Put together by Robin Camken, who spent hundreds of hours on the web compiling information, this super site is the place to go to research most known health problems of the Bernese Mountain Dog. Please read and observe the copyright information provided by Robin.

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How to Read Laboratory Tests - This article was printed in the PVBMDC Newsletter June 2001.  You can read it online at http://ighawaii.com/naturallypet.html

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With advancements in veterinary medicine and nutrition, pets are living longer than ever before. Geriatric medicine is gaining in popularity as the demand grows for more attention to our aging pet population.

Most dogs are considered "old" around eight or nine years. Large and giant breeds are considered middle-aged around 6 or 7. Smaller breeds tend to live much longer than large breeds, even into their mid-teens.

Canine senior citizens have more needs, and require more attention. Their sight and hearing may diminish, and they will require more sleep and move more slowly. Stairs may become a hardship, so sleeping arrangements may need adjusting. They need to go out more often, as bladder and bowel control may weaken with age. They still need appropriate exercise, frequent grooming, and proper nutrition. Since they may have fewer teeth, a soft diet may be necessary.

Most changes with the aging process occur gradually, but there are several things to watch for, and preventative steps to take to ensure that your favorite dog will keep active and healthy into his/her golden years. Regular veterinary examinations are critical to a dog’s health. It is important to keep a detailed medical history and continue regular veterinary visits to ensure a long, healthy life for your dog.

Obesity is a major problem with dogs in our society, since owners tend to feed table scraps in excess. Serious health problems may result from obesity. Extra weight puts a strain on the animal’s heart, lungs, skeleton, and muscles, and lowers resistance to disease. Regular moderate exercise and proper nutrition are essential to maintain optimal weight and health.

Arthritis often affects older dogs, and causes them to slow down and lessens their ability to climb steps or jump up on a favorite chair. If your dog shows signs of arthritis, your veterinarian can examine him and may suggest radiographs. Your veterinarian then may be able to prescribe an appropriate medication to lessen the pain, and give the dog more mobility.

Heart disease is more common in aging dogs. Initial signs are coughing, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, and even fainting spells. If diagnosed in the early stages, medications are available to treat the symptoms of heart disease that can help your dog live a more normal life.

Your dog will benefit from regular grooming to stimulate the coat and skin. During grooming sessions, check for skin disorders or dry, irritated skin, or oozing sores under the coat. This is a good time to notice any lump or growth that has appeared. Often these are benign growths, but may require surgery, especially if they are growing. Your veterinarian can help guide you with these decisions.

Bathing is only suggested on rare occasions, since frequent baths remove natural protective oils from the skin. If he is dirty, or shows evidence of fleas, he may be bathed in lukewarm water using mild shampoo. Be sure to rinse the soap thoroughly. Also look for parasites that may cause discomfort. Fleas are common, but can be controlled by oral medication or topical products, including powders, sprays, collars, or dips. Contact your veterinarian for recommended prevention or treatment.

Eyes should be cleaned of any discharge with a soft cloth moistened with water or saline solution. Ear discomfort is indicated by scratching or head shaking. Infections can settle deep in the ear canal and should be treated by your veterinarian immediately.

The dog’s mouth should be examined periodically for signs of gum disease, and tartar accumulation. This is an important part of the annual veterinary examination, and any problems should be addressed immediately. Many older dogs lose their teeth, or they may be extracted if disease or infection is detected.

Elderly dogs may exercise less frequently on hard surfaces to keep their nails filed down, so it is your job to clip their nails, to keep them comfortable. Neglected nails may cripple a dog.

Extra precautionary measures should be taken with elderly dogs. As their hearing and eyesight diminishes, they should be supervised more closely, and not allowed to fend for themselves. They may not see or hear cars or life-threatening hazards. Do not allow them on balconies, or stairwells without supervision.

Keep poisons out of reach of any animal. Many popular household plants can be toxic to dogs, including cyclamen, ferns, philodendrons, dieffenbachia, and other varieties. Cleaning solutions such as detergents, bleaches, oven cleaners, etc. may pose hazards as well. Make sure bottle caps are tight and the rags used to apply these chemicals are stored safely out of reach. Treat pets like children and keep medicines locked up, and never leave candy, especially chocolate, where dogs may have access to it.

Outdoor hazards include windshield cleaners, antifreeze, weed killers, used motor oil, and insecticides. Antifreeze has a sweet taste, and just a few licks can be fatal to your dog. Other hazards include rodenticides used to kill rats and mice. If any poisoning occurs, call your veterinarian immediately, and provide a sample of the poison with the labeling to aid in proper treatment. In an emergency, you may wish to call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435.

Avoid extremes in temperature. Of course, never leave any dog in a parked car in hot weather, even with the windows open, and never leave him outside without water and shade. Similarly, in frigid temperatures, bring him indoors, and be sure he always has shelter from wind, rain, and sun, even in mild temperatures. Tolerance for temperature extremes is reduced with old age, and you should always consider the dog’s comfort. In old age, you may not want to take your pet on car trips as often, since he may become uncomfortable with strange places, and would rather stay at home in an environment where he is very familiar.

In a medical crisis situation, call your veterinarian immediately if you detect any of the following symptoms:

• abnormal breathing

• abnormal behavior

• active bleeding

• bone exposure

• puncture to abdomen, chest, or neck

• watery or bloody discharge

• partial or complete paralysis

• difficulty urinating

• profuse vomiting or diarrhea

• poison ingestion

• bloated or tender abdomen

• rectal temperature over 103 degrees F or under 99 degrees F

• dehydration

• abnormal color of gums or eyes

• disorientation

• collapse

Together you and your veterinarian can have a positive influence on your dog’s happiness and comfort and ensure that the quality of life is maintained during the senior years. A lifetime of love should be rewarded with special attention.

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Potomac Valley Bernese Mountain Dog Club Health Committee - First Aid Kit

Being prepared for emergencies is part of responsible pet care. Our Health Committee suggests having the following on hand for your Berners. Suggestions for other items can be sent to Pope Burr at popeburr@ieee.org.

It somewhat depends on the vet's protocol for the spay surgery, but I can tell you what we do where I work. 

The owner is given the option of doing presurgical blood work (recommended--ours includes making sure the blood clots normally, checks the dog's white blood cell count, and checks for anemia). If the owner elects to have blood work done, the pre-surgical exam is done and the blood work is drawn and run. Assuming that everything checks out ok, we proceed with giving the dog it's pre-meditations. These premeds include pain management and also help to keep the heart rate up, etc., during surgery. The premeds also help to sedate the dog a little so that inducing anesthesia is easier for the dog and for us. The dog's belly is clipped and scrubbed and then the surgery is performed. My doctors prefer to use stainless steel sutures to close the incision. Once the dog is taken off the gas anesthesia, the dog is placed back in its cage with a thick pad to lie on. One of the trained vet assistants sits with the dog while it is recovering to monitor the recovery. We frequently check on the surgery animals throughout the day (most surgery animals are in cages in the treatment room and are therefore seen by all employees all day). Before leaving for the night, the dogs are walked and given small amounts of water. Cats are given litter boxes and water. Surgery animals (usually) stay overnight. The next morning the incision is checked and the dog's temperature is taken. The dog is walked and fed.

We print out written "going home" instructions for the owner, as well as verbally telling the owner. Which basically include the following:

* The sutures will need to be removed in 10 days. The owner can make an appointment with a technician; there is no charge for suture removal.

* Check the incision every day for the 10 days. Check for bleeding, oozing (pus or clear serum), swelling, or redness. Contact the vet if any occur.

* Try to monitor the dog for licking at the incision. It's ok for the dog to briefly clean the incision area, but if the owner is frequently catching the dog licking, we recommend the owner let us know, and we will have the owner pick up an Elizabethan collar (the giant lampshade looking collars) to prevent the dog from licking. If the owner notices the incision becoming more swollen or red in  appearance, it means that the dog has been licking the incision. The dog just hasn't been doing it in front of the owner. ;o)

* Regular food and water amounts are ok. Contact the vet if the dog is not interested in eating/drinking or if vomiting or diarrhea occurs.

* Try to keep the dog quiet for 10 days. No wild running or playing with other dogs. Leash walking is fine. Try to avoid activities in which the dog may end up pulling at the incision area (i.e. jumping, leaping, twisting, etc.)

* Keep the dog clean and dry (no swimming or bathing) for 10 days.

* The dog may be a bit tired for a couple of days after returning home. This is usually normal. If the dog continues to be tired (lethargic) for a longer period of time, contact the vet.

We also let the owner know that we are available if the owner has any questions about the incision and the owner is always welcome to bring the dog by to have the incision checked if the owner is concerned. If the dog is going home on a weekday, we let the owner know which vet will be on call that night and until what time. If the dog is going home on a Saturday, we also let the owner know which vet will be on call over the weekend and what hours the vet is on call.

If the vet puts in stitches that are under the skin, there should be no need for the stitches to be removed.

I hope this helps, but the best thing is to follow your vet's advice on post-surgery care.