German Shepherds                                                                                                German Shepherd Puppies

 

 

COURAGE - CHARACTER - PREDICTABILITY
Germany’s Finest in America
Importers & Breeders of the finest quality Schutzhund titled & Breed Surveyed German Shepherds in the United States.
214-287-8080
HausMerkel@Yahoo.com
We are located
North of Dallas in Texas

HOW DID YOU FIND US?
Google Ads
German Shepherd Breeders
Referral
Other


THANKS!

Last updated - Saturday, August 21, 2010 05:22:59 PM -0400

HAUS MERKEL BLOG

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

Home •
About Us •

German Shepherd Puppies for Sale •

Older Puppies for Sale •


Our German Shepherd Males •

Our German Shepherd Females •
Males for Sale
•
Females for Sale •

Our German Shepherd Stud Dogs •
Breeding Requirements for Stud •


German Shepherd Rescues •
Memorials •
Articles •
OFA  •
Classifieds •
 
More Links:
 
HEALTH ARTICLES:
MORE ARTICLES:
Other Links •
Links •
Contact •
Add your Link
 
Members of           
GSDCA

WDA

Schutzhund USA

SV-Germany


'learning to pay attention to
 become a good dog'


 


After a long lesson in paying attention
a nap is in order'


Are Bones good for your dog?

Bottom Line...no!  Bones are not good for your dog. Dogs may ingest splinters from bones that can lodge in their mouths or around their teeth or worse yet bone chips can get caught in the intestines and cause an obstruction, internal bleeding and impaction. 

One bone can cost several hundred dollars up to thousands of dollars for surgery if your dog is the unlucky one.  Even when surgery is done your pet may die.  So why take the chance?

The best 'bones' on the market are the Nylabonesฎ.  Just make sure that you get the appropriate size for the size of your dog.  These bones are relatively indestructible and are often flavored.  Your dog will get hours, days, and years from one of these chew bones.

Nylabonesฎ are the only bones we allow our dogs to have.

Food Pets Die for:
Shocking Facts About Pet Food

by Ann Martin
http://www.organic-pet-digest.com/homemade-dog-food-recipes.html

The Importance of Puppy Socialization
From the very start, a puppy learns important lessons through his experience of the world around him. Even in the first few weeks as he snuggles with his dam, wrestles with his littermates, and is handled by his breeder each day, the personality traits and social skills that he will have all his life are beginning to form.

As the weeks go by, exposure to a variety of experiences is crucial to his becoming a well-rounded adult. Studies have shown that a puppy's experiences in the first three months of life strongly influence what kind of companion he will grow to be and how he will react to the world. Will he shy away from children? Will he be afraid of people in hats? Will he be aggressive toward other dogs? Or will he be easygoing and adaptable in a variety of situations?
READ MORE...

"The man who rears a dog must complete what the breeder began..." Max v. Stephanitz; Father of the German Shepherd Dog

Dealing Dogs Documentary
An animal rights outfit, Last Chance for Animals, outraged that 42,000 dogs are sold to vet schools and research labs by vile kennel keepers, sets out on one of the most notorious: Martin Creek Kennel in Arkansas. It sent in investigator "Pete" with a hidden camera for six months. He worked for the owners and collected his sickening images
and commentated on the atrocities as he went.  Many of the dogs that ended up at this kennel had been stolen from their
backyards and sold.
Not just from Arkansas but in areas around St. Louis Mo and all throughout the south.

 

 
"Fun at the Beach"

"Fun at Work"

"Fun just hanging out"
 


How to Protect your Pet from Heat Stroke

How to encourage Your Dog to Drink if he is not Feeling Well.

Proper hydration is crucial in the healing process; however, the ill or painful dog may not be interested in drinking. It is important NOT to force water into your dog, as it could lead to aspiration pneumonia if your dog is not swallowing appropriately.  Listed below are several options to encourage your dog to intake water.

1. Give your dog an ice cube to lick.
2. Allow your dog to lick water from your hand or your finger.
3. Feed canned dog food, as it has a higher water content.
4. Add warm water or low-sodium broth to your dog's food.
5. With your veterinarian's permission, offer small amounts of Pedialyte.
6. Adding an ice cube to the water bowl can encourage some dogs to drink.

If your dog is weak and not interested in food or water, see your veterinarian.

 

BLOAT


This is a real combination of symptoms that spells out EMERGENCY. These are the classic symptoms of a condition referred to as "bloat" - a dog that is pacing, restless and has unproductive attempts to vomit.

This is a common problem in large breed deep-chested dogs but can also occur in smaller dogs.

Basically what happens is this - the stomach twists causing the blood supply to the stomach to be compromised then leads to tissue death. As tissues are damaged, toxins are released and a sequence of events occurs that if left untreated, leads to death.

If you ever notice these symptoms in your dog, call your local veterinarian or emergency clinic as soon as possible.

This is a condition that is fairly common and often occurs in the evening or nighttime hours. It is also a very expensive condition to treat.  READ MORE...

 
            GOT FLEAS?
Place a white baking dish half full of water with a couple drops of Lemon Joy dishwashing liquid in the center of the room with a small lamp next to it.  Turn off all other lights and go to bed.  When you wake up in the morning all the fleas will be in the baking dish! For a bad infestation treat each room twice.
 

Dealing with Excessive Barking

The first step to stopping barking is to understand why it is happening. Dogs bark for all kinds of reasons, including anxiety, boredom and/or loneliness. Sometimes they bark just because it feels good.  Luckily, most dogs will respond to one or other intervention to curtail their barking. Whether you simply bring an outdoor dog inside or take the time to apply behavior-modification techniques, you can cause a dog to be less of a nuisance and to be more socially acceptable.


Removing Skunk Odor

No need for the tomato juice. Use a mixture of 10 parts hydrogen peroxide to 1 part baking soda. Add a dash of degreasing dishwashing soap and pour into a spray bottle. Spray liberally over dry coat and allow to air dry. Avoid eyes. Works on other objects, too!


FOR THOSE WHO LIKE BIRDING
 

Site designed and maintained by
Dlm Design Studio

Copyright ฉ 2001 [Haus Merkel]. All rights reserved.
Revised: 08/21/10.

Add Me! - Search Engine Optimization

 

 

Panosteitis in Young Dogs
Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith

What is panosteitis?

Panosteitis is a bone disease of dogs that is characterized by bone proliferation and remodeling. It is often painful and can last as long as 18 months, though more commonly it lasts from 2 to 5 months. It is characterized by lameness that often comes and goes and changes from leg to leg. It is a common problem in several large breeds and the cause is currently unknown. The treatment is symptomatic but the outcome is usually very good.

Who gets panosteitis?

Panosteitis is most common in large breed dogs between 6 and 18 months of age.
Panosteitis is most common in large breed dogs between 6 and 18 months of age. Occasionally, middle-aged German Shepherds will have a bout of panosteitis. It affects dogs worldwide and has been recognized and studied since the 1950's. Male dogs are much more likely to get panosteitis then females. There is a higher incidence in several breeds including German Shepherds, Great Danes, Doberman Pinschers, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, and Basset Hounds.

What causes panosteitis?

The cause of panosteitis is currently unknown. There have been many theories as to the cause of this disease. Originally, it was suspected that the disease was caused by a bacterial infection. However, several investigational studies failed to isolate any bacteria. In addition, the disease responds poorly to antibiotics, further suggesting a cause other than bacterial.

Other studies showed that if bone marrow from affected dogs was injected into the bones of healthy dogs, the healthy dogs would contract the disease. It has therefore been speculated that a virus may cause the disease. The high fever, tonsillitis, and altered white blood cell count would also go along with the viral theory. Another interesting twist to the viral theory is that panosteitis was first identified as a problem at the same time that modified live distemper vaccines became widely available on the market. Since wild distemper virus can be isolated from bone tissue, some researchers feel that there might be a link between distemper virus vaccine and panosteitis, however, more research in this area will need to be done before any serious speculations can be made.

Another theory is that panosteitis might have a genetic link. Because of the greatly increased incidence in certain breeds and families of dogs, it is very likely that there is a genetic component involved in this disease.

Lately, there have been some claims that nutrition, particularly protein and fat concentrations in the diet, may have an impact on the incidence of the disease. But here again, more research needs to be done to substantiate these claims. Most likely this is a multifactorial disease that has several different causes including viral, genetic, and possibly nutritional.

What are the symptoms?

Presenting symptoms include a history of acute sudden lameness not associated with any trauma. It is usually a large breed male dog between the ages of 6 to 18 months. There are periods of lameness lasting from 2 to 3 weeks and it may shift from leg to leg. The most commonly affected bones are the radius, ulna, humerus, femur, and tibia, though the foot and pelvic bones may also be involved. The dog may show a reluctance to walk or exercise. When the affected bones are squeezed, the dog reacts painfully. Occasionally, affected dogs will have a fever, tonsillitis, or an elevated white blood cell count.

How is panosteitis diagnosed?

Panosteitis is often diagnosed based on a combination of presenting signs and radiographs (x-rays). The presenting symptoms are listed above. If a dog is suspected of having panosteitis, then radiographs are indicated to confirm the diagnosis. Individual radiographs of each affected limb should be taken. Often, radiographs of the unaffected limbs are also taken to compare the bone changes. In early forms of the disease, a subtle increase in bone density is observed in the center part of the affected bones. During the middle part of the disease, the bone becomes more patchy or mottled in appearance and the outer surface of the bone may appear roughened. In the late phase, the bone is still slightly mottled, but is beginning to return to a more normal appearance.

How is panosteitis treated?

There is no specific treatment for the disease. Since this condition is often very painful, painkillers such as buffered aspirin or carprofen (Rimadyl) are recommended. (Do NOT give your cat aspirin unless prescribed by your veterinarian.) These products are used as needed to help control the pain. Antibiotics are not routinely used unless there are indications of concurrent infections. In severe cases, steroids are used, but because of the potential long-term side effects of these drugs, painkillers are often tried first. This disease is self-limiting and after it runs its course, there are very few long-term side effects or need for further treatment. As mentioned earlier, the disease usually lasts for two to five months, but can last much longer. There are several conditions with similar symptoms, so if a dog continues to have symptoms after the normal period of time or is not responding to treatment, she should be reevaluated.

How is panosteitis prevented?

There is currently no way to prevent the disease. However, because of the potential genetic link, breeding animals should be screened to ensure that they are not potential carriers of the disease. Despite the numerous puppy foods catering to large breed dogs, there is no current evidence that confirms that these foods will lower the incidence of the disease when compared to standard commercial puppy food. If an animal shows symptoms of the disease, they should be promptly diagnosed and treated and exercise and activity should be reduced until the symptoms have gone away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last updated - Sunday, October 18, 2009 10:48:34 PM -0400

This site designed and maintained by Dyan Merkel of
DLM DESIGN STUDIO
Copyright ฉ2005

RESOURCES - SITEMAP