I live on a farm - technically a pine plantation - in a rural county in North Carolina. My dogs enjoy running in the woods, chasing rabbits, deer, and anything else that they find. This is not without risk, but mostly my dogs stay near my apartment and barn (technically a very small one-bedroom house with a very large garage). I have (cat) trackers on my dog's collars, so that I can find my dogs if they get lost or too far away. I always tell people that Norwich terriers can NOT be let off-lead, except in a controlled environment, as they will chase small vermin. I consider my farm as a controlled environment, although it really is not (although my nearest neighbor is a mile away). I never would let my Norwich be off lead in a city or suburban setting; the risk of being hit by a car is too great. I have heard too many sad stories.
One of the dangers to my dogs is parasites. Every quarter I worm everyone, althernating between the dewormers fenbendazole and pyrantel. (I also have to keep up with flea and tick medication.) This usually keeps parasites under control.
Back in January I was planning to breed Freema, when we discovered that she had a parasite infestation. (Interestingly, the infestation was found during our annual eye exams.) Breeding was cancelled, and Freema was put on medication to get rid of the parasites, which was successful. All dogs have parasitic cysts (parasite eggs), which are kept under control by the immune system. But pregnancy is a time of weakened immunity, so that the immune system does not attack the puppies. Normally pregnant canines are put on a three-day dose of fenbendazole at T-minus two weeks till whelping, two days after whelping, and two weeks after whelping to control parasites. This reduces the chances that parasites are not passed to the puppies, either in utero or when nursing. (Puppies also get wormed, although with pyrantel.)
More than likely Freema has a large number of parasite cysts inside her. My theriogeneology (reproduction) vets at NC State University have recommended that Freema be put on a daily dose of fenbendazole starting at day 40 of pregnancy until two weeks after pregnancy. I know from experience that my dogs do not like the taste of fenbendazole. Usually mothers are so hungry during pregnancy and nursing that they will eat the febendazole if I put it on some tasty food. But keeping Freema on fenbendazole for over a month is going to be a challenge. I requested that the chemical be mixed (compounded) with different flavorings. So the pharmacy made me three bottles of fenbendazole - one tasting of chicken, one of tuna, and one of peanut butter. I am going to rotate using the bottles, in the hope that Freema does not catch on. So today Freema began receiving fenbendazole with breakfast.
Freema (you can just see that her belly is starting to bulge).
