Hiya everybody,
Bit concerned about my Poppy. I maybe being an overconcerned parent but shes my first dog and so not sure if this is normal so please forgive me if this is normal symptoms! i hope it is nothing.

Bit of Background.

Poppy is just 6mths old and a Welshie, she's not had her first season yet. i'll tell you the background as not sure if symptoms are all related or not.

Over last couple of weeks shes started to get down in the sit position and pull herself along her bum, she didn't do it very often ( i saw it maybe 3 times in last 3 weeks)and my friend who breeds boxers said its prob due to her eating grass and it irritates as it comes out and not to worry too much about it.

Today on our traipse around the fields she started doing it a lot, i mean she'd stop running in full tilt after a bird to stop and drag herself for a bit - not usual springer behaviour i'm sure you'll agree.

Then i noticed her bum was red and a little bit of blood, and it maybe my imagination but she seemed a little tired. So rang the vet, they realised she was due a worming and so they said to come and get a worm tablet and give it 2 days and if not better then maybe glands in her bum which they will check in 2 days.

So i was ok and happy that was it, .......BUT I just noticed her belly (around her nipples) is red and blotchy and she has a red blothy patch on her front leg.

So my question is are the red blotches related to the sore bum, or are the red blotches a sign she is coming into heat OR is there something else that these symptoms suggest.


this maybe trivial but would prefer to check with you guys! tks Jonny

Ok, my admittedly not professional guesses.

The dragging of the bum is most likely to be worms or engorged anal glands, the blood is most likely a scratch where she has dragged.

The splodges are most likely to be irritation to vegetation, running on stubble or the like.

When looking for signs she is coming on heat the best indicator will be that her vulva will appear swollen, the amount of blood spotting or discharge varies from dog to dog but in pretty much all dogs you will notice the swelling. At six months she is still young, neither of my girls had their first season before 10 months btw although there are no hard and fast rules.

HTH

Thanks Sue that does help.

I was ok and thought it was nothing too serious until i saw the blotches and that threw me completely.

And she was running through a field of cut hay or straw (not sure what the difference is!) and so that could explain the blotches

Again no expert here.

My dogs eat grass all the time and it does not irritate their bum in the least. But it does irritate me when Brodie comes running over and presents his bum to me to pull the bits of grass out if its too long to poo out.

Always take a plastic glove or tissues out with you on a walk if your dog is a grass eater.

Scooting along the ground is usually a sign of some irritation, usually associated with worms if it is a regular thing. Not sure about the anal glands though. Usually smell gives that one away.

I always feel sad when I hear of doggies with anal gland problems, especially so young. I find feeding barf of at least a regular supply of bones or chicken wings help prevent anal gland problems.

And the rash? Has she been running through a lot of undergrowth. If so, could just be an allergy. If it was problematic for her, you could always give piriton but only if you think she really needs it.

Don't worry - we all fret at times about our fur babies.

just read your previous post. Glad you have identified the problem of the rash

Hi Cath
I have been feeding her solely on Royal Canin, Junior 32 and then treats of dried tripe, pigs ears, puppy treats, sausage for training her etc etc .

The R Canin is pricey but our breeder recommended it and her poo is pretty firm and not smelly (unless she gets too much tripe!) so i assume thats a good sign.

What sort of bones should i be looking at incliding and where from?

ta
Jonny

Rhian had red dots and skin irritations on her belly in her first year because she didn't have much hair on her belly yet. She does drag her bum occasionally, but usually I can see it's due to some long grass that hasn't come out properly. I haven't noticed any anal glands problems yet, it's just grass or some similar problem with her, and it doesn't happen often.

As for the first season, I thought there were slight signs for a long time before it actually happened at 8 1/2 months. Hormonal changes are starting way before the first season, causing changes both physical and in behaviour. Rhian's puppy vaginitis disappeared completly one month before her first season - a cure that is known to be due to hormonal changes.

I can feel with you - I was very anxious too waiting for those first signs of coming into season. Even more so as I wanted to get rid of that d... vaginitis. I happened to be at my vet's one week before she actually came into season and I asked him to check. He said "Could be or coudn't" - he's a wily old bird and has seen too many bitches to try to be a prophet!

I'm happy to say that in her second summer and autumn Rhian had never any red sores or blotches on her legs or belly despite being in and out all sorts of vegetation. She also has a nice bit of silky fur on her belly now.

Sometimes with blocked anal glands the dog (not the poo) actually have a fishy odour

Fipps had her first season at 13 months old. But her breeder said to me beforehand she could well be a year old before she gets her first season as her mum and sister from a previous litter were the same.