You aren't looking for a clear culture, the vagina isn't sterile, isn't
supposed to be, many things are perfectly normal. But even if you get a
heavy overgrowth of something you'd expect to find....or something that's NOT
supposed to be there, that's not normal and could impact pregnancy.
Nature has a built in protection system...the pH in a bitch's vagina
changes as she gets close to ovulation (and delivery!) making it inhospitable
to
bacteria. If you've ever looked at smears to time ovulation (not really the
best but anyway...), you'd notice slides that looked like grand central
station, teaming with bacteria days out then absolutely no bacteria as she's
ovulating. The cervix opens in the normal course of things and all is
well...or that's the way it is supposed to work..... A compromised immune
system, stress, or an overgrowth of something can affect the normal change in
pH
leaving the uterus vulnerable.
Here's an interesting aside; if I cultured a bitch pre breeding, found an
overgrowth and treated, I would then put her on amoxy and clavamox a week to
10 days before delivery. Reason is "something" in nature's protection
system failed before and my proof is the pre breeding culture.
Ever hear of puppies fading? It isn't fading at all but infection.
Likely culprits e-coli or BHS. Antibiotics pre delivery will kill off/prevent
bacteria from entering the uterus as the cervix begins to dilate (days before
delivery...ever notice that perfectly normal "egg white" discharge a bit
before???), ensure safe passage for the puppies and also prevent an overload
of bacteria as mom cleans herself and licks the cords (which I treat w/
iodine anyway until they dry/fall off...dip in shot glass).
So anyway, I don't have a lot of patience w/ vets who say "don't bother".
Probably 90% of the time, all is well. A couple of hundred dollars IMO is
cheap insurance for the balance.
Good luck with your breeding Ed!
Kathy Salvucci, member GSDCA, DVGSDC
Celebrating generations of Dual Titled TC'd Champions
visit http://www.pinehillgsds.com/ ;
In a message dated 6/3/2017 7:23:38 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
edwinx@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
Thanks Kathy! The stud owners are smarter than I am, so I will do as they
request! I only know about k9 diets. lol. Ed
Sent from Xfinity Connect Mobile App
------ Original Message ------
From: Pinehillgsds@xxxxxxx
To: edwinx@xxxxxxxxxxx, showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: June 3, 2017 at 11:32 AM
Subject: Re: [ SHOWGSD-L ] Bitches!
Depends. With the exception of overgrowths of mycoplasma, you aren't
doing the culture for the dog, you are doing it for the bitch and health of
the
subsequent puppies.
Overgrowths of e-coli or BHS will cause failed pregnancies or fading
puppies, which aren't "fading" at all but puppies w/ infection.
Other things will cause issues too...pneumonia in young puppies etc.
So....what most vets say is without a history of misses, don't bother.
So I ask you, do you have six months, a stud fee and progesterone testing
to thr_ow away? Or would you rather the odds were in your favor for a full
and healthy litter?
The "don't bother" until we have a problem theory is not satisfactory to
me. And if a bitch misses wouldn't you rather have the data point to know
she wasn't dealing with a "bad" on a culture?
Kathy Salvucci, member GSDCA, DVGSDC
Celebrating generations of Dual Titled TC'd Champions
_ (http://www.pinehillgsds.com/In a message dated 6/3/2017 7:23:38 P.M. ;
Eastern Daylight Time, edwinx@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:Thanks Kathy! The stud owners
are smarter than I am, so I will do as they request! I only know about k9
diets. lol. EdSent from Xfinity Connect Mobile App ------ Original Message
------From: Pinehillgsds@aol.comTo: edwinx@xxxxxxxxxxx,
showgsd-l@freelists.orgSent: June 3, 2017 at 11:32 AMSubject: Re: [ SHOWGSD-L ]
Bitches!Depends.
With the exception of overgrowths of mycoplasma, you aren't doing the culture
for the dog, you are doing it for the bitch and health of the subsequent
puppies. Overgrowths of e-coli or BHS will cause failed pregnancies or fading
puppies, which aren't "fading" at all but puppies w/ infection.Other things
will cause issues too...pneumonia in young puppies etc.So....what most vets
say is without a history of misses, don't bother.So I ask you, do you have
six months, a stud fee and progesterone testing to throw away? Or would you
rather the odds were in your favor for a full and healthy litter?The "don't
bother" until we have a problem theory is not satisfactory to me. And if a
bitch misses wouldn't you rather have the data point to know she wasn't
dealing with a "bad" on a culture? Kathy Salvucci, member GSDCA,
DVGSDCCelebrating generations of Dual Titled TC'd Championsvisit )
visit _http://www.pinehillgsds.com/ ;
In a message dated 6/3/2017 1:02:36 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
edwinx@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
My Repo vet, Dr. Cain, who many in the Bay Area use will NOT do vaginal
cultures on bitches useless there are symptoms or evidence of vaginal
disease! Many stud owners require this procedure? What does the jury ( you
guys)
think.....Ed
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_ (http://www.pinehillgsds.com/)
