Why are European dogs healthier than ours..... - Page 4

back to the original question,,  was the doctors statement made in general to all dogs?  how many dogs do you know of that are overweight and get very little exercise.  probably the same dogs whose owners are the same.   the dog gets to sit on the couch and share a bag of potatoe chips with the owner while they watch lassie reruns on tv.   not a very healthy lifestyle.

john

Geez, Renz, all I said was IF a dog is diagnosed with allergies  it should probably not be bred. It was a general statement, not directed at you or anyone else in particular. Is that what you are talking about?

Old Line Rebel,

are you talking to me? If so, I can tell you that these are not mere anecdotes. What I listed are actual examples. I can get more if you wish or even ask my fellow members on the German board for price comparisons. Here is one more anecdote: I just came back from the vet clinic with a total vet bill of $ 1,169 . My two girls Leah and Lissy were in for their a-stamp. As mentioned before, my vet gives me a break too. I paid $ 252 each, which is actually not bad. That includes hips, elbows, anasthesia (the SV does not accept it without), and a send-off to a vet service to get the xrays printed (since the SV does not accept digitals yet). In addition, I purchased 30 tablets (one case) of Drontal Plus, ouch: $540 and a bottle of Albon oral suspension for $ 25. The other $ 100 were for vaccines which is too much as well. I have to have a talk about that with him next week, when we bring in our other young girl for xrays.

Senta, what is the actual cost of a tablet of Drontal Plus in Germany right now? If I remember correctly, you guys have a source either in Austria or the Netherlands for just a fraction of my price ($18 each tablet).

Well sorry for ranting. I'll stop now! $1,200 vet bills and almost nothing to show for tend to do that to me.

As to medical research in the veterinary field: Germany has a lot of it. The University of Giessen and the University of Hannover are world renowned. Maybe, some other Germans can chime in here. Your guess is as good as mine since I have been living here in the U.S.. I just admire the kind of care I read about on the German boards which is affordable there, but not too often here and not for everyone.

Sorry John, for being off topic. Yes, I do think that you are right about the life style. As mentioned before, dogs get more exercise (and people too, sigh). My dogs are healthy, but they exercise too because we live on 20 acres bordering a state forest. All we have to do is chase them across the fields with the ball or stick (or deer). That is a lot more exercise than walking them through the neighborhood streets. Our dogs do not get bathed either, unless they are stinky (for whatever reason), brushing is enough. In the summertime, we hose them off daily, but no shampoo.  We feed Royal Canine, if we can get it. Otherwise, Iams!  Oh, they also like our table scraps every once in a while. Yep, we are bad, I admit it. Sometimes, they find strange things in the fields if I am not fast enough. We keep our dogs very slim in our hot and humid summers and a bit more chubby in the winter. And that is it! The only thing that is important here in the country is a good dewormer on a regular basis and to check for parasites. We don't even use any tick or flea treatments if not necessary.

I have talked to a few people and found that the dogs which are usually plagued with allergies, food sensitivities and other digestive problems (SIBO etc.) are often the dogs kept in the house all the time or in crates. In Germany, most people do not keep GSDs in the house, at least not all the time. Mine only come in for an hour or so, if they are clean. Otherwise, we have a kennel building. Dogs are dogs and they need to live like dogs (not people). In Germany they do! And that might be the reason they seem overall healthier.

Chris

I confess - Blitz just had a bath last week after a few days in the boarding kennel. He routinely gets in bed with me after the husband leaves for work and puts his head on the pillows staring into my face until I get up and feed him his breakfast.  I like him to not smell too gamey when he does that .