Spay and Neuter

A very interesting perspective on the entire spay/neuter discussion.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201702/are-there-behavior-changes-when-dogs-are-spayed-or-neutered

Another new puppy

In the past little while, we have had Bailemous Pretty Fly for a White Guy known as Fawke (Fox) join us from the Netherlands, Twinkle's Indy with Sonrisas from Rose Kimber, LittleWonder Sound of Laughter (Risa) from JoAnn MacKay who lives in Nova Scotia  and now we will soon have Sonrisas Theodoro de Iscargorca (Theo) from Cuba.

Fawke

Fawke will live with Terri Fudge's (Amistosa Havanese) son and new wife as of October.  Terri co-owns him with me.

Theo will live with a friend of Terri's (Julie Campkin) and is co-own by Terri and Rose Kimber and myself.

Theo

Indy lives with Kathy McKeown in Grafton and is owned by her and co-owned with Rose Kimber of Twinkle Havanese (his breeder) and myself.

Indy

And last but definitely not least Risa lives with us and is co-owned by JoAnn McKay.

Risa

More on vaccines

Just to add a bit of information.  We do not vaccinate for Parvo after the booster at one year.  Even if an adult dog should contract Parvo it will not have the same effect as it does on puppies even if that dog has not been vaccinated and I am sure that any person reading this page has vaccinated their dog at least once or more.  Giving Mojo at 17 years of age,  a vaccine would cause more health issues than it would prevent.

Just for interest, I should also tell you that I do not use flea medication unless I actually see fleas on one of our dogs or on a visiting dog.  That has happened twice in ten years in this house and I simply gave the flea medication to them once and that was the end of the fleas.  Yes, I inspect them all the time for fleas but the few minutes that takes is far better than filling them full of poison on a regular basis. 

I do not give my dogs heartworm medication unless we have a solid week of temperatures staying over 70 degrees (the actual temperature is 70+ and the length of time is closer to 10 days, but I err on the side of caution).  It's very, very rare that we have temperatures over 70 during the night time hours here in Baltimore.  At any point in the development of heartworm larvae in a mosquito,  if the temperature drops below 70 degrees that is the end of the larvae.  It can go up to 100 the next day but the larvae does not resurrect itself.   In 17 years none of my dogs have been positive for heartworm and we lived on a 150 acre farm for five of those years where the dogs were walked in the woods on a daily basis.  (Gee, sure miss that farm)  The area around us is full of poison ivy and while it won't hurt the dogs they can carry the oils back to humans unless it's washed off after every walk.  I'm not willing to do that so I stick to walk on pavement.

Dr. Dodd's vaccine schedule

Please note that the puppy schedule calls for Parvo and Distemper only.  I've been following this schedule for years now.

We STRONGLY urge our pet buyers to not vaccinate for Lepto, Lyme or anything else other than what is in this schedule. 

9 - 10 weeks of age
Distemper + Parvovirus, MLV
e.g. Merck Nobivac (Intervet Progard) Puppy DPV

14 – 15 weeks of ageDistemper + Parvovirus, MLV

18 weeks of ageParvovirus only, MLV
Note: New research states that last puppy parvovirus vaccine should be at 18 weeks old.

20 weeks or older, if allowable by lawRabies – give 3-4 weeks apart from other vaccines
Mercury-free (thimerosol-free, TF)

1 year oldDistemper + Parvovirus, MLV
This is an optional booster or titer. If the client intends not to booster after this optional booster or intends to retest titers in another three years, this optional booster at puberty is wise.

1 year oldRabies – give 3-4 weeks apart from other vaccines
3-year product if allowable by law; mercury-free (TF)

Perform vaccine antibody titers for distemper and parvovirus every three years thereafter, or more often, if desired. Vaccinate for rabies virus according to the law, except where circumstances indicate that a written waiver needs to be obtained from the primary care veterinarian. In that case, a rabies antibody titer can also be performed to accompany the waiver request. Visit The Rabies Challenge Fund for more information.

W. Jean Dodds, DVM
Hemopet / NutriScan
11561 Salinaz Avenue
Garden Grove, CA 92843

Havanese Favorite Position it seems.

This is Fawkes's (our puppy from the Neatherlands) brother.  It seems most Havanese are pretty relaxed.

From the Dynamic Duo - Merci and Charo

Waiting for tummy rubs.