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Dog Breeding: Medical Concerns Before Breeding Your Female
The physical and emotional well-being of the female mother-elect has a profound effect upon the future of her offspring. Ideally, you should have her conditioned to be free of superfluous fat without being overly lean, firm and vigorous well prior to and through the confinement during her estral cycle.
In addition, other conditions should also be met shortly prior to the onset of your dog's estrus such has having a recent (fresh) fecal sample checked by veterinary technicians for signs of parasitic infestation.
Unless your female is already being treated with preventative heart worm medication, have a blood sample taken as well. Should microfilaria prove to be present when the laboratory report is returned, your dog will require serious extensive therapy to recover. If such is the case, dreams of breeding this particular female during this cycle (and possibly for the future) must be abandoned.
Check the inoculation record of your dog. If she is due for regular vaccinations (DHLPP, corona and rabies), bring all inoculations up-to-date prior to the onset of her cycle. Quite a few breeders follow a preventative program of additional booster inoculations even when not directly medically required.
It is possible to have your female dog inoculated and wormed subsequent to a breeding. It is best, however, to do so beforehand. While there are newer and safer drugs being marketed each year, it is nevertheless taking a calculated risk to the fetuses to booster, inoculate or worm her during the pregnancy.
Never assume that your female does not have any parasitic infestation just because you see nothing in a gross examination of her stool. Only by microscopic examination in almost all cases can any parasitic infestation be determined. Unless you have the proper training and equipment (including a variably powered microscope), you are not qualified to make these determinations.
Never initiate the inoculation or worming of a female that has already been bred. Even when considering it in the best sense, worming is, to a degree, toxic. Inoculations are drugs. Putting either toxic substances or drugs into your matron during her pregnancy can be risky to the fetuses. Only your veterinarian is able to determine the best program for your matron, including the time and type of precautionary measures.
Your veterinarian should be willing to set aside time to explain in terms you understand the initiation of any program (medical or supportive therapy) intended for your dog, and should candidly describe why this program is in order for your matron-elect.
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