Pre-mating swabs and antibiotics for mating bitches

Re: Pre-mating swabs and antibiotics for mating bitches

Mark Holmes — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 06:17:21 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]What's the poor bitch owner to do?[/quote]

P'raps I should re-phrase that as "what's the poor owner of the bitch to do?"

[/quote] Hopefully stop breeding dogs and take up a hobby like knitting

Re: Pre-mating swabs and antibiotics for mating bitches

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 01:31:34 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]What's the poor bitch owner to do?[/quote]

P'raps I should re-phrase that as "what's the poor owner of the bitch to do?"

Re: Pre-mating swabs and antibiotics for mating bitches

Robin Grimmer — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 20:17:38 GMT

[quote user="bob lehner"]

I seem to recall that the renowned Angelika von Heimendahl (repro specialist) was asked this very question at her talk at the London Vet Show.

I'm pretty sure she said it was a complete waste of time pre-mating as the reproductive tract of a bitch will not be carrying any significant infection during pro-oestrus/oestrus. I seem to think she said she might only occasionally use abs post-mating as the act of mating might introduce infection (but I wouldn't swear to this - maybe someone else who was there might remember better).

She is very helpful - maybe give her a call?

[/quote]

I was at that lecture too, and she also said that the best defence against infection is a healthy vaginal flora, so don't give ABs!

Re: Pre-mating swabs and antibiotics for mating bitches

Joyce Whitehead — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 19:50:04 GMT

Many years ago at a reproduction CPD, I think by Gary England, this topic came up. He said that it was a waste of time, and that often it was the stud dog owners who were insisting on it. His response was to tell the bitch owner to ask to see the report from the stud dog swab first. As they inevitably have the same, or more growth on bacteriology. Some years ago I had a client with a golden retriever taking her bitch to the south of Scotland to be mated. I had the stud dog owner on the phone ranting at me as I'd refused to use pre mating antibiotics as a routine. I later discovered that the poor bitch was sedated with acp supplied at the stud and had her legs tied and a muzzle on to allow mating!

Re: Pre-mating swabs and antibiotics for mating bitches

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 18:48:04 GMT

To be fair to some of the pleasanter breeders, sometimes it's the stud owner who insists upon swabs and antibiotics. No antibiotic, no service. What's the poor bitch owner to do?

I did wonder about giving the bitch some garlic tablets – after all, garlic is a natural antibiotic, everybody knows that, it's in all the garlic advertisements.

Re: Pre-mating swabs and antibiotics for mating bitches

bob lehner — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 17:47:48 GMT

I seem to recall that the renowned Angelika von Heimendahl (repro specialist) was asked this very question at her talk at the London Vet Show.

She is very helpful - maybe give her a call?

Re: Pre-mating swabs and antibiotics for mating bitches

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 16:12:01 GMT

[quote user="Will McMullan"]Personally I think that vaginal swabs in a bitch with no clinical signs are completely worthless due to the high level of commensals and likelihood of contamination, that bacterial growth from a swab doesn't mean much, and that there is zero indication for giving a course of abs before/after mating.[/quote]

I reached that conclusion a very long time ago.

All that stuff about beta-haemolytic streptococci is at least 30 years out of date. (Like a lot of things of which breeders are convinced ...... )

[quote user="Will McMullan"] often quoting their 'reproduction expert' vet who wants me to give them the antibiotics so they can start them 2 days before going across the country for the big event. Why these reproduction experts can't dispense these antibiotics themselves is a real puzzler!? [/quote]

Because they only exist "online"? Because they are in the USA? Because they are too grand to do such menial things? Because they know the animal is not truly "under their care"? Because they aren't actually MRCVS? Who knows?

Being singlehanded self-employed, I have the luxury of refusing if I want to.

Re: Pre-mating swabs and antibiotics for mating bitches

Anthony Dennison — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 16:01:51 GMT

Take a swab of the owner's skin/nostril at the same time and then shock them with the results?

Print out the dictionary definition of 'Commensal Bacteria'