About Ken Humphries Expertise I have only four geat danes now, all fawn, although I have had brindles in the past. I have had them for 34 years and am an international judge of danes, I breed them occasionally and show them most weekends. I also organise seminars and lecture on Kennel Club regulations, how to judge dogs, canine anatomy, movement and stewarding at shows. I am on the committees of National Working & Pastoral Breeds, Midland & West of England Great Dane Club organising shows and I was chairman of Stratford Canine Society.
Experience I have had up to 20 great danes at any one time, fawn, brindle and blue,in the past. I have had them for 34 years and am an international judge of danes, I have judged the championship show of the Great Dane Club of South Australia. I breed them occasionally and show them most weekends. I also organise seminars for novice judges and instruct them on Kennel Club regulations and construction and movement.
A dane we bred and that I showed took the best dog award at Crufts.
Expert: Ken Humphries Date: 6/13/2008 Subject: great dane - pain - fever -
Question I have a dane pup - my first one. he is 7 mos old and weighs about 100 pounds now. since he was neutered at 5 mos we've been having issues with joint swelling in all four hocks in his legs / quakes when I touch him / fever (yesterday 102.7) listlessness/ red eyes and draining from eyes/ after the neutering he was diagnosed with a bone infection - and was on three different types of antibiotics with hardly any change. I believe the diagnosis was in error / later another vet diagnosed HOD he was on novox and tramadol for two weeks and I changed his food to Royal Canin maxi(puppy food) he has been doing great for about 5 weeks until yesterday, he was down and feverish-one front joint is increased in size 1/4 inch since last week (I've been measuring his front leg joints since the problem began) so I fed him the precribed dose twice of novox and tramadol - today he's doing great - no fever - up and running around eating good - My vet wants me to take him to the State Veterinary clinic which will cost me a lot of money that I don't have. I have been reading that this problem, if it is HOD, can pop up until he's done growing. I would like to know what you recommend for food if i'm not feeding him the right thing. there are so many people online saying that high protein is the problem but my new vet says this is NOT a protein problem... who's right? I love this dog and it will kill me if i have to put him down - but I don't want to keep him for me - I want him to have quality of life, not a life of suffering.
Answer Get him off any puppy foods, they are too high in protein and calcium.
Five months is too early for neutering it prevents development and maturity.
Go to
www.bengraftongreatdanes.me.uk
for a diet sheet and puppy notes where you will see that we do not recommend the much advertised foods as they are priced too high to pay for the advertising and the food is no better. We use one made for a local pet food distributor costing £8 per 20 kilo bag,delivered. Vets are not dieticins and rely on the marketing blurb from the food manufacturers.
