Yellow or Red? Which is it?
Although we have a passion for the dark shade yellow Labradors. The ones often called Fox Red, they are all yellow Labradors. There are so many shades of yellow and they are all beautiful. I believe there are only three colors of Labradors: Yellow, Black, and Chocolate.
Finding the right puppy for you and your home is one of my most important jobs. Color, although striking is not the most important part of your future puppy.
Personality is by far the most important. If you have a puppy that is the right color and the right fit it is great. If you have a puppy that is not the right fit for your home, it doesn’t matter what color they are it just doesn’t work.
This is a true story. I had a father and young daughter come to look at my last puppy, from a litter. The little girl, about 5, was a beautiful child, full of life and energy. Running and jumping and so happy to be getting a puppy. They were here for awhile and in my heart I knew there was a problem. My last puppy was shy. She kept running and hiding from the little girl. I told her father, as gently as possible, I couldn’t sell her THIS puppy. It was so sad to disappoint that little girl. She wanted that puppy, but I couldn’t in good faith let her have it. To say the least Dad was not happy, and they left. …….A few months later I was in a store and this same man came up to me and asked if I remembered him? I did, and he replied ” I just want to shake your hand and say THANK YOU.” You see he did not understand what I was saying until he went to their next puppy visit. There they found a very out going puppy. She climbed all over that sweet little girl. He understood what I had been saying about being the RIGHT fit. He said the second puppy sleeps overnight with his daughter, they are always together. He GOT IT. I won’t compromise on fit. I owe it to both your and my puppies to find the right fit.
EIC (What is it?)
Exercise Intolerence Collapse
A syndrome of exercise intolerance and collapse (EIC) has been recognized in young adult Labrador Retrievers.
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WHO GETS IT?
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The syndrome of exercise intolerance and collapse (EIC) is being observed with increasing frequency in young adult Labrador Retrievers. Most, but not all, affected dogs have been from field-trial breedings. Black, yellow and chocolate Labradors of both sexes are affected, with the distribution of colors and sexes closely reflecting the typical distribution in field trials (black males most common). Signs become apparent in young dogs as they encounter heavy training or strenuous activity – usually between 5 months and 3 years of age (average 14 months). In dogs used for field trials, this usually coincides with the age at which they enter heavy training. Littermates and other related dogs are commonly affected but depending on their temperament and lifestyle may or may not manifest symptoms. Affected dogs exhibiting symptoms of collapse are usually described as being extremely fit, muscular, prime athletic specimens of their breed with an excitable temperament and lots of drive.
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DESCRIPTION OF COLLAPSE
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Affected dogs can tolerate mild to moderate exercise, but 5 to 20 minutes of strenuous exercise with excitement induces weakness and then collapse. Severely affected dogs may collapse whenever they are exercised to this extent – other dogs only exhibit collapse sporadically and all of the factors important in inducing an episode have not yet been well established.
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The first thing noted is usually a rocking or forced gait. The rear limbs then become weak and unable to support weight. Many affected dogs will continue to run while dragging their back legs. Some of the dogs appear to be incoordinated, especially in the rear limbs, with a wide-based, long stride rather than the short, stiff strides typically associated with muscle weakness. In some dogs the rear limb collapse progresses to forelimb weakness and occasionally to a total inability to move. Some dogs appear to have a loss of balance and may fall over, particularly as they recover from collapse. Most collapsed dogs are totally conscious and alert, still trying to run and retrieve but as many as 25% of affected dogs will appear stunned or disoriented during the episode.
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It is common for the symptoms to worsen for 3 to 5 minutes even after exercise has been terminated. NOTE: A few affected dogs have died during exercise or while resting immediately after an episode of exercise-induced collapse so an affected dog’s exercise should ALWAYS be stopped at the first hint of incoordination or wobbliness
Most dogs recover quickly and are usually normal within 5 to 25 minutes with no residual weakness or stiffness. Dogs are not painful during the collapse or after recovery. Massage of the muscles or palpation of the joints or spine is not uncomfortable. Affected dogs are not stiff or sore or limping upon recovery.
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Body Temperature
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Body temperature is normal at rest in dogs with EIC but is almost always dramatically increased at the time of collapse (temperature >41.5 C, >107.6F). We have shown experimentally, however, that clinically normal Labrador Retrievers doing this type of exercise for 10 minutes routinely had similar dramatic elevations in body temperature yet exhibited no signs of weakness , collapse or disorientation. Dogs with EIC will pant hard during the time of collapse, in an attempt to cool off, but this is similar to normal dogs exercised in the same manner. The time it takes for dogs with EIC to return to their resting temperature after exercise is not different from normal dogs. Although temperature may play some role in EIC, and may contribute to the death of some affected dogs, inability to properly regulate temperature does not appear to be the underlying problem in dogs with EIC.
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FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO COLLAPSE IN DOGS WITH EIC
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Ambient Temperature. Actual ambient temperature does not seem to be a critical factor contributing to collapse, but if the temperature is much warmer or the humidity is much higher than what the dog is accustomed to, collapse may be more likely. Affected dogs are less likely to collapse while swimming than when being exercised on land. There are dogs, however, who have exhibited collapse while breaking ice retrieving waterfowl in frigid temperatures and there are dogs who have drowned when experiencing EIC -related collapse in the water.
Excitement. Dogs that exhibit the symptoms of EIC are most likely to have intense, excitable personalities, and it is apparent that their level of excitement plays a role in inducing the collapse. There are some severely affected dogs who, if they are very excited, do not require much exercise to induce the collapse. Dogs with EIC are most likely to collapse when engaging in activities that they find very exciting or stressful. This can include retrieving of live birds, participation in field trials, training drills with electric collar pressure and quartering for upland game.
Type of Exercise. Routine exercise like jogging, hiking, swimming , most waterfowl hunting and even agility or flyball training are not very likely to induce an episode in dogs with EIC. Activities with continuous intense exercise , particularly if accompanied by a high level of excitement or anxiety most commonly cause collapse. Activities commonly implicated include grouse or pheasant hunting, repetitive “happy retrieves”, retrieving drills or repetition of difficult marks or blinds where the dog is being repeatedly corrected or is anticipating collar correction, and running alongside an ATV.
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VETERINARY EVALUATION OF AFFECTED DOGS/DIAGNOSIS
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Twenty affected dogs have undergone extensive testing before and after exercise at the WCVM. Nervous system, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal examinations are unremarkable in dogs with EIC as is routine blood analysis at rest and during an episode of collapse. These dogs do not experience heart rhythm abnormalities, low blood sugar, electrolyte disturbances or respiratory difficulty that could explain their collapse. Body temperature is remarkably elevated during collapse (average 107.1F, many up to 108F), but this has been found in normal exercise-tolerant Labradors as well. Affected dogs hyperventilate and experience dramatic alterations in their blood carbon dioxide concentration (decreased) and their blood pH (increased) but these changes were also observed in the normal exercising dogs. Testing for the neuromuscular disorder myasthenia gravis is negative. Thyroid gland function and adrenal gland cortisol production appear to be normal. Affected dogs are negative for the genetic mutation known to cause malignant hyperthermia in dogs (a different muscle disorder). Metabolic testing of blood and muscle from affected dogs before and after exercise suggests that these dogs may have a defect in the chemical reactions necessary for energy production in their muscles and in their brain. The precise defect has not been identified and the changes are mild and not conclusive. Further investigation is ongoing.
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At this time (until we develop a genetic test) EIC can only be diagnosed by ruling out all other muscle disorders and by observing characteristic clinical features, history and laboratory test results in affected dogs. Any dog with exercise intolerance should always have a complete veterinary evaluation to rule-out joint diseases, heart failure, anemia, heart rhythm disturbances, respiratory problems, low blood sugar , myasthenia gravis, hypoadrenocorticism (low cortisol), other muscle diseases and other systemic disorders.
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LONG TERM OUTLOOK
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Symptomatic dogs are rarely able to continue training or competition. It seems that if affected dogs are removed from training and not exercised excessively the condition will not progress and they will be fine as pets. They are able to continue to live pretty normal lives, if owners limit their intense exercise and excitement. Many dogs will seem to “get better” as they age and slow down their activity and their excitement level. It is important that owners of dogs with EIC be made aware that the dog’s exercise should be stopped at the first hint of incoordination or wobbliness as some affected dogs have died during collapse when their owners allowed or encouraged continuing exercise. Not all of the EIC deaths have occurred in dogs rated as severely affected based on their number of episodes of collapse or the amount of activity required to induce an episode.
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TREATMENT
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As the actual biochemical defect underlying EIC is still unknown, it is difficult to recommend an effective treatment. Owners of some affected dogs have reported that if they feed their dogs a higher fat diet and/or keep more weight on their dog, that the episodes may be more difficult to induce. The best treatment in most dogs consists of avoiding intensive exercise in conjunction with extreme excitement and ending exercise at the first sign of weakness/wobbliness. A few dogs have, however, responded to medical treatment to the degree that they can re-enter training and competition at a high level.
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Written permission for use of article was granted by Susan Taylor, DVM
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Clear
Genotype: N / N [ Homozygous normal ]
The dog is noncarrier of the mutant gene.
The dog will never develop Exercise Induced Collapse ( EIC ) and therefore it can be bred to any other dog.
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Carrier
Genotype: N / EIC [ Heterozygous ]
The dog carries one copy of the mutant gene and one copy of the normal gene.
The dog will never develop Exercise Induced Collapse ( EIC ) but since it carries the mutant gene, it can pass it on to its offspring with the probability of 50%.Carriers should only be bred to clear dogs.
Avoid breeding carrier to carrier because 25% of their offspring is expected to be affected (see table above)
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Affected
Genotype: EIC / EIC [ Homozygous mutant ]
The dog carries two copies of the mutant gene and therefore it will pass the mutant gene to its entire offspring.
The dog will develop Exercise Induced Collapse ( EIC ) and will pass the mutant gene to its entire offspring.
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Kansas Red Moon Recomended Vaccination Information
VACCINATIONS
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Due to our Vets recommendations we give their first shots, He recommends shots be given at 7 weeks and 10 weeks, contact your local vet for more information.
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All Labrador puppies need to be vaccinated against disease according to the schedule provided by your veterinarian. Your veterinarian may provide routine vaccinations for canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, coronavirus, Para influenza, Bordetella, Lyme disease and rabies. Remember, most vaccines must be given over a period of time and require multiple veterinary visits. So check with your veterinarian and get ready for a happy, rewarding friendship with your pet.
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Newborn Labrador puppies receive disease-fighting antibodies from their mother’s milk. These antibodies normally last only six to sixteen weeks, however. After that, your puppy needs vaccinations to help protect him from disease
ID Chips
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Your puppy will be coming with ID chips for you to register with AKC upon registering your puppies. Once registered it would give you help in getting your puppy back if somehow they are ever lost. One of the important reasons for registering you puppy with AKC and including this number is they do not require an annual fee to maintain. Once they have it, it is always recorded.