I'm planning to mate my girl when she comes in next (yes, good type / temperament, all relevant checks done, ditto stud dog). Our training club has its annual 'cup afternoon' when she will probably be 2 - 3 weeks in whelp if all goes well, would she be ok to go? I know it wouldn't be wise to hare off to a Champ show, but this is a local hall about a mile away, she goes there and mingles with all the dogs every week usually, so all local germs. She wouldn't even be interacting with the dogs as it would be a series of short training exercises, a bit like a Good Citizen test or a low level obedience competition. Obviously they will have another next year, but she so enjoys going out and doing her stuff and I enjoy finally having an intelligent dog! :-D

I always treat my bitch completely normal, she does everything she usually does right up until the whelping date, (obviously much slower around that time :-D )  So yes treat her completely as normal she can interact, run and play just as always, infact the more she is treated normal the happier she will be and the more relaxed, it is stress that causes problems, if she is happy let her do  the 'cup afternoon' and everything else that keeps her tail wagging. :-)

Same as Carrington. Apart from changing her food to the puppy food the pups will be weaned on to at 6 weeks, and upping the amount of food, I treat preganant ladies exactly as usual.

I carry on as usual too.  Others may well disagree but I took a bitch who loved to go to shows to Bath and she unexpectedly won the ticket and BOB when she was 5 weeks in whelp and blooming. :)

I probably would avoid a show like Crufts or LKA whee there is no fresh air, and of course not take  pregnant looking bitch to a show, certainly up to 3 weeks.  Other than that they are treated as normal and have their exercise until they indicate otherwise, which is never.

i would aviod all shows and events after losting a litter to kennel cough i know you can pick up kc just walking the dog beacuse it an air born virse.
but watching mum and puppy go down with kc and pts the puppies at 3 to 8 weeks old with seconarly infection bye kc.it a risk you take.

other wise i do treat the bitch as nomal with excercise.

I too would avoid all shows after picking up an infection last year with another dog and my pregnant bitch got extremely sick, her pups died inside her and she nearly died. After many months she is still not 100% fit and well.
Never again will I take out any of my dogs to shows whilst I have a bitch who has been mated and until pups have gone to new homes.Yes thats about 4 months off but its alot less painful than what we went through last year.
I'm afraid many exhibitors don't care what they take to shows and you have to remember when something like the above happens it doesn't affect the selfish person who took the infection to the show in the first place.
Recently a friend went to a show and a breeder had his girls there but not his boys cos they had KC!!! What are these people on!!!

I'm afraid many exhibitors don't care what they take to shows and you have to remember when something like the above happens it doesn't affect the selfish person who took the infection to the show in the first place.

Certainly.  But they don't tell pregnant ladies not to go to the shops!:rolleyes: 

The important thing is to make sure that your dogs have good immune systems and have infection control at home when you go to shows or anywhere there are other dogs whether you have pregnant bitches or not. ;) :) 

I carry on as normal althought I dont go to shows...

I wouldn't go to shows either.

Someone took a coughing dog to a show in December, and it has gone all the way round locally, causing havoc for shooting people, who rely on a team of dogs.

Also - please heed Briedog's warning about the litter she lost tragically with kennel cough - it's not worth the heartache.

Jo

She had the new year-long kennel cough vaccine, as did my other two dogs, back in the summer, so that shouldn't be a problem. TBH I wouldn't take her to a proper show with all the strange dogs - but I don't think a hall one mile away from our house where she goes every week, and with about 20 other dogs that she sees every week, should be a problem. We'll see when she comes in season!

the kc vacc shouldnt be a problem you stated the vacc dosnt cover all type of kc.it like flu vacc with humam it only cover common type of flu.
even if you cover with kc vacc they can still get it kc but it the secoanrly infection that will kill young old and sick dog.

why but her a risk

Just another opinion.  We don't take our pregnant girls to shows but we continue with walks etc.  When pups are on the ground none of the other dogs attend shows either unless it is unavoidable, Crufts for example, and then the returning dogs are quarantined away from the new mum for 2 weeks..

Ive heard of people mention about kennel cough too so Libby nor Gus will not be at any shows before the birth

I certainly know of people who have lost whole litters with kennel cough and worse that they have brought home from shows but they don't (IMO) take reasonable precautions to reduce the risk.

There is just as much chance of bringing it home from Vets when owners take their dogs with kennel cough to the surgery.   And certainly as much chance if you take your dogs where any other dogs go as there is going to shows. :(  Some of you make shows sound like pits of infection!:rolleyes:

I protect my dogs at all times, whether I have a pregnant bitch or not, when at shows or any other public places where I feel there is a risk.

Maybe you could let us all know what you do then, it might help the rest of us.

I use Parvocide.  Licenced by the then MAFF to kill all viruses, bacteria and fungus.

I have a mat soaked in it that the dogs and I walk through.  I remove my clothes (carefully chosen washable ones!) in the garage/shed and put them straight into the washing machine.  I wipe the dog with a flannel soaked in Parvocide, paying special attention the the muzzle and feet.

My dogs are fed a natural diet and have good immune systems and that mean they don't go to the Vet from one years end to the next.

If I think that they or I have come into contact with an dog infected with anything, I up their garlic and spray my home with Parvocide.

My home is clean but I don't use bacterial hand washes etc to allow my dogs (and me! :) ) to build up our own immunity to common bugs and beasties.  I tend to steam clean about once a month.

In over 20 years, the only thing that I've brought home is Cheyletiella once when I was foolish enough to lend another exhibitor my brush in the ring! :(

I wouldn't dream of mixing with irresponsible dogs owners and their dogs without protecting my girls, wherever that was. :(  As I've said many times, the harder I try, the luckier I become! ;) :D

Thankyou for that

You're very welcome. ;) :)  It's worked well for me.

Just a word to the wise.  At a show we went to last year a dog passing our crate had projectile diarrhoea which went straight onto our dogs and our dogs did develop runny bums after that.

Didn't upset them too much but I would still rather be safe than sorry.

How awful echo.  But it could also have happened in the Vet's waiting room if you were to go there for a booster or in the local pet shop. :(  Neither are places that I would frequent. ;)

Echo that

I keep them in the car when we go to the vet and only take them in when we are called.