Proud dog mom...

Our friends over at Fidoseofreality did a blog post about pet parents.  They asked if other bloggers consider themselves dog moms and what we would do if people questioned our use of the term "dog mom" or "dog dad?"

Holly, having fun at the Doggie Fun Zone, because dogs like to play too!

To answer the first part of her question, yes, I do call myself a dog mom.  My daughter does too, and always buys me cards from her and from the dogs.  So while I have a human daughter,  I also have kids of the four-legged variety.  We compete with our collies at dog shows, and have traveled 16 - 20 hours by car with our collies to reach some of these shows.  I know many moms of human children who travel these distances, to take their human kids to different competitions they have entered.

Holly at a dog show.

I take my collies to their doctor when they are sick, I buy them toys at Christmas and on their birthdays.  (Which we wrap in pretty paper)  I talk to them, sing to them, hug them and have pictures of my collies hug up at home and at my desk at work.  (Right next to pictures of my human daughter.).  I feel pride when my collies win at dog shows, and I worry when they are sick.  So yes, I am definitely a dog mom.  And I'm proud to say my daughter feels the same way about our dogs.

Holly, riding on the train with us.

The second part of her question, well that's a little harder to answer.  As I am one of the few dog parents where I work, I tend to not refer to myself as a dog mom there.  I know it is a term that would cause eye rolls, and possible negative comments, so I avoid the subject at my place of employment.  But I avoid it because it's where I work, I don't care what strangers think, and I would use the term without hesitation elsewhere.  Because to me, the definition of a parent is one who provides care and love, who guides and educates, throughout another being's lifetime.  And isn't that what we do for our dogs?  So who else is a Dog mom or Dog dad?

My daughter, sharing a quiet moment with Holly.

What's in a name?

The relationship between dogs and their humans has greatly changed over the last century.  Dogs are now, more than ever before, considered a part of the family.  People cater to their dogs, spending thousands of dollars on products that are designed to make dogs happy and healthy.  With gourmet dog treats, orthopedic dog beds, and toy boxes full of toy dog toys, our dogs have it made.  When working long hours at the office, some people will even drop off their dogs at a doggie daycare center, so their dogs can spend the day happily playing with their friends.

(Kori does not regularly attend doggie daycare, my daughter works at one, and brings Kori to work with her.  Which Kori loves, as you can see by the videos.) 

And with their elevated status, dogs are now given very different monikers.  While we are sure you can still find the occasional Spot, Fluffy, Rover, Buffy, Fido or Champ, people are giving their pets more personal and unique names.  This is a list of the top dog names, is your dog's name on the list?

 1) Max and Bella

2) Charlie and Daisy

3) Jack and Molly

4) Buddy and Lucy

5) Jake and Sadie

6) Tucker and Maggie

7) Duke and Bailey

8) Toby and Chloe

9) Bear and Sophie

10) Oscar and Lola

11) Dexter and Luna

12) Thor and Layla

13) Gunner and Piper

14) Bently and Nala

15) Jax and Stella

So we are curious, what is the most unusual dog name you have heard?  What was the cutest?  What is the most extravagant item you have purchased for your dog? (or your cat?)

Immortalized in paint!

We had to share this!  An artist, Barbara Guitas, spotted one of our pictures of Kori on Facebook, and asked if she could paint it.  I said yes, of course, as I was very flattered.

We are so thrilled with this lovely picture!  She captured our Kori girl's sweet expression!  I can't wait to see this painting, and hang it on our wall!

A coat of a different color...

We have talked about how genes determine the health of a collie, and now I want to talk about how they also determine a collie’s appearance.  Many breeds of dogs have a variety of coat colors and types.  Collies are known for their sweet expressions and beautiful coats.  Collies have two varieties of coats, the rough and smooth coats.  They have four recognized coat colors.  The colors recognized by the AKC are sable and white, tricolor, blue merle, and white.

Pure for sable smooth coated collie

The sable and white coat can actually come in a variety of shades, from a light, buff color to a dark mahogany.  The tricolor is predominantly black, with white and tan markings.  The blue merle is a rich mixture of grays, blacks and white, which give it a bluish appearance.  And lastly, there is the  white collie, who isn’t actually a solid white color as the name implies.  The white collie will have a predominantly white coat with either sable, tri or blue merle markings.  The white color is not recognized in the European standard.

Rough, mahogany sable - this would be a tri factored sable collie.

Sable headed white, photo courtesy of Darlene Kerr

In Europe you will never see a rough and a smooth bred together, as they are viewed as separate breeds.  In the U.S. rough and smooth collies are allowed to be bred together, but are judged separately at dog shows.  In the U.S. the rough and smooth collies are considered to be two varieties of the same breed.  Because we are allowed to breed these two varieties together, we have more dogs to choose from, and thus we have more genetic diversity.

Rough and smooth collies

A collie’s coat is determined by his or her genes.    Because the gene for the rough coat is recessive , if you breed two roughs together the breeding will only produce roughs.  If you breed a rough and a smooth together, you can have both rough and smooth puppies in the litter.  The smooth puppies from such a breeding would be considered rough-factored.  If you bred two rough-factored smooth collies together, you could end up with both rough and smooth puppies in litter, because smooths can carry the recessive rough gene.  If you bred two pure-for-smooth collies together, you would end up with only smooth collies in the litter.

Tricolor smooth collie, photo by Jerrica Coady-Farrell

Coat color is also dependent on dominant and recessive genes.  If you breed a tricolor with another tricolor, you will only have tricolor puppies in the litter.  If you breed a sable and a tricolor, you will produce both tricolor puppies and sable puppies that are trifactored.  Here is the color inheritance breakdown:

S - Sable

Dominant coat color, sable comes in a variety of colors, from straw to dark mahogany.

PS – pure sable

These collies carry no tricolor gene, and can only produce sable offspring.

  

 

tS – tri factored sable

sable collies carrying the tricolor gene along with the dominant sable gene.  Most trifactored sables have a very dark mask and a darker sable coat.

Tri = tricolor

Recessive to sable, tricolors have black coats with white and tan markings.

M – merle

A dominant dilution gene which combined with sable or tri genes, produces merled collies.

  

BM – blue merle

Bluish gray coat with black splotching and white markings.  Blue merles are the product of a dilution gene with the tricolor gene.

  

SM – sable merle

Sable and white collies with the merle gene, the sable merle comes in pure for sable and tri factored sable.

  

tSm – tri factored sable merle

These collies carry the tricolor gene alone with the sable and merle gene.  Tri factored sable merles are usually a darker sable color than PSM.

  

PSM – pure sable merle

A light sable merle, with no tricolor gene.

  

 

W – white

These collies have a predominantly white body, with a colored head.  They are the result of breeding two white parents or white factored parents.  The color white is a recessive gene, and depending on the other gene received, the white collie may have tri, sable or blue merle markings.

  

  

Wf – white factored

Colored dogs with a lot of white on their neck, tail tip and white extending upward from their hind feet.  When bred to another white factored or a white collie, they can produce white offspring.

  

WM – white merle

The white merle results from breeding two merled parents.  These collies inherit the dominant dilution gene from both parents.  They may be all white, or may have a few merle spots.  They may be missing eyes, blind and/or deaf.  They may also have severe impairment to their liver or kidneys.  If bred to a tricolor, these collies will only produce blue merle offspring.

 These are the offspring that may be produced by combining the the following sires and dams:

PS  +  PS  = PS

PS + tri = tS

PS  +  tS = PS and tS

tS + tri = tS and tri

tS  + tS = PS,  tS, tri

Tri + tri = tri

Tri + BM = tri, BM

BM  +  BM  = BM, tri, WM

BM  +  tS  = BM, tS, tSM, tri

BM + PS = tSM, tS

WM + tri  = BM

tSM  +  tri  = BM, tS, tSM, tri

tSM  +  tS  = BM, tSM, tri, tS, PSM, PS

tSm  +  PS  = tS, tSM, PSM, PS

PSM + tri = tS, tSM

White + white = white

Wf + Wf  = non-Wf, Wf, white

Wf BM  +  tri-headed white = blue-headed white, tri-headed white, Wf tri, Wf BM

White  +  non white = Wf

Rough blue merle, photo courtesy of Jennifer Laik

And now for something different!

Lately, we have been sharing collie health related topics, which are very valuable.  But now it's time to share something cute and fun!  Last weekend we attended a collie puppy match.  The club holding the match honored us, by asking my daughter to judge sweeps and junior handling.  It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday - surrounded by collie puppies and sunshine!

The puppies were all just too cute!

CEA - Collie Eye Anomaly

What is CEA?  CEA stands for Collie Eye Anomaly, a disease that is commonly seen in collies.  However, collies are not the only breed to suffer from this disease.  CEA is actually a group of eye conditions, ranging from mild to severe.  Fortunately, it is easily detected with an eye examination by a Canine Ophthalmologist.  The test should be done by the breeder, when the puppies are 5 - 6 weeks old.  Reputable, ethical breeders will have their puppies tested before they are sold to new families.  The good news is that most CEA does not impair the dog’s vision, so owners will rarely see any discernable difference between collies with CEA and those who are normal eyed.

 

The Collie Club of America's Code of Ethics requires that all dogs that are sold or placed, be in good condition, free of communicable diseases with their health guaranteed for a reasonable length of time.  This should include a written health record, inoculation schedule and the results of the eye exam.  If a breeder refuses to provide you with the puppy's health record or results of the eye exam, then you may want to find another breeder.

 

When tested for CEA the puppies will be given either a "normal" or "affected" rating.  If affected, the type of abnormality will be noted.

 Normal: This is what collie breeders hope to produce, a “normal-eyed” collie puppy with no CEA.  A "Normal" eye rating is the best rating.  There are also "Go Normals", which are so mildly affected at a young age, that later, the pale areas caused by choroidal hypoplasia disappear, leading to what is termed a "Go Normal."  These “go normal” puppies are still affected with CEA, and can pass CEA onto their future offspring.  The only way to be certain a collie is not a carrier of CEA is through genetic testing.  Also, dog's coat color can make it difficult to get 100% accurate results, as the pigment in a Blue Merle's eyes can be diluted along with his coat color.

 Choroidal Hypoplasia, Chorioretinal Change: These refer to abnormalities in the coloring or pigmentation of the choroid or central layer of the eye's lining. This is the most common abnormality found in Collie eyes.  It is the least harmful and least severe form of CEA.  Most dogs with this eye grade, function normally with no ill-effects or vision impairment.  These puppies are carriers of CEA.

 Staphyloma, Coloboma, Ectasia: While not completely synonymous, these terms all refer to a cupping or bulging in the eyeball usually in the area of the optic disc.  They can appear to be “pits” or “holes” in the layers of the eye tissue.

 Vascular Disease, Tortuous Blood Vessels: Defects in the vessels of the eye which are responsible for its blood supply or "nourishment." These may be malformed, undersized, or even lacking.

 Retinal Detachment: Loosening or separation of the inmost, or retina, layer from the wall of the eye. This may involve a tiny area or the entire retina. It can be either one or both eyes. The complete detachment of the retina results in blindness in that eye.

 

CEA is a recessive trait, and even dogs that are "normal" on ophthalmoscopic examination can still be carriers of CEA, and about 90% of the collie breed are carriers.  A dog with one mutant copy of the CEA and one normal copy of CEA is called heterozygous, or a CEA carrier. A dog with two copies of the normal CEA gene is homozygous, or genetically free of CEA.  Only dogs that are normal or who have choroidal hypoplasia should be used for breeding.  Dogs with colobomas, staphylomas, ectasia or detachments should not be bred, as they will pass these more severe issues along to their offspring. 

 

PRA, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, is another eye condition.  It is unrelated to CEA, and it is a degenerative disease that can result in blindness.  Most dogs with PRA will be blind by the time they are a year old.  You can learn more about PRA, by visiting this site:

PRA

MDR1 - do you know the danger?

What is MDR1? 
Multi-drug resistance 1, or MDR1, is a gene mutation found in many herding breeds.  This mutation causes toxic levels of certain drugs to build up in the brain; which leads to severe neurological problems, such as seizures and death.  It is estimated that around 75% of all collies have the MDR1 mutation, so all collie owners should be aware of which drugs are potentially harmful to their dogs.  If you are concerned that your collie, or herding breed, may have this mutation, there is now a simple, inexpensive DNA test offered.  For around $70, and with just a quick cheek swab, you can have your dog tested.

How does a dog end up with this mutation?  Each collie receives one allele, or gene, from each of it's parents.  Dogs that receive a "normal" MDR1 gene from each parent are +/+ (homozygous normal) or normal/normal.  All offspring from these parents will be clear of the MDR1 mutation, and will not be sensitive to the drugs listed below.

Dogs that receive a "normal" gene from one parent, and a "mutant" gene from the other parent are +/- (heterozygous).  While they are considered to be only carriers of the mutation, studies have found that they may also be sensitive to certain drugs.  These dogs will pass along the mutant gene to half of their offspring.

Dogs that receive a "mutant" gene from both of their parents are -/- or mutant/mutant. (homozygous mutant)  Dogs that are mutant/mutant are very sensitive to certain drugs, such as Ivermectin, and will pass on the mutation to all of their offspring.  According to the Collie Health Foundation and other leading researchers, the low dose of Ivermectin found in monthly heartworm medications will not cause a reaction.  However, many collie owners and breeders still choose to avoid use of any products containing Ivermectin, preferring to exercise caution instead.

Because of the need for caution, if your dog tests mutant/mutant or normal/mutant, you should make sure that any veterinarian treating your dog is aware of the risks of using certain drugs.  You will also want to make sure your dog does not ingest horse feces, because horses are treated with large quantities of Ivermectin and the drug is eliminated from their bodies in their feces.

 

Herding breeds at risk:
Australian Shepherds
Collies (rough and smooth)
English Shepherds
German Shepherds
Long-haired Whippets
McNabbs
Shetland Sheepdogs
Silken Windhounds
and any mixed-breeds with any of these breeds in their ancestry.

 

Dogs with the MDR1 Gene Defect should avoid the following drugs:

 Class A

Ivermectin substances (antiparasitics, such as Diapec, Ecomectin, Equimax, Ivomec, Noromectin, Paramectine, Qualimec, Sumex, Virbamec)

Doramectine substances (antiparasitics such as Dectomax)

Loperamide substances (antidiarrheal, such as Imodium)

Moxidectine substances (antiparasitcs such as Cydectin, Equest, Flagyl)

 

Class B (used only under CLOSE supervision of veterinarian):

Cytostatics (chemotherapy)

Immunosuppressive (Cyclosporine A)

Heart glycosides (Digoxine, Methldigoxine)

Opiods (Morphium)

Antiarrthymics (Verapamil, Diltiazem, Chinidine)

Antiemetics (Ondansetron, Domperidon, Metoclopramide)

Antibiotics (Sparfloxacin, Grepafloxacin, Erythromycin)

Antihistamin (Ebastin)

Glucocortoid (Dexamethason)

Acepromazine (tranquilizer and pre-anesthetic agent)

Butorphanol (analgesic and pre-anesthetic agent)

Etopside

Mitoxantrone

Ondansetron

Paclitaxel

Rifampicin

 

Class C (used in permitted application form and dose):

Selamectin

Milbemax

Advocate

 

When choosing a veterinarian for your dog, please make sure they are educated on the MDR1 mutation and know which drugs pose a risk to your dog.  You should also keep a list when you are traveling with your dog, because not every veterinarian is aware of these potentially harmful drugs and in some emergency situations time is limited.

Answers to our previous post!

Thank you for all who gave our game a try!  (And for those who haven't tried to answer the challenge, you can see the previous post.  But don't look at the answers below!)

1) Captain
2) Abby
3) Scarlett
4) Kori
5) Holly
6) Ryder

Congratulations Rebecca Epperly at Tails of Teach and Key West Collies for getting each name correct!