When you take your cat in for a wellness exam, the veterinarian will want to know about any changes you’ve noticed in your cat’s behavior. Changes in water consumption, grooming, activity, frequency of vomiting, loose stools, amount of urine production, and appetite are all very important to discuss with the doctor.

Anyone who has owned a cat for its lifetime is familiar with the appearance of the “skinny old cat”. It is not normal for an older cat to lose interest in food and drop in body weight. In fact, by the time weight loss is observed, significant changes are already occurring. Usually, other symptoms preceded the weight loss. In some cases, the cat is still eating normally, or even ravenously, but they continue to lose weight. When a ten pound cat sheds two pounds, or twenty percent of its normal weight, that is the equivalent of a 200 pound man losing 40 pounds!

Some of the ailments and organ dysfunctions seen in older cats that can be treated, delayed, or prevented are listed here along with the symptoms associated with them. The symptoms alone are not a diagnosis of disease. Examinations, blood-work, and radiology are used in conjunction with history to confirm a disease.

Both the male and female dog should have a complete physical examination before breeding when possible. They should be screened for heritable conditions such as hip and shoulder dysplasia, demodecosis (predilection for mange), hernias, and cryptorchidism (un-descended testes). Dogs with any of these traits should not be bred. The female should be tested and de-wormed for intestinal parasites that can be transmitted to the litter. Both dogs should be current on vaccinations.

Pregnant and nursing dogs should be fed 4 to 5 meals daily with a high quality puppy food to provide the extra protein, fat, and calcium they will require to raise a healthy litter. Fresh water should always be available. A whelping bed can be made from a large box with warm blankets. Be sure it is large enough for the mother to arrange and groom her puppies when they are delivered. A heating pad is not recommended because the newborn pups will not be able to cool themselves by moving away from the heat source.

During a natural delivery, it may be necessary to assist the mother in caring for the newborn puppies. Generally, she should be left alone during labor, as anxiety can stop contractions. However, if she cannot tend to the pups in a timely manner, the birth sacs should be removed with a soft washcloth to prevent the pups from suffocating. There will be amniotic fluid in the puppy’s mouth and lungs that can be aspirated with a bulb syringe or gently shaken out. Stimulate the puppy fairly vigorously until it begins squirming and crying, then allow the mother to finish grooming it. If the puppy is slow to respond, it should be gently “slung”. Cradle the puppy in both hands with its head pointing away from you. Be very careful not to drop it, as it will be very slippery. Gently sling it downward two to three times to force fluid out of the lungs. This will also stimulate the puppy to gasp for air.

Phone numbers for an after hours veterinarian should be obtained in case emergency care is needed. Labor usually lasts a couple of hours. If more than 20 minutes of contractions elapse without delivering a puppy, or if a partial birth occurs and is not completed after 10 minutes of contractions, this is an emergency situation that requires immediate veterinarian intervention.

Other names/Nicknames:

• Parson Jack Russell Terrier
• Hunt Terrier

Country/Date of origin:

• England
• 1700’s

Height:

• 10 to 13 inches

Weight:

• 11 to 15 pounds

Personality:

• The quintessential terrier.
• Alert, active, and feisty.
• Noisy.
• Always ready for a romp.
• As a pack hunter, it tends to get along well with other dogs, although it seems to relish a good scrap from time to time.
• Jack Russells have so much hunting instinct they are difficult to train in basic obedience.
• They mean well but they are just so busy they can’t spare the time it takes to pay attention to you.

History:

This is the working terrier.  For 250 years it has been the dog of choice of masters of Foxhounds and serious terrier men.  The breed was already well established when Parson John Russell (1795-1883) popularized them.  Everything about the Jack Russell is designed with fox hunting in mind.  In short, where the fox can go, the Jack Russell must be able to go.  The color is a white ground so that Foxhounds can distinguish the dogs from the dark colored fox or badger when they emerge from the dens.  The Jack Russell has the necessary courage, intelligence, and determination to do its job.  It is the working cousin to the more gentrified Fox Terrier that one sees in shows.

Body Type:

• A rugged, well-balanced, rather small, go-to-ground terrier.
• Button ears are not altered.
• Tail is docked.

Coat:

• Coat may be smooth, broken, or rough.
• Color should be predominantly white, with tan, black, or brown markings.
• Moderate grooming.
• These terriers are not prettied-up for shows.

Health and Wellness:

• Congenital deafness.
• Myasthenia gravis.
• Legg-Perthes disease.
• Patella luxation.
• Atopy.
• Demodicosis.

What you should know:

• Although it is not registered in either the American Kennel Club (AKC) or the United Kennel Club (UKC), the Jack Russell is extremely popular in the United States.
• It is a wonderful little terrier that has a special affinity for horses.
• Type varies widely from longer-legged roughs to short-legged smooths.
• The physical type is not fixed, but nobody seems to care as long as they can do their job underground.

Other names/Nicknames:

• Yugoslavian Gonic

Country/Date of origin:

• Yugoslavia
• 19th century

Height:

• 18 to 23 inches

Weight:

• 33 to 55 pounds
• About 44 being the average

Personality:

• Very active and alert.
• Calm in nature, friendly, and affectionate.
• Tends to roam.
• Great stamina.

History:

There are many fine trailing hounds from the Istrian region of the former Yugoslavia.  They are referred to as Gonic (hound).  Legs, which are longer than are usual in a Foxhound-type dog, help the Gonic traverse the rugged mountain slopes of its homeland.  The Gonic is used alone or in a pack to trail hare, fox, and roebuck.  The Istrian Gonic comes in two coat varieties.  The rough-haired is called the Ostrodiaki.  The smooth-coated is called the Kratkodiaki.  The smooth-coated dog is about a half-inch smaller than the rough-haired variety.

Body Type:

• Resembles a slim, long-legged Foxhound.
• Medium-length tail should reach just to the hocks.  It is not altered.
• Hanging ears should be long enough to reach the nose, although some variation is allowed.

Coat:

• Double coat.  The undercoat is soft and woolly.  The outercoat is two- to four-inches long, hard, and not glossy.
• The coat is rough and ruffled, but without waves or curls.
• In the smooth-coated variety, the coat is very short, dense, very fine, and glossy.
• Color is always snow white with small patches of bright orange scattered about the head and body.
• A star of white on the forehead is highly desirable.
• Grooming is moderate.

Health and Wellness:

• None are presently known.

What you should know:

• A puppy will be difficult to obtain in this breed due to the strife in the former Yugoslavia.

Other names/Nicknames:

• Icelandic Sheepdog
• Friar Dog

Country/Date of origin:

• Iceland
• 1800’s

Height:

• 12 to 16 inches

Weight:

• 20 to 30 pounds

Personality:

• Intelligent.
• Easily trained.
• Loyal.

History:

This breed is believed to have been originally brought to Iceland by the Vikings where it was used as a herding dog.  It came close to extinction in the early 1900’s when it was almost wiped out by a viral epidemic (probably distemper).  Thirty years later, most of the Farehonds were killed to stop an epidemic of tapeworm that is communicable to sheep and humans.  A few of the breed were sent to England in the 1950’s and it has thrived there and on mainland Scandinavia.  It has been accepted for showing under Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) rules, and is now making in-roads back into its native Iceland.

Body Type:

• A small, Spitz-type dog.
• The tail is set high and carried curled over the back.  It is not altered.
• The ears are carried erect and are not altered.

Coat:

• The coat is thick and carried close to the body.  It may be either short or long in length.
• All colors are permissible, with a golden red being the most common.
• Moderate grooming required.

Health and Wellness:

• Generally robust

What you should know:

• Unlike most Spitz breeds, the Farehond is not a hunting dog.
• It does not have the roaming predilection of that group but the homebody propensity of the herding dogs.
• This is a lively dog that requires plenty of exercise.
• Should be socialized at an early age.
• It will be difficult to obtain a puppy in the United States.

Other names/Nicknames:

• Bichon Havanais
• Havana Silk Dog

Country/Date of origin:

• Cuba
• 1700’s

Height:

• 8 to 11 inches

Weight:

• 7 to 12 pounds

Personality:

• Wary of strangers, they make good watchdogs.
• Intelligent and easy to train.
• Very responsive to their owners.
• Has a comical nature.

History:

It is thought that the Havanese was originally brought to Cuba by the captains of commercial trading ships, and used by them as gifts to gain favor with wealthy merchants.  The little companion dog soon became a status symbol in upper-class homes.  The Havanese is most likely one of the Bichon group of small, white, toy dogs that originated in the Mediterranean region several thousand years ago.  The Havanese may have gotten its name because it is often found in a brown color that is similar to the famous Havana cigar.  However, it may simply have gotten its name by association with the port city where it was traded.

Body Type:

• Very similar in appearance to the more well-known Bichon Frise.
• The tail is carried over the back in a curl and is never altered.
• The natural ears are long and hang close to the head.  They are not altered.

Coat:

• Long , silky, and slightly wavy.
• Allowed colors are any shade of liver (Havana brown), gray, beige, or white.
• Grooming is required to keep the coat from tangling.

Health and Wellness:

• Atopy.
• Food allergy.
• Progressive retinal atrophy.
• Sebaceous adenitis.

What you should know:

• Non-shedding coat is good for people with allergies to pet hair or just allergies to messy, hair-filled furniture.
• There may be a long wait to obtain a puppy in the United States and an expensive price sticker on it when you find one.
• Be prepared to pay a lot of attention to this dog, as he will demand it.
• You can have fun teaching this dog tricks.
• This is a good choice for apartment dwellers.

Other names/Nicknames:

• Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund
• Greater Swiss
  

Country/Date of origin:

• Switzerland
• 100 BC

Height:

• Females:  23-1/2 to 27 inches
• Males:  25-1/2 to 28-1/2 inches
  

Weight:

• 130 to 135 pounds

Personality:

• A very dominant, take-charge animal, but pleasant to be around.
• Cautious with strangers.
• Loyal and steadfast.
• A serious nature is innate.
• Does not fawn.
• Learns slowly but it retains what it is taught.

History:

One of four tri-colored dogs from the Swiss mountains, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is the largest of the quartet.  It was first a soldiers’ dog, then a butchers’ dog, doing whatever was needed at the time.  This dog, of the mastiff family, has a short but heavy coat which is well suited to its mountain home.  It is a descendant of the dogs that invading Roman soldiers brought north as livestock guards and drovers 2,000 years ago.  Popular as a drover and draft dog, the Greater Swiss fell out of favor and was almost lost in the mid 1800’s.  By crossing the remnants of the breed with Smooth Saint Bernards, the Greater Swiss was resuscitated.  Breed type was firmly fixed again by the turn of the century.  Introduced to the United States in 1968, it was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1995.

Body Type:

• A heavyset, tri-color dog with a distinct mastiff build.
• The distinctively long tail is carried low.  It is not altered.
• The ears hang slightly forward and are held next to the face.  They are not altered.

Coat:

• Short coat is a double one.  The outercoat is dense and shiny and the undercoat is thick.
• Color is very important.  There is only one permissible:  jet-black, with deep tan or rust markings on all legs.
• A white blaze on the head, extending between the eyes, and a white chest marking (known as a cross) are essential.
• White paws and a white tip on the tail are essential.
• Minimal grooming needed.

Health and Wellness:

• Hip dysplasia.
• Elbow dysplasia.

What you should know:

• If used to guard cattle, the Greater Swiss is a tyrant.  Keeping all its charges in line with a firm paw.
• It is said that it can recognize every one of the cattle in its charge and cut them out of a mixed herd.
• A remarkable memory.
• This is a shorthaired dog that can take the cold weather.

Other names:

• Rothbury Terrier
• Gypsy Dog

Country/Date of origin:

• England
• 19th century

Height:

• 15 to 17 inches

Weight:

• 17 to 23 pounds

Personality:

• Softer and more gentle than other terriers.
• Intelligent but can be stubborn.

History:

The origin of the breed is a mystery, but it came to popularity in the mining town of Northumberland, England.  Miners brought it underground to clear the tunnels of rats.  Used as a poacher’s dog by gypsies who admired its speed and gameness.  Probably the result of crosses between Whippets and Dandie Dinmont Terriers.  Refined in the 1870’s to its present form.

Body Type:

• Bedlingtons are a dog of curves and arches.
• General appearance is of a racy whippet-like body with a terrier’s coat.
• Head and body are unusually narrow.
• Dewclaws are removed.
• Hanging ears are clipped smooth, except for small silky tassels at the tip.  They are never altered.
• Tail, which is held low, forms a scimitar curve and is not altered.

Coat:

• An unusual mixture of hard and soft hairs.  The feel is described as linty and is crisp but not wiry.
• The coat tends to curl, and show-dog coats are trimmed to one-inch in length with longer topknot and ear tassels.
• Profuse topknot is lighter than the color of the body coat.
• Lamblike appearance requires expert grooming.
• Allowed colors are blue, sandy, or liver often combined with tan.

Health and Wellness:

• Copper hepatopathy.
• Tear duct abnormalities.
• Eye problems.

What you should know:

• A black puppy will turn into a blue adult, and a chocolate-brown puppy will become sandy or liver.  Transformation takes a full year.
• Nonshedding and nonallergenic.
• An excellent watch dog, but a hopeless guard dog.
• Likes to run.

Other names/Nicknames:

• Olpe Hound
• German Foxhound

Country/Date of origin:

• Germany
• 19th century

Height:

• 16 to 21 inches

Weight:

• 35 to 40 pounds

Personality:

• Affectionate and friendly.
• Difficult to train.
• Not very intelligent.
• Bred for hunting skills.

History:

The Deutsch Bracke is an efficient tracking dog of the Foxhound family.  Developed in Germany, they have the same colors and markings of the usual hound and are used for the same purposes.  At the turn of the 20th century there were several breeds of pack hounds in Germany, but with the exception of the Deutsche Bracke, they are all virtually extinct.  In 1955, a standard was drawn up in Olpe, Germany to fix the type for show purposes.  Because of this, the breed is sometimes known as the Olpe Hound.  Small for a Foxhound, the Bracke is closer in size to the English Harrier.  He is closely related to the Stovare group of scent hounds in Scandinavia.

Body Type:

• Ears are low set and very long.  They are not altered.
• Tail is thin and quite long.  It is not altered.

Coat:

• Short hair is smooth and glossy.
• Marked in the traditional tricolor of the Foxhound (black, brown, and white).
• Low grooming requirements.

Health and Wellness:

• Generally healthy.
• Hip dysplasia.

What you should know:

• A pack hound, the Deutsche Bracke has a melodious voice like its Foxhound brethren.
• Most Deutsche Bracke are still in the hands of masters of Foxhounds and used in their traditional vocation.
• Not suitable as a house pet.  This is an outdoor dog.
• Finding a puppy to purchase will be difficult.

Other names/Nicknames:

• None

Country/Date of origin:

• Belgium
• 1200’s

Height:

• Females:  22 to 24 inches
• Males:  24 to 26 inches
  

Weight:

• 60 to 70 pounds

Personality:

• Very intelligent.
• Trustworthy around people and property.
• A no-nonsense dog with an innate sense of duty.
• Cautious of strangers.
• Makes a fine watchdog.
• Loyal and affectionate to its family.

History:

There are three herding dogs known collectively as the Belgian Shepherds.  They share the same standard and are identical except for coat and color.  The most popular is the long-haired Tervuren, which is a rich mahogany overlaid with sooty black.  There is another equally popular long haired variety called the Gronendael, which is solid black.  The short haired variety is the Malinois, which is a brown or tan color with black mask and ears.  They are shown as varieties of a single breed in some countries and as three separate breeds in others, including their Belgian homeland.  The American Kennel Club (AKC) has considered them as three separate breeds since 1959.

Body Type:

• Has a square, muscular body
• Medium-length, bushy tail is carried low and is never altered
• The ears are erect and are not altered.

Coat:

• Short, straight coat with thicker hair on the neck.
• Minimal grooming required except when shedding in the spring and fall.
• Color ranges from rich fawn to mahogany, with black shading on the ears and muzzle.

Health and Wellness:

• Generally healthy.
• Elbow dysplasia.
• Idiopathic epilepsy.

What you should know:

• This breed can be too aggressive.  It was bred to protect flocks from attack by wolves and wild dogs.  It still has that strong territorial protectiveness and it is sometimes misplaced.
• One of the rarest of the AKC breeds, a Malinois puppy will be difficult to find.
• This breed was used as a war dog in World War I and II.