Cherry Eye

Cherry eye is where the gland of the third eyelid prolapses or comes out of its normal position and swells.  This probably occurs due to a weakness in the connective tissue that attaches the gland to the surrounding structure of the eye.  Surgical replacement of the gland is the best choice for treatment and should be done early.  In most cases antibiotics are not effective for correcting the problem.

Useful Tip From Brandykegs

Dogs feel very safe in a crate.  I recommend having a crate for your home and your vehicle.  I have the extra large crates in our home, 54”x35”x45”.  Yes, that is a big crate and it does takes up a bit of space.  We have fixed the flooring in the crates with tile, making them cool for the dogs and easy to keep clean.  Our dogs readily go in these crates, they love them.  We use them during the night and in the daytime when we have to run an errand.  Crates can be very useful for people who keep their pets in their home; they should never be used as a permanent place to keep an animal.  

Tip provided by Brandykegs Saint Bernards.

Tip From Brandykegs

Dogs thrive in a structured environment.  It might seem dull and humdrum to us, but they like the same routine day after day.  They like to be fed at the same time every day, exercised same thing.  Our dogs love their daily routine; it’s a dog’s life.

Tip provided by Brandykegs Saint Bernards.

Useful Tip From Brandykegs

Dry flaking skin on your dogs’ coat needs attention.  Try giving them fish oil, good source of omega 3.  The soft jelly type capsules are easy to add to their diet, I give them with their dog food.  You might find it beneficial to use a sensitive skin body wash product for their baths.  The dog food you use also affects their coat, use a quality product.  So many owners complain about the cost of a quality food, but there are so many benefits like healthy coats.  Many times you don’t need to feed as many cups with a quality dog food, and often you see lower stool volume.


Tip provided by Brandykegs Saint Bernards.

Tip From Brandykegs

Pick up after your puppy or dog!  You want to keep the environment they live in sanitary.  Make sure when you are out on a walk you bring along pick-up bags.  In recent years I have observed that most people have pick-up bags and use them.  I am not so sure about people’s yards, I had one neighbor whose entire backyard had feces everywhere.  I think a lot of people who have gardeners expect them to pick of their yards, unless that is part of the contract they don’t. On hot days a yard that is not picked up can create a nasty odor problem; keep that in mind and be a good neighbor and keep your yard picked up. 

Tip provided by Brandykegs Saint Bernards.

Useful Tip From Brandykegs

Veteran breeders will tell you to keep your healthy dog away from veterinarian clinics.  The reason is quite simple; this is where sick animals are.  You do not want to expose your healthy dog to an unhealthy environment.  There is just an incredible amount out there that is contagious.  Many veterinarian clinics recommend seeing your dog a couple of times a year; I personally do not feel that is necessary for a healthy animal.  The veterinarian industry has become a huge industry.  In many cases they take advantage of their clients, counting on the fact that we will empty our pockets for our dogs.  Many veterinarians will tell you it is necessary to vaccinate for parvo or bordetella every six months this is not necessary, once a year is sufficient.  It is unfortunate that the veterinarian industry has become so greedy for our dollars.  Most of us want to insure our dogs stay healthy and we make the effort to achieve that goal.  There are too many cases of unnecessary vaccinations being given, repeated lab work, dental cleaning to older dogs where anesthesia is given and is dangerous, telling you to buy their special prescription dog food, etc., etc.  We need good veterinarians for when our dogs are sick, to perform surgeries, diagnose diseases, do lab work, prescribe medications, and vaccinations.  You would think with just those things they would be making a profit, so why pressure all us into unnecessary visits and procedures?  The independent veterinary clinics are disappearing across this country and being replaced by large conglomerates, and like all big business their main goal is to make money and lots of it.

Tip From Brandykegs

Finding the right vet for your large breed dog is quite a challenge.  I recommend taking the time to do some screening.  The last thing you need is to have a vet assigned to you who is specialized in miniature breeds, this has actually happened to me.  A couple of things to look for, examining rooms that have tables that can be lowered to the floor so your large dog can be placed on it and secured, then raised for an examination.  It is also helpful if the scales they have for weighing pets are one they simply step up on.  Take a tour of the facility, look at the examining rooms, the hospital area, and boarding facilities, find out if they do in-house lab work or if it is sent out.  Check to see if they can do x-rays for large breeds.  Find out which veterinarians are taking on more clients; arrange to talk with them briefly. You will want to know their operating hours.  Are they open on weekends, what about holidays?  Do they handle emergencies?  It is important to find a veterinarian that you feel confident in their knowledge and experience and also that you feel comfortable with.  Your pet’s reaction to them is a good barometer as to whether they are right for you as well.


Tip provided by Brandykegs Saint Bernards.

Tip From Brandykegs

Bathing your dog regularly is a good idea.  I like to use the soft squishy facial poufs (they are usually made out of soft nylon) to apply the shampoo.  This allows me to use a smaller amount of shampoo, but there is still plenty of shampoo for good cleaning and suds.  You should always plan to spend more time rinsing your dog than soaping them.  You don’t want to leave any shampoo on their coat or skin.  Regular bathing of your dog allows you to observe the onset of skin irritations or the beginning of tissue growths.  These are the sorts of problems you want to catch early and take care of them.

Tip provided by Brandykegs Saint Bernards.

North Texas St. Bernard Club Specialty

The North Texas St. Bernard Club is hosting a Specialty Show today, Friday, March 23, 2012.  Lynn Jech will be judging the Specialty Show.  Luane Williams will be judging Sweepstakes.  The Specialty Show is being held at Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas.  Good luck to the exhibitors from Brandykegs!

Useful Tip From Brandykegs

Vitamin E oil is terrific for hair re-growth on your dog.  Dogs get scrapes and scratches, or hot spots and many times a bald spot is left behind.  Apply Vitamin E oil once or twice daily to the area and the hair will re-grow.  This tip was shared to me by a veteran breeder.

Tip provided by Brandykegs.