In this section, you will find brief yet informative and factual summaries on Canine Hip Dysplasia, vaccination, and dew claws, interjected with our own pondering on the subjects. We invite you to take the time to browse around.
For links, in-depth downloadable files, and free e-books, visit our Research page. Before scrolling down the page, please read this message from all of us at Highland Glenn:
“All too often when it comes to the care of our pets, we allow various experts to think for us. We trust what the veterinarian says; we believe those ads with cute puppies and kittens; or the long-time breeder. We’ve all done it. The responsibility of deciding what you will do, however, rests squarely on your shoulders and yours alone. We’ve all become proactive about the health care and nutrition of our human family. Even livestock husbandry is changing according to what is appropriate for each species. Why not that of the devoted pets relying on us?
It is our earnest hope that each of you will use your own mind and listen to your instincts, learn what is best for the animals entrusted to your care. For the health and happiness of your beloved pets, investigate the facts for yourself, immerse yourself in research, ask questions, look at all sides of an issue, thoughtfully consider what seems reasonable, and then please do not dismiss the evidence simply because it upsets your long-held views. Never stop learning and questioning!
Our dear companions trust us; they look to us for their care. Have the courage to be their voice! ”
Tom & Krystal
and the Highland Glenn Ranch crew
“There is no shame in not knowing something. The shame is in not being willing to learn.” – Alison Croggan
“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” – Arthur Schopenhauer
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer
“Awareness is the greatest agent for change.” – Eckert Tolle
Canine Hip Dysplasia
Consider this: Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) was first diagnosed in 1935. This was approximately 5-10 years after the introduction of commercial dog food. Yet, here we are over 70 years later with generations of breeding dogs tested and selected for clear hips, and still we haven’t managed to get rid of it.
During that same period of time, we’ve continued to feed our dogs a processed diet completely inappropriate for the species. Mere coincidence? We think not. Thus, the reasonable question is raised: What if genetics is not the main cause of CHD?
The fact is there are several secondary factors which influence the development of dysplasia. These include whelping box surfaces, appropriate exercise, nutrition, and hormones. Let’s look at two of them.
Nutrition. Feeding a high-calorie, high-protein diet produces rapid growth and weight gain, thus increasing the chance and severity of CHD if the genetic potential is present; this rapid growth is especially contraindicated in puppies between 3 months and 10 months of age. Obesity is another factor as excess weight exacerbates joint degeneration. Too much exercise and jumping activities at a young age also contribute.
The amount of calories a dog consumes and when in its life they are consumed appears to have the biggest impact on whether a dog may be genetically prone to hip dysplasia. We believe nutrition is the key factor in growing sound dogs. **
Incorrect nutritional values are where bone growth problems begin- when the muscles fail to develop and mature at the same rate as the bones, it leads to joint instability. Commercial dog food is too high in protein, fat, calories, carbohydrates, and calcium (too high or too low)… and conversely too low in bioavailable vitamins and minerals due to processing… all of which contribute to the development of CHD through improper muscle growth.
To reach their full potential, puppies and dogs need a species-appropriate raw diet!
Hormones. Another important factor often overlooked is the production of hormones. These have a great affect development of joints, bone, and muscle, too. When spayed/neutered at an ever-increasingly young age as is now common, rapid cessation of those growth hormones adversely affects proper development. This fact is recognized in the show ring and in livestock as well.
**In 1997, a book called “The Thirty Years War 1966-1996” was published in Germany by Marc Torel and Klaus Dieter Kammerer about the role nutrition plays in the development of CHD. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been translated into English yet; however, a summary of it can be read at: The Error of the Millennium in Veterinary Medicine.
Natural Immunity
Immune function is very complex and involves many organs and systems of the body. It is still beyond the full understanding of modern science. It begins when puppies are born and receive hundreds of antibodies through their mother and her colostrum. Interfering with immune health in the way allopathic veterinary medicine does causes dysregulation, dis-ease, and damages DNA passed on to future generations. Vaccines within the human and animal population have literally altered their genetic make-up.
Natural exposure produces the strongest, safest, and most effective immune response. This natural immunity is worlds safer since it is through a natural means of exposure (inhaled or ingested through mucosal membranes, rather than injection) and at a greatly diluted concentration. The body receives low-level stimulation to produce antibodies just the same as if it were exposed to the actual disease.
Whereas attempting to “trick” the body through vaccination with a concentrated pathogen actually impairs its normal defense process, producing an abnormal response. A body must be able to recognize bacteria to overcome the challenge on its own.
There are so many harmful aspects to vaccination that it’s hard to know where to begin. So, let’s start by reviewing the typical medical schedule for a young dog.
By the time a dog is two years old, it has been subjected to:
- De-worming chemicals at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age
- Vaccines given approximately three times before the age of 16 weeks, in combos of 5 or 9 different viruses
- Rabies vaccine anywhere from 8 to 16 weeks old
- Microchip implanted at 8 to 12 weeks old
- Toxic flea/tick/heartworm products monthly during warm weather, often for their lifetime
- Spay/neuter with anesthesia, pain medication, and possible antibiotics by 6 months old
- Second rabies vaccine at 1 year old, another at 2 years
- At 1 and 2 years old, 5 or 9-way vaccine boosters given
- De-worming chemicals annually
Is it any wonder why today’s canines suffer from so many chronic illnesses and disorders after such an extended duration of poisonous assaults? On their own, some of those may seem minimal, but month after month, year after year, the damage adds up. Generation after generation, the damage continues to compound.
Vaccines are an assault on the body, and even more so when given in combinations. Then there are adverse reactions, ranging from a limp to diarrhea to loss of appetite to seizures and even death. These reactions don’t have to be immediate or within 24 hours, but can occur weeks or months afterward, with disorders appearing years later. Time and time again, vaccination damage leads to cancer.
All vaccines contain toxic ingredients such as, but not limited to, antibiotics, aluminum, formaldehyde, Polysorbate 80, and Thimerosal (a preservative that is 49% mercury). These poisons are repeatedly being injected into our animals, yet vaccines aren’t a ‘protection’ guarantee. In fact, 1 in 10 dogs vaccinated for Parvo still contract it. Yet 90% of protection comes from the body’s natural immune function; vaccines are designed to catch the remaining 10%. Read that again and let it sink in.
While conducting a five year study, Purdue University was able to say in only three years that they found dogs given 1, 2, or zero vaccinations were healthier than the dogs that had the typical annual vaccinations. Juliette Di Bairacli Levy realized that 70 years ago. Nothing in science indicates dogs need vaccinations.
For more information, please visit our Research page.
“The only safe vaccine is a vaccine that is never used.” – Dr. James R. Shannon, former Director of the National Institute of Health
Dewclaws
We are not against the removal of “front dewclaws” by other breeders, nor do we view this fairly painless practice as cruel, but it is completely unnecessary and has a far-reaching impact on a dog’s life.
Our holistic approach is rooted in life as nature intended. The ‘front dewclaws’ dogs are born with are normal and functional, and part of their beauty. At Highland Glenn, we do not remove dewclaws on our puppies.
The term “front dewclaw” is actually a misnomer, though widely used. The term dewclaw properly refers to the claws on the rear feet. They are common in the Briard, Beauceron, Great Pyrenees, and Kangal Dogs. Although some claims about the functioning of those rear dewclaws are dubious, X-ray reveals they can also be attached by bone. Rear dewclaws, sometimes even double, are an historical trait in some English Shepherd lines and part of their inherent beauty, so when one of our puppies is born with them, we prefer to leave them on.
In contrast, the fifth toe of the foreleg is neither an ill-formed remnant nor the characteristic of an ancient ancestor. Virtually all dogs are born with five toes on their forefeet, and all five toes have functional uses in the everyday life of a dog. Many people do not realize that on the foreleg, those fifth digits are essentially thumbs, complete with their very own pad, fully functional and movable, used for grabbing the earth in running and turning, as well as for grasping objects, climbing, and grooming the face and ears. Dogs also use them while eating to hold large chunks of meat.
Evidence suggests that these toes may also be an acupressure point. In fact, foot and extreme nail sensitivity is quite common in dogs that have had them removed.
True, a dog might injure that digit, but they injure other toes much more commonly. Does it seem logical that simply because injury may occur it’s wise to cut off all such appendages “just in case”? Not to us!
In the canine anatomy book Miller’s Guide to the Dissection of the Dog, it shows five tendons attached to the dewclaw, and at the other end of those tendons is a muscle. If the dewclaws are removed, those muscle bundles will become atrophied from disuse.
Canine structural experts such as Dr. Christine Zink, DVM, Ph.D., DACVMSR, found that the fifth toes of the foreleg serve an important function in athletically active breeds, like the English Shepherd. Research has shown that performance dogs without these digits are more likely to suffer carpal injuries as well as other related injuries. On a fast turn, those thumbs dig in, providing stability and balance, and the carpal pad provides cushioning as the front dewclaws actually come in contact with the ground’s surface.
In the photo, notice how grass and soil have accumulated in the fifth toe of one of our former pups after a casual time retrieving.
Dr. Zink says: “Those muscles being attached to the dewclaws indicate that the dewclaws do have a function. That function is to prevent torque on the leg. Each time the foot lands on the ground, particularly when the dog is running all out, the dewclaw is actually in touch with the ground. If the dog then turns in another direction, the dewclaw digs into the ground to support the lower leg and prevent torque.” “If the dog doesn’t have a dewclaw, the leg actually twists. A lifetime of that usually results in carpal arthritis or perhaps injuries to other joints, such as the elbow, shoulder, and toes. Remember that the dog is doing the activity regardless, and the pressures on the leg have to go somewhere.”
Now, does that sound unnecessary to you?
“Another Look at Dewclaws”- by Fred Lanting