Dickie's Diary - New Mum!

As soon as our ears and eyes opened, there were lots of things for us to see and hear. People would come and play with us, and we were quite the celebrities. At 8 weeks old, they found homes for us all. One of the ladies from Welfare used to visit us often and I was quite taken with her. Every time she came, I made sure to make an impression on her and I could tell she liked me. On our last day in the kennels, we were all waiting to see who our new families would be. There were some super families waiting for us, we were all very lucky. I must have made quite a good impression though, as the lady from the rescue was going to be my new mum.

In the video we can see how much fun we all had on the day we met our new pawrants.

Welfare Welcome to Willow

Introducing Willow who recently joined welfare as her family were to lose their home. She's just starting to acclimatise to her new surroundings. She does react to other dogs, but only through fear. She is being cared for by Auntie Rose, and we all wish her a warm welfare welcome! If you'd like to learn more about adopting one of our rescued dogs then visit here for more information https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/adopting-german-shepherd-dog.html

Dickie's Diary - And a journal is born

Hello everyone. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dickie, and I am a German Shepherd puppy. I was born in rescue because my canine mum and dad were taken to the vets to be euthanised.. Thankfully he vet rang GSD Welfare Fund instead! What all the humans didn’t know was that I waited to surprise them with all, along with my four brothers and four sisters. We all made our appearance in this world on December 10th 2021.

And I want share my life with you as best I can with these squiggles and brilliant bursts of colour on those flat things you watch all the time. So join me on the best adventure of them all - my life.

Learn more about how the German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund encountered Dickie here - https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/2022/01/a-surprise-ending-to-2021.html

Tia's Pupdates - Dognapped! Again!

Me re-enacting how I survived in the wild

Although life's so different now, I still shudder when remembering those times before my new hooman mum. I did say that I'd share and I'm told that it would be cathartic for me, but everyone knows that you can't trust a word that begins with C-A-T. But a promise is a promise, so here we go, we're nearly up to date now anyway.

Over the next 8 days, I roamed across many different fields. My situation terrified me at every turn, and so I fled at any sign of danger. And for me at that point everything represented a threat. I kept seeing the hooman, more so than anything else - it seemed like she hunted me, and so I I made sure to stay clear of her. 

I had to. If she had more of them treats, then I may have been tempted because I hadn’t eaten for so long that my tummy rumbled if a wild beast itself. I needn’t have worried because when I didn’t approach her, she left food and drink. Of course I investigated  and discovered what shed left. They became my lifeline and kept me moving and staying safe.

On the eighth day the hooman returned. As before she didn’t try to come near me, and also left me more food. I waited for her to go and then went to investigate. The fish smelled delightful, so much so that I missed the trap around me until too late. Caged I could only wait until the hooman returned. No opportunity for escape presented itself, and I feared what might happen. So I squeezed my fear tightly into a desperate fierceness  presented in sharp barks and bared teeth.. It seemed to work as she kept her distance. Instead she continued to wait, which struck me as  strange. 

After some time, and the people that had taken me from my home arrived. Oh no! This clearly meant trouble for me. What if they made me go back to that big scary dog! There was no two ways about it. I had to show them I really meant business. The hooman maintained her distance and watched the other people. She appeared a bit worried. Not as worried as me though - I can tell you!. The people wrote on some paper and then they got in their car and drove off. The lone hooman female's body tension dropped, and she smiled. She showed no teeth, but even so I realised that I was now owned by a new hooman. She wasted no time and with the help of another hooman who'd lurked even further away, they lifted the crate and placed me in the van. 

I was being dognapped. Again.

Health Topics - Xylitol Poisoning in Dogs via Sugar Free Chewing Gum

In this latest Health Topic article we follow an encounter for one poor dog after eating sugar free chewing gum. Many thanks to one of our long time supporters for providing us this article.

XYLITOL POISONING IN DOGS VIA SUGAR FREE CHEWING GUM

Last Friday evening, I arrived home from work and fed Chloe, our 24 lb dachshund just as I normally do. Ten minutes later I walked into the den just in time to see her head inside the pocket of Katie's friend's purse. She had a guilty look on her face so I looked closer and saw a small package of sugar-free gum. It contained Xylitol.

I remembered that I had recently read that sugar-free gum can be deadly for dogs so I jumped on- line and looked to see if Xylitol was the ingredient. I found the first website below and it was the one. Next, I called our vet. She said to bring her in immediately. Unfortunately, it was still rush hour and it took me almost 1/2 hour to get there. Meanwhile, since this was her first case, our vet found another website to figure out the treatment. She took Chloe and said they would induce her to vomit, give her a charcoal drink to absorb the toxin (even though they don't think it works) then they would start an IV with dextrose.

The Xylitol causes dogs to secrete insulin so their blood sugar drops very quickly. The second thing that happens is liver failure. If that happens, even with aggressive treatment, it can be difficult to save them. She told us she would call us.

Almost two hours later the vet called and said that contents of her stomach contained 2-3 gum wrappers and that her blood sugar had dropped from 90 to 59 in 30 minutes. She wanted us to take Chloe to another hospital that has a critical care unit operating around the clock. We picked her up and took her there. They had us call the ASPCA poison control for a case number and for a donation their doctors would direct Chloe's doctor on treatment. They would continue the IV, monitor her blood every other hour and then in 2 days test her liver function. She ended up with a central line in her jugular vein since the one in her leg collapsed, just as our regular vet had feared.

Chloe spent almost the entire weekend in the critical care hospital. After her blood sugar was stabilized, she came home yesterday. They ran all the tests again before they released her and so far no sign of liver damage. Had I not seen her head in the purse, she probably would have died and we wouldn't even have known why.

Three vets told me this weekend that they were amazed that I even knew about it since they are just learning about it too.

Please tell everyone you know about Xylitol and dogs.

It may save another life.

More information on this topic can be found here - https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/paws-xylitol-its-dangerous-dogs

Customised Treat Bags For Sale

These customised treat bags proved popular when they were last offered to supporters of the GSD Welfare Fund and are now available again.

They are a bum bag style with plenty of space for treats and other useful items while walking your dog(s). We customise them with a photo and name of your dog printed on it. 

The GSD Welfare Fund icon shows your support for the amazing work they do with vulnerable German Shepherds. £5 from every sale is donated to the German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund.

A perfect gift for dog lovers! 

After you place and pay your order we will contact you to arrange the artwork needed for printing. They are printed on demand, so please allow up to 21 days for delivery. 

Any queries can be directed to gsdwfonline@gmail.com and we'll respond as quickly as we can.

Puppy Care Topics - The Early Days of Puppies

In this latest Puppy Care Topic, Debbie Hill (Chairman for the German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund) examines some of the key challenges facing young pups when they go to their new homes. This article was originally part of the information provided to the new owners of Lexi's puppies, as well as ongoing support and guidance that is available to the adopters of any of our rescued dogs. 

THE EARLY DAYS OF PUPPIES

The genes of dogs are made up of 2 alleles (genotype), one inherited from the sire and one inherited from the dam. Genes will affect things like size, coat, eye colour etc. The dominant and recessive allele are represented by a series of letters. The phenotype is the physical expression of the genotype which is responsible for the shape, size, health, and general nature of the dog. The phenotype is affected by the environment. Two nervous dogs can produce a pup that is also of a nervous disposition but correct early socialisation may produce a pup who is calm. This was obviously a worry for us because both Lexi and Apollo are very nervous dogs. This said, we believe this was caused by environment and the treatment they received (nurture) rather than genetics (nature). However, we still had to do all we could to give the puppies the best start possible, and prepare them for their future, especially as they were born in rescue kennels.

Most people do not socialise their pups until approximately 12-14 weeks of age, once they feel they are safe to do so, due to vaccinations. This is a worry because it coincides with the onset of the fear period. This means that just as the “fear of the unknown” period is starting, the puppies are taken out into the big wide world to face many novel experiences. Obviously, the puppy will then show signs of stress. Sadly, at this point, many owners tell the puppy it is OK and continue to expose them to these novel experiences. Personally, I feel this is where lots of  the dog’s issues start, especially in a breed like the German Shepherd. It used to be thought that the 8 – 14-week period when the puppies went to their new home was the most important period for socialising a pup. Suzanne Clothier’s “the puppy protocol”, stresses that days 0-63 are crucial for development and the pups should be stimulated according to the development stage they are at during this time. We have followed the puppy protocol with our the puppies so they will be better equipped to deal with life in their new home and more able to cope with novel stimulus. They are given objects to climb on, different texture surfaces/smells/sounds and visual stimulation. A larger whelping box was used rather than the size normally used to give us room to add objects to stimulate the puppies. This also gave them room to move further. Different objects were added regularly to provide novel stimulation.

Clothier tells us that a puppy reared in a larger area with different views will develop better vision. Some breeders’ whelp/raise puppies in sterile kennel environments so they miss out on this important period leaving them ill equipped to cope. During trials, the rats that were given appropriate stimulation from birth had brains that weighed heavier than those that did not have the stimulation.

Although the genetics are the “blueprint” of the foundation, the environment is as important (nature Vs nurture). Our puppies are regularly taken outside (from 3-4 weeks of age) to a play area with obstacles for them to navigate. This means they are seeing further and experiencing new sights and sounds from an early age. They will also be taken on car journeys as part of the rearing process.

Many health issues are inherited from the parents so it is imperative that for a planned litter, both parents have undergone the relevant health tests otherwise the puppy can inherit such diseases. With health issues such as degenerative  myelopathy, both parents must carry the gene. With cases like Lexi, who came into rescue already in whelp, none of the relevant health tests were done. All we could do was give the puppies the best start we could. Feeding Lexi a nutritious diet was imperative for her puppies. If she was malnourished the pup would likely encounter immune issues later in life. Lexi was feed lots of fresh food high in protein and  calcium.

The bond between the dam and pups is important for the puppy’s emotional development. The nursing and licking cause gene expression making the pups more resilient to stress. As Lexi was so young, we were worried that she wouldn’t make a good mum, although she had already had a litter of puppies when she was just 12 months old. We needn’t have worried as she is an amazing mummy.

Genes and the environment meet at a point during this early window of brain development and form the neural circuits that underlay behaviour. During these early periods known as the critical period the nervous system must go through certain experiences to allow them to meet their needs and for the puppy to mature. During this time the puppy is set for high rates of learning, but this diminishes after the critical period. 

Suzanne clothier compares puppies that are reared without sufficient stimuli to children adopted from Romanian orphanages. Although the children are clean and fed, they are often kept in cots with little interaction. Most of these children have difficulties in life even if adopted and given a wonderful childhood. There have been several reports of adopters of Romanian orphans that have had to return children as they got older. It may just be a case of the child cries constantly with no apparent reason but usually the damage causes more troublesome behaviours to be exhibited. Puppies need adequate stimuli to enable the brain to grow. Rearing a puppy in a clinical environment can stop healthy brain development. For a puppy to be able to deal with novel situations in life, neuroplasticity is a must. Puppies that are exposed to traumatic experiences can have issues with development and sensory input. Trauma can cause neurological/physiological changes Not having a positive rearing program will inhibit learning, so we are most cautious that all our puppies’ experiences are 

good ones.

Socialising a puppy is not a to do list. Puppies need to learn at their own pace. If we rush them faster than they are ready to cope with it will have more of a detrimental effect than positive. The first night for the puppy in his new home can be traumatic. He has left his litter mates and then owners expect to put him to bed and leave him for the night. The old-fashioned idea was to put them to bed and then ignore them when they are crying. Going back to them will teach them to cry to get you back. We now know that leaving a puppy to cry causes him to be stressed and stress can kill of neurons. We recommend that these pups have a crate with some soft bedding placed next to their owners’ bed for the first few weeks, so they feel safe. Once the puppy feels secure in the new home, the bed can start being moved gradually towards the area of preference. 

Flooding was another old-fashioned training method that was favoured. We now know the damage that flooding does i.e., stress and fearfulness leaving the pup to feel they cannot cope. Lots of people inadvertently “flood” when socialising a puppy. They think taking it to a park with strange dogs coming up and rolling it over is getting them used to other dogs. For the pup this can have a negative effect, in turn causing the pup to grow and display reactiveness. Instead, puppies should be taken into the vicinity of other dogs/cats/animals and be kept safe with no interaction and made to feel comfortable enough that they can still interact with their handler. They should be rewarded for displaying calm behaviour instead of being asked to go and sniff other dogs or being asked to perform obedience tasks such as sit or down. 

Just being in these novel situations is a big deal for puppies so REWARD them for just being there. All training should be positive and be a  “game” to the puppy.

Welfare Welcome to Mac

Introducing Mac who came into welfare recently. He's about 5yrs old, and extremely loving. He can get a bit over excitable when he meets other dogs and he can also be strong on the lead.

If you're interested in providing a forever home for one of our rescued dogs then read about the process here - https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/adopting-german-shepherd-dog.html and get in touch!

Tia's Pupdates - Stalked in the Fields

I had to pause for this moment. At the time it almost consumed me with terror, and that seems silly reflecting back. How could I have known otherwise? After all I'd never really known  love or care from a hooman!

A couple of hours after my bold escape, the lady hooman arrived. I saw her enter the field and she must have thought herself smart because she'd brought treats with her. That wouldn't work now that I was big, brave, and strong. Although an undercurrent of fear lurked beneath my fierceness, so I ran, and she couldn’t catch me.

Over the next eight days I roamed around the different fields. I ran every time I saw anyone or anything, nothing and no-one could be trusted. I knew that I could keep myself safe, if only I knew what to do!  I'd gained my bravery, but even in my inexperienced  youth I realised that wouldn't be enough.

I regularly observed the lady hooman as she stalked me, but I always maintained my distance. I had to. If she had more of them treats, I might have succumbed to temptation.  I hadn’t eaten for so long my tummy rumbled, and my strength faded. I needn’t have worried because after I evaded her on numerous occasions, she left some food and drink. I'd never experienced such overwhelming delight after eating and drinking. I felt a bit stronger - I could survive forever like this!

On the eighth day, the hooman returned. Again. She didn’t try to come near me, but simply left me more food. I waited for her to leave and then  investigated. The lovely fishy aromas beguiled me, and while so eager to eat the fish I missed the signs of the danger around me. I hadn’t noticed the surrounding cage and the door had had already closed. 

Very shortly after, the hooman was back. Trapped in the cage I couldn't run, so I barked with all my might and flashed my teething. She didn't react, and just waited with dreadful patience.

Behavioural Topics - Dog Friendly Dogs

Animal behaviours can be complex and just like human behaviour, are responses arise from to many stimuli. A significant factor in dog behaviour is often people, their owners, family, and strangers. 

In this latest article Lisa Hird outlines one common situation you can help your dog with. 

Discover more about her work and training experience on her website: https://www.dogbehaviourclinic.co.uk/

Dog Friendly Dogs

A common situation many dog owners face, on a daily basis, is their on-lead dog being harassed or frightened by off lead dogs running over, followed by owners shouting, “It’s OK, my dog is friendly” or another dog owner and their dog coming right up close so they can say “Hello” because their dog is sociable and “just wants to say hi”.

Having a sociable dog is great but it doesn’t mean that just because they are sociable, they should be in other dogs faces, especially if the other dog is nervous or even reactive. 

Socialisation is the process by which puppies learn to relate and act appropriately to people and other animals. That doesn’t mean they should interact with every dog they see. Quite the opposite in fact. Socialisation is exposure to – not get to meet and play with every dog they see. 

It is not the job of other dogs to teach our dogs sociable behaviours. 

Many sociable dogs just want to play and when they can’t, they may pull or whine or begin to lunge towards the other dog. Quite apart from being sore and unpleasant for the handler, it can often set the greeting off on the wrong foot.

Imagine someone you don’t know, coming over to you, screaming HELLO in a loud voice, running at you with arms outstretched… worse still, you are tied up….

Care Topics - Grooming Your GSD

To complement our existing Behavioural and Health topics we are now also adding General Care topics to help you provide your German Shepherd with the best care you can provide. This first article looks at grooming your German Shepherd and is provided by Debbie Hill, our chairman at the GSD Welfare Fund. If you have any tips or tricks for grooming your dog then share them in the comments below.

Grooming the German Shepherd Dog

Before you start grooming your German Shepherd, make sure that you have habituated him to the equipment you will be using. Let him see the equipment and pair it with a treat. Progress to touching him with the brush and reward him. If you have a nervous dog, don’t try to rush it. Think about using “The bucket game” (Chirag Patel) or chin targeting. You will find notes on this on our behaviour and training Facebook group. Once you have habituated your dog to the tools, you can start to brush him gently. Short sessions to begin with to stop him getting stressed or bored. After a couple of minutes, stop brushing and reward your dog with a treat or a game. Then resume the grooming for another couple of minutes and then reward with a treat or a game. Make grooming an enjoyable experience for him. 

With the standard coat GSD you can get away with grooming once a week or so, but with a long haired GSD, it probably needs to be done every other day. I prefer to use a rake on long coated and standard coats. I opted for the Karli double row rake. This will get the dead undercoat out. Once you have finished raking him, you can “polish” him with either a zoom groom or a slicker brush. I tend to use the zoom groom. You will be surprised how much dead hair this gets out. Don’t forget to check for knots. Their Trousers (boys) or bloomers (girls) can get tangled. If you have a long coated GSD, they are prone to knots behind the ears. I tend to cut these out if they are too bad as it can be painful for them if you try tugging the knots out.

Do not be tempted to bath your GSD too often as it can dry their skin. Every 3 months is plenty. I don’t even bath mine that much. Be mindful that some shampoos are carcinogenic. Try to use a more natural one with less chemicals. I like Cooper and Gracie or Avogel neem shampoo. Do not use human shampoo on your dog and avoid some of the dog shampoos available in the bargain stores. They are cheap for a reason. Some people use baby shampoo, but remember, Johnson and Johnson were successfully sued over cancer claims regarding their baby powder. Rinse thoroughly.

One of my best buys is my blaster. I could not be without it. You will be amazed at the dust and dead hair this blows out. I leave it at the back door, and give the dogs a quick blast as they come in if it has been raining or if they have been in puddles etc. They are powerful and noisy so the dog needs to be gradually habituated to it. Start by pairing the noise with treats. Do not have it too near the dog at this point. Only when your dog is not worried by the noise, progress to directing the nozzle towards his back from a distance making it an enjoyable experience paired with treats. Gradually work up to directing the nozzle on his coat. If the noise is too worrying for your dog, (some dogs are noise sensitive) try using ear mufflers on him, but remember, you will have to habituate him to these too. There are special licky mats (bath buddies) that you can use while blasting your dog.

Check nails and ears regularly. Most dogs hate having their nails clipped. If they struggle as you are about to clip a nail, it can cause a problem. Always habituate your dog to the clippers and then use the bucket game (Chirag Patel) or chin rest (instructions for this on our training and behaviour Facebook group. Be careful not to cut the quick as this is painful for the dog. Look at the back of the nail and you will see the “vein like” quick. I usually put my finder under so I am protecting the quick when cutting. Cut at an angle. If you do and it bleeds, you can use cornflower to stem the flow of blood, but your dog will certainly be more wary next time. I like these clippers. Doggy man 7 inch. They are more expensive than some but are good. 

Ensure your dog's ears are kept clean. Start with a good ear cleaner applied in the ear and clean with cotton wool. The Cooper and Gracie range is nice. If you dog has any issues with his ears, try Thornit. I have used this for years and have known it clear problem ears when all else has failed. Just a quarter of a teaspoon in each ear. Again, habituate your dog then use the bucket game or chin rest.

Join our Facebook group if you have questions or would just like to talk with like minded owners - https://www.facebook.com/groups/230713463690105

Tia's Pupdates - Start at the Beginning

Yesterday I promised you my life story, and that  was easy to say into a mic (I do like how shapes appear on the hooman glowy box when I do that), but the reality of remembering and sharing is not so easy. However a bitch's word is her bond - more so than you can imagine and so we start at the beginning.

A lady bought me as a young pup, and she wanted me to be a guard dog. She wanted me to be big, brave, strong, and fierce. I tried, honest I did - I'm no slacker despite what some hooman might say, but really, I lacked the traits she expected of me. 

The lady never introduced me to things, so everything I encountered frightened me, and I barked but not through courage - simply fear of the unknown surrounding me at every waking moment. Still a pup, I still lacked size and strength. 

One day, some people came to the house and the lady handed them my lead and they put me in their car. They hadn’t spent any time getting to know me, so remained a confusion of unrecognised features and scents. Petrified into submission I didn’t dare bark this time. I lay still and wondered what would become of me. 

After a long journey we arrived at a house. The drive must have lasted two hours, or maybe more, but in my fear I couldn't be certain. They opened the car door, the biggest dog I'd ever seen waited for me.

I reacted instantly not knowing why these strange hoomans had brought me to this great beast, only knowing that I needed to flee to be safe.  I leapt out and ran for my life. Who knows what these people were going to do to me? Escape offered my only chance for survival, so I ran into a field and hid.

These humans continued looking for me but every time they came  near me, I showed them my teeth and pretended how fierce I could be. That worked and I must have looked big, brave, and strong then because they left. I did it. If only my owner could have seen me then. Maybe she would not have sent me away.

Tia's Pupdates - Tia Joins Social Media

Hello everypawdy. Tia here. I thought I would write a pupdate to introduce myself on these social thingies that the hoomans have given me. I am a rather clever and delightful 18 months old German Shepherd. 

The GSD Welfare Fund brought me into their care about 6 months ago. Well, when I say I came into Welfare, I mean they dognapped me. Can you believe it? I didn’t know they were that desperate to collect dogs. 

My story had started before then though and I can tell you all about it if you like and subscribe to my own channels. They told me to write that, but I hope you will as there's so much fun we can have!

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TiasPupdates

Twitter - https://twitter.com/PupdateTia
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tiaspupdates/

Well that's it for now, I'll be back tomorrow to start telling you my life story and I'm not naughty at all in it - you'll see!

Welfare Welcome to Ceto

Please give a warm Welfare welcome to this beauty. Ceto is a 9 month old female German Shepherd. Sadly she's found herself in Welfare due to family circumstances. She is very nervous but is now starting to relax a bit more. She is being loved and cared for by Uncle Lawrence. Welcome to the family Ceto  

If you're interested in providing a forever home for one of our dogs then read about the process here - https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/adopting-german-shepherd-dog.html

Lexi's Pups Depart For Their New Homes

Last Sunday the new owners joined us to collect their pups from Lexi's litter. It was an emotional day all round - we were sad to see them go of course, but also excited for their futures. And all of the adopters were equally thrilled as you can imagine! Discover the start of the journey for these pups here -

https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/2022/01/a-surprise-ending-to-2021.html

You can also find our latest news as well as an expanding collection of useful behavioural and health articles for German Shepherd dogs.

Health Topics - Canine Bloat (Gastric Torsion)

Image credit - jeshua.nace

This latest Health Topic for our blog is provided by one of long term supporters and examines the issues of Canine Bloat, also known as Gastric Torsion. GSDs (and  other breeds) can be prone to this condition so it is worth being familiar with the symptoms.

CANINE “BLOAT” or GASTRIC TORSION

There are many injuries and physical disorders which represent life-threatening emergencies. There is only one condition so drastic that it overshadows them all in terms of rapidity of consequences and effort in emergency treatment - this is the gastric dilatation and volvulus - the "bloat."

WHAT IS IT AND WHY IS IT SO SERIOUS?

The normal stomach sits high in the abdomen and contains a small amount of gas, some mucus, and any food being digested. It undergoes a normal rhythm of contraction, receiving food from the oesophagus above, grinding the food, and meting the ground food out to the small intestine at its other end. Normally this proceeds uneventfully except for the occasional burp.

In the bloated stomach, gas and/or food stretches the stomach many times its normal size, causing tremendous abdominal pain. For reasons we do not fully understand, this grossly distended stomach has a tendency to rotate, thus twisting off not only its own blood supply but the only exit routes for the gas inside. Not only is this condition extremely painful but it is also rapidly life-threatening. A dog with a bloated, twisted stomach (more scientifically called "Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus") will die in pain in a matter of hours unless drastic steps are taken.

WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR DEVELOPING BLOAT?

Classically, this condition affects dog breeds which are said to be "deep chested," meaning the length of their chest from backbone to sternum is relatively long while the chest width from right to left is narrow. Examples of deep chested breeds would be the Great Dane, Greyhound, and the setter breeds. Still, any dog can bloat, even dachshunds and chihuahuas.

• Dogs weighing more than 99 pounds
• have an approximate 20% risk of bloat

Classically also, the dog had eaten a large meal and exercised heavily shortly thereafter. Still, we usually do not know why a given dog bloats on an individual basis. No specific diet or dietary ingredient has been proven to be associated with bloat. Some factors found to increase and decrease the risk of bloat are listed below:

Factors Increasing the Risk of Bloating

• Feeding only one meal a day
• Having closely related family members with a history of bloat
• Eating rapidly
• Being thin or underweight
• Fearful or anxious temperament
• History of aggression towards people or other dogs
• Male Dogs are more likely to bloat than females
• Older dogs (7 - 12 years) were the highest risk group

Factors Decreasing the Risk of Bloat

• Inclusion of canned dog food in the diet
• Inclusion of table scraps in the diet
• Happy or easy-going temperament
• Eating 2 or more meals per day

2. 

In a study done by the Perdue University Research Group, headed by Dr. Lawrence T. Glickman:

• The Great Dane was the number one breed at risk for bloat
• The St. Bernard was the 2 breed at risk for bloat
• The Weimaraner was the 3 breed at risk for bloat
• The German Shepherd dog and the Boxer appeared to have a greater risk for bloating than did other breeds.

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR DOG HAS BLOATED

The dog may have an obviously distended stomach especially near the ribs but this is not always evident depending on the dog's body configuration.

The biggest clue is the vomiting: the pet appears highly nauseated and is retching but little is coming up.

If this is seen, rush your dog to the veterinarian IMMEDIATELY.

WHAT HAS TO BE DONE

There are several steps to saving a bloated dog's life. Part of the problem is that all steps should be done at the same time and as quickly as possible.

FIRST: THE STOMACH MUST BE DECOMPRESSED

The huge stomach is by now pressing on the major blood vessels carrying blood back to the heart. This stops normal circulation and sends the dog into shock. Making matters worse, the stomach tissue is dying because it is stretched too tightly to allow blood circulation through it. There can be no recovery until the stomach is untwisted and the gas released. A stomach tube and stomach pump are generally used for this but sometime surgery is needed to achieve stomach decompression.

ALSO FIRST: RAPID IV FLUIDS MUST BE GIVEN TO REVERSE THE SHOCK

Intravenous catheters are placed and life-giving fluid solutions are rushed in to replace the blood that cannot get past the bloated stomach to return to the heart. The intense pain associated with this disease causes the heart rate to race at such a high rate that heart failure will result. medication to resolve the pain is needed if the patient’s heart rate is to slow down. Medication for shock, antibiotics and electrolytes are all vital in stabilizing the patient.

ALSO FIRST: THE HEART RHYTHM IS ASSESSED AND STABILIZED

There is a special very dangerous rhythm problem, called a "premature ventricular contraction" or "pvc," associated with bloat and it must be ruled out. If it is present, intravenous medications are needed to stabilize the rhythm. Since this rhythm problem may not be evident until even the next day continual EKG monitoring may be necessary. Disturbed heart rhythm already present at the beginning of treatment is associated with a 38% mortality rate.

Getting the bloated dog's stomach decompressed and reversing the shock is an adventure in itself but the work is not yet half finished.

3.

SURGERY

All bloated dogs, once stable, should have surgery. Without surgery, the damage done inside cannot be assessed or repaired plus bloat may recur at any point, even within the next few hours and the above adventure must be repeated. Surgery, called gastrpexy, allows the stomach to be tacked into normal position so that it may never again twist. Without gastropexy, the recurrence rate of bloat may be as high as 75%!

Assessment of the internal damage is also very important to recovery. If there is a section of dying tissue on the stomach wall, this must be discovered and removed or the dog will die despite the heroics described above. Also, the spleen, which is located adjacent to the stomach may twist with the stomach. The spleen may require removal, too.

If the tissue damage is so bad that part of the stomach must be removed, the mortality rate jumps to 28 - 38%.

If the tissue damage is so bad that the spleen must be removed, the mortality rate is 32 - 38%.

After the expense and effort of the stomach decompression, it is tempting to forgo the further expense of surgery. However, consider that the next time your dog bloats, you may not be there to catch it in time and, according the study described below, without surgery there is a 24% mortality rate and a 76% chance of re-bloating at some point. The best choice is to finish the treatment that has been started and have the abdomen explored. If the stomach can be surgically tacked into place, recurrence rate drops to 6%.

In is crucially important that the owners of big dogs be aware of this condition and prepared for it.

Know where to take your dog during overnight or Sunday hours for emergency care.

Avoid exercising your dog after a large meal.

Know what to watch for.

Enjoy the special friendship a large dog provides but at the same time be aware of the large dog's special needs and concerns.

Welfare Welcome to Dax

Meet the lovely Dax, and he's about 2 years old now. Dax has been here for a year, and his previous owners only for a week. They'd been told that Dax was good with dogs and children. Unfortunately he's comfortable with neither.  This is most likely by a lack of socialisation, because he is actually a loving boy.

 

While being handed over to us, a leaf blew past and he went to the ground. From his behaviour it seems likely that he's never lived in a house and is more at ease in an outside kennel. We don’t usually home dogs to live outside, but in this instance we would make an exception.

If you're considering adopting one of our dogs then find out more about the process here - https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/adopting-german-shepherd-dog.html 

Tia Pupdate - Moving Kennel

Morning everypawdy. Tia here with a new pupdate. Exciting things have been happening here. The hooman moved me to a different kennel. Not just any kennel, but the one next door to Rodney! She said it might help him to have company. I don’t know if it is helping him, but it’s helping me, I can tell you! I mean who wouldn’t want to live next door to Rodney? He’s quite a catch. I think he is playing by that old adage “treat them mean to keep them keen” because he done a lot of swearing to start with. It’s working though cos I am keen.

I think he is falling for my charms now. We look at each other through the bars and even sniff up close. The hooman called me a floozy. She’s a fine one to talk. You should see how she acts when she spots a man with a German Shepherd. She doesn’t even bother to try to hide it.

I don’t try to play that game anymore where I run away just as I’m about to go in the run. In fact I keep running back to the kennel trying to get back in to. Do you think Rodney will find me too forward doing this. I can’t help myself. I still sleep in the house at night but the hooman has to let me out quite early as I need to get back to my Rodney. I think we will get married soon. Must go. Rodney is swearing. Oh, he is so masterful.

Love Tia

Welfare Welcome to Bailey

Please give a warm Welfare welcome to this handsome chappie, Bailey. He's just over two years old. Sadly he has found himself in Welfare because his owners couldn’t find a suitable rental property that allowed dogs 

He's a little nervous and reactive towards dogs, but hopefully with some positive socialisation this may improve. He is being cared and loved for by Uncle Lawrence. 

Welcome to the family Bailey 

If you're interested in providing a forever home for one of our dogs then read about the process here - https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/adopting-german-shepherd-dog.html 

Meet Dickie

Last Sunday Lexi's litter went off to their new homes and a crazy fun filled day it was! One of those pups - Dickie, well his home isn't so far away at all. As can be expected he's bursting with energy and doing well with his recall as well.