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- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS);faqs.235
-
-
-
- CKC groups
- Sporting
- Hound
- Working
- Terrier
- Toy
- Non-sporting
- Herding
- Miscellaneous
-
- 4. Fe'de'ration Cynologique Internationale
-
- FCI
- Rue Le'opold-II
- 14B-6530 Thuin
- Belgium
-
- The FCI is a world-wide federation of national dog clubs. Its
- objective is to bring about international standards in the breeding,
- exhibiting, and judging of purebreds.
-
- Founded in 1911, it was originally European -- claiming membership
- from France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, and Holland. Today,
- membership includes representatives from 19 European countries as well
- as several from Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Another 11 countries
- are affiliated (including Britain and South Africa).
-
- FCI automatically recognizes the breeds of member countries -- hence
- it recognizes over 300 breeds. Breed standards approved by FCI are
- drawn up from the country of origin, helping to keep those standards
- uniform. Member countries may refuse to register dogs showing genetic
- flaws or non-conformation to standards; this helps eliminate
- hereditary defects.
-
- FCI hosts two types of shows: national and international. The country
- in which the show is held determines the judging system.
- International titles: International Working Trial Champion, and
- International Beauty Champion, both based on accumulating aptitude
- certificates and prizes in several countries under several judges.
- Difficulties are encountered by various quarantines of some of the
- countries.
-
- FCI groups:
- Shepherd Dogs
- Watch Dogs and Working Dogs
- Terriers
- Dachshunds
- Hounds for Big Game
- Hounds for Small Game
- Pointers (except British breeds)
- British Gun Dogs
- Fancy Dogs
- Greyhounds
-
- 5. Kennel Club (Britain)
-
- The Kennel Club
- 1-5 Clarges Street
- London W1Y 8AB
-
- The Kennel Club was formed in 1873. Its objective is to bring under
- central authority various canine clubs to ensure uniform standards,
- rules, and procedures, as well as a comprehensive registry for all
- breeds. There are more than 1,700 member clubs in The Kennel Club
- today. The Kennel Club has reciprocal arrangements with more than 40
- national clubs and is an associate member of FCI.
-
- The KC does not recognise Schutzhund. To gain a KC studbook number a
- dog must get a first, second or third prize in the Limit or Open Class
- at a Championship show or a CC or RCC.
-
- The British title Champion (bench) is generally considered the most
- difficult to obtain. The dog must earn three Challenge Certificates
- from three different judges (one out of puppy class). Some breeds,
- those on the import register do not have CC's. -- but CC's are
- sharply limited, and even if Best of Sex is won, the judge may
- withhold a CC. It may take years to obtain the title.
-
- Kennel Club groups
- Hound
- Gun dog
- Terrier
- Utility
- Working
- Toy
-
- 6. Kennel Union of Southern Africa
-
- KUSA
- Box 2659
- Cape Town 8000
- South Africa
-
- Organized in 1895 to unite all the kennel clubs in South Africa, KUSA
- is composed of some 150 affiliated clubs. Most of KUSA's approved
- standards are from Britain's Kennel Club. Deviations or omissions
- from the KC generally follow FCI standards instead. Of FCI members,
- KUSA is the most closely associated club. A total of 181 dogs are
- recognized by KUSA.
-
- KUSA groups
- Hound
- Gun dog
- Terrier
- Utility
- Working
- Toy
-
- 7. New Zealand Kennel Club
-
- NZKC
- Private Bag
- Porirua
-
- Operates virtually identically to ANKC; breed standards and rules are
- the same. There is no quarantine between Australia and New Zealand
- (unless recently imported from elsewhere).
-
- 8. States Kennel Club [USA]
-
- SKC
- P.O. Box 389
- Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39403-0389
- 601-583-8345
-
- The States Kennel Club began in 1987. It was formed to promote the
- interest of all purebred dogs on a nationwide basis. Its membership
- is open to all who wish to participate and to any club. All Breed
- Clubs, Group Clubs, Specialty Clubs and Obedience Clubs are allowed;
- the Obedience clubs may only do obedience while the other clubs may
- have obedience trials in conjunction with their conformation trials.
-
- The SKC registers all purebred dogs recognized by AKC, CKC, and FCI.
- Additional breeds may be recognized at SKC's discretion.
-
- SKC accepts all dogs registered by the AKC, CKC, or any club
- asssociated with the FCI, or governed by THe Kennel Club (Britain) or
- other recognized kennel registries around the world. You need only
- submit a photocopy of the dog's current registration papers along with
- the appropriate fee.
-
- 9. United Kennel Club [USA]
-
- A smaller kennel club in the US, with an emphasis on working
- competitions.
-
-
- G. Mailing Lists.
-
- There are several email lists on canines and related topics.
- See the training FAQ for the one on obedience, the AKC-titles
- for the herding list.
-
- A general canine list is: CANINE-L. To subscribe, send email
- to listserv@pccvm.bitnet with
- subscribe canine-l <your name>
- in the body of the message, where <your name> is your actual
- name, not your login name or email address or anything else.
-
- There is a recently created list for Golden Retriever owners. To
- subscribe, send a message to listserv@hobbes.ucsd.edu with the phrase
- "subscribe golden firstname lastname" in the message body where
- <firstname lastname> is your own name. The list server will deduce
- your email address.
-
-
- H. Acknowledgements.
-
- I would like to thank the following people who took the time to send
- me their comments. Many of them contributed substantial material for
- this FAQ. Some contributed unknowingly, as I lifted their posts
- directly from the newsgroup, or obtained them from summaries kept by
- other people.
-
- Thanks to: Ed Anderson, David Austin, Chris Barnes, Anne Beck, Loralie
- Bellows, Marla Belzowski, Rachel Bereson, Mike Berger, Heike Berlind,
- Kathy Buetow, Matthew W. Blake, Amy Blankenship, Wade Blomgren, Mary
- Blumenstock, Kathleen Brewer, Dag Bruck, Kathy Buetow, Nancy Bulinski,
- Robin Bush, Alex Campbell, Jose' J. Capo', John Chandler, Bill Chapp,
- Jason Chen, Joseph T. Chew, Bill Chiachiaro, Mike Clark, James R.
- Coggins, Dale Cook, Kathryn L. Cook, Deborah J. Cooper, Steve Crumley,
- Schalene Dagutis, Brad Davidson, Cindy Davies, Barbara Davis, Jack
- Dean, Len DePalma, Len DeRoeck, Dennis Doubleday, Kim Dyer, Bonni
- Ensminger, Damon Feldman, Lindy Fleck, Debbie Forest, Dan Fowler, Del
- Fredricks, Carole Susan Fungaroli, Neal Gaborno, Michael Garzione,
- Patricia Geschwent, Bill Glazier, Rob G. Glenn, Joy A. Gochman, Robin
- Goldstone, Jim Graham, Dennis Gulden, Marsha Jo Hannah, Tom Haapanen,
- R. Hardin, Terri W. Hardwick, Sharon Hasting, John Heim, Julie Hill,
- R. G. Hoff, Duke P. Hong, Sue Utter Honig, Gerald Hough, Terry Hull,
- Sally A. Hundley, Larry Hunter, John Interrante, Jane Jackson,
- Victoria Janicki, Tor Erik Jeremiassen, Marget Johnson, Debbie Keyes,
- Joyce Andrews King, Erich Klinghammer, Rich Kulawiec, Virginia P.
- Kunch, Kimberly Laird, Karina Laramie, Stephen N. Larson, Stephen R.
- Lee, William LeFebvre, David E. Levy, Bill McCormick, Russell
- McFadden, Allen McIntosh, Marian McKenzie, Meg McRoberts, Ellen M.
- McSorley, Michael Mahler, Dana Massey, Douglas Merrill, Steve
- Michelson, Liza Miller, Carol Miller-Tutzauer, William L. Millios,
- Wendy Milner, David Minturn, Maralee Morado, Gary Morris, Kathy Moser,
- S. Mudgett, Lily Mummert, Anne Myers, Victoria Neff, Barbara A. Neves,
- Devon Nichols, David Northrop, Eugina M. Novak, Elizabeth S. Odekirk,
- Maureen O'Halloran, Jeff Parke, Brian Pawlowski, Jill N. Pappenhagen,
- Jon Pastor, David Prager, Nancy Rabel, Margaret F. Riley, Nancy
- Roberts, Garth Robinson, Kevin Rodgers, Sue Sanvido, Carlin
- Sappenfield, Debra R. Schneider, Michael Sierchio, Brian Wesley
- Simmons, Susan B. Sinnott, Michele Smith, Charlie Sorsby, Thomas A.
- Spraggins, Orca Starbuck, Stormwind, Renee Strong, Alison Suggs, Karl
- Swartz, Laura Toms, Beverly Trimpe, Deborah Trytten, David C. Tuttle,
- Bill Underwood, Esa Viitala, Kathy Vineyard, Michael Wagppner, Sky
- Warrior, Joseph Weinstein, Sara Weinstein, John Wells, Mary Ann Wells,
- Kathy Wilk, Kim Williams, Stewart Winter, Rusty Wright, and Jeff
- Young.
-
- Extra thanks to Marla Belzowski, Stephen R. Lee, Liza Miller, Lily
- Mummert, Michael Sierchio, Charlie Sorsby, and Rusty Wright for
- extensive editorial comments and a wealth of contributions.
-
- ----------------
- This file is Copyright (c) 1992 by Cindy Tittle Moore. It may be
- freely distributed in its entirety provided that this copyright notice
- is not removed. It may not be sold for profit nor incorporated in
- commercial documents without the author's written permission.
-
- Cindy Tittle Moore
- Internet: tittle@ics.uci.edu UUCP: ...!ucbvax!ucivax!tittle
- Bitnet : cltittle@uci USmail: PO BOX 4188, Irvine CA 92716
- ----------------
-
- X-Last-Updated: 1992/07/02
- Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs,news.answers
- From: tittle@ics.uci.edu (Cindy Tittle Moore)
- Subject: rec.pets.dogs: Labrador Retrievers FAQ
- Sender: tittle
- Organization: University of California at Irvine: ICS Dept.
- Reply-To: tittle@ics.uci.edu
- Approved: news-answers-request@mit.edu
- Followup-To: poster
-
- Archive-name: dogs-faq/labradors
-
- This is the breed-specific FAQ for Labrador Retrievers. It is not posted on a
- regular basis, but may be obtained via anonymous ftp at pit-manager.mit.edu
- under /pub/usenet/news.answers/dogs-faq/labradors. Or, send email to
- mail-server@pit-manager.mit.edu with
-
- send usenet/news.answers/dogs-faq/labradors
-
- in the subject line, leaving the body empty.
-
- AUTHOR
-
- Liza Lee Miller, 18 May 1992.
-
- DESCRIPTION
-
- AKC Breed Standard:
-
- General Appearance: The general appearance of the Labrador should be
- that of a strongly built, short-coupled, very active dog. He should
- be fairly wide over the loins, and strong and muscular in the
- hindquarters. The coat should be close, short, dense and free from
- feather.
-
- Head: The skull should be wide, giving brain room; there should be a
- slight stop, i.e., the brow should be slightly pronounced, so that the
- skull is not absolutely in a straight line with the nose. The head
- should be clean-cut and free from fleshy cheeks. The jaws should be
- long and powerful and free from snipiness; the nose should be wide and
- the nostrils well developed. Teeth should be strong and regular, with
- a level mouth. The ears should hang moderately close to the head,
- rather far back; should be set somewhat low and not be large and
- heavy. The eyes should be of medium size, expressing great
- intelligence and good temper, and can be brown, yellow or black, but
- brown or black is preferred.
-
- Neck and Chest: The neck should be medium length, powerful and not
- throaty. The shoulders should be long and sloping. The chest must be
- of good width and depth, the ribs well sprung, and the loins wide and
- strong, stifles well turned, and the hindquarters well developed and
- of great power.
-
- Legs and Feet: The legs must be straight from the shoulder to ground,
- and the feet compact with toes well arched, and pads well developed;
- the hocks should be well bent, and the dog must neither be cowhocked
- nor be too wide behind; in fact, he must stand and move true all round
- on legs and feet. Legs should be of medium length, showing good bone
- and muscle, but not so short as to be out of balance with rest of
- body. In fact, a dog well balanced in all points is preferable to one
- with outstanding good qualities and defects.
-
- Tail: The tail is a distinctive feature of the breed; it should be
- very thick towards the base, gradually tapering towards the tip, of
- medium length, should be free from any feathering, and should be
- clothed thickly all round with the Labrador's short, thick, dense
- coat, thus giving the peculiar "rounded" appearance which has been
- described as the "otter" tail. The tail may be carried gaily but
- should not curl over the back.
-
- Coat: The coat is another very distinctive feature; it should be
- short, very dense and without wave, and should give a fairly hard
- feeling to the hand.
-
- Color: The colors are black, yellow or chocolate and are evaluated as
- follows:
-
- (a) Blacks: All black, with a small white spot on chest permissible.
- Eyes to be of medium size, expressing intelligence and good temper,
- preferably brown or hazel, although black or yellow is permissible.
-
- (b) Yellows: Yellows may vary in color from fox-red to light cream
- with variations in the shading of the coat on ears, the underparts of
- the dog, or beneath the tail. A small white spot on chest is
- permissible. Eye coloring and expression should be the same as that of
- the blacks, with black or dark brown eye rims. The nose should also
- be black or dark brown, although "fading" to pink in winter is not
- serious. A "Dudley" nose (pink without pigmentation) should be
- penalized.
-
- (c) Chocolates: Shades ranging from light sedge to chocolate. A small
- white spot on chest is permissible. Eyes to be light brown to clear
- yellow. Nose and eye-rim pigmentation dark brown or liver colored.
- "Fading" to pink in winter weather not serious. "Dudley" nose should
- be penalized.
-
- Movement: Movement should be free and effortless. The forelegs should
- be strong and true, and correctly placed. Watching a dog move towards
- one, there should be no signs of elbows being out in front, but neatly
- held to the body with legs not too close together, and moving straight
- forward without pacing or weaving. Upon viewing the dog from the
- rear, one should get the impression that the hind legs, which should be
- well muscled and not cowhocked, move as nearly parallel as possible,
- with hocks doing their full share of work and flexing well, thus
- giving the appearance of power and strength.
-
- Approximate Weights of Dogs and Bitches in Working Condition: Dogs --
- 60 to 75 pounds; bitches -- 55 to 70 pounds.
-
- Height at Shoulders: Dogs -- 22-1/2 inches to 24-1/2 inches; bitches
- -- 21-1/2 inches to 23-1/2 inches.
-
- RECOGNIZED
-
- American Kennel Club
- Australian National Kennel Club
- Canadian Kennel Club
- FCI
- Kennel Club of Great Britain
- United Kennel Club
- (this list is incomplete)
-
- HISTORY
-
- The Labrador is a native of Newfoundland, although not of Labrador
- itself. It is actually from the St. John area where St. Johns water
- dogs have flourished for decades. The Labrador Retriever,
- Newfoundland, and Chesaspeake Bay Retriever all share common ancestry
- with the St. Johns dog. The double coat of a Labrador is short and
- oily, which is perfect for shedding icy water. These dogs originally
- helped haul fish nets toward the shore, retrieve dropped objects and
- even rounded up stray cod which escaped on the surface.
-
- In the 1820s, the English sporting gentry were quick to see the
- potential of the Labrador as a gun dog. Dogs brought over from
- Newfoundland were probably bred into existing retriever lines,
- developing the dog into the Labrador we know today. It is unknown
- when the breed was named "Labrador Retriever," but it was some time
- after the breed arrived in England.
-
- Labradors were imported to the United States during World War I. At
- this point, the AKC still classified them as "retrievers," it was not
- until the late 1920's that the retrievers were split up into the
- breeds we know today.
-
- CHARACTERISTICS AND TEMPERAMENT
-
- The main characteristics of the Labrador are their coat, tail, and
- temperament. They have a double coat which means that they have a
- soft, downy under coat which keeps them dry and warm in cold water and
- a hard over coat that helps them repel water. Their tail, described
- best as an otter tail, is thick at the base and tapers to a narrower
- point. It should not be carried over the back nor should it have a
- curl to it. It should, however, be at exactly coffeetable height and
- always be ready to swipe a table clean. Their temperament is their
- best feature. Labs are very loving, very people oriented dogs. They
- are happiest when they are with you. Labs are retrievers and will
- bring you things they find laying about your house or yard. They tend
- to be quite patient with children and wonderful family dogs. They are
- not guard dogs. They may bark protectively, but will generally not
- act more aggressively. Labs are wonderful people dogs, more likely to
- lick someone to death than hurt them.
-
- In the U.S., there are two distinct "lines" of labradors, field lines
- and show lines. Field line labradors have been bred exclusively for
- field, or hunting ability, and not for conformation. As a result,
- field lines tend to produce larger, more slender and energetic
- Labradors than show lines, which tend to be correct in conformation and
- calmer of temperament. There is some dissension between the two
- groups, with field people claiming that show lines have lost much of
- their hunting and retrieving abilities, and show people claiming that
- field lines do not much look like labradors any more. When choosing your
- puppy, you should keep in mind the types of activities you want to do with
- your dog and choose a breeder and dog accordingly. Keep the temperament
- and other attributes of the dog in mind when you are choosing a breeder and
- discuss them with that breeder to ensure the best possible match!
-
- Labrador Retrievers are *very* people-oriented dogs, and will become
- easily bored if left to their own devices. They can be extremely
- destructive when bored or frustrated. They require attention and
- handling: just because they are very easy to train doesn't mean that
- you can get away with doing the minimum. Labradors are just not
- independent enough to be treated this way. This breed also requires
- plenty of exercise, and becomes frustrated at the lack of exercise.
- Also, since Labradors love to eat, it is extremely easy to wind up
- with an overweight dog if it is not properly exercised.
-
- SPECIAL MEDICAL PROBLEMS
-
- Labradors are susceptible to hip dysplasia as well as other joint
- problems. All breeding stock should be x-rayed and certified clear of
- hip dysplasia by the OFA (Orthopedica Foundation for Animals).
-
- Labradors are also susceptible to an eye disease called PRA
- (Progressive Retinal Atrophy). This insidious disease of the eyes
- eventually causes blindness. It is believed to be inherited by a
- simple recessive mode. This means that for a dog to be affected, both
- parents must be either carriers or affected themselves. The problem
- is that this disease has a late onset where the dogs do not show
- symptoms until they are over four years of age, in which case they may
- have already been bred. Carriers show no symptoms. All breeding
- stock should be examined annually and have their eyes cleared through
- CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation).
-
- Cataracts and retinal dysplasia are also common problems seen in
- labradors.
-
- Other issues to discuss with breeders are epilepsy and other joint
- problems (elbows and shoulders).
-
- REFERENCES
-
- 1. Books
-
- Nicholas, Anna Katherine. _The Book of the Labrador Retriever_. TFH
- Publications, Inc., Ltd., 1983, 478 p.
-
- Martin, Nancy. _Legends in Labradors_. Spring House, PA, 1980, 211 p.
-
- Howe, Lorna. _The Popular Labrador Retriever_. Popular Dogs
- Publishing Co., Ltd., 1959, 135 p.
-
- Williams, Mary Roslin. _Advanced Labrador Breeding_. H.F. & G.
- Witherby, Ltd., 1988, 151 p.
-
- Howe, Lorna and Geoffrey Waring. _The Labrador Retriever_. Popular
- Dogs Publishing Co., Ltd., 1975, 207 p. (this is a revised version of
- the above title by Countess Howe).
-
- Beck, Elizabeth. _Train Your Own Labrador_. Country Life Limited,
- 1965, 88 p.
-
- Howe, Dorothy. _The Labrador Retriever_. T.F.H. Publications, Inc.,
- Ltd., 1984, 352 p. With additional chapters by Anna Katherine Nicholas.
-
- Warwick, Helen. _The New Complete Labrador Retriever_, 3rd Edition.
- Howell Book House, Inc., 1989, 322 p.
-
- Curtis, Bette Kaleel. _Life With Labradors_. Hoflin Publishing, Ltd.,
- 1989, 149 p.
-
- Berndt, Robert J. and Richard L. Myers. _The Labrador Retriever_.
- William W. Denlinger, 1983, 127 p.
-
- Wolters, Richard A. _The Labrador Retriever: The history . . . the
- people_. Petersen Prints, 1981, 200 p.
-
- 2. Breed Rescue Organizations
-
- Since Labradors are currently the #1 dog in the U.S. (surpassing
- Cocker Spaniels in AKC registrations for the first time in 1991),
- there is a extra special need for supporting breed rescue. Older
- Labradors are often available from a variety of situations. Most are
- well-cared for dogs that simply need a new home. If you are
- interested in rescuing an older dog, please contact your local
- Labrador Retriever Club and ask about their rescue program.
-
- 3. Breeders
-
- Disclaimer: These breeders have been recommended in good faith by
- readers of rec.pets.dogs. However, you are still responsible for
- verifying that a particular breeder meets your needs to your
- satisfaction.
-
- Laura Toms
- Moraine Labradors
- Dublin, Ohio
- laura@morningstar.com
-
- Vicki Blodgett
- Delby Labradors
- Santa Cruz, California
- vicki@sco.com
-
- 4. Breed Clubs
-
- Labrador Retriever Club, Inc.
- Mr. Christopher G. Wincek, Secretary
- 9690 Wilson Mills Road, Chardon, OH 44024
-
- Golden Gate Labrador Retriever Club
- Debbie Morton, Secretary
- 14885 Holden Way, San Jose, CA 95124
-
- Labrador Retriever Club of Southern California
- Kathy Judd, Secretary
- 2568 Damien Avenue, La Verne, CA 91750
-
- San Joaquin Valley Labrador Retriever Club
- Marsha Campbell, Secretary
- 142 Helen Avenue, Modesto, CA 95354
-
- Labrador Retriever Club of Greater Denver
- Cheri Schlaack, Secretary
- 7348 Gore Range Road, Littleton, CO 80127
-
- Labrador Retriever Club of the Pioneer Valley
- Karen C. Davis, Secretary
- 770 Taintor Street, Suffield, CT 06078
-
- Labrador Retriever Club of Central Connecticut
- Carolyn B. Allen, Secretary
- 504 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
-
- Labrador Retriever Club of Southern Connecticut
- Kim Cassedy, Secretary
- 2540 Redding Road, Fairfield, CT 06430
-
- Labrador Retriever Club of Hawaii
- Marie Tanner, Secretary
- 96-138 Kuahelani Ave, #120, Mililani, HI 96789
-
- Winnebago Labrador Retriever Club
- Barbara Holl, Secretary
- 1291 Joliet Street, Dyer, IN 46311
-
- Labrador Retriever Club of Greater Boston
- Leslie Forkner, Secretary
- 21 Hale Road, Stow, MS 01775
-
- Huron River Labrador Retriever Club
- Jan Stolarevsky, Secretary
- 19919 Bartell Road, Gregory, MI 48137
-
- Labrador Retriever Club of the Twin Cities
- Linda Weikert, Secretary
- Rural Route 1, Box 221, Wanamingo, MN 55983
-
- Mid-Jersey Labrador Retriever Club
- Dorothy E. Black, Secretary
- 27 Sunset Drive, High Bridge, NJ 08829
-
- Labrador Retriever Club of Albuquerque
- Juxi Burr, Secretary
- 4401 Yale NE, Albuquerque, NM 87107
-
- Labrador Retriever Club of the Piedmont
- Rita M. Powell, Secretary
- 320 Beechwood Drive, Greer, SC 29651
-
- Raleigh-Durham Labrador Retriever Club
- Robbie Haskins, Secretary
- 2828 Industrial Drive, Raleigh, NC 27609
-
- Miami Valley Labrador Retriever Club
- Hendrika C. Case, Secretary
- 4495 Wallace Road, Oxford, OH 45056
-
- Rose City Labrador Retriever Club
- Donald Downen, Secretary
- 955 Edina Lane,
- NE Salem, OR 97301
-
- Dallas-Ft. Worth Labrador Retriever Club
- Terry Ivy, Secretary
- 2701 Landershire Lane
- Plano, TX 75023
-
- Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomoc
- Dorathea George, Secretary
- 1140 Hillendale Way, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
-
- Puget Sound Labrador Retriever Association
- Barbara Ironside, Secretary
- 4117--143rd Avenue SE, Snohomish, WA 98290
- Xref: bloom-picayune.mit.edu rec.pets.dogs:24207 news.answers:4609
- Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!usenet
- From: tittle@ics.uci.edu (Cindy Tittle Moore)
- Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs,news.answers
- Subject: rec.pets.dogs: Canine Medical Information FAQ
- Supersedes: <dogs-faq/medical-info_721807216@athena.mit.edu>
- Followup-To: poster
- Date: 15 Dec 1992 18:59:47 GMT
- Organization: University of California at Irvine: ICS Dept.
- Lines: 694
- Sender: tittle
- Approved: news-answers-request@mit.edu
- Expires: 28 Jan 1993 18:59:02 GMT
- Message-ID: <dogs-faq/medical-info_724445942@athena.mit.edu>
- References: <dogs-faq/introduction_724445942@athena.mit.edu>
- Reply-To: tittle@ics.uci.edu
- NNTP-Posting-Host: pit-manager.mit.edu
- X-Last-Updated: 1992/10/06
-
- Archive-name: dogs-faq/medical-info
- Version: 1.0
- Last-modified: 6 October 1992
-
- This is one (of ten) of the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Lists
- for rec.pets.dogs. It is posted on a monthly basis: updates,
- additions, and corrections (including attributions) are always
- welcome: send email to one of the addresses below.
-
- The ten parts are all archived at pit-manager.mit.edu (18.172.1.27) in
- the directory /pub/usenet/news.answers/dogs-faq. The files are:
- introduction, new, health-care, medical-info, training, working,
- AKC-titles, misc1, misc2, and references. To obtain the files, first
- try ftp to pit-manager.mit.edu and look under that directory. If ftp
- does not work from your site, then try the mail server: send email to
- mail-server@pit-manager.mit.edu with
-
- send usenet/news.answers/dogs-faq/introduction
- send usenet/news.answers/dogs-faq/new
- send usenet/news.answers/dogs-faq/health-care
- send usenet/news.answers/dogs-faq/medical-info
- send usenet/news.answers/dogs-faq/training
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- IV. Canine Medical Information
-
- Prologue
- A. Anal Sacs.
- B. Anesthetics.
- C. Breathing Disorders.
- D. Bloody Stools.
- E. Brucellosis.
- F. Canine Parvovirus (CPV).
- G. Chrondodysplasia (CHD or Chd).
- H. Distemper.
- I. Eye Problems.
- J. Gastric Torsion (gastric dilation, torsion complex).
- K. Heartworms.
- L. Hip Dysplasia (HD, or C(anine)HD).
- M. Infectious Canine Hepatitis.
- N. Kennel Cough (Infectious Tracheobronchitis).
- O. Kidney Failure.
- P. Leptospirosis.
- Q. Osteochondrosis Dissecans (OCD).
- R. Thyroid Disorders.
-
-
-
- Prologue.
-
- Much of the information found in this article is summarized from
- Carlson & Giffin. I would like to thank them for their informative
- and accessible information. Any mistakes made in the summaries are my
- responsibility and not Carlson & Giffin's. I believe that I am within
- copyright laws by using summarizations (no direct quoting, except for
- the toxic plants section), my own organization of the material, and
- precise acknowledgement where relevant.
- Cindy Tittle Moore
-
- An *excellent* resource that details all aspects of health issues for
- dogs, and one that every conscientious dog owner should have is:
-
- Carlson, Delbert G., DVM, and James M. Giffin, MD. _Dog Owners's
- Home Veterinary Handbook_. Howell Book House, Macmillan Publishing
- Company, 866 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022 USA (1980). ISBN:
- 0-87605-764-4 (hardcover).
- This comprehensive book is a complete guide to health care of dogs.
- It lets you know when you can treat the dog, or when you need to
- take it to the vet post-haste. It lists symptoms so that you may
- inform your vet of relevant information about its condition. The
- arrangement of the material facilitates rapid reference.
- Illustration of key procedures (pilling, taking pulse/temperature,
- etc). Lists poisonous substances, including houseplants.
-
-
- A. Anal Sacs.
-
- (summarized from Carlson & Giffin)
-
- Normally, anal sacs are emptied when the dog defecates. Some dogs
- with overactive anal glands may require occasional help. Your vet can
- demonstrate the procedure.
-
- Impaction: occurs when the anal sacs fail to empty properly. This is
- more common in smaller breeds. Squeezing the sacs yourself as needed
- will control the problem.
-
- Infection: complicates impaction. There is blood or pus in the
- secretions, and the dog may scoot (drag its rear on the ground). It
- may be painful. Check with your vet for an antibiotic you can apply
- after you empty the sacs.
-
- Abscess: Signs of anal infection, with a swelling at the site of the
- gland. It goes from initially red to a deep purple. You will have to
- have it lanced and cleaned by the vet.
-
- Dogs whose anal sacs become repeatedly infected and/or abscessed will
- need to have the glands removed. Surgery is uncomplicated, although
- the dog will have poor bowel control for the next few days after
- surgery. Try putting a pair of small boy's underpants, with the dog's
- tail through the third opening, on the dog to contain accidents.
-