Almost all states and municipalities have laws and ordinances regarding rabies vaccinations. Make certain you know and obey these vaccination laws with your Sta ff ord! All Sta ff ords should be vacci- nated for common and serious canine ill- nesses, including parvovirus and distem- per, and your Sta ff ord’s fecal specimens should be checked by your vet for parasites at least yearly. Dog vaccination protocols are a current hotly debated issue, and are beyond the scope of this brief summary. However, one authoritative place to start is by reading the American Animal Hos- pital Association 2011 Canine Vaccina- tion Guidelines. Th is website gives a great deal of information which will serve as a sound basis for your future investigation of this fast-changing subject, and allow you, in partnership with your veterinari- an, to make the best vaccination decisions for your dog.
itself ameliorate this condition in milder cases. Contact allergies to pollens, dusts, molds, and other environmental allergens may be to blame. (One indoor allergen responsible for much atopic dermatitis in dogs, the feces of the ubiquitous house dust mite, is a major allergen for humans, as well.) Less frequently, food intolerances may play a role, and the dog must be rele- gated by the veterinarian to a strict dietary protocol. For milder cases, some dog own- ers and vets have seen improvement using fish oil supplements; the omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish oils act as a natu- ral anti-inflammatory and help to relieve the itching. Severe cases of atopic derma- titis can be di ffi cult to manage, and the advice and help of a veterinarian are need- ed to bring the a ffl icted dog relief. Often treatment to control the itching (such as antihistamines or even prednisone), iden- tification and removal of the source of the
typical), puppies of many breeds (includ- ing Sta ff ords) may develop a few quarter- sized bald patches on their face and chest; these usually resolve in time without treat- ment. Unfortunately, certain dogs are not so lucky; the condition becomes general- ized and wide-spread over the entire body. In these cases, veterinarians must be con- sulted for treatment, and the problem is often not easy to permanently resolve. Pre- viously, only rather toxic dips, usually con- taining the compound amitraz, would be used to control the mites in dogs with gen- eralized demodicosis. More recently, the heartworm preventive ivermectin has been successfully used to treat demodicosis; however, it is not yet approved by the FDA for this purpose, although it is licensed for use as a heartworm preventive in the dog. Ivermectin is highly toxic to many individ- uals of herding breeds, but most Sta ff ords appear to tolerate it well. Certain lines of
“CERTAIN STAFFORDS ARE PRONE TO VARIOUS SKIN ALLERGIES, CAUSING THEM TO BITE, SCRATCH, AND LICK THEIR ITCHY PLACES continually until the source of the problem is corrected by the owner or their vet.”
Following is a brief listing of illnesses which are known to occur in the Sta ff ord- shire Bull Terrier. Th is listing is not meant to be completely inclusive, and is provided for general information purposes only. Atopic Dermatitis (Skin Allergy) Certain Sta ff ords are prone to various skin allergies, causing them to bite, scratch, and lick their itchy places continually until the source of the problem is corrected by the owner or their vet. An a ffl icted dog may lose huge patches of hair or develop large “lick sores” in the process. Second- ary infections may then occur in the raw, exposed skin. A “flea bite allergy” often plays a considerable role in this condition; aggressive “flea control” measures (both on the dog and in the premises where the dog resides) throughout the year will often by
allergen from the dog’s environment, and treatment of the secondary skin infections are all necessary in order to control the condition in especially severe cases. While no studies have been done specifically on Sta ff ords, research with dogs in general show this condition to have, at least in part, a genetic mode of transmission.
Sta ff ords appear to be particularly prone to generalized demodicosis. Whether or not a Sta ff ord with generalized demodicosis should be used in a breeding program is a controversial subject at the moment, how- ever, the tendency towards the condition is thought be many to be an inherited one.
Elbow Dysplasia
Demodectic Mange (Demodicosis)
Th e term Elbow Dysplasia is used to describe a degenerative disorder of the elbow joint caused by improper develop- ment of a portion of a particular bone in this joint (anconeal process of the ulna). Young dogs that have this condition often exhibit pain when jumping or turn- ing quickly, or may show variable foreleg lameness. It is thought to be hereditary in nature, and tends to run in canine fami- lies. However, exogenous causes, such as
Demodicosis is a skin condition caused by the tiny mite Demodex canis. Nearly all dogs carry this tiny skin parasite, but most adult dogs’ immune systems are able to keep the mite in check, and no symptoms are observed. (Even most humans carry this mite in limited numbers in their skin!) Frequently in puppyhood and adolescence (4 months to 18 months of age is most
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