Ask the "Vet"
E-Mail any health questions about your dogs that you would like help with, They can be either general questions or ones concerning the dog's health related to Performance Events.  Send them to "The Team" and we will ask the "VET". 

 

Our Staff: 
Dr. Craig Stoneseifer DVM, owns FC Greenwing No Moon, a Black Lab female.  Dr. Stoneseifer has been in the sport of field trailing for many years. 

Dr. Dana Bleifer owned CH Quailrun's Bear Cub MH and MBIS CH*Quailrun's Ozark Mtn Daredevil and is a long time chesapeake breeder from southern California.  She has her own practice and also is a reproduction specialist with Clone, Inc. 

Question #1 - We have a six year old male Chesapeake, who competes in field trials. He has a torn "Ham String" muscle. This was diagnosed by my Vet. My question for Dr. Stoneseifer is "What would be the optimal physical therapy - rehabilitation to bring this animal back to competitive levels"?

Response: The "hamstring" muscle is a flexor of the stifle (knee). Torn muscles that do not need suturing need to be rested for a minimum of 2 - 3 weeks and then exercised gradually against resistance for optimum return to function. Swimming is the best exercise for muscle rehabilitation as it creates resistance without weight bearing.                                Dr. Stoneseifer

Question #2 - I am writing to Dr. Stoneseifer via Team Chesapeake with a question regarding the health of my seven year old Chesapeake bitch. Although she does not participate in any AKC field events, she is my Search and Rescue dog-operational in wilderness and cadaver search and water recovery-and the question concerns the effects and treatment of a tick-borne disease she contracted in the course of this work.  Last May, Pete was diagnosed with ehrlichia and was treated by my vet with doxycycline. At the end of the treatment, her blood work tested negative for the disease, and she appeared to be in good health. Last December, follow-up blood work showed that my dog was again testing positive for ehrlichia. She was again placed on doxycycline, and treatment with this antibiotic will continue until July. She has, however, developed severe polyarthritis as a result of having this disease. I have recently been informed that a new treatment using imidocarb has been approved for use in cases of ehrlichia. I am sure that dogs participating in AKC field events would also be exposed to the threat of ehrlichia, despite the use of tick preventatives, so I was wondering if Dr. Stoneseifer is familiar with the use of this new therapy. Is imidocarb only being used in the acute phases of the disease to replace doxycycline, or is it being used in chronic cases also? Has the drug shown effectiveness against the arthritis which may result from ehrlichia? I am trying to gather as much information as I can from people who are familiar with the use of this therapy in order to determine whether my Chesapeake might be a candidate. 

 Response:  I am not familiar with imidocarb for treating ehrlichia. However, it is listed in the literature as a recommended treatment.     Dr. Stoneseifer  

Question # 3 - I have a 9 year old male Chessie that seems to have a problem with Clostridium.  He has had several bouts with it over the last several years that gives him  severe diarrhea with blood.  He has been put on  Metronidazole and Sulfasalazine .  It clears up immediately but comes back after a few day's off the Medicine.(10 day prescription).  This last time, it has taken 3 times to get rid of it. We think it was coming from the dogs eating waste seed under the bird feeders.  We have discontinued the bird feed.  My other Chessie has been totally  unaffected by this.  Why is he so prone to this?  Should we try a different antibiotic?  We now give him yogurt everyday to help with  beneficial bacteria in his system.  Any light you could shed on this problem will be greatly appreciated.     Chris Rosenberg


 Response:
 Clostridial bacteria may cause an acute bloody diarrhea or a chronic large bowel diarrhea with blood or mucus.  Diagnosis of Clostridial organisms as the cause of diarrhea is very difficult; however, successful treatment of the diarrhea with tylosen or amoxicillin is indicative of a probable cause from Clostridial organisms.  Treatment of Clostridial diarrhea is usually successful using tylosen or amoxicillin or chloramphenical; however, antibiotic treatment does not necessarily eliminate the bacteria and relapses may occur requiring continuation of antibiotics indefinitely.  The use of fiber supplemented diets may also be beneficial.   Diarrhea can have many causes other than Clostridial organisms and if your Chessie doesn't respond to the above mentioned treatments, I would suggest additional diagnostics.  You might want to consider campylobacteriosis as the cause for this diarrhea because of the association with the bird feeder.                Dr. Craig A. Stonesifer, DVM

Question #4  My 3 ½ year old CBR male has recently experienced some difficulty with prostatitis. I am following-up with Baytril, but I know that the odds of beating this infection aren't great. Everyone agrees that the usual course of action in these cases is to neuter the dog, and then the infection clears up. I believe this, but being a mechanism oriented kind of person, I would like to understand why removal of the testicles resolves an infection of the prostate.  Is it part of the decline in androgen titers that results from neutering?              Thanks,    Claire McCall, MA

Response:
The underlying cause of the problem may not be infection. It may be what is called Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. This is an enlargement of the prostate that happens over time from ongoing testosterone exposure. It causes the prostate to become inflammed and makes it vulnerable to secondary bacterial infections. Sometimes cysts will form within the prostate. This process is not related to cancer. Neutering is curative because as soon as the testosterone level is down the prostate begins to shrink and is completely down to a normal size with no inflammation 8 weeks after neutering. So antibiotics may treat the secondary bacterial infection but they do not address the root of the problem. In dogs that are valuable for breeding, neutering is obviously not the ideal way to treat. We now use a drug called Proscar. This is what is used in humans (most men don't like the suggestion of neutering for themselves). Proscar works by blocking the effects of testosterone on prostate. It does not stop the production of testosterone. It does not effect sperm production or libido. It appears to be safe for long term use. We start with daily treatment and then once the prostate is reduced to a comfortable size put the dog on a pulsed therapy to maintain. Usually one week each month of meds. It is not a cheap drug. Some dogs get itchy when they take it. An ultrasound of the prestate is valuable to make sure there is no sign of cancer in the prostate and to have a frame of reference for size. Did you know prostate cancer is more common in neutered dogs. Prostate cancer is a very rare form of cancer in dogs. Neutering does not involve removing the prostate. A recent retrospective study showed more prostate cancer in neutered males then intact ones.                     Dana Bleifer DVM

Question #5  -  My 13 week old puppy broke his femar at mid point, slightly higher, with a compression fracture.  Since on a weekend, he sat in the vet's office till Monday.  The pieces finally all separated, so they are going to put pins in the bone through the marrow cavity.  What is the prognosis for complete recovery?    Thanks,   Mike P.

Response:  If the fracture is repaired well and the growth plates are not involved the prognosis for recovery with normal use of the leg is very good.  The biggest factor is the proper alignment of the leg when the pin and wires are placed.    
   Dana Bleifer DVM

Questions #6.  Dear vet,  I would like to know about the Chesapeake's coat. I would like to know if you would have to use a special kind of soap, and what kind of soap? I was informed that soap could take out most and maybe all of their coat's natural oil. Because I really need to wash him, so please contact me very soon. at.    
                      Thanks,    Haily L.

Response:  Thanks for writing about the chesapeakes.  A good bath is fine for the dogs once in a while.  All dogs do get dirty and smelly at times.  You can use a good basic flea and tick shampoo as a rule.  That way if they have picked up anything this will kill the intruders.  After they are shed and I have combed out any of the loose hair, I give them a good bath.  Then when the coat is almost back in, it really has a bit of natural oil there and is collecting a lot of dust.  I usually give them a good bath then.  In between, you can just hose with clear water after swimming in the ocean or a swimming pool so these things don't dry out the coat.  Bathing every few months when they are dirty is very acceptable!                   Jane Pappler

Question #7 -My 9 mo female just had her 2nd UTI in 2 months.  She was spayed at 7 mo.  First one was treated with 12 days of cephalexin and this one is now being treated with 10 days of Primor.  After the first UTI resolved, the vet wanted to recheck the urine pH and it remained persistently high despite being on urinary acidifier.  Now, with her 2nd UTI, the vet wants us to switch to a special food (Hill's c/d) designed to lower urine pH.  She has been on both Innova or Nutro brands in the past.  Her symptoms of the UTI resolve each time after 1 or 2 days of antibiotics.  Yet the urine pH remains in the 7-8 range.  No culture of the urine was performed.  She was cath'd and bladder x-rayed and there are no stones present (but crystals in the UA I think).  Is it reasonable to jump to the conclusion that the diet is causing high urine pH, or should we look for other causes?  The vet thinks it is the high urine pH causing the problems, but I wonder if it is the infection causing the high pH and that it hasn't been adequately treated?  Thanks for your help.          Michael E.

Response:  Some times it is hard to know which came first, the high pH then the infection or visa versa.  Certainly if she has struvite crystals in the urine, they will form more readily in a higher pH environment.  Persistant crystals could eventually form stones.  With a recurrent UTI a culture is very important as well as treating for a longer period of time (usually about 3 weeks or antibiotics).  I think the recomendation to use Hills C/D right now is a good one.  It may not be needed life long, but may help get her through this "phase".  If there is no evidence of infection now, I would switch to the c/d and recheck the urine in 4 weeks.  If there is evidence of infection (or if one starts up) get a culture done right away and chose an antibiotic based on the culture results for at least 3 weeks.
                         Dana Bleifer DVM