It doesn’t have to be a dog’s life

 All the more reason to pay attention to their health needs, says animal health company Zoetis New Zealand, citing a timely reminder by a King Country vet: canine employees need attention and care to ensure they can keep up with the season’s demands.

Anna Martyn of Atkinson and Associates Veterinary Services, Piopio, sees many farm dogs with various stages of arthritis and joint issues slowing them down, and often causing a lot of pain.

“These dogs are often keen to work, though they can be close to death’s door and still want to be out there, until the pain they are experiencing becomes too great.”

Usually that pain extends from previous injuries, or inherited genetic conditions like hip or elbow dysplasia, especially in Huntaways. 

Martyn’s advice to farmers with dogs suffering such genetic conditions is to avoid breeding from them if possible. 

However, for those dogs already suffering such a condition she is keen to raise farmers’ awareness over the busy season of the difficulty and pain that can accompany joint stiffness and to consider ways to ease both.

A 2008 Massey University study of disease and injury in working dogs across 44 farms in the Lower North Island found 17% suffered joint and leg issues including stiffness and arthritis. 

In semi-retired dogs the problems with joints soared to 25%.

“Joint pain is by no means an ‘old dog’ problem. I diagnose it across dogs of all ages, and see how it can drastically cut short their working life,” she says.

Recently she has been able to help extend that working life, using the anti-inflammatory drug Trocoxil chewable tablets, administered monthly (cost $60/month) following an initial loading dose, reducing the risk of forgetting treatment and ensuring continuous pain relief. 

Mahoenui farmer Gary Jeffries took Martyn’s advice to try Trocoxil on his top Huntaway Rose after she started to slow down and show signs of pain as a result of hip dysplasia.

“It must have been a recessive gene; neither of her parents had it,” he says.  “But it started to limit her movement, with her favouring her back left leg and definitely limiting what she could do on the farm.”

A year into the treatment Jefferies says he has found Rose responding well to the programme. She has regained her movement and ability to perform a hard day’s work, either backing sheep or holding her own while moving bulls on the hilly property.

 “She is keen to work again; she’s still tough on the bulls and she doesn’t back off. It’s great she is back on the job, I really need her here. 

“Trocoxil has eased the pain, given her movement back and the cost would not buy me a week’s casual labour. It’s money well spent on such a good dog.”

Martyn’s advice to farmers with dogs displaying joint pain is to not only consider a treatment, but to also try to reduce the amount of ground dogs have to cover when possible, by using a trailer or carrying them on a quad between jobs.