persephone

Lip ulcers can be caused by various things... wait until you have results before panicking.

..I agree .leave the dogs out more ....get them to play rough & tumble games outside .... Hoses/water cannon sprays work pretty well too ..be GENEROUS with the water ... HERE is the best video on how to do it .

and she looks so peaceful !

Agh!! We were never allowed to take GD's in training near escalators ..owners were also told to only use lifts/stairs - seems things have changed ? poor dog - hope she will heal well, and that the owner stays well away from escalators now

Fingers crossed for you & Spud .

Donatella ... I hope she heals quickly , poor little mite

Interesting response to a child's question ... Kids ask to learn .. and if they know nothing about how dogs operate , then asking and getting honest answers will help a lot!

I just hope she does not try & escape :(

learning the 'mechanics' /reading the manual on iphones/cars/pups is a Very Good Thing to help with maintenance and discussion :D Bone formation in puppies is so important ..and diet/genetics and exercise all play a part. The bones are soft and growing fast , so need balanced nutrition , and management ,to develop optimally . I suggest you look for photos of Stafford pups/dogs, and see how they are put together :) LIgaments between the foot & wrist hold all this together , and can be stretched /out of alignment .. when growth is not even ....causing a 'sag' I notice you asked this on a 'staffy' forum and received some interesting replies !! this is an extreme case ....compare it to the GSD pic above!! There are all sort of variations on a theme .. and a lot of pups have a slight degree which improved when their nutrition is correctly balanced

Newgoldie when you say you'll crate train your pup during the day do you mean you're going to "crate" your pup (crate closed) all day or just have it available (open) while your out? We will be crating him (door closed). I don't want him to be able to have access to the room while we are out in case he gets into mischief, has a little 'accident' or hurts himself. Don't worry, he won't be on his own for more than 2 - 3 hours initially - we have a willing puppy visitor who will be coming to give him lunch and a toilet break every day I'm out at work. :) I've been practising by crating him with a Kong toy stuffed with treats, then going into another part of the house for a while - I started with an hour, then increased by half an hour each time until I got to 2 hours. The first time he barked solidly for half an hour, 2nd time about 10 mins, since then he is usually so interested in his treats that he goes for that and don't hear much at all. It has given me a bit of peace of mind for when I go back to work. :( So this pup will be crated at night ...then crated during the day while you are at work? You don't have a backyard ? There are so many different types of pen/enclosure available to keep pups safe , while allowing them room to move, and room to allow them to learn about toileting outdoors etc.:) Sorry, I can not imagine a puppy's needs being met while it is spending so long being confined in a crate That is not what 'crate training' is .... Ideally ,pups NEED to run and explore and play for muscle/brain development .They need to be able to have a discrete toilet area , and it is good for them to become accustomed to being under the sky ..to experience space and weather changes , to be constantly exposed to textures under their feet , and all sorts of outdoor noises/smells etc so they grow up confident and relaxed with their environment. edit. cos I just realised this sentence was there.... In a crate the following MAY happen: chewing, and maybe ingesting, bedding /toys Toileting, then having to stay in it all day .. stressing, maybe trying to chew his way out /breaking teeth ....

provided the dog is eating and happy , and not holding his head over to one side /shaking his head constantly , a vet visit tomorrow should help put your mind at rest .... I strongly suggest you don't put anything in there . until you have a diagnosis .. just wipe around the outside with a tissue or cotton wool ..and phone the vet as soon as they open :) If the dog is really uncomfortable, and if you think it really is urgent, then you will need to contact an emergency vet. Just a thought - do you have another dog who may be licking at the ears of the problem dog and keeping them moist ????

Could it be that this photo is 'bait' ? To get folks keen ..and pay money - then choose another dog , perhaps? Just an idea- I haven't a clue

I would be phoning a vet, I think.... what is the dosage ? How big is your dog ? The vet may need to adjust the dosage rate

Hmmmmm... Has your dog been thoroughly vet checked for vision and hearing levels?Albinism can cause nerve damage in ears, and retinal problems in eyes . Deficiency in either/both can certainly lead to behavioural problems , if not specifically addressed :) Personally I think it is unfair to leave a dog, esp a large one without toilet access for so long .... and I also feel there may be an exacerbation of problems if/when an anxious/fearful dog is to be confined to one room , alone , after being used to spending time with folks .... I hope you have a good behaviourist and vet ...and I hope also you get some help from D O L ...

Quick thoughts .. (what breed of pup? Does breeder know? What colour coat? ) remove all grain , like pasta/treats remove any artificial colourings get a thyroid test done Bath only when absolutely necessary ... if the anti histamines help..USE them :)

How long are your dogs' legs? I use plastic drink bottles with tops cut off to soak individual legs ;) Oh, and to get excellent coverage on short/medium coat dogs, I use a 1.5 ltr pressurised Garden spray bottle . It does such a good job ..and uses much less product

:) Just make sure that whatever crate you have allows the dog to lie down with that leg straight out ..and not touching the sides .....

Well put .

Apologies ...you have been doing this for so long now, it has become your life , and I know you are doing everything in your power to keep this poor girl ..but are you really doing it for her, or for you? You know she spends hours unhappy and stressed ...hurting and waiting until she can be with you . You love her company , and hate seeing her this way , and want her to be well .... I couldn't do it to a dog ,(or myself) honestly .... My choice for a dog of mine would be a gentle release, a few seconds of absolute peace and sense of being held & loved before they awake over the bridge , and never have to panic/stress again. ( and yes, I have done it to a lovely little dog with severe, debilitating anxiety)

I am sure there is a suitable dog just waiting for you to find it ...much closer to home :) There are so many gorgeous dogs who you can meet first up and feel that amazing 'click' ..without the anxious to-ing and fro-ing of internet/phone communication ... Best of luck.

Possum's pretty cute for a bush dog :p Not as cute as some in here ...

Dogs sleeping outside find it much easier to pick up habits such as barking at neighbours/possums/cats..... ;)

so sad . Do you really think rehoming would help her ? After 3 years , she is very strongly bonded , and a dog with ongoing anxiety problems may not settle in a whole new environment ..the transition would need to be slow, supervised and orchestrated ... with a real chance of her being very stressed . Leaving her with someone else during work hours is risky, IMO . What happens if she does stress /try & go home? Would her stress levels then begin to show in the car , as she knows she will be then separated from you ? She's a beautiful girl, and you are doing everything you know to help. PTS sounds awful, I know ... however there is her health and yours, suffering , there is the thought that she is not enjoying a great chunk of her life ....and , being in VIC with BSL ... if she did escape or cause harm in a panic .. her looks may go against her , unfortunately

After having to have my boy in hospital to remove an intestinal obstruction , and seeing dogs die from peritonitis etc at the vets when I worked there , I no longer see eating inappropriate stuff as funny, I'm afraid....

and he is only small, isn't he ? If he was larger I would say don't worry too much ... maybe phone your vet? Sometimes it takes a couple of days to get through ....just keep up his liquids , and see what the vet recommends.