The way you approach an issue of health — whether it be a breeding female, or a sick pup — in your breeding program is one of the biggest challenges you will need to overcome to be a successful breeder.
The biggest issue I see among breeders is that when we go through an experience, we think the solution is applicable in the same situation for another breeder. But in actuality, a certain treatment may have only worked for you because of the genetics in your line. The longer I do this, the more I see that your genetic line is the root of everything you will experience in your own kennel. What works for you and saved your pups may not work for someone else. Don't be so set in your ways that you don't consider that another breeder's lines may need a completely different approach to the same problem. Doing that is called kennel blindness.
We must always look at every situation objectively — because in the end, we are just trying to help others. Don't forget that everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, comes down to genetics. Every dog's immune system is like a fingerprint. Every single one is different.
The Safeguard Story — Don't Be a Karen
I argued with someone on a Facebook group because a lady — let's call her Carol — posted saying she dewormed her dog with Safeguard and the dog had a seizure. Another lady — let's call her Karen (so many Karens today, lol) — got on the post saying there was no way the seizure was from Safeguard.
Karen is an idiot. Karen said it's extremely difficult to overdose on Safeguard. Karen is right about that — you could dose a dog with 50x the amount and it wouldn't hurt the dog. But here's why Karen is an idiot: Karen has completely forgotten that any dog could have an allergic reaction to even the smallest amount of Safeguard. Allergic reactions are not the same as an overdose from a toxic quantity. Everything is toxic in too-large quantities. Safeguard is known to be very safe at even 10 times the needed dose for deworming. Keep your mind open at all times.
I myself have been giving Safeguard for years and never had an issue — but last year I had a puppy who I gave Safeguard to, and she was acting hypoglycemic within 6 hours. I couldn't get her to come out of it even while treating her for hypoglycemia. I decided to go to the vet. In the 15 minutes it took me to get there, she was seizing in my arms. The vet gave her a steroid and another shot of something akin to Benadryl. Pup was fine and never had another issue. The vet concluded she was simply allergic to Safeguard.
Don't let yourself fall into the trap of not being able to be subjective. Look at things outside of your own experiences so that you can be open to all the possibilities. Your dogs will be better off for it — especially if you buy another line and bring it in. All your knowledge shouldn't work against you.
Don't be a Karen. Unless you are a cool Karen — then that's great. But don't be an "Ass Hole Karen".
