Pheebs

Thinking of you both and sending positive thoughts from both me and Tessy

I won't directly link in case you have a weak stomach :D http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/pho...gyshoulder1.jpg This is the last off-topic post I shall have in this thread (*promise*)

;) :p ;) ;) ;) :D :D :p :p :p (and a harness, collar and polar fleece in the mail :D )

Sorry for thread hijack... but here is tessy lying down (on lead) refusing to walk :D (this was on the Sunday when we dropped her off ;))

;) ;) ;) Aaaaaaaahahahhahaah I forgot to tell you :D (no, that wasn't a 'convenient' forgetfulness either haha). To tell you the truth, towards the end I had to actually stop walking her and take her to the park instead as I have a congenital collagen disorder which causes my shoulders to dislocate I have a harness for her (which, would you believe I forgot to pack in her 'luggage' :D) which DOES help (a bit though not a great deal). I can't stand the 'choking' noises she makes when she pulls so hard on the lead the collar strangles her! :D ;)

*whistles innocently* :D I think Tessy was either a vacuum or a fridge in a previous life

As you know - Tess is just a liiiiittle quirky If I spent any more time trying to understand her i'd just about do my head in

To be honest Toohey I don't know I had planned for October at the very latest (that's when our lease here ends)... but have only just started a new job this last week (only retail: I took what I could get out of sheer desperation ) which is in Chatswood. It's virtually impossible to find accomodation around this area at retail-wage price let alone accomodation that would accept pets. The whole situation is just so bloody frustrating. I feel i've let Kylie (f.c) down, and I just want everything to be right by everyone!

*shameless bump*

ARGHHHHHH HEEEEEEEEEELP! This is just SO unlike her

Supercoat Adult for Tessypants That said, once in a financial position I will probably look at a better quality dry

Good Lord My girl (granted, a bit small in frame) was a bit pudgy at 32kg!!! She's now at her ideal weight of 27kg... Naturally, it's to be expected that the males will weigh more... 10months is a very critical age - as you would know our breed is very prone to hip dysplasia and the like, so it's by far better to keep them lean then overweight particularly at an age where healthy bone development is crucial... I know what you've cut out, but what diet is he currently on (also, two meals or one)? As a fully-grown adult, my girl was getting roughly 2.5hrs a day - they never seem to tire do they

Thanks Benson - have PMd you Ok... after the vet visit this morning: Tessypants has a yeast infection her ears, and has been given some drops which should see that she's feeling comfortable again within about 3-5 days. The vet seems to think the urination is compeltely behavioural, but will do a urine test early on next week just to make sure. Because the fleas are completely gone, we've now stopped with the revolution, and she's just on Sentinel now. He's prescribed her with Clomicalm (half a tablet, twice a day) just to take the edge off. She's been given a months supply, so i'm unsure as to whether this will be an ongoing thing. She weighs in at 27kg and seems to be in good shape If the combination of clomicalm, positively reinforcing the urination outside and changing her sleeping location doesn't work, then we will look at getting a session with a behaviourist recommended by the vet (name escapes me atm). Last night Kylie restricted her to the downstairs area of the house and she happily slept in Kylie's room without waking her up. There's also the possibility that her urination patterns co-incided with a visit from me - in all honesty, should I be looking at more consistent visits, or cutting visits altogether ;)? Kylie has said that her general behaviour did not change upon our visit (though, naturally we can't rule out that this urination might have been her way of well, not coping but you know what I mean). If she was urinating cause of our visit, would it make sense that she would continue to do it a month down the track after our visit?

It would depend on the reasons as to why you've got an issue with barking in the first place as to what solution I would offer to rectify the problem.

No, no change in routine... I had thought rescue remedy, too actually... I'm going to look at crating her anyway cause she continues to wake Kylie up and have 'false' urges to pee but when she gets outside all she wants to do is bloody play (1am, 3am, you name it). Thing is in these last couple of weeks, she's peeing upstairs, THEN coming and pestering Kylie.

She peed inside again last night Friday morning's the earliest an appointment could be arranged

Thanks Mel, I was aware that Sentinel (should ) cover fleas so we gave her three months on that with no luck before considering any other options. She's in a bushy/beach area so no doubt she keeps picking them up from the scrub. Hoping to get that under control so we can phase out the Revolution. Tess is not at ALL cat-friendly, but there have been sightings of a few cats in the backyard (which she doesn't have access to unless its onleash for toilet breaks). Will ask for general bloodwork and urine culture testing - thanks guys (From a worry-wart Mum )

Hi Mel She started Sentinel Spectrum 3 months ago for worming and heartworm Then about a month ago the foster carer said that Tess was absolutely bombarded by fleas and 'hadn't been anywhere other than her normal surroudings to pick them up', and kept rubbing her ears against the wall which led her to think it could be earmites as well... Tess wasn't on any flea meds up until that time, so we decided to put her on Revolution in the hope that it might combat possible earmites as well. So to answer your question, she's on both Tess will be 6 in May

Thanks Fin Yeah a vet check's in order as well (as I need to hand over certification that the F.C can make decisionson my behalf in my absence anyway). Actually, she started the worming meds (Sentinel Spectrum) about three months ago, but revolution flea treatment two weeks ago

Hi there Apologies - quite a long post ahead but if anyone has any suggestions it would be very much appreciated. OK, so as many of you know I avoid the training forum as i'm not well knowledged in these things and find the prospect of being verbally beaten down terrifying, but here goes Ok, so just a background situation: Tess has been with her foster carer since November. Tess has chosen to sleep upstairs on the couch, her carer sleeps downstairs. Tess's foster carer doesn't have a fenced backyard, so has to be supervised when taken out for toilet-breaks. When Tess was living with me, she was in a smallish fenced off area sleeping outside in a kennel. This was her preference not mine ;) Tess is at home with her foster carer in the mornings/night, and at the foster-carer's parents during the day when she is at work. The parents have a fully fenced yard which she can romp around in. Her housetraining has always been flawless, which is why the following email seems out of character. Today I just received an email from her foster carer: 1. It doesn't sound like a urinary infection does it? ;) 2. How do I get the stains out? What is the best thing to put on it to stop her re-marking (if it is a case of re-marking the scent). 3. REALLY dumb question, she started new worming medication and flea meds two weeks ago - is this simply coincidence? Is crate training an option in this case? If I were to crate her, would it be wise to keep the crate a) upstairs near the couch which where she's currently sleeping b) outside? c) in the foster carer's room so she felt secure enough not to wake her up constantly (which she often does at the most inconvenient times to play ) I felt crate training may be beneficial as she also suffers mild separation anxiety. Sorry to have bombarded you all with this, i'm just clueless as to where to start! Pheebs

Definitely Heidi you're going to have such a bundle of energy on your hands - and whilst trying at times, it'll be great They're SO eager to please, and take really well to positive training. Despite their size, they're surprisingly agile *Edit: Sorry for thread hijack: (Whilst not a pic of my Tess, if you're lucky like me - you'll have a water baby )

Ashley i'm so sorry

Had never occured to me (which isn't too surprising at all actually) Thanks for opening my pea-sized mind open that little bit

I'm so sorry dogdayz

In relation to weims (or ny other deep-chested breed, really - though no bree I feel is 100% safe): Sourced from Dr. J.D. Jedwab January 2003 BVMS., BSc. Hons (Phys.) B L O A T A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THE WEIMARANER Bloat or Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus is a common problem in the middle aged or older Weimaraner and has been more frequently seen in those that are nervous or highly strung . Bloat is often seen to begin after a large meal or after a large drink, particularly after exercise. The dog often presents with the following symptoms ... hunched abdomen, drooling, restlessness, pacing, groaning and making attempts to vomit. Internally the stomach is very distended and may have twisted. This prevents gas and food moving into the small bowel or being vomited back up. Significant changes in blood flow and shock soon set in and without treatment the dog soon dies in distress. If there is to be a reasonable chance of survival veterinary attention should be sought immediately. The exact cause of Bloat is unknown but it is believed that it involves a problem with abnormal stomach motility. With a motility defect, food has a longer than normal stomach retention time leading to distension. Over time, repeated distension of the stomach leads to stretching of the ligaments which normally hold the stomach in place. If the ligaments are no longer able to stabilise the stomach, it is free to rotate when distended and this leads to Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus. Treatment of the condition is very complicated and consists of several steps. These steps are decompression, shock management, surgical stabilisation and recovery. Treatment of each dog is undertaken on an individual basis and is dependent upon the response to the previous step. Bloat Decompression is managed by inserting a large bore hypodermic needle through the abdominal wall and into the stomach to relieve pressure. An intravenous drip is then started and fluids are administered at a rapid rate. Drugs to assist in controlling shock are then administered intravenously along with antibiotics and drugs to assist with stomach motility. A sedative is given and a tube is passed down the throat and into the stomach to further relieve pressure and remove the stomach contents. The dog is then assessed and if stable, is prepared for surgery. The decision to perform surgery immediately, has in our practice, led to more successful outcomes, when compared to waiting until the dog may be a little more stable. Surgery involves opening the abdomen and carefully examining the abdominal contents, particularly the position of the stomach and the spleen. The spleen is often very enlarged and its blood supply damaged. It is commonly removed, to facilitate repositioning of the stomach. The stomach wall is very carefully examined for signs of haemorrhage and is then repositioned if twisted. To avoid future bouts of Bloat the outlet of the stomach is enlarged to allow easy passage of food into the intestine and the stomach is fixed into a normal position by suturing it to a rib. After surgery and for the next 24 to 72 hours the dog is carefully monitored for heart problems. It is common for dogs to die in this period from the effects of shock and cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythm). When the dog is able to drink and eat small meals, it is discharged. The Weimaraner is one of the most common breeds to encounter Bloat and we have seen it in dogs as young as 20 months. Bearing in mind the stress and suffering to the dog and the relatively high mortality of the condition, we are now advocating that owners consider preventative surgery rather than waiting for Bloat to strike and then trying to treat it. B l o a t GASTROPEXY AS A PREVENTION Preventative surgery has been extremely successful in eliminating future attacks of Bloat and can be done when the dog requires anaesthesia for other reasons such as neutering. In the young dog there have been no ill effects reported following a Gastropexy and recovery from surgery has been routine. The high occurrence of Bloat in the Weimaraner and the serious nature of this disease is causing more owners to take advantage of surgical prevention, rather than running the risk of Bloat in later life. Dr. J.D. Jedwab January 2003 BVMS., BSc. Hons (Phys.) Copyright Reserved HOW DO I AVOID BLOAT? 1 Preventative surgery, Gastropexy. 2 Feed at least two or more small meals per day. 3 Pre-soaking dry food before feeding it to your dog. 4 Do not allow your dog to drink large quantities of water immediately before, during or after exercising. Small volumes of water are quite alright, about a cupful or two at a time, or if the weather is very hot provide some ice. 5 Do not exercise immediately after feeding. Remember 'Bloat' is best avoided, but if it occurs urgent veterinary treatment is essential to have a reasonable chance of survival.