PreventingDiseaseFarmDogsL8

• Service Organizations


  Includes NZ Police, Guide Dogs for the Blind, NZ Military, USAR dogs, and Mobility Assistance Dogs Trust
• Disease of working farm dogs:55% were from non-traumatic diseases, 45% were from traumatic diseases
• Gastric Dilation & Volvulus (GDV)


  Stomach dilation & rotation, leading to 'gastric bloat' and potential organ damage
• Risk Factors for GDV

  Include large breed dogs, males, underweight, eating rapidly, eating one meal a day, and fearful temperament
• GDV Surgery involves:


  Stabilizing the patient, decompression of the stomach, de-rotating the stomach, removing dead tissue, and fixing the stomach to the abdominal wall
• GDV in Huntaways : key findings & risk factors

  Age: 4- 7 years. Season: summer. 65% return to work
• GDV recommendations to farmers:

  Feed 2x/day, don't elevate food bowl in kennel, don't breed dogs with first degree relative that had GDV, gastropexy, seek vet help ASAP
• GDV Summary:


  <5 hours onset clinical signs to surgery = better prognosis. Educate farmers to notice GDV.
• Constipation Causes


  Poor diet, indigestible material, dehydration, inactivity, and obstructions like prostate issues, tail injuries in Huntaways
• Constipation prevention:


  Appropriate diet, regular activity, avoid dehydration, avoid tail injuries
• Reproductive Problems


  Include mismating, mammary neoplasia, vaginal hyperplasia, vaginal prolapse, and pyometra
• Mammary Neoplasia


  50% tumors are malignant
• Mammary Neoplasia Treatment

  May involve surgery and chemotherapy for malignant tumors
• Spaying may not reduce the risk of mammary neoplasia but


  Spaying improves survival
• Vaginal Hyperplasia


  Hormonal swelling leading to mucosal damage, regressing with declining estrogen levels
• Hyperplasia will regress as estrogen levels decline, but condition usually recurs during subsequent estrus cycles
• Vaginal Prolapse

  Occurs post-birth with the vaginal wall protruding, requiring manual repositioning or surgical resection
• Pyometra


  Uterine pus accumulation, treated with surgery to remove the infected uterus
• Pyometra causes: bacterial colonization and overgrowth in uterus. Post-partum metritis. Following a mismating injection. Prolonged progesterone after heat
• Pyometra occurs 1-3 months after estrus
• Open pyometra


  Pus draining through cervix
• Closed pyometra


  Cervix closed
• Prostatic Disease


  Primarily seen in old intact males, including benign prostatic hypertrophy, prostatitis, cysts, abscesses, neoplasia, and hemorrhage
• Diseases of the Prostate include

  Benign prostatic hyperplasia, Bacterial Prostatitis, Prostatic neoplasia (much less uncommon)
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia clinical signs:

  Constipation, bloody urethral discharge
• Bacterial Prostatitis clinical signs:

  Sick dog: loss of appetite, depression. Stiff gait, painful ABD at palpation
• Prostatic neoplasia clinical signs:

  Constipation, difficulty urinating
• Neutering Benefits

  Addresses aggression, mismating, pyometra, mammary tumors, and prostatic hyperplasia in farm dogs
• Why don't farmers neuter their dogs?

  May want to breed later, concerns about performance, cost