cheque drops

[gspman]

Has anyone tried using "Cheque Drops" as female birth control, has anyone ever heard of it?

[Colleen]

I don't have an answer for you, just a related question. Why do people use birth control on their dogs instead of just getting them spayed? Is it in case you are planning on breeding later and don't wanna deal with the mess of them going through a heat during which they won't be bred? Or as an extra "just in case" safety measure for an unspayed dog? And is there a correlation between use of birth control and cancer of the female parts like there is in humans? (if it's even been around enough to make any kind of correlation)

Sorry, just curious. There's a reason I will always just buy dogs and leave the dog-making to the pros!!!

[Country-Side Breeders]

Cheque drops are not recommended for females that you are intending to breed in the future because of the high incidence of cystic endometrial hyperplasia and pyometra. If you don't want her getting bred, use a "diaper" for her, keep her kenneled in an area where the males can't get to her or have her spayed if you don't intend to breed her. Cheque drops have been noted to cause urogenital abnormalities in puppies born to bitches given this. It should not be used over 8 months and bitches given this should undergo periodic liver function testing. For awhile, they were pulled off the market...are they back on it? You also have to wonder about the safety issue of it when fighters use it for added "aggression" just before a fight.

[icefire]

I am very nervouse about giving any drugs to my dogs that are not needed. especially for a bitch thatis being or will be bred. though i worm and vaccinate pretty regularly, I currently have a bitch that we bred just a week or 2 ago and I will not worm her or introduce anything into her unless for some reason something happens and it becomes an acute health issue. Since bitches only cycle once or twice a year I am an advocate of just letting nature take its course and managing the cycle with confinement and keeping a good eye on them. I am not a proponent of spaying or neutering performance type animals so I just deal with it.

Just my $.02
Justin

[Country-Side Breeders]

Justin- (and everyone else )
There have been many studies done on vaccinations showing that annual vaccinations are actually hurting our furry friends rather than helping them. It is suggested that they are given boosters now every 3 years and some studies are showing that once a dog has had it's booster, it has a lifetime of immunity. I had a dog that was vaccinated way too much (at least every 6 months!) and died at an early age of 3y 11mo, leaving behind a 4 week old litter. Until this happened, did I think twice about the effects that the vaccines have on dogs...had I known then what I know now, I would have never bought her, great lines or not!

Also, don't vaccinate your pups before 8 weeks of age, preferrably between 8 and 14 weeks, but generally we don't have the pups that long. Until that time, they have enough of Mom's antibodies to keep them well. Maternal immunity will neutralize the vaccine and little protection will be produced. Vaccines given 2 weeks apart suppress rather than stimulate the immune system. They should be given 4 weeks apart.

[gspman]

Thanks Patty & Icefire

Annie's next heat cycle is going to be in October, thats bird hunting season (grouse starts in Sept, pheasants in oct).

Thanks for the headsup about the health issues, I am planning on testing her within the NAVHDA organization. If she does well i will probably breed her, if she does not do well i probably won't and then have her spayed.
I was just hoping to get thru next hunting season without a dog in heat.

[Country-Side Breeders]

Unfortunately, Annie may miss the opening of grouse and pheasant season. Not to mention that a heat cycle really messes them up mentally...she may not be concentrating on birds and instead on finding a honey. I know when my bitches are coming into heat because they start acting real airheaded about a month before.

Where do you bird hunt?

[icefire]

I have heard many different theories on the whole vaccination/immunity thing. after the 1 year booster for a pup, we go 2-3 years between boosters, that is for 5-ways. I have been advised to hit pups at 6,8,12 and 18 weeks or so. intsead of suppressing it, I have been told (by a vet) that the protection is not as longlived in the youngsters. I guess I need to do even more research!! I have not yet done any for lepto and am still researching whether or not I should. How often do you vaccinate for bordatello(sp?)? It has been suggested to me that that one should be every 6-12 months for dogs that are constantly exposed to a lot of other dogs. I have not really made a decision yet. We are also figuring out the #'s and different applications of ivermectin for heart worm prevention. If you understand the math, there are a lot of MUCH cheaper forms then hartguard or the other commercial "doses".

back to the books and phone!
Justin

[gspman]

Patty

I have a cottage on a lake in nw wisconsin, I hunt primarily washburn county forest. Northwest of spooner, west of trego, south of minong.

[Country-Side Breeders]

We've got a cabin in Marinette County...how are the grouse by you?

[gspman]

Marinette County.. I was on a DNR forest management crew years back(base out of Manotowish Waters on Statehouse lake), we occasionally made forays into Marinette Country. Awesome country.

Last fall we would average 1 or 2 flushes an hour on a good day to 1 or 2 flushes every 4-5 hours on a bad day

I can't wait till we the grouse cycle get on the high side of thier cycle...they are too much fun

[emae]

Justin,
Out of curiosity, is there any reason why you don't spay/neuter. I'm leaning on not spaying, but don't plan on breeding ours either. Is there really a big cancer risk when you don't spay??? fyi, my female is now 2 years old. What are the other pros/cons to spaying/neutering?

Thanks--

[Country-Side Breeders]

In males, neutering decreases the chances of developing prostatic disease and hernias, and eliminates the chances of developing testicular cancer. It also reduces problems with territorial and sexual aggression, inappropriate urination (spraying) and other undesirable male behaviors. It's generally best to wait until the male is at least 1 year old in order for him to continue to develop physically. Before that time, nuetering will remove the horomones needed for that and may produce a lanky dog.

In Females, spaying decreases the incidence of breast cancer (the rate goes down to almost zero if the spaying is done before the first heat cycle!). It eliminates the chance of developing a serious and potentially fatal infection of the uterus experienced by many mature unspayed animals (pyometra). Spay surgery also eliminates the heat cycle and associated mood swings and undesirable behaviors, messy spotting (in dogs) and the attraction of all available males to your yard. Of course, having a female spayed after the first heat will still cut down the risks of developing these health issues.

[Country-Side Breeders]

There are also a lot of myths about having sterilization done, such as:

They will get fat and lazy...only if you allow it to be lazy and over feed them.

It's better to have one litter first...actually, just the opposite is true and many vets are spaying females as young as 8 weeks of age.


Spaying or neutering will affect a dog's natural instinct to protect home and family...a dog's personality is formed more by genetics and environment than by sex hormones.

A pet's behavior changes dramatically after surgery...Neutered male dogs fight less resulting in fewer battle scars, contagious diseases, and abscesses. They also wander less since they aren't interested in pursuing the female in heat. Therefore, their chances of being hit by a car or getting lost are greatly reduced.

Spayed and neutered animals live longer, happier, healthier lives...this one is not a myth, but a fact.

[ourhunters]

Our weim was our first dog - he's now just over a year. We took our advice from our Vet and they were adamant that we get him in to be fixed right away. He wasn't anymore than 5 months, it may have even been earlier that he was fixed. Anyhow, he hasn't developed like most dogs should. He is smaller than normal, about 60lbs. and isn't bulky and muscular like the others we've seen. He could sure be a show dog!! But, it hasn't hurt his ability to hunt. He does great. Just wish we'd known the pros and cons more from a whole perspective than just from a vets. Now we know - our GSP is getting to be quite the masculine boy! Still adorable, though!

[icefire]

Emae,

It is just a personal preference. I am not worried about the whole fat/lazy thing because that is controled through proper exercise and diet. I have nothing against it, I just think that when you "fix" (break?) a dog that you are taking away from what it is supposed to be and from a performance perspective you are messing with the dogs natural chemistry and changing the dog into something that it naturally isn't. Am I against it? Not at all, it is just not for me. Yes, by spaying/neutering you can help to prevent certian behaviors and possible health issues. I just prefere my dogs to be whole. If you have no breeding plans and you would prefere to do it then by all means go for it!

J

[emae]

I don't know that I prefer to spay at all, just like to hear from the very few who don't. My dad has the same feelings as you and so I think twice on whether I should. I might (big emphasis on 'might') breed down the road, so dont' want to rush into it just quite yet. Thanks for the response.