Grass seeds can easily become lodged in a dog’s ears or paws. Grass seeds are a particular problem for spaniels As the hay fever season fades away, so the grass-seed season takes over. The first affects me (though not as much as it used to), while the second is a…
Health
The risks of over-exercising a puppy
Q: We have recently acquired a new puppy. Both parents were hip and elbow tested and found to be clear and I’ve been told by the breeder to be careful about over-exercising a puppy while he is young because it could damage his joints. I want to start training this…
How to get ticks off your dog and keep them off
A welcome consequence of the recent drought has been an absence of ticks. I have yet to find any ticks on dogs of mine this year. Ticks like nothing better than to lurk in wet, rank grass and they avoid dry areas because of the risk of dehydration. So from…
How can I treat my gundog’s diarrhoea? What causes it?
Q: “Can you explain to me why my gundog gets a stomach upset? What causes diarrhoea in dogs and how can I stop my gundog getting it? Diarrhoea in dogs – the symptoms and the causes Diarrhoea is defined as increased water content of faeces, leading to changes in frequency…
Will my Labrador’s hips cause her problems in the field?
Labrador hips cause concern Q: I have a four-year-old Labrador bitch that I had intended breeding from, but her hip scores have turned out to be higher than we expected — not too bad but not good enough that we feel we should breed from her. However, I am now…
Common garden plants that are poisonous to gundogs – and what to do if they eat one
When your gundogs are out sniffing and investigating in the garden you could unwittingly be putting their health at risk, by exposing them to poisonous plants
How to treat your dog’s pollen allergies
With the warm weather upon us, Dr Neil McIntosh reveals how to treat your dog's pollen allergies
When it comes to the crunch
Working dog nutrition is a complex topic. There are many food varieties for a working dog diet out there and all sorts of choices an owner can make for their working dog. When you look into it in depth, even for those embedded in the gundog world, it really is…
What diseases could my dog pick up from foxes?
Disease from foxes All dogs, including gundogs can get the following disease from foxes: Sarcoptic mange Lungworm Rabies Dogs and foxes do suffer from the same diseases, though, of which the most worrying is rabies. We have been rabies-free in Britain for 98 years — since quarantine for dogs was…
Should we neuter dogs? When is the best time and what are the health implications?
We take neutering of dogs for granted. But should we? When to neuter your dog – and the behavioral risks Pre-pubertal neuter — under six months: Infant brain — needy and underconfident especially if neutered during one of the developmental fear periods. Difficult to train as low concentration span. Can…
Why you shouldn’t let your dog drink from puddles
Q: I have often found my dog drinking from puddles. Is this source of water for dogs safe? Are there any risks and should I prevent her from doing this? A: Rainwater itself is relatively clean, but when it forms puddles it can be contaminated by dirt, leaves, animal droppings,…
Why raw chicken wings are perfect for dogs
Raw chicken wings for dogs are ideal It’s often claimed that chicken bones are brittle, liable to splinter and are thus dangerous for a dog to eat. That’s certainly true of cooked chicken bones, but raw chicken bones are rubbery and make ideal food for a dog whose digestive system…
Tail docking: Key facts you need to know
Tail docking: It is one of the most emotive subjects in the gundog world, so education is key to knowing where owners, breeders and vets stand on tail docking.
When it’s best for your gundog to wrap up a shoot day early
One of the attractions of shooting is that it takes more than a bit of rain or a coveering of snow to put us off. It is extremely rare for a shoot to be cancelled because of the weather. But looking back on a long shooting carer I can recall…
9 gundog health tips that vets wish their owners knew
Gundog health tips 1. Why you should never give your dog ibuprofen Canine under the weather? Never be tempted to give something from the family medicine cabinet. Here’s why and what you should do instead. 2. How to make a dog vomit Scrounging dogs (we’re particularly thinking of the ever-hungry…
What is this ‘limber tail’ my dog is suffering from?
Q: My 19-month-old undocked Hungarian vizsla developed limber tail after attending a working test. The condition came on very quickly and caused him considerable pain. We gave him Metacam and he recovered in about three days. Though he did swim in the working test, it was in relatively warm water.…
Why you should never give dogs ibuprofen
Stiff legs in the morning Q: I notice that our Labrador, as he gets older, is starting to have difficulty getting up on his legs first thing in the morning. This was especially noticeable after he had been for a long walk the previous day and we are now limiting…
What can I do about the scratches on my spaniel’s face?
Spaniel scratches – what’s the answer? Q: Now I am retired I have been able to work my spaniels more frequently this season. One has so many cuts around her eyes and over her muzzle from having to retrieve birds from deep cover that it doesn’t take much to make…
Six rules for caring for your gundog after a shoot day
Tony looks at ways of keeping a hard-working gun dog happy during the season.