Labrador Retriever Dogs Blog

Gene Linked To Common Ailment In Labrador Retrievers Identified

Researchers at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine have identified a gene in Labrador retriever dogs highly associated with the syndrome of exercise-induced collapse (EIC). After intense hunting or retrieving exercise, activities these dogs are trained to perform, affected Labradors start to lose control of their hind limbs. In most cases, their legs get wobbly and the limbs give out, and in rare cases the dogs may die. Labradors are the most common dog breed in the world and an estimated 3-5 percent of Labradors have this condition.

The research is published in the journal Nature Genetics.

The research team identified a mutant form of the dynamin 1 gene as highly associated with EIC. The dynamin 1 protein normally functions to maintain proper chemical communication between adjacent nerves, also known as synaptic transmission. However, the mutated form of the dynamin protein appears to have diminished function, interrupting synaptic transmission during intense exercise, and causing the muscle-controlling nerves to not fire when directed to do so.
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A friend who hadn't been over in awhile and hadn't seen Cooper commented on how fat he was getting. To us he looked just the same but then again we see him everyday and we just fluffed the comment off and didn't think too much of it. It just so happens that we had to go to the vet the next week and sure enough our vet was surprised about how much weight he had gained. It's easy for a labrador retriever to gain weight, as you know they can eat like it's the end of the world and they can as they get older get lazy or become more inactive.

As you are probably not going to give your dog Tonalin or other diet pills to keep their weight in check here are some steps we took to make sure Cooper remained healthy. One, make sure your dog gets daily activity and exercise. Not so much that they are pushing themselves past their limits but enough. What I mean by this is make sure they get a least one good walk a day, even when you are lazy make sure you take them out at least once. Even if they get a walk make sure they get some other exercise or playtime during the day like playing fetch or even a swim. They have to remain active daily. Secondly, watch what you are feeding them and how much you are feeding them. Pay attention to the servings on your dog food bag and be careful what treats you are feeding them. They love peanut butter but just like us too much are not good. Supplement their treats or snacks with things like apples, carrots or bananas. Finally, you are paying your vet good money every year. Set it up with them so you can bring your labrador retriever in and have them weighed every few months and keep a log. Our vet doesn't charge, we just bring him in and weight him and track it. If there's a huge weight gain or lose then you can discuss it with them.You want your labrador retriever to live as long and as healthy as possible so give them a hand.

I thought that I would write another article regarding poison and your dogs and pets. Remember reading the internet after you suspect your dog has been poisoned is the wrong thing to do. If you feel your dog has been poisoned then you should get to a vet asap. By the time you read through possible symptoms and signs it may be too late.

Instead, as a pet owner you should familiarize yourself with possible signs and symptoms of poisoning so if something arises you are ready to take action. Signs that your dog may be poisoned are alot like ours and may include vomiting, diarrhea, redness of the eyes, skin or ears, drooling or foaming, swelling, bleeding and disorientation.

When faced with a potential pet poisoning many people may think that it has occured on purpose but truthfully there are many things that are harmful to our pets that we would not even think about like tylenol is bad but perhaps not all pills. The FDA has recently approved diet pills for dogs which is insane but who am I to judge. Take a search through the blog I have posted a great list in the past which contains some of the more harmful products that you may be unaware of. This list contained such things a grapes, chocolate, tylenol and peach pits. There is also a good list posted in the forums under the FAQ section of the health forums.

So now you know what signs and symptoms to look for if suspect your dog has been poisoned and you also know what items adversely affect your dogs health. If you think that your pet has been poisoned call and get to a vet asap.

There was an interesting post at the labrador retriever chatboard last week about items that are poisonous to dogs. What I didn't know was that a product in sugar free gum is very dangerous to dogs. It's called Xylitol and from what I read only a few grams of this substance can kill a 65 lb dog. I have no idea how much is in a pack of gum but I have read a few stories on the net about dog owners whos pets have become very ill from eating a pack.

There was an email story floating around about it but you never know if it's true or not. Snopes however confirms that this product is dangerous to dogs.

It is a sugar alcohol used in candy and chewing gum. It is also found in some pharmaceuticals and oral health products such as chewable vitamins and throat lozenges. It can also be used in home baking. While Xylitol is safe for humans, it can be harmful to dogs. The compound doesn't affect glucose levels in people, but when ingested by dogs it can cause a dangerous surge of insulin. At high doses, Xylitol is believed toxic to the canine liver.

Just three grams of Xylitol can kill a 65-pound dog. Because the amount of sweetener used in sugar-free chewing gums varies by manufacturer and product, the number of sticks of gum that would prove fatal to a pooch of that size can't be stated with precision. As a general rule of thumb, between eight and ten pieces of gum might be deadly to a 65-pound canine, but a smaller dog could easily die after ingesting far less (perhaps as few as two sticks of gum).

Source

Some of you may not be aware but dog breeds like labrador retriever puppies can develop what is called canine acne. Canine acne usually breaks out on their chin, lips, and muzzle. It can also be associated with scabs and blackheads on their lips, chin and muzzle. While not usually harmful it can become infected which leads to many other problems.

There are several treatments for canine acne which are similiar to human treatments for acne. A trip to the vet would be your best bet and get the proper diagnosis as sometimes it could be mistaken for food allergies. A few people on the chat forums have remarked that they changed their labrador retrievers bowls from plastic to steel. Their dogs were allergic to the plastic. At any rate, if you dogs snout looks to be infected then get to a vet. 

There are always questions when dealing with senior labrador retrievers regarding the use of pet supplements. Many people turn to them when their labrador is facing problems with hip dysplasia or sore joints. Here is some information I have gathered from the chatboard to help make the right decision for supplements.

Always look for a supplement that lists how much of each ingredient your dog is getting. The most thing to keep in mind when looking for supplements is to do your homework. Know what you're giving your dog and how much of it. Many times they do not mention what exact dose of each ingredient you are getting. Discuss all of your choices with your vet to ensure correct dosage and appropriateness for your dog. You will have to consider your dogs weight when picking out a dose and your vet can help you with this. You vet may also be able to reccomend a good product to use. Also make sure to research the ingredients being used and what country they are coming from if you can. We need not be reminded of the dog food recall and past toy problem from China.

If you remember from a few blog posts ago I mentioned that Cooper was sleeping on the bathroom floor more often. This got me thinking the other day when I dropped one of our acne treatments on the floor. You have to make sure that all of those areas that your labrador retriever puppy has access to is free of harmful items that they may get into. Be mindful of closing doors, keeping cupboards closed and store your items out of their reach. You would be suprised how much damage something as simple as dental floss can do.

Summer is on in full effect and I have been trying to look for ways to get my self in better shape and maybe lose a few pounds along the way. I have been reading a lot on the internet about different ways to shed extra weight. I have been reading workout plans, weight lifting plans and even a Leptovox review. There is so much information out there it's hard to know where to begin.

For now I am going to start enjoying longer walks with my labrador retriever. He can't wait until we get home from work every day to go for his daily walk. It probably wouldn't hurt the both of us to extend our walk a little. As you know, I tired labrador retriever is a good labrador retriever.

It’s probably not too surprising that many of us take our dogs health for granted. We probably don’t mean to do it. It just kind of happens by accident. We expose them to things or feed them food with ingredients that we wouldn’t eat or expose ourselves to. We rush out and take our vitamins, eat healthy food do things like giving ourselves a liver cleanse. We then turn around and feed our dog food with questionable ingredients or even expose them to second hand smoke. It’s just a matter of becoming more aware of what we are exposing out pets to. After all, we want them to live a long and health life. So think about it next time you are shopping for pet food or taking your dog in public or even buying them a toy. Read the label and think about exactly what you are giving them.

I have written a number of articles on keeping your dogs and pets in shape but sometimes we need to look at ourselves and keep ourselves in shape. Getting the proper exercise equipment is the first step into getting ourselves into shape so we can better enjoy our dogs or pets. Owning a labrador retriever can be a lot of work both mentally and physically. They are very demanding animals that require a lot of exercise. Keeping ourselves in shape will help us be better dog owners and give our pets the love and exercise they need and  help them live a full more healthy life. There are even stories of labrador retriever owners using their exercise equipement such as treadmills to give their dogs a good workout.