Ticks are amazingly efficient at surviving almost any attack. The rate of propagation and resistance to insecticides is phenomenal to say the least. In heated kennels and homes, ticks breed all year round. When the weather is cold, they’ll withdraw to cracks and crevices to await warmer times.

Since it takes twenty to thirty days for eggs to hatch, an infested home should be treated at ten-day intervals, at least four times, then once a month for two or three months. Sprays and insecticides used should be marked as a acaracide. Other insecticides appear to have little-to-no effect.

Usually it is only necessary to spray as high as two or three feet from the floor up the walls (unless tick infestation is heavy). If the family dog is accustomed to sleeping on the sofa or in overstuffed chairs, spraying should include those areas, paying particular attention to cushions as well as the edges of rugs and baseboards.

To man, the tick represents the disease known as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Originally, it was thought that the disease was restricted to the region of the Rocky Mountains – thus its name. However, it is not regional at all, and may be acquired over a considerable portion of the United States, east and west, and even in Canada. (The tick is also responsible for “rabbit fever” in rodents, which is transmissible to man.)

In the southern portion of the United States, as well as in France and Africa, there is an intestinal protozoan parasite – Babesia – which attacks blood cells in a dog and causes extreme anemia. This protozoan is spread from dog to dog by ticks. Heavy infestation of ticks upon a dog can cause an extreme loss of blood, anemia, paralysis, and even death.

Flea and tick collars are available commercially, but while such collars might eventually cause the tick to die, much damage and infestation can be done in the interim. Veterinarians can also prescribe tablets, which, when given to a dog, ensure that any tick that bites the dog will die.

The consequences of tick infestation should dictate the importance of tick control in homes and kennels. The approach of warmer weather signals the approach of Rhipicephalus Sanquineus. Now if THAT sounds like a blood-sucking monster from a science fiction movie, you’re partially right. Blood sucking monster? Yes! Science fiction? No way!

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Once on a dog, a female tick buries her head beneath the skin tissues, extends her barbed “tongue” and is then clamped on tight. Once the head and barbed probe are beneath the skin, no amount of shaking or scratching by the dog will cause the tick to dislodge.

The tick then feasts upon the dog’s blood in this manner until she bloats to about the size of a pea. The male tick (brown, and a fraction of her size) then mates with the female. When she has received her fill of blood from the dog, she withdraws her barbed probe, and drops off of the host dog. She’ll then crawl into tiny crevices between sofa cushions and carpeting to lay her thousands of eggs.

Once a home or kennel is infested, eradication is no simple process, any more than ridding a dog of the parasite is a simple process. A single tick found on a dog necessitates immediate and zealous efforts at all stages of its life cycle.

Removing a tick – or ticks – from a dog can be done by the owner, providing the tick has not attached itself to the inner ear, on the eyelid, or some other inaccessible place that would require anesthesia. And because the tick’s probe is barbed (similar to a fish hook), brushing or combing by the dog owner may rid ticks that haven’t yet “locked on”, but does nothing for those that are already attached.

The dog’s hair should be pulled back from around the tick for the benefit of full exposure. A few drops of iodine or rubbing alcohol can then be applied directly on the tick. This will momentarily shock the parasite, and in some cases, cause it to loosen its probe.

Using a pair of tweezers, and getting as close to the skin line as possible, the tick can be pulled out with a slight twisting motion so that the head is not severed and allowed to remain embedded in the dog’s skin. If that should occur, secondary infection could result. It is always wise to reapply iodine, alcohol, or other antiseptic to the puncture once the tick is removed. If the tick’s head remains beneath the dog’s skin, applications of hydrogen peroxide can be helpful.

Once the dog is free of ticks, complacency on the part of the dog owner usually results in reinfestation. It should be remembered that if the dog picked up a tick, he may well have picked up larvae from four or five thousand recently hatched eggs. Dousing with a tick powder or other acaracide would be beneficial here, but if the larvae have dropped off in your home or yard, removing the original tick is only the beginning of the battle.

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Each year as the warm weather approaches, dog owners should be increasingly apprehensive about those gluttonous, disease-carrying “Rhipicephalus Sanquineus”. This dangerous creature can infect man with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, cause paralysis, and even kill dogs and puppies.

Referred to by most everyone as “ticks”, these parasites are blamed for carrying the micro-organism that caused the death of so many British war dogs in Singapore several decades ago. And during the Vietnam war, more than 300 U.S. war dogs had died mysteriously from tropical canine hemorrhagic syndrome, and canine hemorrhagic fever. Intensive studies resulted in the finger of guilt pointing directly at the ordinary tick.

Although there are several different species of ticks (wood tick, brown dog tick, etc.), a tick by any other name is still a tick. Because of resistance to insecticides, the tick is one of the most difficult external parasites to control.

The female tick will lay up to five thousands eggs in the crevices of a kennel, baseboard, or under the carpeting in the home. Eggs are never deposited upon the host animal. After twenty to thirty days have elapsed, the eggs hatch and become larvae. The larvae then seek out a host dog, gorge themselves on his blood, then drop off again to hide.

Six to twenty-three days later, the larvae molt and become eight-legged nymphs. The nymphs obtain another blood meal from a dog, drop off again and go into hiding. Twelve to twenty-nine days later, the nymph tick molts and becomes an adult. As an adult, it once more seeks the dog, engorges blood, and mates.

From the time the eggs hatch – and before the tick becomes an adult – it returns to the host dog more than once to feed on the canine’s blood. Once hatched however, a tick can live in a house for up to two years without needing a host dog to feed on.

Out of doors, ticks climb onto branches and into foliage to await the arrival of a dog host. A dog napping under a bush, or walking within jumping distance of the tick is all that is needed to provide the parasite with a host. In the home, ticks will emerge from beneath rugs and carpeting, climb walls, table and chairs, and even up as high as wall pictures, to await the passing of a dog. They may even have to wait up to six months, but a tick can instantly sense the approach of a dog and jump on it as it passes.

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19th to 25th May 2008 is National Flea Week here in the UK! Anthea Turner (pictured below with Buddy and Digger) has launched the promotion for it. The aim is to raise awareness of the importance of having your pets checked and regularly treated for fleas as well as the important ways to prevent flea infestation in your homes.

Flea Facts

1.
Fleas can pull 160,000 times their own weight, which is like a human pulling 2,679 double-decker buses.

2.
A flea can jump 30,000 times without stopping and reverses direction with every jump. It can jump over 150 times its own size (approximately 30cm high) – which is like jumping over St Paul’s Cathedral – and accelerates 50 times faster than a space shuttle.

3.
Female cat fleas can drink 15 times their weight in blood.

4.
79% of fleas found on dogs in the UK are cat fleas.

5.
The average flea is 2-3 millimetres long and weighs half a grain (equivalent to 32 milligrams or 0.03 grams). The world’s biggest is the beaver flea, which reaches about 11mm.

6.
Flea larvae don’t like the light so they move away from it, deep into carpets, cracks in flooring or any nook or cranny.

7.
Flea pupae can live for up to 1 year in homes.

8.
95% of flea eggs, larvae and pupae live in beds, rugs, carpets and sofas – not on your pet.

9.
Fleas can lay up to 1,500 eggs in a lifetime

10.
Just one flea can become 1,000 on your pet and in your home in only 21 days.

11.
In a Kiev museum, there’s a flea that wears horseshoes made of real gold.

12.
Flea brides and grooms (dressed, but dead) were popular collector’s items in the 1920s.

13.
Flea circuses originated in England in the 16th century.

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During the first 24 to 48 hours after delivery, take the mother and all puppies to see your vet. The purpose of the examination is to insure healthy puppies with no obvious defects or illnesses, to be sure no puppies are retained in the uterus, to correct vaccination deficiencies, and to give the mother a hormone injection which will aid in contraction of the uterus and removal of the debris from stage 3.

The nursing period begins with the secretion of a complex milk-like substance called colostrum. Puppies nursing during the first 24 hours of life get antibodies from colostrum, giving them protection against diseases for the first few weeks of life. Puppies failing to nurse during the first few hours face a stormy start in life and may fail to survive.

Sick puppies, or those unable to survive the competitiveness of a large litter, soon become too weak to nurse. The result is a vicious cycle: the less they eat the weaker they become, and the weaker they become, the less they eat. Weak puppies require extra help; use an orphan formula to feed them. Several products are available over-the-counter for this purpose. For feeding instructions follow the label recommendations of the manufacturer.

Too weak to respond, many puppies fail to cry out in response to pain. Weak puppies are in danger of death and should be treated by your vet.

The nursing period places a heavy nutritional burden on the mother. The nutritional demands of nursing are greater than those of pregnancy, and close attention should be paid to proper feeding during this time. Dog foods of high quality and vitamin and mineral supplements are necessary.

Milk Fever

Eclampsia (known as milk fever) is a severe complication which can develop during the nursing period. The cause is a deficiency of calcium in the blood, resulting from rapid calcium loss into the milk during periods of high milk production. It is identified by severe convulsions and a rapid rise in body temperature. When it occurs, it is usually seen in the second week of nursing. Eclampsia is an emergency requiring immediate medical attention to prevent death.

Final Word

When the basic principles of reproduction are fully understood, the chances for successful mating will be greatly enhanced. However, the problem of how to deal with the excess puppies which result from over-breeding still remains. A number of methods are currently used to control vet over-population; none of them have been particularly successful, however, simply because of the enormous number of animals involved.

Again, attacking the problem at the source by halting unnecessary mating is a more sensible, and humane approach, than allowing dogs to mate indiscriminately and then seeking methods of disposing of the unwanted puppies.

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When it is time for the female to give birth to her puppies, the 3 stages of birth allow the breeder to accurately assess the condition of both the health of the mother and the puppies. Once the allantoic membrane (or simply called the water-bag) has broken then you know labor is close.

True Labor

Stage 2 is the time of true labor. Hard and forceful abdominal contractions occur which results in the delivery of puppies. The first puppy should be born within two to three hours from the time these contractions start, and the interval between puppies should not exceed this length of time. If no puppy is born then contact your veterinarian immediately.

Upon seeing the head or feet presented, assist delivery (only if necessary) by applying gentle traction in synchrony with the abdominal contractions of the dam. Forcefully tugging and pulling to deliver a difficult puppy may inflict unnecessary injury.

Once the puppy is born, the mother will instinctively lick the placental membranes from it and severs the navel cord with her teeth. If she fails to remove the placental membranes enveloping the puppy, you must do it yourself or the puppy will suffocate. Tear them away gently and quickly. Free the head first, allowing the puppy to breathe, then swab out its mouth with gauze pads.

The placental membranes are slippery, so use gauze pads to aid in removing them. After the puppy is free, cut the navel cord two inches away from its body, using scissors boiled in water. To control excess bleeding, pinch the navel cord with your clean fingers until it stops. Tying the navel cord with thread or string, or a similar foreign substance, will invite infection, demands cautiousness, and is generally ill-advised.

After the bleeding has stopped, swab the navel cord with iodine, dry the puppy vigorously in a towel, and place it with the dam. If she is nervous about her new puppies then separate them from her and place them together in a box until delivery is complete.

Cesarean sections are needed when a dog, failing to deliver within a reasonable period of time, also fails to respond to medical methods if inducing labor. The majority of cesarean sections are done on the smaller breeds, which lack the powerful muscular contractions needed to deliver puppies naturally. This is a successful technique which, in most cases, results in live puppies.

The Final Stage Of Birth

Stage 3 is the final stage of labor. It occurs when the uterus contracts and begins to return to its normal size. As it contracts, fluids and placental membranes remaining from stage 2 are forced out.

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If the future mother is due for vaccinations, have her vaccinated prior to (not during) pregnancy, since vaccines may cause adverse effects on fetal development if given during pregnancy.

Vaccinations before pregnancy accomplish two goals:

(1) They boost the future mother’s immunity.

(2) They provide the temporary immunity puppies need after birth for protection against diseases. (Puppies are not capable of building their own immunity until they are a few weeks old.)

If the mating is successful then pregnancy will follow; like metestrus it lasts two months, taking into account individual variation. Most vets can diagnose pregnancy four weeks after mating; earlier diagnosis is difficult.

One of the best available aids is good records, which tell when dogs are mated, give insights to previous breeding problems, and by their thoroughness, point out potential problems. Without benefit of breeding dates it is easier to determine that a dog is pregnant than to determine that it is not pregnant.

A good balanced diet and vitamin and mineral supplementation, which are vital during pregnancy, becomes much more important during nursing. Health problems related to pregnancy are uncommon in dogs. Although an occasional dog may abort, even this is not common. Most problems of practical concern involve breeding, delivery, and nursing.

Birth of The Puppies

The birth process, called parturition, is conveniently divided into three easily recognized stages. They are simple termed stage 1, stage 2, and stage 3. Stage 1 is the preliminary step to true labor. The female may act to prepare a nest and personality changes may become more evident (which include irritability, nervousness and pacing).

If the female’s body temperature falls too low then this may indicate serious diseases. The rectal temperature, should it fall from the normal range of 101 -102 degrees (F), is a meaningful indicator that birth may take place in the next 24 hours. Another sign of stage 1 is the rupture of the allantoic membrane, or water bag. Upon its rupture, a large volume of fluid is spent, which leaves no doubt that labor is near.

Following is stage 2 and stage 3, which is known as true labor and the nearing of the end of labor. The first puppy should be born within a few hours. If there are no puppies being born after several hours go by then you will need to call your veterinarian. A cesarean may be needed if there is a problem.

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Dogs mate early in estrus in association with ovulation. There are three ways to determine when a female dog is ready to mate:

(1) Put her with a male and see if anything happens.

(2) Note when proestral bleeding starts and mark the 11th day on the calender, taking into account individual variations, then put her with a male and see if anything happens.

(3) When your dog is delivered from home to spend a night or two with a male, you may need an accurate account of the most likely mating time. Ask your vet to examine a vaginal smear. (It is often necessary to examine a series of smears on subsequent days to determine the proper time to mate.)

Anatomically, it is difficult for a male dog to separate himself from a female immediately after mating without causing injury. Because of this, dogs remain tied up together for 15 minutes or longer. This is completely natural and attempts at forceful separation risks injury.

When several male dogs mate one female, it is possible for more than one percentage to represent itself in the offspring. This is because the female ovulates several eggs at one time. Some of the eggs may be fertilized by one male and some by another.

A stray male dog may call unexpectedly, mating your female. Male dogs have been known to swim wide rivers, dig deep holes beneath fences, and tear planks away from barns to get to a female that is in heat.

When a mating accident occurs, avoid unwanted puppies by requesting your vet to inject a hormone to prevent pregnancy. Chances are good that pregnancy can be avoided if this is done during the first 24 to 48 hours after mating has occurred. (Keep in mind that many veterinarians may recommend a series of injections at weekly intervals and some vets may refuse to give abortion shots completely).

If Your Chosen Male Will Not Mate

Lacking experience, young male dogs may be a bit uncertain of what to do. Injections of male hormones may help, however, by the time the problem is apparent hormones are often too late to be effective. Make arrangements for a substitute in case the chosen pair will not mate. Male dogs with defective sperm cells often have a normal sex drive and a normal mating instinct; they will mate, but pregnancy will not result.

Artificial insemination serves as a substitute for natural mating when, for any reason, dogs refuse to mate. Sperm cells collected from the male by artificial means are inserted into the uterus of the female. This technique frequently results in pregnancy.

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There used to be a time, long ago, when our population was common to have dogs that were hunters which would go out and retrieve game, some were shepherds herding sheep, and others had the job of guarding property. And during these times, man would let their canine workers roam the lands with free reign.

Eventually, old dogs had to be replaced with new ones; new blood was needed to carry on the tasks of simple existence. However, populations are no longer sparse in today’s world. Millions of homeless dogs die on the streets and in animal shelters every year. Unfortunately, when it comes to breeding these animals, the old ways still persist. Dogs are bred indiscriminately and little thought is given to the ultimate future of the scores of unlucky offspring which result from such matings.

In direct opposition to the methods used to control human overpopulation, current methods of controlling pet overpopulation are frequently aimed at incarcerating stray, unwanted pets. In their efforts to perpetuate a worthy species, a serious breeder chooses good stock, exercises discretion, and familiarizes him or herself with the basics of reproduction. Hopefully, the following discussion will provide some worthwhile insights into the reproductive process.

The Reproductive Cycle

“Proestrus” is the active stage of the reproductive cycle, occurring just before mating. Biological changes in the female reproductive organs during proestrus are far-reaching and affect many body systems. For our purposes, the most important changes are: a dramatic increase in the size of the female’s external sex organs and the onset of a blood-tingled general discharge (which is used to estimate breeding time).

Eleven days after the general discharge begins, females are ready to mate. This is an average based on statistics. Every dog is an individual and may vary from the norm by one or two days. During proestrus, male dogs are ready, however, females rarely except the male during this period. Proestrus lasts about nine days.

“Estrus” is the active stage of the reproductive cycle and follows proestrus. During estrus, the female accepts the male and the mating occurs. Mating takes place early in estrus, which is at the time of ovulation.

“Metestrus” immediately follows estrus provided pregnancy does not occur. In this stage the reproductive organs slowly return to a quiescent state. A condition called false pregnancy may occur during metestrus. It results when sex hormones function abnormally to stimulate pregnancy.

“Anestrus,” a time of complete inactivity of the reproductive organs, follows metestrus and lasts three months. The onset of proestrus marks the completion of the cycle.

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Question:

“A friend of mine gave me a mixed pup that she was unable to keep. He’s over a year old now. He was about 7 months old when she got him and had been a bit bullied by the other dogs in the kennel. When she got him home she had a great deal of difficulty with trying to housebreak him, as she was gone most of the time. She also had another small dog from January to June, during which time she underwent a divorce. Then “Spuds” (the new dog) was left almost totally alone during the entire summer.

What I am wondering is how to get my own dog to adjust to Tiger. The dog training books are full of virtually no help in obtaining information on dogs (and cats – I have one of those, too) adjusting to each other.

How do I get them to eat their own food? Also, the new dog drinks water and drips all over the floor. What do I do about sleeping quarters? The other two have been used to sleeping with me. And how do I get them to go potty outside and to tell me when he wants to?”

Our Answer:

There are virtually no guaranteed methods of inducing individual dogs and/or cats to tolerate each other. Just like people, some will never get along well, however, most at least become mutually tolerant if given enough time. Typically, a dominance order must be established, and this may involve a few non-violent “skirmishes” between the animals.

In reference to the food bowl problem, this is quite common, even in animals which have established friendly relationships. During a meal (often several times during a given meal), the dominant individual will horn in on another individual who in turn may move over to the vacated bowl or attempt to separate a third party from his bowl.

The best solution for this kind of problem is not to decide who should eat from what bowl and when. Let them decide – and if someone is getting less than he needs (or more), simply feed them in separate rooms.

About the sloppy water drinking, unfortunately this is just a bad habit which is virtually impossible to correct.

In regards to sleeping quarters, where do you want the new dog to sleep? If you find two dogs and a cat in your bed mutually tolerable, then fine. However, I’ve known a number of dogs that were not particularly cozy with their owners at bed time, and suffered no psychological problems.

Housebreaking requires patience and perseverance. Although several techniques are outlined in many dog training books, the one “best” method seems to be frequent trips outside, especially after eating, and gentle (but firm) reprimands for “accidents”, which should be immediately followed with a trip outside to the potty area.

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