The Dog Breeder's Guide to Successful Breeding and Health Management

This unique resource offers a general overview of canine body systems and how each system affects the breeding process. Key topics include nutrition, pharmacology, microbiology, parasitology, vaccinations, genetics, and endocrinology, as well as normal anatomy and disorders of the male and female reproductive systems.
Key Features

* Full-color illustrations make important information more readily available and provide more accurate representations of actual clinical appearance.
* Each chapter begins with frequently asked questions and answers, offering quick and easy access to key information.
* Each chapter ends with a Test Your Understanding section that encourages readers to review what they have just read and apply it to real-life situations.
* A first aid appendix offers quick access to information related to various emergencies, including what could have caused it, and how to handle the situation.
* An appendix covering common problems seen in dogs lists symptoms associated with each problem, the possible causes, and how frequently the problem occurs.

Table of Contents

PART ONE: NUTRITION AND BASIC SCIENCES 1. Nutrition Basic nutrition Fats / Protein / Carbohydrates Vitamins / Minerals Types of food Commercial Homemade (cooked versus raw) Specific feeding regimens Feeding during pregnancy / lactation Feeding orphan puppies Supplements 2. Pharmacology General pharmacology Routes of administration Absorption / Distribution / Excretion Classes of drugs Antibiotics Anesthetics Anti-parasitic agents Hormonal therapies 3. Microbiology Types of organisms Bacteria Viruses Fungi Miscellaneous Culture samples and techniques 4. Parasitology Internal parasites Worms (rounds, hooks, whips, tapes, etc) Protozoa (giardia, coccidia) Heartworm External parasites Fleas Ticks 5. Immunology General immunology Cell-mediated versus humoral Vaccination 6. Endocrinology General endocrinology Types of hormones Hormone assays Control of hormone secretion Endocrine tissues and their products 7. Embryology Fertilization / Implantation / Placentation General embryology Folliculogenesis Spermatogenesis PART TWO: CLINICAL MANAGEMENT OF THE BITCH 8. Anatomy and reproductive physiology of the bitch Embryology and anatomy of the female reproductive tract Puberty The estrous cycle 9. Breeding management Vaginal cytology Ovulation and Ovulation timing Hormone assays Vaginoscopy 10. Pregnancy Pregnancy diagnosis Physiology of pregnancy Pregnancy loss 11. Estrus suppression and contraception / Pregnancy termination Estrus suppression and contraception Ovariohysterectomy Medical estrus suppression Pregnancy termination 12. Parturition and dystocia Parturition Dystocia 13. Neonatology Physical examination and labwork Early spay-neuter Common pediatric problems 14. Disorders of the puerperium Hypocalcemia Mastitis Metritis Subinvolution of placental sites (SIPS) 15. Disorders of the ovaries Ovarian cysts Ovarian neoplasia Ovarian remnant syndrome 16. Disorders of the uterus and cervix Cystic endometrial hyperplasia / Pyometra Uterine neoplasia 17. Disorders of the vagina and vulva Vaginal anomalies Vaginal prolapse Vaginitis Vaginal / vulvar neoplasia 18. Disorders of the mammary glands False pregnancy Mammary neoplasia 19. Infertility of the bitch PART THREE: CLINICAL MANAGEMENT OF THE DOG 20. Anatomy and normal reproductive physiology of the dog Embryology and anatomy Puberty Spermatogenesis review Erection and ejaculation 21. Semen collection and evaluation Semen collection Semen evaluation 22. Contraception in male dogs Castration 23. Disorders of the testes, epididymes and scrotum Cryptorchidism Orchitis / epididymitis Torsion of the spermatic cord Hydrocele / Spermatocele / Scrotal hernia Testicular neoplasia 24. Disorders of the prostate Benign prostatic hypertrophy / hyperplasia (BPH) Prostatitis and prostatic abscesses Prostatic cysts Prostatic neoplasia 25. Disorders of the penis and prepuce Phimosis / paraphimosis Balanoposthitis Fracture of the os penis Penile / preputial neoplasia Urethral prolapse 26. Infertility of the dog PART FOUR: GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF CANINE BREEDING 27. Canine brucellosis 28. Artificial insemination Types of insemination Vaginal Intrauterine Endoscopic Surgical Types of semen Fresh Chilled Frozen 29. Genetics Basic genetics Units of heredity Modes of inheritance Selection schemes Hereditary diseases in the dog Diseases Breeding management Testing Appendices I. Hereditary disorders of the dog, by breed II. Glossary III. Accessing reference materials IV. Common problems seen in dogs V. First aid