I am a breeder  and I am fortunate to have here a 13 year old who is now a great, great grandmother and in good health.
I have her daughters of 9 and 10+ and one of their daughters who is 3+. The 3 year old has had a litter ut I did not keep anything that time. I rarely see the vet and consider my breed as a result a hardy breed.
I have been devastated to learn over the last week the death of a 4 year old from my 9 year old and now a 6 year old from my girl who is 10 ( who is honestly still like a baby puppy almost .
One was said to be kidney disease and this last one liver cancer. I am finding this very hard to understand and look at my group and asking why. When I breed I travel the country for a dog I think suitable as I show them.
I am going over and over possible reasons or is it just bad luck. I have just thought of combined flea and worming treatments ( something I have never used ). In fact I do use flea treatments as I am a dog groomer and I get them in with fleas but have never used a combined treatment. Does anyone know of any links. I feel so guilty as they are both all devastated and I can't help putting some blame in my  direction but I know that is silly too.

My last two dogs, both GR's, lived until 14 and 14.5 respectively. They were inoculated annually, flea treated and wormed pretty regularly throughout and nothing much went wrong with them, until. One had a crusciate repair at 8 years and at 11/12 years was diagnosed with an enlarged heart. In her last 6 months her kidneys began to fail. The other one was diagnosed with spondylosis at 10/11 years, but managed to stagger on until we made the decsion for her at 14. Both dogs were mainly fed with Burns kibble with odds and ends of leftovers that were suitable.
I'm not aware of some GR's having shorter then average lives nor have I become aware of it in other breeds, but then I don't move in showing circles and may not know about any problems.
It must be a worry for you though.

First of all don't beat yourself up.  Just as with humans, cancers, for example, claim the lives of our dogs too.   In my breed, I knew of one line out in the States that used to be lost to this (not sure if it was always the same type of cancer or not) at a far too young age.   I did have some of that in my line (I wanted their fab. back ends and temperament!) but thankfully even those we did have who we lost to cancer, died well over the expected length of life for the breed.   In other words the cancers we had all hit at around 13 and upwards.   Much as I didn't like it, I tended to think we all have to die from something.   I have to say I always heaved a sigh of relief if I got mine over 8 which seemed to be a threshhold for the breed.  I had one litter, all males, who all went earlier to cancer and that was worrying!

Could be some connection between these too early losses to various conditions, and worming (?) - after all it's putting a chemical into the system.  And I tend not to worm unless I know there's a need (fecal or visually!!).   All this worming that vets advise doing, for me, isn't necessary.   But I guess it depends on where the dog lives (access to what other dogs, or wild animals for that matter, drop).   We have, until now, always lived 'in the sticks' with our hounds and honestly apart from puppy worming, from 2 weeks, they have NEVER needed to be wormed into adulthood and beyond.   Flea/tick treatment - we have always used the now apparently unpopular collars when needed (usually for only 4 months of a year).

I think best you can do is take note of these sad losses, and if you start getting a pattern, stay away from those particular bloodlines?    Sadly when you breed, you get the occasional curve-ball.  The secret is to know when to react, and when to realise they are just living beings, and stuff happens.  My opinion.

`>And I tend not to worm unless I know there's a need (fecal or visually!!).   All this worming that vets advise doing, for me, isn't necessary.   But I guess it depends on where the dog lives (access to what other dogs, or wild animals for that matter, drop).

Looks like we think the same way on this topic.  I know my vet isn't happy that I don't use Stronghold every month!
I tested the reasoning behind such regular dosing.  I left my 2 Bearded Collies a year with no worming at all.  Then sent faecal samples to Langford for testing.  Even after this long period no signs of worms was found.

I rest my case.  :-)

Thanks for all the replies. It is interesting as although I do use a flea treatment. I just can't take the risk of other people's fleas spreading to mine I only use a wormer as very young dogs and for pregnancy. In other words when I feel it is necessary. At times I have felt a bad owner but I just have not felt it necessary and wonder why my grooming customers tell me about their last annual visit to the vet and all the things they needed. I did used to vaccinate every year but since the discussions about this I no longer do that. Well I do for mine until they have had the last litter and then no longer.
I shall think about this if I have another litter and how to advise my new owners who I know all rush off to the vet and then are bombarded with schemes and treatments nowadays. In my litter before last one puppy had the combined flea/wormer and was violently ill ( this was at 8 weeks). immediately afterwards.
They subsequently used a normal flea treatment and wormer so not combined ( doubt the flea treatment was necessary but you can't win them all ) and the puppy had no problem at all. I do wonder what we are putting into our dogs system for a treatment which treats fleas and worms.
The owner of the 6 year old has contacted me and wants a puppy from my next litter which I am so pleased about meaning they still put their faith in me as a breeder.

> I left my 2 Bearded Collies a year with no worming at all

I stopped worming my two about 6/7 years ago. They didn't scrounge when out and about and I didn't like giving wormer to two old(er) dogs. I didn't do any tests, but just checked visually. Neither had (has) any problem. I also haven't used a flea treatment on a regular basis for years. I feed garlic and only used Frontline on a couple of occasions when it was a bad tick season.

I would, of course, worm a new dog until I felt comfortable about stopping - will just depend on the dog :)

My own vet told me that most adult dog that don't mix with pregnant bitches or young puppies are very unlikely to have round worm and that an annual taper worm treatment if there have been fleas would usually suffice.

Those that picking up carrion or hunt and eat small wildlife may need worming for other worms/parasites which the likes of Panacur also covers.

I stopped worming my two about 6/7 years ago. They didn't scrounge when out and about

The most serious worm hazard that I am aware of is heartworm & they get that from snail & slug deposits, since mine (all dobes Ive had) intakes grass often enough, seemingly to clear the stomach out, I still use wormers around every 4 months & she was 12 years yesterday, Mon.
.

I stopped worming my two about 6/7 years ago. They didn't scrounge when out and about

The most serious worm hazard that I am aware of is heartworm & they get that from snail & slug deposits, since mine (all dobes Ive had) intakes grass often enough, seemingly to clear the stomach out, so I still use wormers around every 4 months & she was 12 years yesterday, Mon.
.

I stopped worming my two about 6/7 years ago. They didn't scrounge when out and about

The most serious worm hazard that I am aware of is heartworm & they get that from snail & slug deposits, since mine (all dobes Ive had) intakes grass often enough, seemingly to clear the stomach out, so I still use wormers around every 4 months & she was 12 years yesterday, Mon.
.

But is that combined flea/wormer or wormer?