westiemum

Yep agreed hopenfox - raw barf diet and ACV help my guy as well - enormously. He's 8 and bounces around like a puppy too!! Cheers, Westiemum

Morning Everyone, Thanks so much for your help. I've just rung the vet as BC suggested and discussed it with them - they know my other two westies very well and are familiar with how I feed them as they helped me devise the routine in the first place!. As they believe that the fosters skin probs are infected (hence the antibiotics) they suggested to feed the new foster (who arrived last night) the same as my other two westies - just give him a bit more to put some condition on him. (Suggested we could try a commercial skin allergy food later if he needs it to put on condition but not necessary at the moment - would rather see how he goes). My other two westies are both desexed (of course!) and put on weight at the drop of a hat, while my new foster boy needs to put some condition on. My two Westies are fed a barf diet and seem to do pretty well on that - no colours, preservatives, flavours or carbohydrates - and I use chicken necks, veggies, fresh meat a couple of times a week, cans of sardines and mackeral, bones (marrow and beef) and the commercial barf patties, the ingredients of the beef variety are: Beef (or kangaroo depending on variety) , finely ground chicken bone, beef liver, whole egg, fresh yogurt, veggies, dried alfalfa leaf powder, ground flax seed meal, beef kidney, beef heart, beef tripe, fruit, dried kelp powder and garlic. They have plenty of moisture in them and no carbohydrate, crude protein 11%, crude fat 11%. They also 'snack' on fallen apricots from the tree in the back yard at this time of year He's back at the vet in two weeks to have his desexing stiches out so I can weigh him again then to see how he's doing. So any further comments, suggestrons?? Thanks tons. Cheers, Westiemum

Thanks Sheree - have pm'd. Cheers, Westiemum

Thanks FTPO - yes thanks for good advice - he had his first experience of Apple Cider Vinegar tonight!! (Not sure he liked it much!! Aah well he'll get used to it!!). BTW his paw pad hair is quite red...??? Cheers Westeimum

Thanks BC - that's a very god suggestion - will ring the vet in the morning and ask. Thanks you too dogarooma - will hunt up a good shampoo for him as you suggest. No at least he isn't matted and hasn't got a skirt anyway - so I'm grateful for small mercies!! Thanks again Westiemum

Thanks settrluvr and dru - really appreciated. Yes I know to make sure he isn't clipped too short - that happened to my boy rescue westie by a well-meaning groomer before I got him and he's now the opposite of this new boy - he has an undercoat and no top coat and looks like a bit of a fluff ball at the best of times!!! Interesting that you should mention breeding - I did wonder about that. To be honest I don't think he is a terribly good example of the breed but all the same he's an absolute honey and will make someone a wonderful pet in the new year. Thanks again Westiemum

Hi Lyndsay You bet!!! When I get my camera back from a friend who's rehoming a friends cat at the moment - hopefully Sunday - want to take some before and after photos so I can map his progress... Stay tuned... Cheers, Westiemum

Thanks so much BC - do you know if the Advance Turkey and rice is OK for little guys with skin conditions? (Just want to be a bit careful here - don't want to solve one problem and aggravate another!! Sure you know what I mean). Will start him on the sardines tonight - poor little bugger seems to be starving - and not just for attention either!! Cheers Westiemum

Hi Everyone, Advice please!!! My sweetest honey of a foster westie arrived tonight after being desexed. He's divine!!! He's 23 months and his birthday is Christmas Day. He has been very neglected - doubt he's ever been to the vet or ever had a clip. His coat I'm sure is not just westie wirey - its in shocking condition - he doesn't seem to have ANY undercoat (it looks like it has been completely hand-stripped but I know it hasn't) and its as dry and harsh as a desert. He also has a skin condition which is improving rapidly on antibiotics. I've started him on some Omega 3-6-9 oil and good tucker. Anyone have any other suggestions which will help his coat??? I'd particularly like him to grow a proper undercoat so he his temperature control is better. I'm going to have him clipped by a very good groomer in a week or so. Any advice really appreciated. Thanks tons Westiemum

Joint Guard and a sylvet capsule once every six weeks (much cheaper than the cartrophen injection). Keep the capsules in the fridge Joint guard is fantastic stuff but as cavNrot said - it takes six weeks or so for the thereaputic effect to kick in. My 8 year old westie with an an ACL repair and arthritis does extremely well on it. Here's the cheapest source of 400gm Joint guard I've found on the net so far - great customer service, reasonable postage and Trent the guy who runs it is really helpful, gives good advice and will get things in for you. www.greyhoundproductsdirect.com.au Hope that helps. Cheers Westiemum

Hi, I've been giving my two older westies chicken necks and wings in the morning and veggies and raw red meat (small amounts) at night - all human grade and the meats are ALWAYS raw - and not had any problems at all - great for teeth and breath and my guys absolutley love them - but I do supervise them but more to make sure they he doesn't swipe her food (he's a real foodie)! And my vet is perfectly happy with their diets - so I suppose its what you, your vet and your dog are happy with. Cheers

Hi, Well I do it differently again! Since I haven't got a food processor (but maybe I should get one!) my westies get chicken in the morning as I fly out the door to work (he gets a neck or two only as he has a weight problem which is now under control, and she gets a wing as she needs to put on weight) - fixes their breath and teeth as well. Then at night, when I have more time they get lightly cooked veggies (microwaved) and some red meat (no preservatives). I think if it isn't good enough for me to eat it isn't good enough for them!! It takes about eight minutes to feed them from start to finish and I find it very easy now I'm in the habit. They have one day a week of a marrow bone only each, which they then chew and bury for the next few days! Have checked with the vet and he's very happy with their diet - weights good, breath and teeth are good, coats are fine - and buying from the markets its much cheaper than commercial dog food. So I don't get too hung up on quantities or food types either - just make sure its balanced and as good a quality as I can afford. Hope that helps.

Hi, I've just done the pet insurance research too and decided against the RSPCA product but for a different reason - its simply more expensive than comparable and in some cases better products on the market. I too worry about the RSPCAs priorities - some concerted action against puppy farming and BYBs would be good just for starters... Cheers Westiemum

Hi, I also have a very itchy westie - body and ears - she's scratching as I write. I was recently told to try tumeric twice a day - its apparently a natural anti-inflammatory. So for the last few days I've been adding a teaspoon of tumeric to her breakfast and a teaspoon at night to her dinner (BARF diet). The only down-side is that she has a bright yellow muzzle! Its certainly helped although not completely eliminated the body scratching - but then its early days yet - and its a lot cheaper than expensive herbal preparations and medicine! I suspect its connected to something in the lawn too - she loves rolling around on the grass - but not 100% sure. So might be worth a try at less than a dollar a bag from the supermarket. Hope that helps Cheers, Westiemum