Falling out of a race.

[KTWilson]

Just looking to get input from some more experienced houndsman. I have a 5 year old mecham bread dog that strikes bear and starts a track awesome. Once lined out he falls behind my other 2 dogs a ways if the temperature is above 60 degrees, and will fall completely out of the race within a couple miles. On colder days he does a decent job of keeping up. Is there anything you could think of that could be going on with him that I could fix, would you get rid of him to a winter cat Hunter, or would you cull him. Just looking for input. He is far from a great dog but not a cull in my eyes when hunting colder days.

[driftwood blue]

Have you checked him for heart worms?
I know some folks claim there none out your way but anywhere there is skeeters, there is always that chance.

[Goose]

I would go have some bloodwork and stool samples done to check for any form or parasite or to check his blood count, if that’s an option for you and you really wanted to know that bad....

[Cajun]

What Driftwood and Goose said. Also check for any tick related diseases.

[sheba]

Have you owned him since he was a pup ? Has he always fallen out of long races ?

Sounds like he may have suffered a heat stroke somewhere in his hunting career. A Heat stroke can really affect a dog in a lot of different ways

[KTWilson]

I have only owned him 6 months. I was thinking heat stroke as well. I might take him to the vet and see what it would cost to run some tests.

[Jeff Eberle]

Have him checked for a enlarged heart

[mark]

Its also possible that the dog likes dog tracks in his bear tracks

[KTWilson]

I thought about that mark but I've picked him up half way through a race and he looks like he's ran 30 miles. He just gets winded. On a 50 degree day he will be right up with the other dogs.

[perk]

Some dogs just don’t make it. Sounds to me like you have 3 options
1 get rid of him bc he cannot run up
2 cull your faster dogs and build around him
3 only hunt him in the colder weather

[scrubrunner]

What Perk said. X2

[driftwood blue]

another thought that entered my mind... you have only had him 6 months
Is that the real reason you were able to obtain him and what may have caused it from the previous owner.. '

I gotta agree with perk too