Pete the pet vet

  I'VE often written about the problem of unwanted pups in Ireland, and there's no doubt that there are too many animals produced, which results in animal rescue centres overflowing with dogs looking for homes. However, despite this fact, there will always be a demand for high-quality dogs of specific breeds. Like everything in life, dog breeding can be done badly, or it can be done well. One client recently decided to produce the best possible pups from her own beloved dog and her story is worth telling. Meg is a gentle, four-year-old, female German Shepherd. She has been successful in the show ring and she has a lovely relaxed temperament. Her owner had decided that she wanted to allow Meg to have her own litter of puppies. She wanted Meg's pregnancy and whelping to be as successful as possible, and so everything was very carefully planned from start to finish. The process started last summer when Meg spent a day at our animal hospital having screening X-rays taken of her hips and elbows. This is an important part of ensuring that an animal is a suitable genetic subject for breeding. The Hip and Elbow Dysplasia Schemes have been designed to minimise the incidence of puppies with poor-quality joints. Arthritis of the hips and elbows is a common problem in many large breeds, and there is a strong inherited basis to the condition. Meg's X-rays were sent to a panel of specialist vets in London. They assessed the size, shape and angulation of her hips and elbows. Meg passed with flying colours, which meant that her pups were more likely to have good-quality hip and elbow joints. Her owner had found a suitable German Shepherd stud in England. He had a good record in the show ring and he too had an excellent temperament and good hip and elbow scores. All of the preparations were now in place and it was just a case of waiting for Meg to come into season. In mid-February, Meg's owner noticed a few drops of blood on the kitchen floor. Meg's season had started. A bitch is normally ready for mating around ten days after the first drops of blood, but since Meg was travelling specially to England to meet the male dog, it was important that the timing was as precise as possible. It would be frustrating to travel across on the ferry only to discover that Meg's season had been shorter than the average and that she had gone past the fertile, receptive stage of her season. She was brought back to our hospital and we took some samples for testing that confirmed that Meg would be ready for mating in three days. Meg duly travelled to England and she met the male dog three days later. Two matings took place on successive days. Meg returned to Ireland, and it was soon obvious that she was pregnant. Her abdomen began to swell, she began to eat voraciously, and her mammary glands became prominent. Her owner came in with her for an ante-natal visit and we discussed the whole process of whelping. There are many possible complications but, in most cases, whelpings proceed normally and naturally without human intervention. I explained the after-hours arrangements for veterinary care just in case Meg had complications. As it turned out, all went very well for Meg. Her puppies were born on Easter Sunday. She had four girls and three boys. Mother and pups are thriving. Her owner sent me photos of the new pups by e-mail. They are going to be stunning examples of the best of the German Shepherd breed. If you decide that you want a pedigree puppy, make sure that you find a breeder like Meg's owner.