[ SHOWGSD-L ] Pyometra, antibiotic use and cryptorchidism
- From: Katie Halfen <kthalfen@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: gsd list <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 10:25:01 -0400
Ok I'm going to address a few things all at once.
Pyometra:
I have never heard or seen this occurring in a pregnant bitch. Pyometra occurs
in diestrus, when the progesterone levels are high (almost always 2 months
following estrus), which does coincide with the time of whelp. However it is a
uterine infection that was present at estrus and allowed to grow during
diestrus due to the high progestrone levels and the closed cervix (this keeps
the infection and the pus trapped in the uterus. Bitches go through the same
hormonal changes with each heat cycle, whether they are bred or not, so at 63
days post LH surge (ovulation), the cervix opens. In cases of pyometra the
open cervix allows the pus/infection to pour out and then the owner becomes
aware of the issue. A bitch can get very sick from the closed infection
earlier and the owner may notice she is drinking and peeing more frequently,
not eating, very lethargic, vomiting etc. and the infection is usually
discovered by the vet by bloodwork, xray, and/or ultrasound. Pyometra is most
commonly caused by E. coli. If your bitch carried a litter to term, but then
had a uterine infection it was most likely caused by retained placentas or an
infection introduced during the whelping process as a pus filled/infected
uterus is not able to sustain a pregnancy.
Antibiotic use in breeding bitches or pregnancy:
Be very careful what antibiotics are used in your breeding bitch and especially
during pregnancy. Not all veterinarians are as cautious as they should be or
even know what the side effects of these antibiotics are. The only "safe"
antibiotics to give to a pregnant dog are in the penicillin family-stick to
amoxicillin and clavamox, the rest are just too risky.
I have never heard of doxycycliine causing megaesophagus and can't find a
medical report on any of the veterinary websites, so if there is one out there,
please forward me the information. Doxycycline is known to cause permanent
tooth discoloration in young animals as is affects the tooth enamel and calcium
deposition all over the body. Never give doxy to a pregnant dog or a puppy
that doesn't have all adult teeth present (about 6 months of age).
Baytril causes severe cartilage defects and joint deformaties in young and
growing pups and should only be used as a last resort (death vs. giving
Baytril). It should not be used on pups less than 1 year and not on any
pregnant bitches.
Chloramphenicol causes aplastic anemia in some people and after widespread use
in Vietnam is no longer used in human medicine. It causes birth defects and
also can affect the hormones of breeding bitches. Bottom line is never handle
without gloves and don't give to dogs that are intact.
Gentamycin/Neomycin/Amikacin can all affect the nerves of the ear and cause
deafness and are also toxic to the kidneys especially in young animals. These
antibiotics should never be given to pregnant animals or to young pups.
Use extreme caution with antibiotics they are not generally safe nor have they
been tested on pregnant animals. The side effects are often life threatening
or extreme and life long.
As a side note, I just want to say that if you think a birth defect is caused
by these antibiotics which are considered an "environmental influence" and not
a genetic defect-then the ENTIRE litter will be affected because all the
puppies are exposed to the same environment-blood supply, nutrition, etc. as
the rest of the pups. If you have a GENETIC defect you will see some normal
puppies and some affected puppies-that is the way genetics works especially
with recesssive genes. The only confusion occurs if there is a DOMINANT
inherited gene that all pups would inherit and therefore all be affected,
luckily there is almost no dominant genes that cause birth defects because
these are easy to eliminate from the gene pool-you will always see an affected
individual. The recessive genes are the ones in hiding that sneak up on us
occassionally in a litter.
Cryptorchisim:
Is believed to be some mode of recessive inheritance (big surprise) and is
considered genetic. There have been several studies that have shown
cryptorchid males are more likely to produce cryptorchid offspring, but can
produce normal offspring as well (A CARRIER). The main problem with
cryptorchid males isn't there ability to breed, but the problems that are
caused by they undescended testicle. The undescended testicle is the real
problem and often becomes a sertoli cell tumor (10 times more likely than a
normal testicle). This is a type of cancer and if internal can metastasis or
cause sex-hormone secretions disrupting the normal hormones of the body.
Sorry for the length,
Katie Halfen DVM
Casamoko Shepherds
www.casamoko.com
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