OutlineACDs
01-03-2007, 04:34 PM
Ok, this is going to be long.
I have an australian cattle dog who I have owned since puppy hood. She is a finished champion in AKC as well as having her RN and NA titles (with two legs on her NAJ) Multiple legs in NADAC agility as well. She finished easily with a Group 1 and a Group 3 and Group 4 as well. I bought her as my foundation bitch. Both parents are OFA, CERF, PRCD (which is a genetic test we have in ACD's), and BAER tested. Her father is a top producer.
Carrie (my bitch) did not come in heat until she was almost 15 months old. She then came in heat every 10 months for two heat cycles, then they started getting closer together. I bred her 3 times with no success (to two different dogs, twice with one and also an oops which thank God didn't take). She finally had two heat cycles in a row that were right at 6 months apart. I decided to choose a different stud dog and try one last time before spaying her. She was 4 when she had her first litter, delivered by c-section because one of the 5 puppies was dead. I asked my vet while she was on the table if he saw anything that could have been the cause of her not conceiving before, he said he didn't and I chose to leave her intact. I knew I was not going to breed her again until the new puppy, Rumor, was at least two. So there is a chance of me never breeding Carrie again, be it age or who knows, even if I breed her she may not take.
Carrie came into heat exactly 6 months after she had the puppies which I took as a good sign. They were born Feb 23, 2006 and she came in heat Early August of 06. This was also the first heat cycle that ended in a false pregnancy. Her nipples swelled up etc etc. Then she blew coat, which is expected. I didn't worry until almost two months went by and her coat wasn't coming back in. I feed good dog food and everything, the only thing I could think of was I had started putting a supplement in her food, so I quit using it. After I didn't have any luck with that, I wanted to get a thyroid test and sure enough, her thyroid is low. Shes now on medication for it twice a day. I do not think there was a thyroid problem before the litter as she has never had a weight problem nor a hair or skin problem. This seems to have shown up out of nowhere. I am at a loss. Do I go ahead and spay her? My vet is doing some research for me to see if we can determine if this is genetic or not. I am going to do what is best for my dog and my breed, but I would like some advice from you guys. Rumor the puppy will be thyroid tested in the future, I was told to wait until she matures a bit because she is probably still too young to determine if there is a problem. (Shes 10 months)
If I do get Carrie spayed it will be after she has one last cycle, Rumor has still not come into heat and I am hoping that when Carrie cycles in Feb that it will bring her in. Now that all of this has happened with Carrie I am hoping Rumor comes in heat soon.
I did mention to the owner of Rumor's dad that I was concerned about the thyroid and was going to get Carrie tested, I have not had a chance to tell her the results though. I am waiting to hear from my vet whether or not we can determine if it is genetic. If nothing else I know the owner of Carrie's litter sister (who has had like 4 litters now) and I can easily get in contact with the owner of her father and we may be able to thryroid test them as well.
Any advice is welcome.
I have an australian cattle dog who I have owned since puppy hood. She is a finished champion in AKC as well as having her RN and NA titles (with two legs on her NAJ) Multiple legs in NADAC agility as well. She finished easily with a Group 1 and a Group 3 and Group 4 as well. I bought her as my foundation bitch. Both parents are OFA, CERF, PRCD (which is a genetic test we have in ACD's), and BAER tested. Her father is a top producer.
Carrie (my bitch) did not come in heat until she was almost 15 months old. She then came in heat every 10 months for two heat cycles, then they started getting closer together. I bred her 3 times with no success (to two different dogs, twice with one and also an oops which thank God didn't take). She finally had two heat cycles in a row that were right at 6 months apart. I decided to choose a different stud dog and try one last time before spaying her. She was 4 when she had her first litter, delivered by c-section because one of the 5 puppies was dead. I asked my vet while she was on the table if he saw anything that could have been the cause of her not conceiving before, he said he didn't and I chose to leave her intact. I knew I was not going to breed her again until the new puppy, Rumor, was at least two. So there is a chance of me never breeding Carrie again, be it age or who knows, even if I breed her she may not take.
Carrie came into heat exactly 6 months after she had the puppies which I took as a good sign. They were born Feb 23, 2006 and she came in heat Early August of 06. This was also the first heat cycle that ended in a false pregnancy. Her nipples swelled up etc etc. Then she blew coat, which is expected. I didn't worry until almost two months went by and her coat wasn't coming back in. I feed good dog food and everything, the only thing I could think of was I had started putting a supplement in her food, so I quit using it. After I didn't have any luck with that, I wanted to get a thyroid test and sure enough, her thyroid is low. Shes now on medication for it twice a day. I do not think there was a thyroid problem before the litter as she has never had a weight problem nor a hair or skin problem. This seems to have shown up out of nowhere. I am at a loss. Do I go ahead and spay her? My vet is doing some research for me to see if we can determine if this is genetic or not. I am going to do what is best for my dog and my breed, but I would like some advice from you guys. Rumor the puppy will be thyroid tested in the future, I was told to wait until she matures a bit because she is probably still too young to determine if there is a problem. (Shes 10 months)
If I do get Carrie spayed it will be after she has one last cycle, Rumor has still not come into heat and I am hoping that when Carrie cycles in Feb that it will bring her in. Now that all of this has happened with Carrie I am hoping Rumor comes in heat soon.
I did mention to the owner of Rumor's dad that I was concerned about the thyroid and was going to get Carrie tested, I have not had a chance to tell her the results though. I am waiting to hear from my vet whether or not we can determine if it is genetic. If nothing else I know the owner of Carrie's litter sister (who has had like 4 litters now) and I can easily get in contact with the owner of her father and we may be able to thryroid test them as well.
Any advice is welcome.