dancinbcs

I suggest consulting Dr Karen Hedberg at North Richmond before spending a fortune on specialists. She is a breeder's vet and breeds French Bulldogs and German Shepherds herself, so would be aware of breed differences in development. She has lots of breeder clients with different breeds so would probably have some with British Bulldogs. Most breeders in Sydney and surrounds stick to just three vets and Karen is one of those three.

I have lost an old dog to Lymphoma, that had survived a mast cell tumour 3 years previously with Chinese Medicine. When he got the Lymphoma he was too old and the cancer too fast for us to do anything about it. I lost him within three weeks. I have two friends that have opted for chemo for Lymphoma. Dog 1 had $30000 in chemo and treatments that only bought them 18 months, much of which the dog was very ill. Dog 2 had $8000 in chemo which put her into remission but she went into kidney failure from the chemo and died within about 9 months. She also was quite ill during the chemo. Both owners have told me that they would never consider putting a dog through chemo for Lymphoma again. Personally I have seen a lot of success treating various cancers, in both humans and dogs, using chinese medicine, but not for Lymphoma. Sadly nothing much seems to work for very long with Lymphoma. Sorry to not be able to offer anything more hopeful.

Chinese medicine works just as well on dogs as it does on people. I have been using it for my dogs for over 10 years. Lyn Pinosa at Alternatine Therapies at Austral in Sydney (ph: 02 9606 8922) is a registered doctor of Chinese Medicine and former vet nurse. She has lots of canine and human patients that she has achieved some startling success with. Quite a few patients have both themselves and their dogs treated at the same time. My latest dog to be treated broke out in a severe itchy rash a few weeks ago and I have managed to avoid using any cortisone on him. He has had acupuncture and chinese herbs and the itch has almost completely subsided. Lyn has also had success treating cancer, chronic infections, hormone imbalances, assorted injuries, etc, etc, Doctors of Chinese Medicine do not have to be of Chinese nationality. It is taught in out universities here. So sorry to here that there is nothing the vets can do for Charlie, but I would suggest at least giving Chinese medicine a try.

If you are not used to the Labrador smell it could just be the natural coat odour. The Lab we had many years ago had a strong doggy smell even straight after a bath. I can't stand doggy odour and will never own another dog with a dense waterproof coat again because of it. To me many of the gundogs have a particular smell as do some breeds like Dobes. I hate it when my hand smells doggy after patting them or when you walk into someones perfectly clean house and nearly get knocked over with the smell of dog. I have noticed this particularly with owners of Goldens but never with BC owners, no matter how many dogs are in the house. My BCs never have a doggy odour and neither do the other collie breeds, spitz breeds, most long coated breeds or those with non-shedding coats like poodles. Not sure about the vinegar for odours but used as a coat rinse I put about half a cup in 2 litres of water.

This nob of a vet was the oncall guy, he is usually a cow vet and doesnt consult the small animals. Even the vet I saw monday and who I called yesterday re follow up did not give me confidence. My usual vet has just retired due to cancer (v sad is only 49yrs old) They are the only vet around here who do after hours the rest send you to Anzac Hwy which is about a 50k drive. So I was stuck. Thanks Leanne I really appreciate your offer, i was almost going to call you the other day to ask these questions. Please give Scarlett a kiss for me. I wouldn't breed without access to a good breeder's vet 24/7, even if it does mean a 50km drive. I am so lucky that my vet is only 15 minutes away but I know plenty of breeders who travel up to an hour or more to go to these vets, because they are reliable and knowledgable with whelpings. The average vet will do just about anything to avoid doing a caesar and figures that so long as the bitch survives all is fine. The loss of puppies just seems to be something they expect to happen. My vets see so many breeders that they often do several caesars in a week and sometimes several in the one day. For them it is routine and they prefer to do a one for live puppies, than to wait too long, still have to do it and find the puppies are dead. Before you breed again make sure you find a really good vet, even if they are an hour away. I have no idea how breeders in more remote areas cope with the stress of whelping without a good vet on hand if needed. They are braver than I am.

I'm not at all impressed with a vet refusing to do a c-section when requested. If in any doubt at all with mine or if they are at the due date with no action, I am off to the vet for an ultrasound to make sure all is well. I have had some untrasounded several times in the couple of days before whelping and at the first sign that something is amiss, my vet prefers to do a c-section. I hate vets that have the "wait and see" attitude. Sometimes it works out but so often it ends up with the death of puppies or even the bitch. More than one puppy born dead should be enough reason to go in and get the others out asap.

If a puppy is sick at pick up time it is always a good idea for the breeder to keep it for at least another week. Disappointing as it is to not get the puppy on the expected day, it is far worse to collect it and then have it become ill or die in the first week. Better to be sure that is 100% ok before picking it up. The breeder may be like me and not leave their mobile on when they are at home, so not have even seen the text message. Try phoning tomorrow, but they still may not be able to give you an answer unless the puppy is totally recovered. Even if it is, I would leave it another week to make sure.

I and all my breeder friends spey all bitches when they are finished breeding and showing, usually around 8-10 years. Our breed is often shown until this age but most of us would prefer to be able to spey as soon as they are finished breeding, if we could still show them. I find very little difference in attitude or temperament and the number one reason to spey is to reduce the chance of pyometra. I have known of too many bitches that have had to have emergency surgery for pyo, to risk it in an old bitch.

In Sydney, ticks are common in the northern and eastern suburbs but can occur in the northwest (Hills district). I have never heard of any dog picking one up in the west or southwest, so it all depends on where abouts in Sydney, you are headed and what route you are taking to get here. All the NSW coast is considered high risk for ticks.

Haven't read the whole thread but would suggest you take her to Dr Ann Neville at Sth Rd Animal Health in Bentleigh. She is a vet that does Chinese Medicine as well and can often fix things that other vets can't. She is best known for cancer treatment but I have also had her successfully treat a dog with ongoing ear and bladder infections that had been happeng over a several years. It sounds like you dog's body is out of whack and she needs to be treated for specific deficencies before she can fight off infection.

Some dogs just have chalky teeth that wear down very easily. I have seen two over the years in my breed that have worn the points off their teeth by about the age of four, leaving all the teeth with flat tops, including the back molars. I have no idea why it happens or how it can be prevented. Litter mates and even progeny do not seem have the same problem, so it is a bit of a mystery. It can happen in people as well. Some people look after their teeth but they wear out very quickly, others get away with slack dental care because they have been blessed with very hard teeth. Sometimes it is just luck of the draw. A dog with chalky teeth needs to have games and chew toys regulated to avoid making the problem worse. Normal strong teeth do not get worn down unless the dog chews on very hard objects, like very hard weight bearing beef bones or odd things like metal and rocks. I have had several toy and ball obsessed dogs that had hardly any tooth wear even as old dogs. One of my early dogs chewed everything she came in contact with in her younger years, including metal dog bowls, hardwood doorframes, garden tools, etc but her teeth were still good at 15.

I wish you all the best with this puppy but his bad start could have consequences further down the track. He is still only about half the size he should be for his age so I wouldn't worry that you are overfeeding him at this stage. I don't use canned food either so have no idea on quantity, but do know plenty of people who put their dogs onto canned food if they need them to loose weight. Not the best food for an underweight puppy. I know you felt that you had to rescue this puppy from the pet shop but this is what they trade on - peoples emotions. Every time someone buys a pet shop puppy, for whatever reason, it just makes room for another one to take it's place. Every time a pet shop puppy gets sick in the first few days (many do) and the buyer doesn't return the dog it just adds to the profit of the shop and the puppy farm that produced the puppy. I know it seems harsh but the only way to stop puppy farms that supply pet shops is if no one buys the puppies they produce. If they are faced with having to euthanise the puppies because no one wanted them, they would not keep replacing them.

Ok - I've only had two dogs that I have had to do this with, but I do say that I've not had a problem in doing it with either. One was my avatar girl, the other my current boy. So I've done it with both sexes as well. I find the exercise quite easy. Wait for a stream to start and then hold the 'pan' component of a brush and pan, under the stream. I clean the pan properly first, so there is no contamination of the urine it collects. Handle makes it easy and I don't get splashed. It has a broad base, so too much precision in your aim isn't required. Can hold a good amount and it is easy to pour/transfer to a suitable container. Whilst I'm waiting for the 'stream' I act quite nonchalant and don't make a big deal about anything. Job's done before dog can say "what the ...?" . For the females, come in from behind with the pan. With the boys, come in from the side/front. I have had a bitch with ongoing bladder problems and had to collect lots of specimens over several years. I always used to take her to the vets and grab a sterile kidney dish from them. Then walk her on the nature strip outside the vets where the smell of other dogs got her to go straight away. A kidney dish is the exact right shape for this task because you can come in from behind but from the side of the tail. Also solves the problem of getting the specimen into a jar. That becomes the vet nurses problem.

I used to get some puppies in each litter of Border Collies with rear dew claws, ranging from loose small ones, to well attached doubles. They should be removed at about 2-3 days, but the front dew claws are usually left on BCs. My later litters never had rear dew claws and I believe they are inherited as a dominant trait. If one of the parents were born with them, some of the puppies will have them but if neither parent was born with them none of the puppies have them. I always take note of which ones do for future reference when breeding.

Is he entire? Could be a bitch in season around stiring him up.

A lot depends on the breed. Some seem to go over regularly with no problems and others tend to go early. It all has to do with when they mate in relation to when they ovulate. If in doubt get her checked. My breed rarely goes over unless there is a problem so I always err on the side of caution. and head for the vet for an ultrasound to check that all is ok.

None of my Border Collies has ever shed as much as the Labrador, we had did. The long coats shed for several weeks twice a year, in clumps that are easier to pick up. Labradors shed 365 days a year one hair at a time and it works it's way into everything. If you are going to own a Lab you just have to get used to living with dog hair.

Definitely something really wrong. Licking her lips can be a sign of pain. My guess would also be spine or a neurological problem because most other things would show something in a blood test. Times like this you really wish dogs could talk and tell you how they feel. Fingers crossed that more investigation reveals something treatable.

The Holden Commodore/Berlina Wagons 2000 - 2007 are the only ones that fit two standard size crates in the back. The newer ones are useless.

The fact that it is external and on a white dog increases the chances of it being a dermal haemangiosarcoma, caused by sun exposure, that can be cured by surgery alone. Dogs lacking pigment are prone to these so fingers crossed that is what it is and that you have found it early enough. I'm surprised the vet didn't remove it immediately.

No to both, but diabetes was mentioned as a possible development when she was at the vets soon after the pancreatitis. Would the blood test show that one? They didn't do a urine test. I hope we find the answers very soon too as she can hardly lose any more weight. I have made her a little warm coat for if the weather gets cold but I hope by winter she will not need it. Thanks for all the replies. The vet actually said it was a pretty ‘complete’ diet but it makes sense to me to change it. She was so very ill at the time ( when she had the pancreatitis in July) that I have been afraid to experiment too far since. I know lean chicken breast is ok. I remember someone saying kangaroo was not recommended for their dog after pancreatitis but they didn’t say why. Here’s hoping the blood tests can help, I think the vet didn’t suggest much more until we get those results. (Edited for second reply) What part of Melbourne do you live in? The natural vet that I was referring to is in South Road Bentleigh. She modified my mini's diet and one of the meats he is on is Kangaroo. She also prescribed a mixture of herbs which he takes daily. I am feeding him some of the meats that I was before his attack. My own regular vet insisted I go on commercial diets and I resisted vehemently. My boys have always been fed a raw and natural diet. I also asked my regular vet regarding the digestive enzymes and was told they were not needed. Says who? He dropped from 9kg down to 8kg. That's a lot to lose for a mini schnauzer. He is now back up to 8.6kg and looks fantastic. If cooked kangaroo, mashed potatoes and pumpkin is a complete diet, I'll go heeeeee. Regardless of the blood results I would be trying Dr Ann Neville at South Rd Animal Health at Bentliegh. I consulted her from Sydney so if you are in Melbourne, get over there asap. This dog's whole system seems out of whack and even if it is cancer Ann can help with that as well. Her results with cancer dogs are astounding. She can also do a hair analysis that will tell her what the dog's body is deficient in and then use supplements to correct the imbalance. Yes, this is the vet I was referring to. She is fantastic. She treats animals from all over Melbourne that are brought there by their owners. It's worth a try. Actually all over Australia. I am in Sydney but have friends in Northern NSW and the ACT that have had her successfully treat their dogs as well. Several cancer survivers (mast cell, eye socket, bladder) plus one of mine with chronic ear and bladder infections.

No to both, but diabetes was mentioned as a possible development when she was at the vets soon after the pancreatitis. Would the blood test show that one? They didn't do a urine test. I hope we find the answers very soon too as she can hardly lose any more weight. I have made her a little warm coat for if the weather gets cold but I hope by winter she will not need it. Thanks for all the replies. The vet actually said it was a pretty ‘complete’ diet but it makes sense to me to change it. She was so very ill at the time ( when she had the pancreatitis in July) that I have been afraid to experiment too far since. I know lean chicken breast is ok. I remember someone saying kangaroo was not recommended for their dog after pancreatitis but they didn’t say why. Here’s hoping the blood tests can help, I think the vet didn’t suggest much more until we get those results. (Edited for second reply) What part of Melbourne do you live in? The natural vet that I was referring to is in South Road Bentleigh. She modified my mini's diet and one of the meats he is on is Kangaroo. She also prescribed a mixture of herbs which he takes daily. I am feeding him some of the meats that I was before his attack. My own regular vet insisted I go on commercial diets and I resisted vehemently. My boys have always been fed a raw and natural diet. I also asked my regular vet regarding the digestive enzymes and was told they were not needed. Says who? He dropped from 9kg down to 8kg. That's a lot to lose for a mini schnauzer. He is now back up to 8.6kg and looks fantastic. If cooked kangaroo, mashed potatoes and pumpkin is a complete diet, I'll go heeeeee. Regardless of the blood results I would be trying Dr Ann Neville at South Rd Animal Health at Bentliegh. I consulted her from Sydney so if you are in Melbourne, get over there asap. This dog's whole system seems out of whack and even if it is cancer Ann can help with that as well. Her results with cancer dogs are astounding. She can also do a hair analysis that will tell her what the dog's body is deficient in and then use supplements to correct the imbalance.

Invest in a good force dryer. I recommend the Oldfield Dryers. With a good dryer you can literally blow all the dead coat out after a bath. Dry the dog outside and you carpet the yard with hair but is better than having it in the house.

No matter what breed or what condition you are talking about, if it is autosomal recessive, then CARRIERS SHOULD NOT BE ELIMATED from the gene pool. Once a DNA test becomes available breeders have the power to completely avoid breeding stock affected by that conditon by simply always making sure that one parent is DNA normal for that condition. Carriers are not affected in any way and it doesn't matter if you have carriers in the gene pool for another 50 generations, so long as no affected puppies are being born. The majority of puppies go to pet homes and are desexed and it doesn't matter if they are carriers or not, so they don't even need to be tested. Affected dogs can still be safely bred to normals and will produce all carriers. So long as all breeding stock with a carrier parent is tested, and all carriers are then bred to normals the condition is no longer a breed problem it is a controlled condition. Avoiding carriers when they are a substantial percentage of the breed, does untold damage to the gene pool, concentrating other undesirable mutations in the gene pool that is left. Most of these won't have DNA tests available so you will find that you are breeding more and more problems. If a test is available for your breed, then please use it to ensure you are not breeding affected dogs, but don't stop breeding from carriers. DNA tests were never meant to be used to eliminate carriers of autosomal recessive conditons. They were meant to open up the gene pool by enabling carriers to be safely used in a breeding program. We need to get this message out to all dog breeders, no matter what breed or DNA test we are talking about. BTW, I don't think epilepsy is inherited as an autosomal condition in any species. It is a very complex condition.

It is fantastic but it is a Goldie not a Lab.