In this article we will tell you about when a German Shepherd’s ears stand up and what to do if this does not happen in time. If you adopted a puppy from an experienced breeder, then you are already familiar with the basic rules. You know what this breed should be like. But some issues need attention Special attention and approach them with full responsibility.
A purebred German Shepherd should have upright, medium-sized ears with pointed tips. The auricle is placed forward. When your dog has them hanging on the sides or broken, it means that the path to all kinds of exhibitions and competitions is, unfortunately, closed.
But while your puppy is still small, do not rush to worry. Even if your baby already has one ear erect and the other one is still hanging. After all, each shepherd is individual and the exact day when its ears will stand up cannot be predicted. The best thing to do is sit back and watch your puppy grow into a teenager very quickly.
The time has come
In how many months should this great event take place? Based on the knowledge of experienced dog breeders, the period of ear formation begins at one and a half months and ends at five.
Thanks to the strengthening of the cartilage, the ear gradually increases in size, becoming larger and heavier. Since it is directly related to the formation phase of the ears, they can stand up at two months and, without having time to fully strengthen, fall again by three months. This is how the body of a German Shepherd works and there is nothing wrong with it.
In the period between five and six months you need to be extremely careful and constantly monitor your ears. If they have not stood up again by six months, then you should contact a veterinarian as soon as possible.. Replacement of ears after seven months is an extremely difficult and sometimes impossible task.
There are several reasons why a puppy's ears do not stand up:
- fright;
- non-purebred ancestry;
- poor maternal nutrition during pregnancy;
- lack of calcium, phosphorus in the body.
Necessary prevention
If the ears do not stand up on their own after five to six months, then it is necessary to perform some procedures to prevent a possible defect.
What to do? It's not that complicated. During the period of active growth, the puppy’s body is especially lacking in microelements. Should bone meal, kefir, fish. At the same time with correct mode during feeding, strengthen muscles with massage cartilage tissue, thereby providing the puppy’s ear with the necessary blood circulation. Natural development can also be helped by various sounds that you suddenly make. Thanks to this, the ears are tensed every time and are fixed vertically.
If there is no proper care and attention for the ears, then no matter how hard you try, there will be no good result. In addition to regular cleaning, you should monitor the health of each ear. If there is any redness or discharge, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Nothing helped? This means it's time for radical measures.
Before you start reeling
To get your ears fitted, it is best to contact an experienced specialist. But if you are confident in yourself and your abilities, you can do this procedure yourself. Below we present a few important advice to help you.
Firstly, do not rush this process; it is better to wait six months, when the change of teeth ends. Rushing will only cause harm. German Shepherd and in the worst case, the ears may never stand up.
Secondly, do not overuse calcium. Fifty grams of yogurt or kefir is much better food additives. The excess will be deposited in the dog's bones and lead to orthopedic problems in the future.
Thirdly, monitor implementation. The health of the puppy is directly related to the muscle strength of the ears.
Fifthly, do not forget about special toys and bones. By gnawing on them, the pet strengthens the muscles of the ears.
Sixth, do not allow other dogs to drag your pet by the ears to avoid injury.
We begin to reel in
Before you start the process, remember that you cannot use adhesive materials: tape, tape. They will only cause pain to the German Shepherd.
First of all, you will need foam rollers correct size. Then we purchase a surgical plaster. You will also need two pencils and medical glue. To connect the taped ears you need to find a suitable stick, for example, an ice cream stick.
To begin, remove the plastic axle from the center of the curler, and instead insert a pencil to a depth of two centimeters. Apply glue to the surface of the curler circumference so that it does not drip. Otherwise, it will get into the ear and cause irritation.
They must be located at the bottom auricle so that the ear canal remains open. To make the ear stick, you should lightly press it against the curlers.
Tape the bandage tightly around your ear to the curlers, holding the pencil. Don't forget to remove it before finishing the process. In order not to interfere with blood circulation in the ear, the patch should not be wrapped too tightly.
Using an ice cream stick, fix the erect position of your ears - attach it to back side glue.
What to do after winding
German Shepherd puppies are very active and it is difficult to guess how long it will take the baby to pull off the strapped structure if given the opportunity. Therefore, you need to distract your baby with play to allow the glue to set.
Must be held homemade device about two weeks. This time is enough to insert your pet's ears. Carefully monitor the condition of the winding and correct any shortcomings in a timely manner.
After the specified period has expired, carefully remove the patch using a special adhesive solvent. Do not perform actions abruptly - you will cause pain to the puppy.
If nothing helps you, then if you wish, you can go to extreme measures and give your German Shepherd ear implant surgery. You won’t solve the problem, but you can make the dog fit the standard.
To prevent radical procedures, care for the puppy properly and monitor its diet. The dog's health depends entirely on you. Everything else is a genetic disposition.
Alex wrote:
Urgently need help! A 7-year-old Caucasian was denied hind legs. And they refused in an instant. Just yesterday everything was fine, but now his hind legs are dragging behind him. He eats practically nothing. Not a single veterinarian agrees to come because the dog has not been vaccinated. There is also no way to take him to the clinic, since the collar has never been worn. How can you help?
Veterinary school for dog lovers Geriatrics and gamavit
Good day.
Doctor Gordeeva is with you
Geriatrics and hamavit.
Dog, female, 8 years old, unsteady gait, very difficult to get up after sleep, moves little, gets tired quickly. We can see these same symptoms in males of all breeds. This is where geriatrics begins. At the age of 7 years and older, and in some breeds earlier or later, but for all dogs without exception, a moment comes when the body gives signals about the dysfunction of organs and systems. When examining dogs after 7 years of age, we detect heart failure varying degrees and various types, here and swelling in the area of the extremities and abdomen, this is varying degrees of swelling and congestion in the lungs, which is expressed by a cough without an inflammatory process. Dogs drink a lot and most importantly, their hind legs become weak and don’t want to walk. This is the main complaint of dog owners after 7 years. We will not forget pyometra in bitches at this age, because most often it develops precisely at this age. And in bitches who gave birth, more often by the age of 9 years. If treatment is not prescribed for these symptoms, the animal’s condition worsens within a month and leads to death.
I have been working with older dogs for 10 years, because the dog has become a member of the family and the person wants it to live longer. This happened to a patient I knew 5 years ago. The bitch's hind legs began to weaken, she had trouble getting up and could hardly walk. There was no question of euthanasia at all. The owner wanted and still wants his dog to live. The problem was that I had given different treatments to other dogs before. And the most common mistake in this case is to make a diagnosis related to inflammatory processes in the joints. In 80% of cases, no inflammatory processes were observed. The blood was calm and showed only biochemical analysis increased performance ALT, AST, often amylases, low potassium levels and almost all other indicators were normal. Prescription of various painkillers of different types, cardiac different directions the problems were not solved. And I decided to try Gamovit. I read the recommended doses and decided to quadruple them. I made the first injection into a vein in an amount of 20 ml at once as a stream. Then she prescribed 10 ml under the skin every day for 10 days. After 5 days, my ward got up and, confidently moving her legs, walked. And now she is already 12 years old, she has no problems with her limbs. By the way, the breed of this beauty is Rottweiler. She now receives treatment every 3 months in the form of Gamavit injections and Emicidin injections. She receives vitamin tablets in between. Based on this, I concluded that in dogs from 7 years of age and older, the functioning of the adrenal glands deteriorates. Weakening is coming general condition body and, as a result, nutrients poorly reach hind limbs and as a result poor nutrition muscles of the hind limbs, their tone and contractile activity weaken, and the above-described symptoms appear. As soon as we introduce gamavit, then all the vitamins and minerals enter the bloodstream and this stimulates the functioning of the adrenal glands and the entire body as a whole.
A 10-year-old poodle came to us with a diagnosis of pneumonia and was treated outside our office with antibiotics, but there was no improvement in his general condition. On examination, shortness of breath, cough, heart failure in the pulmonary circulation. No pulmonary inflammation was detected, but congestive processes in the lungs were clearly expressed and very similar to pulmonary edema. We prescribed a course of Gamavit under the skin with an initial simultaneous administration of 10 ml, and then 5 ml once a day for 10 days. Emicidin was also prescribed at a dosage of 3 ml per day under the skin. Clear improvements occurred on day 5. The dog began to eat and play. Stabilization of the general condition occurred on the 15th day. The cough was observed only in the morning, and the discharge of sputum from the lungs was complete. This dog received Gamavit for 2 years in case of obvious deterioration in general condition. A total of 4-5 times a year with a course of 3 ml once a day under the skin for 5 days. When maintaining this method of administering Gamavit, the dog lived to be 13 years old.
American cocker spaniel, 10 years old, diagnosed with heart failure, atrophy of the muscle mass of the hind limbs, unsteady gait, intermittent claudication in all 4 limbs, difficulty standing up, depression observed. Prescribed: Gamavit intravenously 10 ml at a time, in a stream and 5 ml 1 time per day under the skin for 10 days. An improvement in general condition was observed on day 7. Gamavit was prescribed prophylactically 2 times a year. Gamavit improves the quality of life. The dog becomes cheerful, cheerful, plays like a puppy and can withstand small physical exercise. The condition of the skin and coat improves. Cocker lived with us until he was 15 years old and died of old age. Our patients, with the help of Gamavit, have lived to very old ages, and their quality of life is high. Active, playful, with good skin and coat. If in their old age they still have to die, then they die without suffering, without convulsions, quickly and quietly, which is very important, since dog owners cannot endure the death throes of their old favorites.
Update: April 2019
Lack of appetite and apathy are signals that increased attention should be paid to your pet’s health. If the dog is lethargic and does not eat anything, you need to try to quickly find out the cause of this condition, because... Symptoms that seem harmless at first glance may hide serious illnesses. So why doesn't the dog eat?
When hunger is considered as normal
At the slightest change in your pet’s appetite, you should not rush to the veterinarian to find out why. There are a number of reasons why starvation is considered an option physiological norm. All that the owner can do in the conditions listed below is to wait time, observing the condition of the pet.
- Estrus, second half of pregnancy and childbirth. During this period, the dog experiences changes in its hormone levels, which can affect its appetite. There is a chance that during this period the animal will seem somewhat exhausted. Also, when eating an afterbirth after birth, the dog becomes hungry no earlier than after 5-8 hours. If nothing bothers you other than the lack of appetite, there is no need to interfere with the process; it is enough to observe so that new symptoms do not appear until appetite normalizes;
- Oversupply nutrients. The dog is able to sense the abundance of essential nutrients in the body, which do not need to be replenished. During such periods, the dog feels great, even when he does not eat. There is no need to force you to eat!
- During illness. Very often during the treatment period the dog loses its appetite. If, in the absence of appetite, the animal continues to recover, then there is no point in force-feeding or using IVs.
- Stress and blues. Dogs are sensitive to changes in weather conditions, environment or owner, and may have Bad mood and mope. This causes periodic hunger. Lack of appetite for such reasons does not last long, but even in this state the dog does not refuse special treats. But overfeeding during such a period delicious food not recommended, because blues and stress can turn into picky eating.
- Pickiness. When feeding an animal delicious treats(meat or special food for dogs, which is made with flavor enhancers), then it will completely refuse regular food (porridge, soups, etc.).
- Teething. Teething in small puppies is often accompanied by unpleasant sensations when eating. Small dogs can chew everything around to relieve their condition, but will refuse food.
- Hot weather . Very often, in hot weather, dogs try to drink more and eat less. In hot weather, it is considered normal if the dog only drinks but does not eat. At a comfortable temperature, appetite returns and does not require any intervention.
- Old age. An elderly dog often refuses food in anticipation of its own death.
Possible causes of lack of appetite accompanied by health problems
The most common reasons why a dog is lethargic and does not eat anything include:
- Dental problems and diseases oral cavity. If any discomfort occurs when eating food, the dog will subsequently refuse to eat (broken or loose teeth, mouth injuries, stomatitis). You can notice how the dog approaches the food, seems to start eating, but then stops and doesn’t touch the food anymore.
- Any ear diseases . Ear infections are always accompanied by unpleasant sensations, and sometimes pain, when chewing or when you need to chew something.
- Chemotherapy for oncological diseases significantly reduces appetite.
- Diseases gastrointestinal tract (enteritis, volvulus or intussusception, gastritis and ulcerative lesions stomach or intestines, blockage of the stomach or intestines).
- Foreign body in the dog's mouth or esophagus.
- Any pain syndrome . If the dog long time experiences painful sensations of various etiologies, most often there will be a complete absence of appetite. The following are signs that a dog is feeling pain: trembling, difficulty breathing, a hunched back, the dog tries to move less.
- Any infectious viral or bacterial diseases accompanied by an increase in body temperature. If you jumped general temperature body, the dog will drink more, and the appetite will be reduced or disappear completely.
- Post-traumatic shock. If the dog has received numerous injuries and has lost a lot of blood, then, naturally, there can be no talk of any appetite.
- Drug therapy. With individual sensitivity to some drugs, loss of appetite may develop due to excessive exposure of the liver and stomach.
If the dog does not eat, is lethargic and... (example reasons for additional symptoms)
If the lack of appetite is accompanied by lethargy, elevated body temperature, trembling, thirst, changes in the color of mucous membranes and skin, vomiting and diarrhea are obvious signs health problems. The dog owner can only guess what happened to the pet, accurate diagnosis can only be determined by a veterinary specialist.
To do this, the veterinarian conducts a clinical examination and:
- laboratory blood and urine tests;
- X-ray;
- Ultrasound of internal organs;
- endoscopy.
If the dog is lethargic, does not eat anything and...
| Symptom: | Probable reasons: |
only drinks |
|
doesn't drink |
|
It has elevated temperature body |
|
vomits |
|
vomits and diarrhea |
|
diarrhea, vomiting and high fever |
|
vomits foam |
|
It has yellow mucous membranes or skin |
|
trembles, tries to move less, breathes heavily |
pain syndrome of various localizations. |
sleeps a lot, lies down, does not react to external stimuli and does not drink |
Take it to a veterinarian immediately to determine the exact cause! |
How to restore your pet's appetite?
- Eliminate the root cause, which is accompanied by loss of appetite: problems in the oral cavity or cure the underlying disease.
- If your dog is stressed or depressed, you need to try to spend more time on it, pet it, and soothe it with a gentle voice. At sufficient quantity attention, the dog will return to its previous appetite fairly quickly.
- If food refusal accompanies a change in diet, then it is recommended to return to the same food and move to the new diet slowly, gradually introducing new ingredients.
- If you refuse to eat due to whims and pickiness, you should start feeding the dog strictly at the same time, and with each refusal to eat, the bowl of food should be removed. With a healthy, short-term hunger, the dog will eat everything that is offered to it.
- There is no need to leave food for the whole day or all night after feeding to prevent the food from souring, why is the dog will also refuse it.
- No need to make up for missed feedings increased amount food at the next meal.
- Active walks before feeding increase appetite.
- On the recommendation of a doctor, you can stimulate your appetite with special veterinary drugs(Enervita, Gamavit, Aminovit, etc.) or herbal decoctions (wormwood and dandelion).
- If the dog is poisoned and does not eat anything, you should start with a starvation diet and classical detoxification therapy, followed by a gradual restoration of appetite.
- In case of individual reaction to some medications It is necessary to consult with a doctor regarding the issue of discontinuing a drug that provokes a decrease in appetite or replacing it with a more benign one.
An attentive owner will always notice that something is wrong with his dog and will understand whether these changes are temporary, or whether things are much more serious. Competent observation of the pet, the ability to notice nuances and timely delivery of the animal to the veterinarian is the key to a quick cure and return to the dog’s previous lifestyle.
When a person adopts a dog, he takes full responsibility for its future. It's not just about proper nutrition and regular walks, implies assistance in the treatment and prevention of diseases. It should be noted that dog diseases, the symptoms of which are variable and numerous, in last years become common cause premature death of the dog. The problem with dog diseases is that a pet, unlike a person, cannot tell others what hurts and where it hurts, so the owner is called upon with trepidation and increased attention refers to a pet.
General information about dog diseases
Main groups of diseases:
- endocrine diseases;
- infectious diseases;
- diseases of the circulatory system;
- diseases of the mouth, ear, nose and throat;
- eye diseases;
- skin diseases;
- diseases of the digestive system;
- diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Endocrine diseases arise when various violations work endocrine glands, which do not have excretory ducts, releasing hormones directly into the blood. These glands include thyroid gland, pineal gland, pituitary gland, parathyroid glands, thymus gland, adrenal glands, gonads and secretory parts of the pancreas. Endocrine diseases in dogs can occur in two forms: with an increase in the amount of hormones released into the blood and with a decrease. Such diseases are difficult to diagnose; pets are often diagnosed in the final stages, when there is very little chance of curing the dog.
Infectious diseases are associated with direct entry into the pet's body pathogenic microbe. Let us note that infection and development of the infectious process is possible only if the dog’s body is susceptible to the microbe. Otherwise, nothing will happen.
Therefore, dogs with weakened immune systems, puppies and old dogs get sick. Sometimes infectious process layered on top of another, which aggravates the course of each disease. In the vast majority of cases, diseases occur quickly and threaten the dog with death. Spread through the air or through direct contact. There are frequent cases of epidemics among dogs.
Diseases of the circulatory system are divided into heart diseases and diseases blood vessels. Typically observed in adult dogs.
Diseases of the ear, throat, nose and mouth are divided into traumatic, infectious and inflammatory diseases. Similar diseases occur in dogs more often than others; these organs are the first to come into direct contact with various agents. The complexity of such diseases lies in their secrecy: initial stages It is problematic to identify the disease; the dog does not show signs of the disease.
Eye diseases are not uncommon among dogs, but are observed in adult pets. To the main eye diseases include cataracts (clouding of the lens), iridocyclitis ( inflammatory process in the iris and ciliary body), keratitis (inflammation of the cornea) and conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva).
Skin diseases differ according to the causes of occurrence and the location of the pathological focus (on the skin, in the hair, on visible mucous membranes).
Diseases of the digestive system are the result of improper and irrational feeding of the dog, although sometimes the cause of such diseases is banal poisoning with bad water or food.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system are considered especially dangerous after the age of 8 years and in puppyhood. With such diseases, the body suffers: the dog’s bones, internal organs.
It should be noted that kidney diseases are considered to be common pathologies among dogs, in particular, urolithiasis disease, liver diseases. It is important to know the symptoms of distemper, which is sometimes called canine distemper.
Dog diseases: distemper - symptoms
Represents viral disease, is characterized by damage to the skin, digestive and respiratory organs; in rare cases, the development of meningitis and encephalitis is noted. The virus affects dogs of all ages, although dogs between one month and two years of age are predominantly affected. Even marine animals are susceptible to the disease. Terriers are considered relatively resistant to canine distemper and humans do not get sick.
Clinical signs of plague are varied:
Asymptomatic virus carriage or a lightning-fast, violent course occurs. The duration of the disease can range from several days or weeks to several months. When in clinical picture diseases, symptoms of damage to the respiratory system prevail, they speak of a pulmonary form of the disease, when the nervous system is extensively affected - about nervous form. This division is arbitrary; symptoms of damage to the digestive organs often prevail in the clinical picture. Sometimes there is a combination of damage to the respiratory system and skin, the nervous system becomes the final stage of the development of the disease.
Canine distemper begins with the appearance of a pustular or macular rash on the internal surfaces hips, runny nose, diarrhea, depression of consciousness, temporary refusal to feed, redness of the conjunctiva. As a rule, there is an increase in body temperature, although, for example, in miniature poodles or in some other breeds of dogs, plague occurs against a background of normal temperature. At the same time, the animal hides in dark places and refuses to walk. The dog's skin becomes dry.
It is possible to develop hyperkeratosis on the elbows and small focal baldness. There are discharges from the nose, which are transparent in the first stages of the development of the disease, but become mucopurulent over time. Sometimes there is clouding of the cornea, sticking or redness of the eyelids, shortness of breath appears, and wheezing is heard. The intestinal form of the disease is characterized by the development of diarrhea and vomiting.
To the symptoms of damage nervous system include the appearance of tics that begin with the muscles of the head. At the first stages it is not intense, but later it spreads to the limbs and becomes pronounced, as a result the animals do not sleep at night and often whine. Paralysis, paresis, and hyperkinesis gradually develop. On last stage meningoencephalitis develops, which is accompanied by severe intoxication and ends in death.
Treatment is prescribed only by a veterinarian.
Liver disease in dogs: symptoms
Liver diseases in dogs can occur in acute or chronic form. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of diagnosed liver diseases in dogs, which is directly related to violations of the feeding regime of pets and the widespread prevalence of autoimmune diseases. Sometimes the cause of liver disease in dogs is iatrogenic lesions (caused by a veterinarian).
Symptoms of liver disease in dogs are conventionally divided into a number of syndromes, among which are usually distinguished:
- cholestatic syndrome;
- cytolytic syndrome;
- mesenchymal inflammatory syndrome;
- hemorrhagic syndrome;
- dyspeptic syndrome;
- portal hypertension syndrome;
- hepatolienal syndrome;
- hepatodepressive syndrome;
- liver shunt syndrome.
Cholestatic syndrome involves a violation of the secretion and release of bile, which manifests itself skin itching, jaundice, a tendency to eczematous skin lesions, discoloration of feces.
Cholestatic syndrome is a consequence of the destruction of liver cells and leads to fever (increased temperature), enlargement and tenderness of the liver, and an increase in liver enzymes is observed in blood tests.
Mesenchymal-inflammatory syndrome is characterized by damage to the stroma and mesenchyme of the liver, which is manifested by an increase in the level of immunoglobulins.
Hemorrhagic syndrome manifests itself various bleedings and hemorrhages, anemia.
Portal hypertension syndrome is manifested by an increase in the size of the abdomen and dilation of the veins on the skin of the abdomen.
Dyspeptic syndrome is manifested by lethargy, depression, vomiting, defecation disorders and weight loss.
Hepatolienal syndrome is manifested by an enlargement of the liver and spleen.
Hepatodepressive syndrome is manifested by a violation of protein synthesis, antitoxic and excretory functions liver, the symptoms are very numerous.
Liver shunt syndrome allows life-threatening substances to enter the dog's general bloodstream, causing damage to the central nervous system.
Symptoms of kidney disease in dogs
Kidney diseases are reported more often in dogs than in other animals, and their frequency increases over the years. According to scientists, in dogs over 8 years of age, in almost fifty percent of cases, clearly severe symptoms kidney damage. With histological examination, the number increases to eighty percent.
The main syndromes of kidney damage include:
- nephrotic syndrome;
- uremic syndrome;
- pain syndrome;
- osteorenal syndrome;
- renal eclampsia syndrome.
Pain syndrome is manifested by the dog's desire to lie in a cold place, frequent arching of the back, the need for frequent urination, pain when urinating, soreness of the back muscles (can be checked by pressing with fingers), swelling and transient paresis.
Nephrotic syndrome is manifested by edema, proteinuria, hypoproteinemia, oliguria and cylindruria, detected during laboratory tests.
Uremic syndrome is manifested by apathy, lack of appetite, vomiting, persistently recurrent diarrhea, urine odor from the mouth, anemia and anuria.
Osteorenal syndrome is characterized by bone deformation and osteoporosis, hypocalcemia and osteodystrophy.
Renal eclampsia syndrome is manifested by tonic-clonic seizures, nephrotic syndrome and episcleral vascular injection (eye redness).
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