important if you see signs of indigestion such as vomiting/salivation or liquid, bright yellow "poos" The beneficial effects or turnaround of symptoms after just one or two feeds of natural yoghurt are both rapid and amazing. Protexin would be most effective as well, but often it is not readily on hand when needed and natural yoghurt is plus, it is also an easily digested food supplement and thus gives a quick pick-up to a poorly pup. Best wishes, hope all goes well from now on.

Impressed, well done Animal Network. Results back in less than the 15 working days specified, now if you can just get your prices more in line with o/seas companies.. All 3 pups tested vWD CLEAR

As you're suggesting if the test results are to be recognised by the ANKC then positive identification of the dog would need to be done by an official - (DVM or authorised collector) - someone who would check the microchip and place/seal the swabs from the identified dog into a tamper-proof bag.) The kits supplied by DDC are not tamper-proof nor do they require the signature of a DVM, so in their current form they would not be suitable for certified results. Perhaps if your breed requires certified results this company would not be suitable, or, perhaps you could email them to inquire re other methods and certification? I'm using this US based company for just two tests (DM & Coat length) however it is solely for my own information as there is no official requirement for testing in my breed. I had the vWD tests done here by Animal Network with dogs' microchips read/certified & DNA swabs taken, signed and sealed by a DVM so they can be officially recorded with the ANKC. If you contact DDC by email they seem to respond almost immediately and appear to be very receptive and helpful. Might be worth checking them out yourself as they did say in their response to my first inquiry that they do a lot of testing for Australian based clients. Hope this helps. TT

What tests were you looking for rajacadoo? Notice they have ACD's listed with 4 coat colour & 2 genetic disease tests avail. http://www.vetdnacenter.com/search-breed-result.php?breed=10 Seems they don't offer all tests on each breed, guess due to patent restrictions. Very much a pity as had to go elsewhere for one of ours and suffer the exorbitant (in comparison) cost. Sent off three weeks ago, still waiting for results...

Just turned up as a fat envelope in the letterbox, presumably airmail - has one of those US Postage>Pitney Bowes red ink stamps for $1.48 USD. Pretty fast! ..TT

You might be interested in this thread capanash: Link I've just used DDC Veterinary - ordered/paid for tests on line & kits arrived from the USA just over a week later. Saved a substantial amount in comparison to testing services offered in Australia and am so happy with the service and price have just ordered/paid for two more. First batch was of 3 dogs & two tests each, second batch another two dogs and two tests each - for each dog the first test was $58 and the second test on the same dog only $20.00 - So a maximum of $78/dog.

How frustrating E2, am sorry to read that. The place mentioned in my post above (DDC Veterinary http://www.vetdnacenter.com/ from where I've now ordered the latest lot of tests, was even cheaper than OFA for DM testing. It was $58 USD for the DM and only $20.00 extra to do any other test on the same dog. The testing ought to be official as a veterinary surgeon checked microchips, collected the swabs and sealed the bags, however even if that is not the case and this is not acceptable to the ANKC I will have the required knowledge at considerable savings. The ANKC should support breeders who are trying to do the right thing, not restricting the option of shopping around for the best service at the best available price.

A quick update as a matter of interest: Have just ordered 6 DNA tests (Coat length & DM) for 3 dogs from http://www.vetdnacenter.com/ and saved a mint! Total cost = $234.00 USD - a cost saving of USD$122 per dog and with the $AUD currently at an all time high, a great time to place an order. Happy as! Lift your game Australian companies.

YES but only if both parents carry the recessive "e" gene. Puppies will be genetically tricolour but phenotypically red/tan/cream as black coat pigment cannot be expressed. e_e reds can occur in Cardigan Welsh Corgis, Border Collies, and are the standard colour in Labrador Retrievers/Golden Retrievers and certain other breeds. e_e red puppies are born clear red and will never have any black in their coat. Most "normal" red puppies have an overlay of darker coat at birth which clears to red or tan with the adult coat. Thus e_e red pups must be identified at birth by the absence of any black in their coat. e_e red dogs also tend to have paled out nose leather at maturity - not black.

Best of luck.

Don't forget to convert ng (used in the USA) to nmol (used in Australia)- Check the conversion yourself but from memory you multiply the ng figure by 3.18 to convert it to nmol.

Like breeders, exhibitors ...and dogs, ;p not all judges are created equal. You just need to chose your shows to find the most competent and impartial judges with the knowledge and confidence to do their own thing and award using their own opinion. Will give everyone one or two tries and even if a judge does appear "facey" as it is termed but is also competent, will try them again after a break as we all make mistakes and can learn from them. Some simply operate that way regardless and it is these which one can save a fortune in entries on and also free up some weekends. :D A win merely as a "face" means little ( and we have all witnessed this happen when the 3-legged stove - or limping exhibit.. wins over better exhibits) but of course sometimes a "face" also does have the BEST exhibit and always, the BEST dog/bitch must win regardless of anything else. People still show because the majority of our judges are both competent and fair, what I personally deplore though is "follow the leader" judging, - each show should be a new show and each dog should have a fresh and impartial evaluation. It shouldn't matter "who" did "what" with that dog last weekend.. ;) JMO

I so agree. I find baubles bobbing around near the dog's head distracting (surely it's the dog we want the judge to focus on) not to mention the nasty surprise smack in the eye from a swinging bauble that I saw one poor dog encounter as it moved. Some leads are pretty, but please keep the beads up the top and away from the dog's head.

for the Murdoch contact details ozjen.

Do you know who is reading them at Murdoch? It would be convenient to have then done in Perth rather than sending them interstate. I had some done almost the day Dr Wyburn became ill. BTW thank you to Dr Wyburn for his generosity with advice for an article on HD and many years of great service to the dog world.

If you really want the mating take her into your Vet asap and have blood taken for a progesterone test, this will remove the guess-work of whether she is early, ready, or gone past. In some bitches behaviour and true oestrus are not necessarily correlated. While she is there get the Vet to do a proper examination, if she is breedable she will feel soft and wide open with no obstruction and a clean, lubricated gloved finger will easily palpate the entire vaginal opening. If you are only getting half a little finger in it sounds as if she is not ready as that depth is possibly only the vulva. If she is early then yes she will be less tight as she goes further into her season, however unless you progesterone test you really don't know at what stage she is at or when she will ovulate, she may have even gone past? Could there be adhesions from the stricture surgery? If she is standing, cooperative and appearing ready and the dog can only penetrate the vulva, just hold them together while he does his "happy dance" and continue to hold them in position for about 3-5 minutes if possible - a slip is as good as a tie provided the timing is correct. (That progesterone test again.)

Thanks for the thread, Tumbarumba, Bairnsdale, have caravan, making notes.. :D Interesting that good judges appear on nearly everyone's list and also very interesting, an article by Andrew H. Brace in the March issue of Dog News Australia re the importance of competent judging at breed level and how the modern emphasis on breeding and judging for Group has had an effect on the type of dog required for success in this competitive field. In Australia, while we make judges training requirements more complicated and "academic" IMHO we don't seem to be turning out better judges, in fact also IMHO there are very knowledgeable and capable breeders and breed specialists who will never choose to qualify and judge under this system. Our loss. When it comes to showing, just personally I would like to see more back to back shows preferably with impartial and fully competent interstate/international judges - judges who are real dog people with proven achievements in their field, not dog world show ponies and politicians :D - so dogs can be readied and shown over a short period dedicated to "de dog show" thus keeping more weekends free for other things. Really enjoyed the opportunity for this option during an interstate trip in 2010. Basically, fewer shows - clustered together - good quality in selection of judges. Gee but I'm hard to please.

The only video I seem to get is the "short message from our sponsors" (repeatedly!!) and then everything freezes up. Seems their servers are simply not coping with the demand.

I'm not saying there isn't a problem with the breeding of pure bred animals, I've said it before and here we go again - there always will be some problems as long as it is impossible to stop idiots from breeding dog, cats, whatever. However, this has holes all over it: 1) The timing - a pathetically transparent attention grab during Crufts week. Are they feeling irrelevant and afraid the presence all those healthy, beautiful and sound purebred dogs competing in conformation and performance events might suck the wind from their sails? 2) "Many pedigree dogs are vulnerable to unnecessary disease, disability, pain or behavioural problems. This is because they're bred primarily for how they look rather than with health, welfare or temperament in mind." - While this may apply to some supposedly "purebred" dogs - ie. those bred by the above-mentioned idiots and profit driven puppy farmers/back yard breeders thus ending up in pet shop windows or sold over the internet, the vast majority of quality pedigree dogs come from ethical and informed breeders who know and love their breed and plan matings not merely for appearance, but for the whole dog, the complet package, ie. soundness in structure, temperament and health, often after an expensive investment in using health-tested parents. Breed standards are not the problem, they cover not just appearance but structure, character and temperament and were originally written for existing, healthy and functional dogs of that breed. It is the wrongful interpretation and reward for exaggeration of these breed points by some breeders and judges, (that idiot factor again) that thankfully, has been put in perspective in recent years and these breeds are now swinging back into healthy equilibrium thanks to efforts by concerned breeders and the Kennel Club. 3)"The survey also shows that 46 per cent of dogs (both crossbreeds and pure breeds) bought in the last two years have suffered health problems, so it is especially important that prospective puppy buyers do their research before choosing the right type of dog for them." So, in this survey (more about that later) - 46% of crossbred AND pure bred dogs were reported as having health problems. That's BOTH, not just pedigree dogs and also means that 54% or more than half of pure AND crossbred dogs are healthy. I guess we cross - bred humans would have about the same percentage of health problems over our lifetime .. which is why we need to train both Doctors and Veterinarians. 4)" The research was conducted by TNS via OnlineBus, an internet survey. A sample of 7,272 GB adults aged 16-64 were interviewed. Of these, 848 people had acquired a puppy in the past two years. Interviewing was conducted by online self-completion from 23 November 2010 to 20 January 2011." So, a purely voluntary survey over 3 months gathered just over 7,000 responses in a population of over 61 million people. And who would have the urge or interest to participate and respond to such a survey, should they actually chance upon it? Those with a grievance of course. So in a population of over 61 million people you have an infinitesimal response basically comprised not of a cross-section of society, but of people with a (perhaps justifiable) grievance or axe to grind. AND did the survey ask where they bought their so-called "purebred" or crossbred animals from? My bet is the local pet shop and their breeders were once again, the aforementioned idiots and dollar driven entreprenuers. Lastly: "The RSPCA decided not to attend Crufts 2009 to send a clear message that urgent action must be taken to improve the health and welfare of pedigree dogs. Several other leading animal welfare charities and show sponsors followed suit, and the BBC decided not to broadcast the show. The RSPCA did not attend Crufts 2010 and will not have a presence at Crufts 2011. " Well aren't they the silly billies? The public never even missed them and won't again this year. They'll be too busy having fun, spending money and watching the beautiful, healthy dogs they love to see. What will be missed, is the opportunity to promote other good work the RSPCA does for animals in need, fund raise and in general to gain audience with people and a large chunk of society who love animals. Time for a reality check RSPCA. Go incognito to Crufts 2011 and see for yourself all the healthy, sound and happy pedigree dogs. Oh and next time you do a survey and come up with "Sixty per cent of dogs bought in the last two years were pure-breeds"; please ask those 60% of dog-owner's why they chose a pure-bred dog and most importantly, where they bought their puppy from.

Always have Polaramine in your medicine chest - good antihistamine action for relief of bee stings on both humans and dogs. 1 tablet asap after the sting and then follow directions on pack, have never required a second tablet. Original advice was from a human doctor, for a child with a bee sting allergy. Works great on puppies and adult dogs too! Will usually save you a Vet visit, although if symptoms persist, as they say, "see your doctor".