Perils of Bird Dogs (Birddogdom)

Autumn was created for pointing dogs afield
With hoar frost and foliage, such a pinnacle sight to yield
The perils of bird dogs’ did you ever ponder?
What happens to our beloved partners while out yonder?
They’d gladly pay the price in flesh, only wish they wore a combative shield


Once while chasing echoes off rim rocks on a scree covered slope
The profusely hemorrhaging carpal pad laceration was too much to cope
All the excitement led to a hypoglycemic event
That poor, wide-ranging, bird dog was totally spent
With all the canine commotion abound, stopping the bleeding was all we could hope


And once while pursuing the call of the Valley Quail
A well pampered, high pedigreed pointer came back with no tail
He’d ran out of sight, and was gone through the night
We’d found him hungry and cold at first light
The human counterpart became pale; however, don’t think these bird dogs are frail


There’s snakes that bite and dogs who fight
Deer and rabbits they can chase through the night
Porcupine quills, cheat grass, torn pads and conjunctivitis
Dehydration, motion sickness, skin rashes and colitis
And, don’t forget the traps, skunks, spear grass and mange mite


With all the salves and ointments to heal
An October with out bird dogs would not have the right feel
As the arthritis settles into what use to be a pup
And the empty collar eventually is hung up
The perils of bird dogs’ are what made it so real!

Canine Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a slow progressive, degenerative disease associated with the freely movable joints within the canine body. Another way to envision canine OA is when the destruction of the joint’s structures (such as cartilage) exceeds the production creating varying degrees of pain and discomfort to our adored companions. Why then is OA so important to us and our canine cohorts? Recent accounts in the literature suggest that approximately twenty percent of dogs over the age of one already have some minor degradation of the joint’s structure…thus making OA a significant canine disorder.

The canine skeletal system consists of numerous, separate, long bones that are fastened together by connective tissue creating an articulation or joint. A synovial joint is a freely movable joint that has a space between the two articulating bones. The synovial joint is comprised of a fibrous capsule surrounding the joint and a very thin layer called the synovial membrane. The synovial membrane is very important in the load-bearing capacity of the joint because it produces the viscous fluid found in the joint that helps with the frictionless motion of the joint. Joint fluid/synovial fluid also produces nutrients to the articular cartilage which covers the ends of the bones. Finally, the tendons, ligaments and muscles help provide flexibility and support to the synovial joint.

Athletic stresses or repetitive trauma to the joint can lead to injury of the cartilage cells. Over time, inflammation results in the thickening of the fibrous joint capsule, formation of bone spurs, decreased flexibility, and painful swelling.

Diagnosing OA in the canine patient is most commonly done by a veterinarian during a thorough physical examination and, in most cases, is based on the owners’ observations and the patients’ clinical signs. One of the most common owner complaints is that their bird dog has difficulty getting up, and they are stiff after long periods of rest.

Treatment of OA is targeted towards management of the clinical signs associated with pain rather than a cure for the disease…OA is a non-curable, degenerative joint disease. Important management measures would include such therapies as nutritional regulation, weight loss and control, routine low-intensity exercise (walking and swimming), physical therapy, nutriceuticals (Glucosamine and Chondroitin, MSM, SAM(e), vitamin B-3, fish oils high in Omega-3 fatty acids, etc), acupuncture, shock-wave therapy, laser therapy, and gene therapy.

Some patients continue to be painful after the implementation of conservative treatments…these patients generally require pain relief in an additional form. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (i.e. Rimadyl, Metacam, Deramaxx, etc) may be prescribed to the OA patient whom sustains uncontrollable pain. NSAID’s reduce pain by eliminating the inflammatory process. Although they reduce arthritic pain, they also have their shortcomings. NSAID’s do not provide support or lubricate the joint in any manner, and they may cause gastrointestinal upset and associated kidney or liver problems with chronic usage.

Managing OA successfully in our bird dogs requires a basic general knowledge of the joint’s function and structure, as well as understanding how OA develops. Once armed with this knowledge, we can combine numerous treatments to help alleviate our pets’ arthritic pain. Proper nutrition, regular exercise, weight control, physical therapy, nutriceuticals, alternative therapies, and judicial usage of NSAID’s in combination may possibly provide comfort and help maintain adequate function of the joints; ultimately furnishing our canine companions with a healthier and happier life.

Tinnitus...For Whom the Bell Tolls!

I long for the echo of dog bells on a hoar- frost, October's morn'n.

The scent of wet dogs and autumn foliage permeate the olfactory senses...the balance of a fine double shotgun over a forearm.

Suddenly, the bells fall silent...Now, it's time to regain consciousness and go find the staunch dogs!

SOUTHERN ARIZONIA QUAIL DOGS (FEB 2008)

My final trip of the year was a life long dream. I went down to southern Arizona with the dogs in tote. I went through New Mexico and saw my very first javelina on the side of the road. I put my trust in a GPS unit that sent me 2 hours in the wrong direction because it was supposed to be the "quickest" route. See it I ever put my trust in modern technology. I made it to my daughter's house in Phoenix in just under 18 long exhaustive hours. My 16 year old son, Dylan, and I were up early to meet a true quail bum (who chases birds almost 90 plus days a year...lucky sucker...in Tucson the next morning for our first day of Mearn's quail hunting. Steve Henderson was a great guy and gracious host. We met with him just east of Tucson, and we headed out to Mearn's country. I fell in love with Mearn's quail and the country they inhabit. This was one of the best years on record for these birds...they had a good carry over year and rain at the right time of the year. We moved an honest 11 coveys of quail that day. I seemed to always be in the right spot at the wrong time. Mearn's hunting reminds me of a combo of chukar hunting and ruffed grouse hunting. We heard more birds flush than we actually saw. These birds hold extremely well and they were made with pointing dogs in mind. We saw evidence of several illegal immigrants crossing through the draws...they deposit their backpacks and trash...littering this beautiful country side. it's a shame! We ended the day at Steve's house with a wonderful steak dinner. That night Dylan developed the flu and was violently ill. There was a gem convention going on in Tucson and all the hotels were booked up for the weekend. I was able to find one room at a Holiday Inn at the lovely sum of $300 for one night! Of course I took it...but couldn't help but feel gouged by them. The next morning we meet back up with the quail bums for a Gambel's quail hunt in the desert. The road getting out there was terrible...washed out and rutted. This was one of the worst Gambel's year on record due to poor winter rains the previous year and over grazing. We did find a few coveys and I learned that these birds are TRUE track and field stars. Everything in Gambel's country either sticks, stabs, gabs or grabs you and the dogs!!! I saw some of the very best display of English Setters worked on wild birds in my life!!! Those guys' dogs were truly incredible! On line with what author Ben O. Williams declared in his Bird Dog book, wild birds and exposure is what makes a great bird dog! We ended the day early because it was 75 plus degrees to a wonderful tail gate barbecue...these guys know how to do it in absolute STYLE! Dylan and I headed back to Phoenix that night because of the flu! I spent the next day and a half with my daughter and her husband. I kept day dreaming of Mearn's country and English Setters. I left for 30 degree Denver weather leaving the 80 plus degrees of Phoenix sun behind...I so wanted to turn around and head south for just one more covey rise! As I drove north towards home, I couldn't help but reflect on the past 5 and 1/2 glorious months of bird dogs season...my Elhew Pointer, Gep, had pointed and retrieved over 11 species of game birds...It was a really good year and I made it home alive! I'll be forever dreamin' of Mearn's Country and English Setters!

COUNTING COVEYS IN KANSAS (2007)

I was fortunate to make several trips to Kansas this year (2007-2008). The quail numbers were down but the dogs and I were still able to find a few good coveys. Our motto for Kansas hunting is: "Quail are for counting and pheasants are for killing!" I have 2 trip that will forever by in my memory. One was the night I was to drive to Garden City to hunt quail with Gary Ruppel and Casey Mader. I left Colorado on a Monday night at around 5 pm and planned to make the 4 and 1/2 trip to Casey's house. I was heading east almost to Goodland, KS when I got stuck in the middle of a severe ice storm. I was stopped by a Kansas State Patrolman and told that the road south from Goodland was closed. I drove east another 90 minutes and ended up staying in Colby, Kansas...which BTW has the only Starbucks on I-70 this side of Kansas. The girls and I slept very well that night in a Best Western and woke up to a sea of ice outside. We hunted around Colby and moved a few nice coveys of quail and missed a few pheasant. It was a great day of hunting and the landscape was incredible...each blade of grass was enclosed by an ice sheath like I've never seen before. I hunted until about 3 p.m. and then I made an 8 hour white-knuckled drive home to good ol' Colorado.

The second hunt I'll always remember was in January 2008 when my life long friend Matt Lucia came out for his very first Kansas hunt. We met Gary Ruppel and Casey Mader in Garden City, Kansas. What a trip (literally)! We moved 9 good coveys of Bobwhite quail the first day. The dogs did a great job finding and retrieving the birds. I've always said that if I could only chase one species of bird, it would be gentleman Bob! We saw tons of late season pheasants and really enjoyed the Kansas experience. I think Matt went home with a perpetual smile...

CHASING SOUTHERN IDAHO CHUKARS

Karen and I made a trip to Southern Idaho to visit my family for the Thanksgiving (2007) holiday. I was able to sneak away for one day of chukar and valley quail hunting with my good friend, Matt Lucia. We had a great day and found several nice coveys of those cantankerous chukars. Gep made some great points...the most memorable was seeing her on point looking down a draw while standing on the rim rocks. I love chukars and the places they inhabit. I admire the writings of author Charley Waterman and the way he described chukar hunting...only as some one that had been there and done it! Fall season will find me day dreaming of cheat grass, volcanic scree and rim rocks.

TWO STEPPIN' IN MONTANA

These are some photos from my very first trip to the Canadian border. Our trip was in the first week on November (2007), and the weather was unseasonably warm...at least that's what Gary Ruppel had told me. We had a great time the 5 days we were there. The dog work was spectacular, and the birds were a bonus. We had points of Huns, Sharp-tailed grouse, and many a "Ditch Parrot". We survived the trip with only some minor incidents with porcupines and barb wire. The food we ate was incredible. Don Tolson was up early every morning cooking breakfast. We had home made apple butter that Don's friend Gary and his wife made. We ate prime rib and pheasant for dinner almost every night. I can't wait to get back to the Eastern Montana Prairie.