kendall

Agree with what everyone here has said - 'large breed puppy' is what your pup should be on - it has different levels of certain things (calcium, etc) so that the pup grows at a slow steady pace. It is designed for pups of large breeds. Adult food has different levels again so is probably not the best for a growing pup?? I don't know what to do with the 'large breed adult' food you already have - maybe get some of the 'large breed puppy' and mix it in?? Donate it to a shelter (if you can afford to)?? Maybe a more qualified person can advise - or speak to a vet (who knows about nutrtion of larger breeds)

If you suspect it AT ALL get your dog to the vet ASAP! the sooner you 'catch it' the better chance your dog/pup has.

I worm every 3 months for intestinal worms and yearly for heartworm

Could this just be a way of getting the pup used to physical examination (did they say to do it while asleep or nearly asleep or awake??). I agree with getting a pup used to having it's ears and mouth checked over, as well as feet etc. but this should be done when pup is calm, restful and happy (which I suspect is what Falling_dawn may have meant ) - makes it easier when the dog has to be examined at the vet or for grooming issues. I agree with letting sleeping dogs lie. My dog is deaf and startles very easily, especially when he is asleep - I always make sure to put my hand in front of his nose so he can smell me and he wakes up happily. Don't let my girls wake him though or touch him from behind. I will be adding a puppy to our family by the end of the year - my youngest daughter will be nearly 2 years old. She has grown up around dogs and cats and while she sometimes tries to pick our new kitten up or hug the other cats too tightly, she also understands 'No' and will (usually ) stop straight away. I think she understands that something may hurt them or that if she does it she may get a swipe from said cat - she learns quickly She is pretty good with my mum's little inside dogs. Hope all is well with Kirby and your daughter ETA our new pup will be an inside dog and I have bought a crate mostly as a place for the pup to go as a safe haven away from the constant attention of my girls! I have two baby gates to also create an area for the pup.

In my search on BARF and similar feeding I have read that potato shouldn't be fed to dogs, limit cabbage and sweet vegies like carrot and that chopping, grating or mashing vegies isn't enough -they need to be pulverised!!! (something to do with the cellulose I think - dogs can't digest it otherwise). Will try to find exactly what it says. Mum has 'borrowed' my new BARF books Mentioned BARF as it is bones and raw food like what you are feeding your pup. Who'd have thought there was this much to learn about food and our dogs

Check/Choker chains should never be left on a dog especially unsupervised - way too dangerous - the dog could catch itself on something and hang itself. I think they are ok as a walking/training 'collar' as long as they are used correctly, but NEVER as a collar substitute. As for the collar problem disorder, I would persevere Was your pup ok with the lightweight puppy collar - can you get a similar collar in a bigger size? It COULD just be the feel of the collar (your pup is more aware of it) or the actual material (leather is quite tough and hard initially - maybe soften it up??, nylon can be a bit scratchy??) Maybe you could try (if you haven't already) one of the 'wetsuit' type collars that are a bit softer or a softer cotton or canvas one (do they make canvas collars ). Hope you find a collar that is suitable soon! kendall

Haven't read all the posts but when Diesel was a pup I started him on Eukanuba then switched to Advance when I realised it was Australian made. My reasoning for this was dry food is made, sits in the warehouse, is shipped to stores or more warehouses in other countries, then put on a shelf to sit until it is sold. I just felt that if it was made here it would be 'fresher' (ie hadn't been sitting in storage for months regardless of use by date). This may not be right, but that was part of my rationalisation for the change. At the time, I didn't know about the higher premium foods (Royal Canin, Eagle Pack, Nutro etc) and still think Advance is ok for my dog, although he is getting a different brand of bikkies at the moment. Now, I am changing him to an even 'fresher' diet - bones, vegies etc!

Thanks everyone. I am seeing mum today so will check that there hasn't been some misunderstanding with the antibiotics and everything else. I think I will go with her next time so I know what the vet is saying - it always helps to have another pair of ears I think It is always hard when you are repeating info that you may not have really understood or agreed with. She wasn't convinced of the diagnosis and kept saying that he wasn't coughing anymore but is worried that it may be something 'sinister' and what if... He has been vaccinated with C5 - maybe that is why it is mild if it is KC?? Will let you know if things change. kendall ETA the dog is 11 months old

I have since spoken to mum again and she agrees that it isn't likely to be kennel cough (she didn't think it was K/C either) - her dog isn't coughing and hasn't done for about 2 or 3 weeks. I will pass on the tips for treating/soothing it but I don't think there is anything to worry about really. Will keep an eye on him. She is still going to give him the antibiotics but I told her to get a second opinion - I don't think you should over-medicate just in case Thanks guys ETA she has been given Codeine to give him if he coughs too much (she told the vet that he isn't coughing but she said 'just in case')

Thanks Morgan I said that antibiotics wouldn't help and that he would have been coughing more if it was K/C ! I agree, the vet was probably erring on the side of caution but to diagnose it from a history of two or three coughs over a few weeks seems a bit much. Thanks for the confirmation that what I told mum was correct (yay I do know something he he)

My mum took her dog to the vet today to have him checked over - he had a 'cough' two or three times over the last few weeks that apparently sounded like he was clearing his throat. He only did it a couple of times but mum thought it should be checked. The vet has said it is kennel cough and has prescribed antibiotics for 3 weeks. Does this sound right?? I thought kennel cough was more of a constant, hacking sort of cough, not one 'cough' once or twice in a month? She is worried as she has another dog and a younger pup (last vacc today) and my sister has a pup that have all been in contact with him. If it was kennel cough wouldn't there have been a progression in the 'symptoms' after such a longish period of time? The vet made him cough by doing something to his throat and asked if that was what it sounded like. I am not a vet (obviously ) and have never had to worry about K/C but it doesn't seem right???

I'm sorry Frank, but I just don't find that even a little bit amusing. That could have turned out so badly - you and your son are VERY lucky that your dog didn't do anything. A (crawling) baby should never have been left unsupervised, let alone outside with a big dog by themselves. You have also contradicted yourself a little there about leaving kids with dogs unsupervised (ie the problems you are having at the moment). Yes I do have kids and I wouldn't leave them alone with ANY dog no matter how much i trusted that dog. kendall

Nehkbet is right - they do get over it!! The collar should allow them to eat and drink - but maybe you can take it off and supervise her while she is eating, then put it back on after. My cat recently had to wear one and I would take it for short periods to give her a break and put it back on if I wasn't able to watch her or she started licking at her stitches. Don't leave it off while she is unsupervised though, even for a few minutes - my cat managed to loosen one of her stitches while I had left the room for a couple of minutes (learnt my lesson then!!). You shouldn't have that much longer to leave it on for so I would persevere with it! She will cope and it is for the best in the long run. kendall

Diesel is 5.5 years old, was desexed at 6 months and has never cocked his leg. I think it is great because so many people whinge about how bad male dogs are for cocking their leg and peeing on everything and I tell them that he has never done it and not all males will. Why would anyone want to encourage it??? JMO!!!! kendall

The only thing I know about the marrow is that it is high in fat so too much marrow can add fat to your dog with all the resulting problems there. I sometimes scrape out the marrow so Diesel doesn't get it all the time but then he doesn't get more than half a marrow bone maybe 2 times a week. Saying that though, Diesel has put on weight anyway cos of the other treats he gets and not as much exercise Isn't there also a problem with old sunbleached bones in that it makesthem like they are cooked (ie can splinter and be harder to digest)?

Like others have said- don't feed the weetbix and milk (totally not necessary ). I would also feed a premium biscuit with raw meaty bones and chicken necks and vegies etc. Soaking the biscuits or adding small amount of stock can help (as already suggested). Not alot different to add sorry! You have been given great advice from DOLers here - good luck with your pup .

My mum gives her little dogs chicken wings and necks.

We changed to our current vet mostly due to location - they are about 5 minutes down the road and only opened a year or so ago so everything is still pretty new - new premises. Prices are comparable to other vets around. The nurses are great and the vets I have dealt with are fantastic - they have been really good with my cats most recently. My old vet was close to where we used to live but they were a bit more expensive and there was a high turnover of staff so it was hard to develop a rapport with any particular vet. I was relatively happy with them but not so much that I will drive half an hour with my animals to see them. There are definitely vets in the area that I won't go to - the rudeness and lack of interest is unbelievable - I guess they must get a bit jaded after being in the industry for a while. kendall

;) OMG! I don't use either - frontline for fleas and tablets from vets for worms (can't remember the name). I haven't been happy with the frontline though - only lasted about 3 weeks and then he started scratching again. I will be trying something different next time. We are in a newish area so there is still a fair amount of building etc going on and fleas are probably in the dirt. Diesel hasn't been scratching though and I haven't actually seen any fleas. My cat scratches heaps but no fleas so ... ;) Sorry, can't really help here, but the tablet sounds ok. kendall Are you treating your cat as well? Cats carry flea populations around and you won't see any adults usually, because they groom them out. Hi. Yep definitely treating the cats - one of them has a flea allergy so even one flea can set him off!! None of them have any fleas or flea dirt that I can see and the allergic cat is the only one scratching at the moment - might try a different treatment next month and see how that works. The cats and dog don't mix at all. A tablet would be easier to treat my lot with!! A question though - Diesel has the yearly heartworm injection - do these both do heartworm too? (Sorry to hijack )

;) OMG! I don't use either - frontline for fleas and tablets from vets for worms (can't remember the name). I haven't been happy with the frontline though - only lasted about 3 weeks and then he started scratching again. I will be trying something different next time. We are in a newish area so there is still a fair amount of building etc going on and fleas are probably in the dirt. Diesel hasn't been scratching though and I haven't actually seen any fleas. My cat scratches heaps but no fleas so ... ;) Sorry, can't really help here, but the tablet sounds ok. kendall

They are gorgeous aren't they?! I love staffy pups (and adults too ;) ) Don't forget this thread was started 2 weeks ago, so they would be around 6 -7 weeks old now . They look really healthy and you have done a fantastic job with them StaffyRescue - do you have homes for them yet? kendall

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO don't say that!!! I will be learning how to groom my future cocker pup myself - didn't know it was going to be THAT bad

Don't know much about feeding young pups myself, but would follow Warley's advice. As for fleas, Frontline SPRAY can be used from a very young age (2 days old from memory) but the spot on treatments can usually only be used from 6 weeks for Advantage or 12 weeks for Frontline. (don't know about using only a drop??) Check with a vet first maybe before using anything on them just to be safe. A bath probably wouldn't hurt them but I would check that it is safe for pups. Like Warley said, worm them now - a puppy worming syrup may be more economical for so many especially if they are small ( can't use most? of the tablet forms until they are over 1.5kgs) but then again if they are staffy crosses they are probably little buddhas already Good luck and keep us up to date!

As a mother of two gorgeous girls (my oldest daughter is the same age as Page), I couldn't imagine anything more heartbreaking than losing a child. My family's thoughts are with Page and her family at this very very sad time. Go with the angels little one

While I am certainly no expert on nutrition, I have to agree with Working_Setters' post. Some things are worthy of concern (eg artificial additives and too much grain or salt) but giving extra credit because it is endorsed by "someone" is wrong. Just some questions - WHO determined what each thing was worth in points? WHY are somethings considered worse or better than others? It does raise some points I will look into further with my dog's food and it is interesting reading but don't know if I would see it as the be all and end all of choosing dog foods. JMO and no offence intended to anyone just realised this is an old thread - did anyone find out who made up the scoring system?