Canines - without Health Problems

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Carnivora

Family

Canidae

Genus & species

Canis familiaris

Heart rate

70 to 120 bpm

Resp. rate

18 to 34 rpm

Temperature

99.5^o F – 101.5^o F

Life span

9 - 16 years

Age of puberty

7 to 10 months

Breeding season

spring, fall

Estrous cycle

seasonally monestrous

Gestation period

63 days

Litter size

2 to 12 pups

Weaning age

7 to 8 weeks

Intact female

bitch

Intact male

stud

Young dog of either sex < 1 yr of age

pup, puppy, whelp

Specific term for parturition in dogs

whelping

7 groups of dogs that are recognized by the AKC

herding dogs, hounds, non-sporting, terriers, toys, working dogs

What is the most common mistake that people make in selecting a dog?

thoughtlessness

List some of the factors to consider when advising your clients on choosing a particular dog or dog breed

lifestyle, finances, dwelling, children, time available, purpose, climate

What is the main weapon of defense of dogs?

teeth

Deciduous teeth

28; in by 6 wks

Permanent teeth

42; in by 6-7 months

Carnassial teeth

The 4th upper premolar and 1st lower molar; used for shearing/crushing meat

Nictitating Membrane (“3rd eyelid”)

provide protection, contribute to tear secretion, and helps spread the tear film over the eye

Sense of hearing in dogs

highly developed hearing, better than humans, can also move their ears towards a sound to channel sound waves

Sense of smell in dogs

highly developed sense of SMELL (PRIMARY sense in dogs), sniffing to disrupt the normal flow of air

Vomeronasal organ

detects pheromones and other chemical signals, especially related to social and reproductive behaviors, on roof of mouth, sniffing urine or other scents from other animals

Brachycephalic

short-nosed dogs, Bulldog, Boxer, Pugg

Dolichocephalic

long-nosed dogs, Collie, Greyhound

Mesaticephalic

medium or moderate length, Beagles, Spaniels, Retrievers

Sense of touch in dogs

earliest sense developed, important in social species

Vibrissae

whiskers

Sense of taste in dogs

not very important to most dogs, most abundant taste buds detect sugars

Neonatal stage

birth to 2 weeks of age, puppies are born altricial, two reflexes for moving (righting and rooting reflex), suckling reflex

Transitional stage

2 to 3 weeks of age, handling is important, Deciduous teeth begin to erupt at 21 days, eyes open, ears open

Eyes open

10 to 14 days

Ears open

18 to 21 days

Socialization stage

3 to 12 weeks of age, learn social signs useful as adults, littermates play dominance games, introduce collars and leashes

Juvenile stage

12 weeks of age to sexual maturity, motor skills improve, permanent teeth begin to Erupt to 4 months, managers, short obedience, verbal praise

Adolescent stage

7-10 months to 12-36 months, sexual maturity to social maturity, test rules, not come when called, consistency and predictability are essential

Second Fear Impact Period

5-12 months, lasting 3 weeks, dog may suddenly be apprehensive about new things or seem shy or timid around new people or situations, building confidence is important

Adult stage

7-8+ years, social maturity, smaller breeds mature earlier

Senior, geriatric stage

4 years in Giant breeds as late as 8-10 years in small breeds, changes in vision, hearing, mobility, sleep and play habits, weight changes, urination, defecation, possibly incontinence, cognitive behaviors, “Lumps & Bumps”

Why do veterinary technicians need to be able to recognize the body language and postures of dogs?

Animals’ intentions

List some common behavioral problems of dogs

attention-seeking behavior, destruction, barking/howling, roaming, digging, rolling in “stuff”, excessive licking, plant chewing/eating, pica

What is puberty and at approximately what age does this occur in dogs?

onset of sexual maturity, 6-12 months

What is the estrous cycle and how often does it occur in dogs?

reproductive cycle in female mammals, seasonally monestrous 1 cycle per season and 2 seasons per year

List the 4 stages of the estrous cycle

Proestrus (~9 days)

Estrus (when ovulation occurs, ~9 days)

Diestrus (~60 days)

Anestrus (no activity, 120-150 days)

What is gestation?

pregnancy period

How long is gestation in dogs?

~63 days (~9 weeks), 3 trimesters each 3 weeks

Why is it not a good idea to overfeed a gestating female?

overweight, tend to have more incidence of dystocia than normal weight females

What is the specific term for parturition (giving birth) in dogs?

whelping

What are some factors that can contribute to puppy mortality?

dystocia, excessive licking/injury, killed (by others), neglect, lack of milk, elevated blood pressure in Dam

What is the most common nutritional problem in dogs?

obesity

What is the most important nutrient for all domestic animals, including dogs?

water

What is food hypersensitivity?

adverse reaction to food and includes both immune‑mediated food allergies and non‑immune food intolerances

What is the tapetum lucidum and what purpose does it have?

Layer of reflective cells in the back of the eye (retina)

Sense of sight in dogs

Visualize masses rather than fine detail, can see further and detect movement better than humans, virtually colorblind, detect blues & yellows, very good night vision (due to # of rods)