Eddie Kershaw....

MLBob Furia

MLBob Furia

Well-known member
Eddie,

Thought you'd enjoy these as you have days like this to look forward to.

Yesterday, I took my 6 yr. old lab down to the Ohio River to poke around. The River hit flood stage at mid-day (52'), so I kept to the areas that I knew would open up in my favorite hunting slough off the main-stem of the river.

Spent the morning taking pictures of birds (or trying to), and when the sun broke through in early afternoon, I worked her for a while through the decoys I had set out in this last spot we had chosen to set up ( a small "inland lake" that had formed in a flooded field a good 3/4of a mile back in)

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Good news is that all effects of the leg injury she suffered during January seem to be gone, as I worked her for a fairly long time with no noticeable reaction, either then or today. With all the horror stories I hear about ACL tears in retrievers, I feel fortunate that we seem to have dodged that bullet. Nevertheless, water-work may be the way to go for a while.
 
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Bob,

No fair!! No fair I tell ya,,,,,,,,,,,, no fair posting something like that during the work week! Old retired folks got nothing better to do I tell ya, such a shame.

PS Looks like your dog is doing good. Hope you got a few good pictures of some birds.
 
Bob,
It does seem as if a large % of labs and other working dogs get that injury. I think it is probably due to lack of exercise throughout the off season then being expected to play the whole game during season without any conditioning. You mention water work as a good plan. I've come to believe that for a heavier build breed like labs, CBR, goldens, and especially with a few years on them that water work is the only way to exercise, safely. Both labs I've owned would develop shoulder aches and limps after land work once they reached 5 y.o. In water none of the jarring and sharps stops and turns that are on every retrieve on land.

Dave, think I'll get out and give Knight some time in the river in a little while. Work? Wazz that? Oh yeh, that's tomorrow. Dang it.

It would have been fun to watch Eddie jumping around when he got the news.
 
Lack of conditioning certainly can lead to traumatic injury when a dog over exerts, but I don't think that is the whole story. There are plenty of well conditioned Trial dogs that end up with an CCL injury. I think genetics also plays apart, as it is seems to be more prevalent in some lines within a breed.. There is also, some research out that implies that it may have an immune mediated component, which weakens the ligament leading to a tear.
 
Kev,

She gets plenty of work year 'round; her injury was a result of hooking her rear leg in a bow handle while jumping down to the ramp on an icy, snowy day and taking a nasty fall while the leg twisted.

However, I do think you have something when you mention long periods of inactivity followed by training sessions that go far too long, or ask far too much beyond the developmental stage of the dog involved. I never used to hear about this injury with the regularity I see questions about it appearing on the dog forums. I think the one - dog owners reluctance to let injuries get the proper time to try and heal might be a problem as well. We're may be too quick to rush to the operating table in hopes of getting fido back to 100% ASAP.

Used to know a very successful pro who swore by working single marks every day with his veteran dogs and only worked multiples just enough to keep them sharp. Usually it's the opposite. Lot to be said for consistent short sessions all year 'round.
 
MlBob thanks for posting those pictures and bringing a few happy memorys back of Meg she was just like your little and if I had,nt known better I would have sworn it was Meg, I did,nt know your little girl had injured herself but has kevin says the best way is to exercise her in water and that should bring her along fine. thanks for posting the pictures.
take care and God Bless
Eddie
Its all about Building that Bond
 
Kevin when I got the news on Amber they could hear me 2/12 miles away at Manchester United,s Ground at old trafford and I have still not stoped dancing yet, last night I went to see Amber for the first time and she was 3 days old and what a little dream she his, now Im looking forward to bringing this little girl home.
take care and God Bless
Eddie.
Its all about Building that Bond.
 
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