question about showing dog with injury - Page 1

are you able to show a dog with an injury?

for example-
my dog sustained an injury...fairly high drive, cracked his head right on the corner of a wall and ended up with a hematoma on one of his ears.  i let the hematoma heal naturally because there's no reason (in my opinion) to anesthetize a dog for surgery for such a trivial thing.  that ear is now healed and the scar tissue has caused it to flop over.

background on my dog-
he is currently h.o.t. schh1, capable of schh2, and should be working to a 3 but that's my fault for lack of time (no midnight trials or any of that bull).  he has been to various club/regional shows (just for fun) including one of the nass events, etc., but he never places near the top because he's not roached, doesn't have a big name handler (just me, lol), and i think is a little flat on the pasterns.  

questions-
i'd like to continue showing him.  will the judges penalize him or discriminate against him because of the floppy ear?  or is there an understanding that "working dogs" may get injuries here and there?  is this something that requires a pre-injury photo and a note from the vet?

thank you in advance,
donna

Are you talking about showing in a schutzhund trial or in the show ring? Is it a healed hematoma with a folded ear, or is it still a recent injury?

Lots of dogs get hematomas...unless it's horrid, swollen or infected.....most vets will either "drain them, stitch them or let them heal on their own"....not much more is usually done...(at least not that I'm aware of).
As for the Conformation ring...I would guess that judges would comment on it.?!...I don't know how much it would factor in on the placement.?....I've never shown a dog that had a hematoma.
Robin

if the dogs ears are not fully erect,i,m afraid it would be heavily penalised in the showring.Hanging ears are a serious fault in conformation.sorry.Carole S.

My dog V-Eagle v Eichenluft Schh3,FH2,KKl-1 had a serious ear hematoma - at first his ear stood erect, but was twisted and obviously injured.  Later it came down in a 1/2 tipped over ear.  During this time he received several SG1 in conformation shows, his KKl-1 and later his V conformation rating.  He was also shown 2X at the USA Seiger Show where he received SG ratings.  At all shows I had a written vet "excuse" with me, in case the judge questioned the ear as being genetic.  None ever looked at the vet statement, even at the Seiger Shows.  The judges know what hematomas look like, and they know it isn't a genetic problem - there should be no problem showing your dog.  That said, I doubt a dog with a tipped ear would make it "up the line" in a show - he wouldn't win and maybe wouldn't get VA - at least I've never seen a dog at high placements with a tipped ear.



molly

I think it depends on the politics of the show . I have a Kevin v Murrtal son who developed a hematoma. I had the vet drain it, but I didn't want to put him under for a repair for the same reasons as the OP. After that, despite a Kkl1, his show career faded out, but since he already had a high V score I was okay with that.

I am quite sure it wouldn't be an issue in working competitions, and I can't see it hindering his progressing to Sch2 or 3. I mean, heck, a neutered dog can still title in Schutzhund, so I hardly think an ear would be significant.

Conformation? Like Eichenluft said: Might be a good idea to keep a vet note in his folder, just in case. I have a female with a faint tattoo because her ear got wet after she was inked. It's legible, but it's not the best. I keep a verification letter from my vet in her show folder and take it with me. I've never been asked for it, but it gives me peace of mind if nothing else that if a judge -did!- ask, I'd have it.

 

yes, i meant showing in conformation, not trialling in schh.  (the hematoma is fully healed already)

i'll keep a vet's note handy.  thank you very much.

noddi - hanging ears are a serious fault when it is genetic, this is not the case with my dog.  that's why i had this question.

VA Sharan Gamsetal had an ear injury, a tip missing from injury and he had it when he went VA in Las Vegas I think nine years ago.

Yep...Sharan did have an ear tip missing when he placed in the VA position.....I forgot about him.