Toxic Levels of Vitamin D
by Pat Rock Dog Food The recent deaths of dogs as a result of eating food that contained toxic levels of Vitamin D are shocking to anyone who loves their pets. We all hate to lose them to old age [...]
Hypocalcemic Tetany in Terriers
by Pat Rock Puzzle of tetanic spasms I have shared the tale of my study of the puzzle of tetanic spasms in terriers in the past, but have been approached by some Border Terrier and Welsh Terrier people who have [...]
The Woods! The Woods!
by Pat Rock Hunting Fall is the best time to introduce a young terrier to the joys of hunting. Even if you aren’t a hunting type of person, the bonding that takes place between dog and owner is beyond price. [...]
Ligaments
by Pat Rock Ligaments must be bred for, fed for, and cared for. There is an old truism about coats, that “Coats must be bred for, fed for, and cared for.” The same is true about ligaments. There is no [...]
Beyond Estate Planning
by Pat Rock Retirement I saw a cartoon where the character was meeting with a financial advisor. He said “I’d like to add something to my retirement account.” The reply from the financial advisor was “May I suggest a laugh [...]
Use of Oxytocin in the Whelping Bitch
by Pat Rock Newsflash: It’s not a perfect world. In a perfect world all dog breeders would have access to and endless money to spend on a top repro vet. Newsflash: It’s not a perfect world. Many of us strive [...]
First Do No Harm
by Pat Rock A Cautionary Tale “First do no harm.” The phrase is not actually part of the Hippocratic Oath, but it is part of the Hippocratic Corpus (some additional writings associated with the oath.) Here’s a story about a [...]
Influence of Uterine Position
by Pat Rock The British have a word for it: gobsmacked. That is what I felt when I read the research paper on influence of position of a fetus in the uterus of litterbearing mammals. As if the new understanding [...]
Environmentally Induced Health Problems
by Pat Rock Recently I read a column by a noted dog breeder whose opinion I respect but with whom I must disagree. Assuming every shortcoming in our dogs is due to genetic defect might work for this person as [...]
Time For Breeders To Push Back
by Pat Rock Vaccines The latest estimate of greater than 60% of veterinarians giving more vaccines than their professional organization recommends is disgusting. Whatever happened to “First do no harm”? The only two reasons for possibly recommending yearly core vaccines [...]