Finding a Mastiff Breeder; The Story of Mack and Murph

Written by my friend Kelley Watkins

Hello fellow Mastiff lovers… A few posts I’ve read recently inspired me to share our story about our two boys, Mack and Murph, whom we lost this past November. My husband Scott and I have talked to so many Mastiff breeders these last three months, and we have been following several Mastiff groups on FB.

So please excuse my very lengthy story below, but I was reading a post on Facebook by another member this past week about finding a reputable breeder and about health testing, and I was so motivated to try to make a DIFFERENCE. I can tell you from firsthand experience – if you do not find a reputable breeder, if you do not do your research, and you do not insist on the health testing that is recommended for this breed (you can refer to http://www.htpuppiescb.com), you are doing yourself and this glorious breed a huge disservice. There are countless back yard breeders and puppy mills out there – please do not support them (and yes, many of them do have fancy websites and even some show titles, and naturally they are going to be very kind so they can sell you a puppy). You MAY have to pay a bit more from a reputable breeder, but the truth is, mastiffs are expensive, and if someone is offering you one for cheap, it is a RED FLAG. Also, be concerned more with how much it costs to OWN a mastiff, not how much to buy one. Please make sure, financially, not only can you maintain the regular costs, but the possible and unexpected costs as well. Please do not allow yourself to end up in a position where you must surrender your mastiff because of these ‘unexpected’ issues. I am not trying to scare you away; if anything I have tried to convince everyone I know that the mastiff is the most glorious breed you will ever have the honor of knowing. But if you are not prepared to manage the expenses and commitments that are associated with owning a giant breed, simply wait until you can.

Scott and I were so naïve 11 years ago when we bought our first mastiff, and second mastiff, from a back yard breeder guy/wife near Pittsburgh. We are sharing our experience for many reasons; one being that hopefully others won’t make the same mistakes we made and also so potential owners have realistic expectations of just how difficult it can be if you don’t do your due diligence. I will say right now that I definitely do not believe our experience is typical or even close to average. But it DID happen to us, and the expenses and heartache can be very difficult; we never spent a moment complaining (maybe crying) and certainly never a moment spent on regret. And while nothing is guaranteed (no matter who the breeder or the length of the health testing), I urge you to commit to doing it right from the beginning, supporting the right folks, and starting out with the best possible chances if you are going to purchase a mastiff puppy.

We are hoping that by sharing our story, we will help raise awareness, which will decrease support of BYBs and PMs, which will decrease the number of unhealthy mastiffs being bred, which will FINALLY, in turn, greatly reduce illness and suffering in our breed – AND turnovers to shelters. Also, we have obviously been through a lot of health issues with our mastiffs; and while we are not experts of any kind, we do have quite a bit of knowledge and experience in certain areas. It would be our pleasure to help anyone we can, especially because we see it as a way to HONOR OUR TWO BEAUTIFUL BOYS and everything they were through.

So, our story: We decided we wanted a mastiff in 2003 and almost immediately found a breeder online - awesome website, super nice guy/family, lots of pictures of beautiful dogs, cute puppies and stories from happy owners. We bought a fawn male from him in May, Mack, and we were instantly in LOVE. So much that we decided on a second apricot mastiff, Murph, who we brought home the following February. They were instant best friends. According to the breeder they had the same father - but we were never able to obtain the promised and paid-for AKC papers for Mack. We later learned he came from North or South Carolina, not Pittsburgh where this breeder was from.

At 1.5 years old we noticed Mack was straining to pee; we took him to an emergency clinic where they found his urethra was completely blocked with cysteine stones and he was diagnosed with Cystinuria within a few days. The clinic did emergency surgery to remove the stones and kept him a few days with a catheter. They removed the catheter and we brought him home, only for his urethra to block again from swelling. He spent a few more days at our regular vets office with the catheter, hoping the damage from the stones would heal, but it didn't. Next we went to Veterinary Referral Center (VRC) near Philadelphia for a CT scan and they confirmed that he wasn’t healing… So we took him to Cornell on another emergency basis. They did yet another MAJOR reconstructive emergency surgery and said it could go either way. He was hospitalized for over a week in ICU but he pulled through. They had to give him a stoma - which is when they re-route a male’s urethra to go straight down so they pee like a female dog. He had a very tough recovery, severe bruising at the surgical site, and they told us they were sure it was because he also had Von Willebrands disease.

In the meantime, after some extensive allergy testing, we were treating our apricot dog, Murph, with monthly allergy shots. Then at 3 years old he blew out his cruciate ligament... Back to Cornell for TPLO surgery and several days in the hospital, plus months of follow up and rehab. During this time, the specialists at Cornell told us he also had hip dysplasia. Murph recovered from the surgery beautifully and never had another problem with either cruciate ligament, thankfully, although he did live with and we were able to manage his arthritis with medications and supplements for several years.

Next, at 5 years old, Mack was diagnosed with diabetes. First we had to regulate his insulin dosage (Vetsulin, insulin for dogs), which meant 2-3 days a week twice-a-day glucose checks at our vet’s office @ $70/day, times several months to start, down to weekly visits, monthly visits – but he never did regulate on the Vetsulin and we were in for glucose checks constantly. Mack was on Vetsulin for his diabetes for YEARS – his dosage was SO HIGH because of his size that I would buy 10 vials at a time just to be sure we never ran out, and I think the vials were around $50 each – one vial lasted not even a week. Eventually Vetsulin was taken off the market because animals couldn’t regulate on it, and we switched to a human-grade insulin and had excellent results. Anyway, the worst part of all of it was that the diet for diabetes and Cystinuria are in DIRECT contrast to one another, therefore we struggled for the rest of his life trying to keep the diabetes under control and with constant urinary tract infections. So for 9 years we had been paying for veterinarian prescribe prescription diet for Mack – along with an costly food because of Murph’s grain allergies. (Interesting to mention here that we have since learned that neutering males with Cystinuria basically stops stone formation. We did consult with 2 dieticians over the years, but they apparently, unfortunately, were unaware of this).

At age 8 Mack lost his vision due to the diabetes. At first we were crushed, but soon learned that veterinary ophthalmologists can replace a dog’s cataracts the same as is done with humans. We met the wonderful ophthalmologist at Veterinary Referral Center (VRC) and Mack had his sight back a few weeks later. It felt like a blessing!

Immediately after the surgery, however, noticed Mack was having trouble with his hind legs, dragging his feet, obviously loss of strength. The concern was an issue with his hips or back so the specialist sent him for an MRI. When he came out of the MRI he could barely walk - he had almost zero use of his hind legs. We met with an orthopedic surgeon at VRC and he believed Mack's problem was neuropathy from the diabetes, somehow complicated and exasperated from being under deep anesthesia – first with the eye surgery and then with the MRI. We carried Mack with 2 slings for almost a week, and then sure enough, he started to regain strength, and within 2-3 weeks he was back to okay.

At 8 and 9 years old Murph and Mack both went in for removal of 'lumps'. Mack had one on his thigh, which turned out to be benign. The tumor on Murph's chest, however, was a malignant soft tissue sarcoma. After 18 rounds of radiation and 3 weeks stay at Cornell (home on weekends), we did achieve a cure for Murph. Yeah!

At almost 10 years old Mack developed another lump in the exact same spot on his thigh; unfortunately, this time the tumor was malignant - another soft tissue sarcoma, level 3. The entire story surrounding the surgery our local vet did is another story in and of itself, but in short, he left a diabetic dog with an open wound and sent him home without use of his hind legs (we told him not to do the surgery if he had to use deep sedation, that we would just go to Cornell, but he did it anyway). We were furious. We once again carried Mack with the slings and nursed him back to health for a week, but he took an ABRUPT turn for the worse in about 12 hours time and we had no idea why, except that his wound suddenly smelled and he could hardly walk or breath. My husband drove Mack to Cornell at 2am where he stayed in ICU for 8 days. They had to completely reopen the wound, perform yet another surgery, and place a vacuumed catheter to remove the infection. The doctors didn't think he would make it do to the severity of his infection (as it turned out, Mack already had a urinary tract infection and our vet should have check first given Mack's history with recurring UTIs; that surgery never should have been done in the first place). Again, after lengthy anesthesia, he lost use of his back legs, and it was another 2-3 weeks of slings to get the big guy around. But he pulled through once again, and once again proved to us that he had a stronger will to live than any soul we've ever known. I always teased he was secretly a cat, with 9 lives.

After Mack's diagnosis of a grade-3 soft tissue sarcoma in March of 2013 we were at a loss for what to do. Due to the aggressiveness of his tumor the doctors gave us 3 months. We were devastated beyond words. We always did anything and everything we could for our boys, but anything we did at this point for him was simply palliative. We did have the option of amputating his leg, but the doctors advised strongly against it because of his diabetes, neuropathy, and issues with deep sedation. Our only other option was palliative radiation, which would give us an additional 0-3 months, and we didn’t want him gone, in a hospital, for 3 weeks if we only had 3 months left with him. The tumor continued to grow but Mack was doing great. After a few months we heard of a drug called Palladia, it's not chemotherapy but a very new and exciting anti-cancer drug. Palladia is typically used to treat mast cell tumors. It is VERY expensive; from a specialty clinic clients will pay up to $40/50mg pill. Mack, because of his size (yet only 155 pounds at the time) was on 9 of these pills a week. And that was only one of the SEVERAL medications he was on. (I mention the costs because there are less expensive ways to acquire this medication, so if you or anyone you know needs or uses it, PLEASE just ask and Scott or I will share our experience…) Anyway, we started Mack on the Palladia and noticed the tumor stopped growing and his very enlarged lymph node in his belly did as well. Once again we felt very blessed.

But the Thursday before Thanksgiving, Murph had a seizure. We took him to a local emergency clinic - he was acting very strange and we noticed his belly was sensitive. The doctor there told us he was just acting post-ichtal, or post-seizure, and sent him home, but the following morning we were just not feeling good about Murph's condition. We brought him to a different emergency clinic where the discovered gastric torsion; he had surgery immediately. He was in the hospital for 5 days, and developed pneumonia, but was recovering well so we were able to bring him home the night before Thanksgiving. Two days after Thanksgiving however, he took a rapid turn for the worse, so we went back to the clinic, where they discovered he was throwing blood clots into his lungs and intestines. We had no choice, he was suffering and there was nothing they could do. We held our beloved big red dog as we cried and said goodbye.

When we got home we could tell Mack knew... he wouldn't leave Murph's bed and was obviously heartbroken. Two nights later Mack had a seizure - we were not too worried as he'd had two seizures previously and recovered immediately. (At his age and health condition - and once again complications due to anesthesia – our doctors didn't want to sedate him for an MRI of his brain. Because the seizures were 'innocent', they told us to just keep an eye on him). The following morning he had two more seizures, 45 minutes apart, and they left him with no use of his back legs. We went back to the emergency clinic and the neurologist believed the cancer had metastasized to his brain, and that the final seizure/s had caused and embolism to travel down his spine, and that was why he couldn't use his hind legs. We were beyond devastated, how could we be here again, 2 1/2 days later? He had fought his fight and outlived everyone’s expectations - 9 months. It was time to say goodbye to our first baby, and it was the hardest thing we've ever done. I would do anything to have our two boys back - I would do it ALL over again if I could just have them. That would be heaven.

Over the past 8 years I have made countless trips to Cornell, a 2.5 hour drive, and to VRC near Philadelphia, 2 hours - on average once a month. So much so that I can truthfully say I have made some true friends in some of the doctors, nurses and technicians. During this entire time we also welcomed into our family 4 beautiful children, which definitely made a lot of the traveling and lengthy appointment times stressful and difficult - but we found doctors that were wonderful and compassionate. The truth was, Mack and Murph were our first babies and we were committed to doing anything and everything we could to keep them stay happy and healthy. We did what we had to, to make it work.

So… we encourage you to find a breeder who is honest, kind and knowledgeable, someone who has vast experience and understands the breed, someone who is willing to communicate and stay in touch after you purchase a puppy, and of course someone who is responsible and committed to taking advantage of the health testing available. I’m here to tell you the great news is they are out there! Just do your research and ask a lot of questions.

THANK YOU for taking the time to read our Mastiff Love Story, all the best to our mastiff friends! Kelley and Scott

Vaccination Protocol for Our Mastiffs and Puppies

We believe in raising our Mastiffs as naturally as possible.  This means we raise our dogs on a raw diet and vaccinate minimally.  When you get a puppy from Gryphon Mastiffs the puppy is on a modified version of Dr. Jean Dodd, DVM’s vaccination protocol.  However, instead of using the combination shot she recommends (Nobivac – Distemper and Parvo in one shot) we vaccinate for each illness separately to keep from introducing 2 different deadly virus’s into the puppies system at once.   

At 6-7 weeks your puppy will be vaccinated with NeoVacc-D (for Distemper) and at 8-9 weeks with NeoPar (for Parvo).  At 11 weeks your puppy will need a booster of the NeoVacc-D and at 13 weeks a booster with the NeoPar.  We strongly advise to keep your puppy on Vitamin C during this entire time to help keep their immune systems strong (as both these vaccines are modified LIVE virus’s).  We also recommend you pre-treat your pupy with the oral homeopathic Thuja to help blunt any adverse effects of the vaccines. Thuja can be given the day before, the day of, and the day after the vaccine to help prevent vaccine reactions.

At 20 weeks (or older if your state allows) your puppy will need a rabies vaccine.  The only mercury free vaccine on the market is the Merial IMRAB TF vaccination. You can pre-treat your puppy this time with the oral homeopathics, Thuja and Lyssin, to help blunt any adverse effects of the rabies vaccine. These homeopathics can be given the day before, the day of, and the day after the vaccine.  

At one year the protocol above can be repeated (we recommend titering instead of vaccinating if your state allows it on all vaccinations, however many states and municipalities require a rabies vaccination), but make sure each vaccine is given at least 3 weeks apart.  Repeat the oral homeopathies listed above.

Sometimes it is difficult to find a veterinarian who gives single virus vaccinations per this vaccination protocol.  Many vets are still using outdated data in regards to vaccinating. All twenty seven (27) of the Veterinary Schools in the United States have adopted these drastically modified protocols of Dr. Jean Dodd. If your Vet is willing to work with you and do what’s best for your puppy or dog, you or your veterinarian can purchase these vaccinations online from such places as Revival Animal Health or KV Vet Supply. Your vet can then administer the shot.

If your vet is pushing you to over-vaccinate please do your research or contact us (or ultimately find a new vet).  Remember, YOU are the advocate for your dog.​  NOT your vet, NOT the vaccine companies, NOT the dog food companies (all profit based businesses). YOU and YOU alone are your dog’s advocate. Many vets follow what they learned in vet school 20+ years ago. Many vets follow the protocol’s set forth by the dog food companies (specifically Science Diet in many areas). Many vets don’t know there is a difference in the way you treat and medicate a giant breed vs. any other breed. Many vets don’t know the nutritional requirement for a growing giant breed, NOT the same thing as a large breed.  Many vets don’t know that there are numerous Anesthesia’s’ that are unsafe for use in Mastiffs.  And finally, the person at the pet store is NOT qualified to give you advice as to what to feed your pet.  They always try to do it, but what qualification do they have?  It is YOUR job as your dog’s advocate to make sure the right decisions are being made in regards to the well-being of your family member.  If your vet or anyone else is trying to bully or push you into decisions that don’t make you feel comfortable trust your instincts and find a second opinion. 

Again, the vaccines we recommend using if you have to vaccinate your puppy:

• Distemper Shot: NeoVacc-D by NeoTech – available online from such places as Revival Animal Health or KV Vet Supply.
• Single Parvo Shot: NeoPar by Neotech – available online from such places as Revival Animal Health or KV Vet Supply.
• Rabies Vaccine:  thimerosal (mercury) – free – i.e. Merial IMRAB TF.  

For anyone intersted, Dr. Jean Dodd, DVM’s vaccination protocol can be found at http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/66693331640/dodds-dog-vaccination-protocol-2013-2014#.UwURMvaYbVg

Exercising Your Mastiff Puppy

Proper exercise is especially important the first 18 to 20 months of your Mastiff puppy's life. Mastiffs grow extremely rapidly the first 18 months in height and continue to grow in overall size and weight until 3 to 3 1/2 years of age. During this time of rapid growth your puppy will literally grow up to 150-200 times the size it was at birth.   

Within this time period your Mastiff should not engage in heavy amounts of running, jumping or any other strenuous exercises.  It is safe to save these types of activities until after the age of 18 months. Joints and growing bones are extremely prone to prone to injury, and an injury during puppyhood could affect your dog for its entire life. You should not allow your puppy to jump off elevated areas including couches, beds, trucks or higher vehicles, etc.  Also your puppy should not be allowed to climb up and down stairs on a regular basis. Additionally, in order to prevent joint or ligament injuries, Mastiffs of all ages should not be allowed to play or spend significant amounts of time on slippery surfaces like tile, linoleum or hardwood.

While Mastiffs are supposed to be massive dogs, it is imperative to not allow your Mastiff puppy (or any adult for that matter) to become overweight as this places unnecessary stress on the growth plates, bones and joints.

So after all that you may be thinking you should just lock you puppy in a padded room until they are an adult, but it is important for your puppy to get adequate exercise. A lack of exercise can create just as many issues as receiving too much or improper exercise. Exercise is required for a puppy to develop proper muscle tone and bone structure to carry its adult weight and be a strong healthy, active dog.  I recommend starting your puppy out with short walks (less than a block).  If after a while he seems to handle the block walk well, increase the distance and see how he does. Some things to remember are; your puppy may seem like he wants to keep going and playing, but he does not understand that over exercise can be hard on his body.  After all, his is just a puppy and the only thing on his mind is go, go, go, play, play, play! Be careful to stop when the dog shows signs of fatigue; a rule of thumb is never walk your Mastiff farther than you can carry them home!

Particular care must also be taken to insure that a puppy is not injured or over-tired by play with another dog. Never leave a puppy under the age of 6 months alone with adult dogs. Always supervise interaction to prevent injury to the puppy.

When it comes to children, although your puppy may look big, they are just as fragile as any other baby animal.  Do not allow children to pull on the legs, jump on, or lie on your puppy (or any dog for that matter). Long term permanent injury could result. Always supervise your children (both the very young and the older) and teach them proper interactions with your puppy. Teasing, hitting at, and causing harm can cause your puppy to have a permanent antisocial temperament. A puppy should receive love and positive reinforcement from all members of its family.

The time, expense, and care you provide these first few months determines a great deal of the overall size, health, soundness, and longevity of your dog.

Spay or Neutering Your Mastiff or Other Giant Breed Dog

I wanted to do a quick edit to this specific blog because I think is it a very important topic.  I wanted to add a link to an article recently published by The Dog Place; Rethinking Spay and Neuter.

A lot of new pet owners are under the assumption that they should have their new puppy spayed or neutered by the age of six months.  This timeframe has been preached by vets, animal shelters, rescue organizations and numerous other sources for ages.  The funny thing is that there is no real proof that this is the magic age to alter your pet. 

It is EXTREMELY important that you do not alter your Mastiff until at least 18 months of age, and preferably after 2 years of age.  The growth plates in a giant breed dog are regulated by hormones.  If you chose to remove those hormones by spaying or neutering your Mastiff  prior to completion of growth you are asking for numerous joint, bone and growth issues down the line.

The first thing that can happen is you get a Mastiff that is as tall as a Great Dane and not much wider.  The hormones that tell the growth plates to stop growing upward are removed when the animal is altered, so the bones just keep going up and up. Don't care about appearance?  Check out what else could occur should you chose to alter your pet prematurely.

There is a very good article published by the National Animal Interest Alliance titled Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay / Neuter in Dogs. (Laura J. Sanborn M.S. May 14, 2007) Here is a summary of the article:

“SUMMARY

An objective reading of the veterinary medical literature reveals a complex situation with respect to the long- term health risks and benefits associated with spay/neuter in dogs. The evidence shows that spay/neuter correlates with both positive AND adverse health effects in dogs. It also suggests how much we really do not yet understand about this subject.

On balance, it appears that no compelling case can be made for neutering most male dogs, especially immature male dogs, in order to prevent future health problems. The number of health problems associated with neutering may exceed the associated health benefits in most cases.

On the positive side, neutering male dogs  

•eliminates the small risk (probably <1%) of dying from testicular cancer
•reduces the risk of non-cancerous prostate disorders
•reduces the risk of perianal fistulas
•may possibly reduce the risk of diabetes (data inconclusive)

On the negative side, neutering male dogs  

•if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a common cancer in medium/large and larger breeds with a poor prognosis.
•increases the risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 1.6
•triples the risk of hypothyroidism
•increases the risk of progressive geriatric cognitive impairment
•triples the risk of obesity, a common health problem in dogs with many associated health problems
•quadruples the small risk (<0.6%) of prostate cancer
•doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract cancers
•increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
•increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations

For female dogs, the situation is more complex. The number of health benefits associated with spaying may exceed the associated health problems in some (not all) cases. On balance, whether spaying improves the odds of overall good health or degrades them probably depends on the age of the female dog and the relative risk of various diseases in the different breeds.

On the positive side, spaying female dogs 

•if done before 2.5 years of age, greatly reduces the risk of mammary tumors, the most common malignant tumors in female dogs
•nearly eliminates the risk of pyometra, which otherwise would affect about 23% of intact female dogs; pyometra kills about 1% of intact female dogs
•reduces the risk of perianal fistulas
•removes the very small risk (0.5%) from uterine, cervical, and ovarian tumors

On the negative side, spaying female dogs
•if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a common cancer in larger breeds with a poor prognosis
•increases the risk of splenic hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 2.2 and cardiac hemangiosarcoma by a factor of >5; this is a common cancer and major cause of death in some breeds
•triples the risk of hypothyroidism
•increases the risk of obesity by a factor of 1.6-2, a common health problem in dogs with many associated health problems
•causes urinary “spay incontinence” in 4-20% of female dogs
•increases the risk of persistent or recurring urinary tract infections by a factor of 3-4
•increases the risk of recessed vulva, vaginal dermatitis, and vaginitis, especially for female dogs spayed before puberty
•doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract tumors
•increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
•increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations

One thing is clear – much of the spay/neuter information that is available to the public is unbalanced and contains claims that are exaggerated or unsupported by evidence. Rather than helping to educate pet owners, much of it has contributed to common misunderstandings about the health risks and benefits associated of spay/neuter in dogs.

The traditional spay/neuter age of six months as well as the modern practice of pediatric spay/neuter appear to predispose dogs to health risks that could otherwise be avoided by waiting until the dog is physically mature, or perhaps in the case of many male dogs, foregoing it altogether unless medically necessary.

The balance of long-term health risks and benefits of spay/neuter will vary from one dog to the next. Breed, age, and gender are variables that must be taken into consideration in conjunction with non-medical factors for each individual dog. Across-the-board recommendations for all pet dogs do not appear to be supportable from findings in the veterinary medical literature.”

A few other statistics I pulled from the article in regards to early spay or neuter and the correlation of Osteocarcenoma are as follows:

“A multi-breed case-control study of the risk factors for osteosarcoma found that spay/neutered dogs (males or females) had twice the risk of developing osteosarcoma as did intact dogs.”

“The researchers suggest a cause-and-effect relationship, as sex hormones are known to influence the maintenance of skeletal structure and mass, and also because their findings showed an inverse relationship between time of exposure to sex hormones and risk of osteosarcoma.”

“Given the poor prognosis of osteosarcoma and its frequency in many breeds, spay/neuter of immature dogs in the medium/large, large, and giant breeds is apparently associated with a significant and elevated risk of death due to osteosarcoma.”

Some other important health aspects related to early spay/neuter are the increased risk of obesity, spay incontinence in female dogs, increased risk of vaccine reactions and other orthopedic issues.

I recommend that any pet and specifically giant breeds such as Mastiffs are NOT to be altered before they are 18 months of age for these reasons.  When it comes to the lifelong health of your pet these highly increased risks are just not worth taking.

Dog Owners, Know the Limitations of Your Veterinarian

Featured on the online pet magazine: Keep the TailWagging!

One of the most important relationships you will have as a pet owner is with your Veterinarian. As a lifelong pet owner, my pet’s health is always one of my biggest concerns.  Is this normal? Am I feeding this right? Is this safe for my pet? OMG, my dog just ate ______ (you can fill in the blank with countless items on that one).  There always seems to be some concern or question I have and generally those questions are best left suited for the professionals, or at least that’s what we are lead to believe.  That’s why it is so important to really know your vet and make sure they are the best fit for your dog’s wellbeing. 

Consider this, the AKC (as a general jumping off point) has 161 different recognized breeds of dogs the last time I checked, but there are many other purebred breeds of dogs registered in the world as well.  Vet schools teach our Veterinarians about dogs, not specific breeds and these 161+ breeds are all a little bit different.  The medical recommendations you would give for a Pomeranian are not the same as the medical recommendations you would give for an English Mastiff.  As a pet owner I’m not saying not to not trust your vet, but do question things that give you concerns.  A good vet, just like a good doctor, should be willing and able to answer any questions you may have, and if need be listen to your suggestions as well. 

As a specific example, my personal Veterinarian has no other Mastiff clients.  There is a very specific list of anesthesia’s that are not safe to use on Mastiffs because of their huge chest cavities, slow circulation and specific inability to metabolize drugs in the normal time frame that other dogs do.  My vet had never heard of this, but was very willing to listen and absorb the information that I provided (from a credited source of course) about this breed specific issue. 

 

It is also good to know the limitations of your veterinarian.  I live in a rural area and my vet is in a small town.  While she can perform most general medical tasks and basic surgeries, when my dog tore her Cruciate Ligament I knew my vet could be of no real help other than a referral, so onto the University we went. And from there onto a referral Veterinarian Specialist Group that only handles orthopedic surgeries, oncology and other emergency type invasive surgeries.  Currently I have 4 different Veterinarian office phone number programmed into my cell phone. Now for most pet owners that may be just a bit of overkill, as a pet mommy, it just makes me feel comfortable. 

 

The point is, that’s all a great vet is, medical expertise with a willingness to learn new things.  Someone who will actually listen to their clients concerns and needs and be the support needed to get through whatever medical crisis your pet may be experiencing. As the only advocate your pet has, it is your responsibility to make sure your veterinarian is the best fit for your fur family.

Unsafe and "Safer" Anesthesia's for the Mastiff

We all know that Mastiffs are not built like a typical dog.  Because of their huge chest cavities and slower circulation due to their sheer size, many Mastiffs have a specific inability to metabolize drugs in the normal time frame that other dogs do.  Below I have compiled a very specific list of anesthesias that I personally consider unsafe or safe (or we’ll say ‘safer’) to use on Mastiffs.  Please remember that any time you put any dog under anesthesia there is a risk, but hopefully if your vet is willing to do a little research and listen to you as a client, that risk can be minimized.  It is your job to be the advocate for your pet, if you vet is unwilling to listen to your concerns or wants to use an anesthesia you aren't comfortable with, in my book that's the only indicator I need to find a new vet fast!

I wanted to note that much of this information was in summary taken from Dr. Robin M. Smith, DVM’s article Anesthesia and the Mastiff; however some is from my own personal experience or experiences of other Mastiff owners I am in communication with.  Here's a link to Dr. Smith's full article if you are interested: Anesthesia and the Mastiff

Anesthesia’s not to be used on Mastiffs

·        Acepromazine (Ace) - lowers blood pressure and dilates blood vessels, making blood pressure even lower.  It also metabolizes very slowly and accumulates in fatty tissues.

·        Xylazine (Rompum) - difficult to dose in giant breeds and makes dog susceptible to heart abnormalities.

·        Sodium Penthathol (or any of the Thiopentals) - stays in the system a very long time, if leaks from vein it can irritate or kill the tissue.

·        Halothane (gas) - sensitizes the heart and can cause irregular heartbeats - if used, closely monitor dog.

·        Atrophine - causes gut to slow down and predispositions dog to bloat.

  

Anesthesia’s that are safer alternatives for Mastiffs

·        Valium - not much effect on heart, can be used in conjunction with Ketamine.

·        Ketamine - not much effect on heart, can be used in conjunction with Valium.

·        Telazol - similar to Valium and Ketamine, but don't exceed a dose of 1.5cc total. (Some Mastiffs have recently had issues with this drug, so it may be moved to my ‘unsafe’ list soon)

·        Propofol – generally safe, used for quickly knocking dog out.  Dog recovers as soon as gas is removed.  Can sometimes lower blood pressure though, so dog needs to be constantly monitored.

·        Oxymorphone - can cause respitory depression in some dogs, so dog needs to be constantly monitored (Naloxone is the drug used to reverse Oxymorphone and seems to works well).

A Mastiffs Journey through Cranial Cruciate Ligament Surgery

In the Beginning...

Well in less than 24 hours Brinkley will get dropped off for her TPLO surgery.  I have deliberated back and forth, back and forth on whether to do the TPLO surgery or the Tightrope surgery on her and I have decided that I think the TPLO will yield the best results for the long term for her.  This was not an easy decision for me, so I hope by documenting her surgery and recovery I can maybe help someone else out down the road to make their decision a little easier. 

Flashback to where this all started…. Brinkley is a 175lb female English Mastiff who just turned 2 years old in October.  She is very high energy for a Mastiff and that is one of the reason’s I think her ligament tore. She first tweaked her knee a few months ago.  Nothing severe, just a little limp for one or two steps when she first got up after she played too hard or ran or walked too far.  In an effort to help her heal up we put her on house arrest and restricted any roughhousing indefinitely.  It seemed to be going well and the last month or so she seemed to be doing fine…. Then her knee went out completely on December 12th.  We got home from work, both dogs went out in the backyard and 3 minutes later I heard a yelp. I ran outside to see what was wrong and she was not using it at all and was barely even toe tapping it.  She was in obvious distress, so we brought her in and crated her so she couldn’t move it to much and I gave her a Deramaxx I had left over from Boone’s neuter.  The next morning I was off to the emergency unit at the University of Missouri to confirm my suspicions, a torn Cranial Cruciate Ligament.  They gave me Tramadol and Rimadyl to get her through until she could have surgery, but the earliest open appointment they had was January 23^rd.  Although they are one of the top orthopedic surgery vet groups in the Midwest, I was worried that in compensating for the injured leg she would blow the other knee out if we waited 2 months, so I called around and was able to get an appointment at Midwest Veterinary Referral Center in St. Louis a specialist group that only focuses on surgery, oncology and other specialized canine treatments.  They got her in the three days later and we scheduled a surgery appointment for December 27^th…. tomorrow.

Now, back to the present…. Brinkley gets dropped off in the morning.  Since the tear I have dropped around 10lbs off of her (she is as skinny as I ever would want her to get now) in an effort to take some stress off the leg during recovery.  She was prescribed 150mg of Rimadyl 2 x per day and 150mg of Tramadol 3 x per day. For the first week and a half I gave it to her, but have since weaned her off as she really doesn’t seem to need it.  I have had her on Glucosamine/Chondroitin as well as Fish Oil supplements since she was a puppy also, something the vet was pleased to hear and said she should be on for the rest of her life to lubricate the joint. She limps much less now that when she initially tore it, making me wonder if it is only a partial tear.  Only the pre-op x-ray will tell though.

I weighed the pro’s and con’s of the surgery options and I’ll share with you how I decided on the surgery I did. There are four surgical options for dogs with CCL injuries; traditional Extracapsular Ligament Surgery (sometimes referred to as the fishing line surgery), Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (TTA) surgery, Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteomy (TPLO) and the Tightrope surgery. With a dog like Brinkley the only real options for surgery are the TPLO or the Tightrope.  The Extracapsular and the TTA surgery were out of the question.  That left me to choose between the TPLO and the Tightrope surgery. Below are the things I considered while trying to come to my decision.

TPLO Pro’s – (1) longest term option, once it’s done it never has to be done again, (2) veterinarian doing the surgery uses a new type of TPLO plate that screws into the bone, making less room for ‘wiggle’ while the bone heals (3) metal plate can be removed once the leg is 100% healed (http://www.tploanswers.com/Pages/default.aspx)

TPLO Con’s – (1) some people think the metal plate used to hold the bone together while it heals can cause cancer later in the dogs life, (2) the bone itself is cut and repositioned, making it a more intensive surgery and (3) a more intensive recovery time (4) if the surgery fails there is nothing else that can really be done.

Tightrope Pro’s – (1) no bone cutting, less intensive surgery resulting in (2) a less intensive recovery time and (3) if the surgery fails you can always go back and do the TPLO surgery at a later time.

Tightrope Con’s – (1) tape they use to ‘replace’ the ligament can give out overtime and the surgery will need to be repeated possibly resulting in (2) arthritis in the meantime, (3) the tape they use is also a wonderful place for bacteria to harbor and grow once the surgery is done, sometime making it necessary to remove the tape yielding the surgery as a failure, (4) the holes that are drilled through the bone that the tape runs through can wallow out over time making the surgery less effective and arthritis to proliferate faster.

As I said above, I decided on the TPLO surgery after reading MANY hours worth of personal stories about both procedures (success and failures) and by considering the recommendations and personal experiences of many other Mastiff owners who have gone through similar circumstances. I will have to say that I do LOVE the vet that I have chosen to do the surgery.  Orthopedic surgeries are her specialty and she not only attended the University and interned under Dr. Jimmy Cook (the inventor of the Tightrope surgery), she is also accredited by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. I hope we made the right choice. 

Here is a video of Brinkley Pre-TPLO.  You can see why she most likely isn't a good candidate for the Tightrope surgery.  Even injured she still is as rambunctious as ever.

 

Read about the rest of Brinkley's journey here:

Preparing the House For a Mastiff After TPLO Surgery

Coming Home From the TPLO Surgery Center

Day 2 Post TPLO Surgery

Day 3 Post TPLO Surgery

Day 7 Post TPLO Surgery

BrinkleyMastiff - Walking on Day 8, Post-TPLO Surgery

Makin'Mischief Mastiff Collar... Plus Brinkley Day 11 TPLO Update
PassiveRange of Motion Exercises in Post TPLO Mastiff

My Experience in a Raw Food Diet for Dogs

In a blog post we published in January “Choosing a Top Quality Dry Food” we outlined what to look for should you choose to feed dry kibble to your dog.  I hinted that I would like to try feeding a raw diet, but didn’t want to further elaborate until I had some experience.  

Well, the good news is we have been feeding raw since February and LOVE IT!  The dogs love it, they eat better, they drink less water (which makes me feel better about bloat and the heat this summer) and best of all, they poop so much less.  We’re talking about two 170+lb dogs that poop as much as mini poodle.  Their coats are healthy, Boone’s skin allergies have all but cleared up, they are very physically fit and I know exactly what it is that is going into my dogs.

The work I put into it is much less time consuming than I originally had anticipated as well.  While it does take more effort than pouring some kibble in a bowl, it isn’t like I have to butcher the cow each meal either.  I try and stick with feeding them approximately 3 lbs per day.  When I first started out I was weighing everything, however after a month or so I can estimate close enough the scale is unnecessary.  I feed on average 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% organ meat.  I do feed some veggies, while not a staple in thier diet they do act as a very health filler and the dogs love them.  Sometimes I puree various raw veggies and put the paste in cupcake pans and freeze it.  The dogs love them, I even mix in eggs or broth sometimes for added yumminess. I also feed whole sweet potatoes sometimes with meals or just as a snack. 

I will add that even with some of the recent recalls, should I need to switch back to a dry kibble, Diamond Naturals Large Breed 60+ is still my dry kibble of choice. If you are thinking of switching to raw or have questions about raw diets, I don’t claim to know it all, or even much at all, but I will give you my honest opinion in regards to my experiences. 

Mastiff Health Information and Links

Mastiffs, like all breeds, have specific health issues that need to be considered when purchasing a puppy or when breeding them. Reputable breeders will health test their dogs to ensure they are not passing on genetic conditions. Breeders and owners both want healthy, happy dogs with great longevity.



We recommend that before breeding a dog the following tests be completed on both the sire and the dam. Additionally if you are buying a puppy please be sure that these tests have been completed on the parents.  While different breeders have varying levels of testing, the best breeders test for everything possible.  Why not rule out a problem if the technology exists? 

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Most health testing information is tracked through www.offa.org.  You can look up a dog by their name or their AKC number.  Please make sure that you can verify the testing, sometimes backyard breeders and puppy mills will tell you their dogs are tested, however ask to see the proof.  If you can’t find the sire and dam on OFFA then ask the breeder to see a copy of the testing certificates for each test.

It is also important to remember that “vet checked” really means nothing when it comes to the genetics of a puppy.  All that means is a vet looked at the puppy and it wasn’t obviously malnourished or had a visible illness.  While I’m not saying it is a good idea to have a puppy vet checked before it goes to it’s new home, it is NOT a replacement for proper health testing.



Here is a brief overview of each condition we recommend testing for.

Genetic Canine Health Issues

Hip Dysplasia

Hip Dysplasia is an especially important test in the Mastiff breed due their size. Dysplasia can vary from mild to completely debilitating and in severe cases require that your dog be euthanized, even if it's still a puppy. In other words it does not just affect older dogs. A reputable breeder will never breed or stud a dog that does not pass this exam with either a Fair, Good, or Excellent rating. (http://www.offa.org/hd_info.html)

Elbow Dysplasia

Elbow dysplasia is a general term used to identify an inherited polygenic disease in the elbow of dogs. This can cause lameness in the dog. There is no way to know when a dog that is affected will become lame as environment can also be a factor, meaning over-exercising, weight gain, etc. Again, due to a Mastiffs size this test is extremely important. Reputable breeders test! Ask to see those test results before you buy a pup. (http://www.offa.org/ed_types.html)

Cardiac

​Congenital heart diseases in dogs are thought to be genetic in nature. Abnormal heart defects are present at birth and usually get worse as a puppy grows. Unfortunately there is no "cure".  The best alternative to a cure is to not breed dogs that have tested with cardiac problems.  Make sure both parents have had a cardiac screening before purchasing a puppy. (http://www.offa.org/pdf/cardapp_bw.pdf)

Thyroid

​Hypothyroidism is just one of the disorders of the thyroid gland. It can affect an animal’s behavior and turn a once friendly dog into an aggressive dog. The thyroid can be checked via blood test to see if your dog is at a healthy level. If suddenly your dog is having aggression issues, etc I would recommend having its thyroid checked before any other actions are taken just to rule out the issue before training methods are used to try and correct the problem. (http://www.offa.org/pdf/thyapp_bw.pdf)

Cystinuria

Cystinuria is a genetic defect where the kidney doesn't work properly. Affected dogs are born with the disorder, but it can be years before it's caught. Some dogs who are positive for the disorder are never affected. Over time, stones block the urinary tract requiring surgery. Only males are affected by this disease; however females can pass the disease onto their offspring. Traditionally, only males could by tested by a urine nitroside test, however a DNA test is now available for males and females to see if common genetic markers are present in carriers and affected dogs. (http://mastiff.org/CYSTINURIATESTINGRECOMMENDATIONS.htm)

Patella

Problems with the patella's are issue that affect the knee. The condition causes the knee to pop out of place. This is considered to be an inherited disease and the OFA test is one that can be performed by your regular vet.  Again, because of the size of the breed, having bad knees can be devastating to the quality of life of your dog. (http://www.offa.org/pdf/plapp_bw.pdf)

CERF​(Canine Eye Registry Foundation)

CERF is a national eye registry for dogs that have been screened for genetic eye diseases. This exam is done by a veterinary ophthalmologist. A CERF exam is one test that needs to be performed annually on dogs as eye issues can develop as the dog ages.  A CEFT exam screens for things such as entropian, retinal folds, etc. (http://www.vmdb.org/cerf.HTML)

PRA​(Progressive Renal Atrophy)

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is a family of inherited progressive degenerative eye diseases affecting the retina which ultimately result in blindness. PRA is a Dominant gene mutation, meaning that one parent being a carrier for the disease can result in affected puppies.  If a sire and dam are proven free of the gene then no offspring from that paring will be affected by the disease or be able to pass the disease on. (http://www.optigen.com/opt9_test_dominant_pra.html)

CMR(Canine Multi-focal Retinopathy)

CMR is a genetic eye disease that is known to occur in Mastiffs. This disease causes lesions that look like blisters on the dog’s eyes and eventually in severe cases can cause blindness.  As the dog ages this can become quite painful and cause other eye issues to develop.  CMR is a recessive gene mutation, meaning both parents must be carriers or affected to have affected offspring, however all dogs should be tested prior to breeding to prevent 2 carriers from producing affected pups. (http://www.optigen.com/opt9_test_cmr.html)

vWd(vonWillebrands Disease)

vonWillebrands Disease is an inherited bleeding disorder. Dogs with a low vWF factor have blood that does not clot properly and causes excessive bleeding if the dog is injured, much like hemophilia in humans. This can be an issue with birthing as well.  This disease is most common in Dobermans, however several cases in Mastiffs have shown up in the recent past, making testing a must before breeding. (http://ahdc.vet.cornell.edu/sects/Coag/)

DM(Degenerative Melopathy)

Degenerative Melopathy is something that many Mastiff breeders are just beginning to test for, so not all reputable breeders will have their dogs tested for this disease yet.  DM is a condition of the spinal column and can have symptoms similar to Wobblers.  Depending on the location of the issue in the spine and the severity sometimes surgery is an option, however this can be a dehabilitating disease that may have no other solution than euthanasia in some cases. (http://www.caninegeneticdiseases.net/DM/ancmntDM.htm)

AKC DNA Profile

A DNA profile on your dog proves that your dog is who you say it is.  It is a DNA sample that is taken and also witnessed by someone verifying your dog’s identity either by tattoo or microchip.  Dogs must to have a DNA profile in order to enter an MCOA (Mastiff Club of America) Specialty Show. (http://www.akc.org/dna/test_kits.cfm)

Non-Genetic Canine Health Issues

The following issues can affect all dogs; however they seem to have a strong presence in our breed due to their size and structure.



Bloat - Few afflictions kill an otherwise healthy dog as quickly as bloat and torsion. Bloat is a time sensitive emergency, if you suspect your dog is suffering from bloat you must get to a Vet ASAP. Bloat commonly affects large, deep chested dogs but following a few preventive measures can drastically reduce the chance of your Mastiff getting it. If you own a large/giant breed dog I recommend having a bloat kit on hand at all times (I keep mine in the trunk of my car). Having the proper tools on hand could mean life or death to your dog if it takes more than a few minutes to reach your vet.  There is a procedure that can be done in dogs called a Gastropexy where the stomach is actually stapled to the abdominal wall.  This procedure will not prevent bloat, but does help to prevent torsion (the flipping of the stomach) if the dog does bloat.



Cruciate Ligament Injuries - A ruptured cruciate ligament is the most common knee injury in dogs. Depending on the severity of the injury, surgery will most likely be necessary and can be costly.  Because of the common occurrence of this injury in large dogs there are up to 3 surgery options available. It is important to not let your dog run or play on slippery surfaces as a slip and fall can cause the cruciate to become stressed or even torn.

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Pyometra - Pyometra is a bacterial infection of the uterus that mostly occurs in middle-aged or older unspayed female dogs, though it may also occur in young dogs. It can result in the accumulation of infection in the bloodstream or abdominal cavity, which can rapidly lead to systemic infection, shock, and death. The severity of symptoms varies depending on whether the female’s cervix is open or closed. If the cervix closes the dog can become sick and even die within 24 hours, so if your dog show symptoms get to a vet immediately.  Females are generally more susceptible to Pyometra 3-5 weeks after a heat cycle.



Cancer – If Cancer isn’t the leading cause of death in dogs then I would be surprised - 1 in 4 dogs will die of cancer.  For dogs over 10 years of age, approximately 50% of deaths are cancer-related. Like humans, there are many types of cancers and many clinical signs. In our breed Osteocarcenoma (bone cancer) is probably the most common form of cancer, and if left undiagnosed for too long spreads and leads to metastasized lung cancer or other internal cancers. At this point it is unknown if Cancer has some link to genetics or not, but numerous studies are in the works to see if genetic markers do exist and are common among affected dogs.

If anyone has any questions or would like more information you can visit my website www.gryphonmastiffs.com or email me, gryphonmastiffs@gmail.com.

Amanda Griffin