I had not replied because I have been busy and do not get a chance to check into the forum daily.
While treating the chin acne that got infected from scratching I asked my vet to tell me weather or not she should be bred as I was also concerned about the flea reaction. The vet did not say no.
What I am doing is growing her out. Showing her etc. I am in no hurry to breed. I only breed when I want a pup.
So, some feed special foods supplements etc. What happened to the days we used to feed our dogs and all would be fine? Seems like so many kinds so many different lines that require this or that..... All I would like is to be told A plus B works the best for a dog that has hormones and now from learning from this forum, an overactive immune system, to feed ___________ and give __________. But get accused of being unethical???
So, I ask. For this who feed raw. If their dogs were fed regular dog food. Maybe they would come up with many issues also. Then they could all be pointed at as having "allergies".
What is the best to feed in dry? I cannot feed raw. Just do not have the stomach.
Good idea for who said to take to another vet who specializes in such issues. I will do what ever it takes.
Thank you.
Donna
Donna, let's look at this rationally. Your girl has an allergic reaction when she's exposed to fleas. Your vet didn't say that you shouldn't breed her because it's not black and white. Some dogs will never get fleas and fleas can be prevented. Do you yourself find it too inconvenient, troublesome or expensive to control? There's a good chance some or all of your puppy buyers will have to deal with these same issues and will they? If they don't provide the proper level of care flea bite dermatitis can cause serious illness.
As far as the chin goes, there are several things that could cause this and you should really get a diagnosis and try to nail down a cause before you make any decisions. This may be a temporary condition or a chronic one. A canine dermatologist is your best bet for answers but you might only get an educated guess as to the cause.
My suggestion is to wait until she's at least 4 before deciding if your going to breed her. Many breeders breed too soon and there's really no need for it unless your plan is to get as many litters out of her that you can. At age 4 a lab is more suited for motherhood and most serious illnesses usually show up by then. You will also know by then if her chin issue is a chronic or a temporary one. Don't buy into the notion that she won't have enough eggs left as many breeders experience very large litters at that age and older (include me).
If you try to *fix* her immune system by supplementing then you will have to rely on your puppy buyers to do the same and this is unrealistic. You may ease her symptoms but your not going to fix her genetics with supplements. Let her eat a normal diet and wait it out, gather more information and see how it goes. It doesn't hurt to try different foods but there is no magic diet, not even raw. Look for simple recipes and pay attention to the ingredients.
Oh "Reason" I wish I knew your name so I could chat with you.
No, Fleas never had been a problem. I think she was actually scratching fromm the chin acne not the fleas as I guessed. I guess that because I had not done drops in 3 months. I dislike doing drops at all.
Vet kept shaking her head because she never had any redness anywhere all. Her skin all over is clear.
You would never know she had a heat as she licks and licks to be clean. Could be another reason the chin got infected.
Now while in heat I wash her face nightly.
Stress does cause her to lick more at her vulva. Usually after a dog show. She is a great girl. Wish I could read her mind.
I will go to another vet for an opinion. I also need more education obviously.
Here is a good article on Canine Bacterial Pyoderma. It may (or may not) be too technical for you to fully understand but muddle through it as I'm sure you will pick up some useful information to help you. Good luck and Happy Holidays!!!
