Breeder/Owner Education

Committee Chair: Dianne McKee Rowland
E-Mail: mamabluepanda@wa.net
Committee Members: Marilyn Marshall and Rick Tocco

The aim of this committee is to provide articles of interest and sources of information for all those interested in Old English Sheepdogs. We will maintain a list of those who will act as mentors for those less experienced. If you will act as a Mentor to those in your area please let us know. If you know of an article of interest please forward it to the committee for inclusion. If you need information please send your questions to the committee and we will we will make every effort to find an answer from a reliable source. This site will be available to everyone and we invite all contributors and contributions.

Tail docking with anesthesia
	Tail Docking Old English Sheepdogs (Written by Dr. Jerry Froeschle, Alaska Veterinary Clinic, Inc. for Dianne McKee-Rowland) AGE: 2-3 days old PREPARATION; Clip the base of the tail and tail head area with #40 clipper blade and prep as for sterile surgery. ANESTHESIA: A tuberculin syringe for a “pseudoepidural” block – pass the needle from dorsal to ventral into approximately the 53-C2 area, depositing .05 - .1cc of 1% lidocaine, (without epinephrine) with that volume the space is not extremely critical and it is sufficient to numb the tail head area. SURGERY: With a # 15 blade make two inverted V incisions. (1) one dorsal to the rectum, giving the rectum as much room as possible. (2) (2) the other incision dorsal to the tail head with size sufficient to receive the flap from over the rectum. Undermine the musculature of the tail bluntly, making sure that ventral to the tail you dissect removing as little tissue other than coccygeal vertebra as possible. After removing the tail, the rump contour should be flush or slightly indented at the incision site. You will be leaving only one or two coccygeal vertebra. Suture with absorbable or non-absorbable sutures as you prefer. (I use 4-0 Cromic gut)

Shaken Puppy Syndrome
	Shaken puppy syndrome: Information about the practice of swinging puppies in an arc to facilitate drainage of fluids from lungs. This has been found to cause injury to puppies and is no longer a recommended practice. For more information go HERE.
Online Veterinary Assistance
	For Veterinary questions when no Vet is available you can get an answer for just a small amount of money by going to: http://www.justanswer.com. This is a no satisfaction no pay site and covers many subjects besides questions for a Veterinarian. Several Vets are online and one will chat with you. If your animal is in dire straights and you can get to a Pet Emergency Clinic it is probably better to go there as this site is not designed to take the place of such a facility.
Canine First Aid Kit
	( indicates items which may require veterinary prescription) Liquid simethicone (liquid gas relief for bloat symptoms, any brand made for infants is good, and a whole infant bottle is the right dose for average Standard. Poodle; gas-x tablets can be used as well, but are more difficult to administer to a dog in severe pain) Alcohol (cleansing) OR Witch hazel (cleansing) EITHER OF THESE IS HELPFUL, USING BOTH IS PROBABLY OVERKILL Sterile water (cleansing) MAY ACTUALLY CAUSE FURTHER TISSUE DAMAGE, BETTER OFF WITH STERILE SALINE AKA EYE WASH Hydrogen peroxide (cleansing; may also be used to induce vomiting) FOR USE ONLY ONE TIME, AS IT MAY CAUSE TISSUE DAMAGE Oil of Ipecac (induce vomiting) Activated charcoal (in case of poisoning) Imodium (diarrhea relief) YOU WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITH ANOTHER ANTIDIARRHEAL MEDICATION. IMMODIUM SLOWS INTESTINAL MOTILITY AND MOST DOGS HAVE A HYPO MOTILITY ISSUE WHEN THEY HAVE DIARRHEA, UNLIKE HUMANS WHO HAVE HYPER MOTILITY. I RECCOMEND A NICE ANTIDIARRHEAL CALLED DIAGEL WHICH IS AN OREGENO OIL BASED, PRICEY BUT ONE DOSE USUALLY DOES THE TRICK, WITHOUT ANY ABUSE.. Benadryl (allergic reactions – antihistamine, oral, topical EITHER OR Chlorphenaramine (allergic reactions - antihistamine, oral) EITHER OR Hydrocortisone cream – topical, allergic reactions, insect bites or stings Sterile saline solution 1% solution (eye wash, can also be used for cleansing wounds) Polysporin, Neosporin, Animax or Triple Antibiotic Cream (wounds) Betadine Baby Aspirin or rimadyl if your dog will tolerate it (anti-inflammatory) Pepto Bismol DO NOT USE WITH ASPIRIN, OR NSAID ANTI INFLAMMATORY AS IT CONTAINS ASPIRIN DERIVATIVES A basic general antibiotic – Clavamox, Batril, Cephlex, etc. (PLEASE DO NOT CONSIDER CLAVAMOX OR BAYTRIL AS BASIC GENERAL ANTIBIOTICS AS THESE SHOULD BE RESERVED FOR APPRORIATE INFECTIONS Nutri Cal &/or Nutri Stat For easily given condensed calories. Sanitary hand cleaner or wipes Cotton pads/balls (Breeders Ed recommends pure cotton) Cotton tip applicators (Breeders Ed recommends pure cotton) Vet Wrap Skin glue (made specifically for wounds) Sterile bandage pads (washcloths & light sanitary pads make great bandages or compresses) Baby sox (great for covering foot/pad wounds) Paper tape Latex free gloves (some dogs are allergic to latex, there are others available) LATEX ALLERGIES MORE LIKELY IN HUMANS, OR IN HAIRLESS BREEDS Thermometer (K-Y jelly might also help this go easier!) ALSO YOU CAN GET THE DISPOSABLE THERMOMETER COVERS, THESE ARE GOOD TO HAVE IN YOUR KIT Tweezers Hemostat Tongue depressors (may also be used for splinting) Small scissors (surgical or stitch removal scissors) Small sharp knife (Breeders Ed retractable craft ones are good) Safety pins Instant ice pack Stethoscope Sam Splint Copy of most recent vaccination records, containing home vet name/# List of any known illnesses, medications currently being taken ALSO A LIST OF ANY KNOWN ALLERGIES OR HYPERSENSITIVITIES THE PET MAY HAVE Non-emergency items nice to have handy: Melatonin (calming) Rescue Remedy (calming) Ear wash and powder Malotic Ointment Large towel or small blanket, which can be used for transport Solar blanket (in case of shock) Dog Owner’s Home Vet Book (Drs. Carson and Giffin) Roll of gauze (gauze strips may be used for an emergency muzzle or tourniquet) IN A PINCH YOU CAN ALSO USE A NYLON OR KNEE HIGH WHICH WILL MAKE AN EVEN BETTER MUZZLE Fluoride toothpaste (instant topical relief for bee stings!) Meclazine (motion sickness, anti-nausea) Gold Bond Powder (soothing itch relief) OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE NICE TO HAVE** NAPHAZOLIZINE EYE DROPS , AN ANITHISTIMINE THAT WILL REDUCE IRRITATION ESPECIALLY AFTER FLUSHING OUT A FOREIGN BODY FROM THE EYE. METRONIDAZOLE FOR DIARRHEA
Other Tips
	Always remember, any injured animal or any animal in pain, may turn into a biter, so approach carefully. Traveling –before you leave, look up the emergency vet clinic #’s in the areas where you will be stopping, and/or the nearest veterinarian’s office. Transporting an injured animal – use a taut blanket, not a board, to transport, then once secure in the vehicle, use the blanket to cover and keep the injured animal warm, this may help to minimize shock Transporting an animal with an obvious chest injury – If a dog is suffering a partial crush injury, place the dog with the crushed side DOWN which will allow the dog to breath easier from the uninjured side. If both sides of the chest appear to be crushed or otherwise injured, try to prop the dog up in a “V” position. Broken legs – Keep the broken limb “up”. Only splint if the break is in the lower part of the leg. Never splint a break near a joint, never try to maneuver bones back into place, and never wash a wound with an open fracture. Just immobilize as best as possible and get to a veterinarian ASAP. Generally interpreted, unless you’re a medical professional, just transport quickly and leave splinting to the veterinarian. Improperly applied splints can act like “piledrivers” and worsen the injury. Choking – attempt to remove the obstruction if the dog is breathing relatively easy – pull the tongue out for better visibility; use a tongue depressor. If you cannot remove the object and the animal is in severe respiratory distress, a modified Heimlich maneuver might do the trick. Lower the dog’s head and raise his hindquarters. Place one or both hands just beneath the rib cage and below the sternum. Apply two compressions. Check the mouth – if still blocked, consider CPR. Lay the dog on it’s right side (if safe). Hold the dog’s head back, mouth closed. Give 5-6 quick breaths (not forceful) into the nose (place a gauze pad over the dog’s nose and mouth if you’re squeamish), continuing until you get to the veterinarian’s office. If you suspect your dog is Bloating, and you live in or will be traveling in a rural area with few vets, you may want to get emergency training from your veterinarian, and also the emergency equipment (needle/syringe) you might need in the case of bloat and torsion. Get to a vet as quickly as possible as you have very little time to save your dog. Liquid simethicone will give temporary relief for basic bloat, but will do little or nothing if tortion exists. Severe bleeding – apply compresses and transport immediately. If a tourniquet is used, loosen every 15 minutes to allow minimal blood flow to surrounding tissue for 30 seconds, then retie. This will minimize surrounding tissue and muscle damage. In all cases, in the event of any emergency, get your dog to a veterinarian for professional care as soon as possible.
Breed Mentor List
	We would like to start a State by State Breeders Mentors list. We would like two members or more in each State to be willing to act as Breed Mentors. They would be available to answer questions and give instructions on basic care and training of OES. They might do other duties as they see fit, such as home inspections for puppy buyers.
What Breeders might like to provide to their puppy buyers
	A 1 year subscription to the OET A list of do’s and don’ts Instructions on how to feed What to feed Where to go for help What toys are safe How to puppy proof a home and yard Where to go for a list of things that may cause harm to a pet. Caution, no list is guaranteed to be complete. When in doubt remove the item. How to safely transport your puppy (crate or seatbelt)