First Time Puppy Owner

Oh I see - well best of luck with the elim!!! God they are a pain huh?!? Hey have you finsihed Zayda's yet?

Yep that's him! It's become a bit of a balancing act in a way, but I'm leaning towards just accepting daily doses of cyclosporin. 1 day off it and he flares right up and needs pred again. I tried to get him down to maint dose recently, which resulted in a huge flare up with him needing daily pred for a few days. Back on the daily cyclosporin now and he's been 3 days without pred. Have you looked into sourcing it from a compounding pharmacy? Orbit needs approx 200mg/day and a box of 10 100mg Atopica is $80 cost price; that would last us 5 days ;) which works out at about $1600 for 100 days. I get the liquid cyclosporin from a compounding pharm, that presents in a 200mg/ml 100ml bottle. Lasts us about 100 days and it costs me $610 (cost price). I thought so - at least cyclosporin isn't anywhere near as damaging long term. I am so glad though that you can get it so much cheaper, that's awesome! We are currently trialing how we go with the immunotherapy but if we do go back on Atopica we will have to source it through a vet due to the insurance If I didn't have insurance though I would definitely never have even been able to give it a go, as I just would never have been able to afford it, so it would have been pred for Benson forever. Refresh my memory did you do another intradermal on Orbee? Also did you try immuno?!?! Thanks... its been a horror... we are up to 4 days without a reaction! woohoo! Such a relief! Still have a minor staph flare, but nothing unmanageable. We're feeding him beef and lamb, which he's never had because Zayda is allergic to them... can't go any of the normal novels, because that's what he's grown up on cos of ZeeZee So beef and lamb with lentils and emu oil for EFAs ETA: we might have to start getting our antihistamines from a compounding pharm... have to see what is in the ones the derm can get us first... I know it's a bugger to do the sheet thing but if he doesn't react when eating beef and lamb - WOOHOO!

Hey Stormie - I think what Orbit's experience on the cyclosporin is the same as Benson had - great on high dose of it but once going down to the maintenance level of the drug you need a boost with the pred, right?!?! I know what you are going through WEagle - antihistamines are pretty much useless for my boy. Which ones have you tried? We have tried all antihistamines bar 1 - polaramine, seems it's become really hard to get in QLD. Atopica is a good drug but extremely expensive. From memory $540 for a mth's supply. Benson was an absolute mess when my vet put him on atopica and it was a god send to get him to a reasonable skin condition before we were able to see a derm and do him intradermal testing and start the immunotherapy trial. His immunotherapy is going ok - it keeps him relatively stable, but he is still getting hot spots still and still chews and scratches a lot with having 2 x 0.35ml injections per wk. We are see the derm again on the 17th of Feb and will see what he recommends then cause even though he is itchy, his overall coat condition is slightly better since doing the weekly washing with pyohex and then a wash (no rinse) of Alpha Keri Oil (40mls in one side of a dual hyrdobath tub of water). Will be asking if we should again increase or perhaps it's time to get him low dose pred too I should add that we were on a limited ingredient diet for a few days before that, before we said "yep lets do elimination" and only had two small, controllable reactions... so it was more than just a couple of days on elim that make me think there is definitely something food related. Good news is tonight's meal marks 2.5 days and we had no reaction! What are you feeding Asher? Any guess as to what meat he is reacting to? Great news about the number of days with out a reaction - poor boy they sound absolutely horrible

You did everything you could - know that k! :D

BBB - confession! :D I had only just heard about crate training before I got Benson and I just didn't have time to read up on it nor the cash to buy a crate, so I cardboard box trained Benson. I kept in a big box next to my bed for the first 9 nights with a pillow in there and after the first 3 nights of getting up and going to the toilet he was sleeping through the whole night and then I got him a kennel and he slept outside until he started getting skin issues at 8 mths and ever since he has been sleeping inside in my bedroom :D

Oh no :D I'm so incredibly sorry to hear this :D rest in eternal peace dear Reg!

Benson on the left (so impressed - NOT!) and my eternally happy Lughie! :D This is the face I see almost 100% of the time from my Lu Lu!

She sounds adorable! You know I kind of like having my 'Chalk' and 'Cheese' Golden Boys - makes life interesting that's for sure! ;)

I just think all woofa's have different personalities! I mean benson was a happy go lucky puppy, but he is a bitter twist old boy due to having injections twice weekly etc and I truely believe he is only really happy when he gets to go running around at the dog park stealing other dogs toys or beating up Lughie at home and stealing his toys But Lughie is completely the opposite. Everything is the most joyous thing ever, breakfast = the best thing ever, coming inside = the best thing ever, sit at my feet getting a pat = the best thing ever, seing his lead = the best thing ever, getting in the car = the best thing ever, going to beach = the best thing ever, getting home = the best thing ever, dinner= the best thing ever and coming in again for the night = the best thing ever!

Come on Reg!!! ;)

Sorry Odin - not sure I know my cat loses the whole outer sheath of the nail as you find them suck in the couch but I have not seen any from either of my Goldies?!?!

Oh Indi, please know that you, Reg and Reg's owner are in my thoughts and prays Everything crossed that the beautiful old boy is feeling better this morning and that he has gotten over the fever

I'm still in a state of shock My sincerest condolences to Rocco1, Ralphdog and his little mate Ralph

What, I can't believe it Rest in eternal peace dear Rocco

Saints tick every box and I would have suggested them myself....EXCEPT FOR....they shed like there's no tomorrow! They do not only blow coat twice a year but all year round, well ok I suppose it could be twice a year - January to June and July to December Cassie - They aren't that bad! Perhaps a Mastiff (sometimes called a Bristish Mastiff) could be a go'er too! I think you need to check out all the Utility Class Pandii!

Perhaps go check them out at your next show cause girls are not a heck of a lot bigger than a male rotti!

Two others that might be up your ally Pandii - A Finnish Lapphund ar a smooth coat Saint Bernard

Sorry no advice pei, but congrats on the BF!

And I thought it was 48 hours?!?!

Some how my boy's names disappeared from the list so I'm adding them again! Abrham Ali Angus Apollo(different spelling!) Appollo Archie Arkhan Armand Bailey x 4 Balou Bandit Banjo Bardigrub Bart Barton Baxter Bear x2 Benji Benny Benson Billy Bing Bluey Bomber Bosch Boxer Brady Brock Brockie Brody Bronson Bruce Bud Bundyx2 Cannon Caramel Carl Champ Charlie x 4 Chevy Chip Coco Cooper Cowan x 2 Cuba Danny Darcy x 2 Dashx2 Deakin Dean Declan Delgado Diablo Diesel x2 Digby Digger Dinky Douglas Dumas Dylan Ebon Eddie Elijah Elliott Edge Esky FlashBazil Flynn Frank Gandor Greedy Hail Harley Harrison Henry Hudson Ivan Jack x 1 Jake Jasper x 2 James JayDee Jethro Jet Jett Jordan Joshua Judd Juggie Kahn Kaiser x 2 Kasper Kaos Kiba Kei Kippy Kisho Kyzer Lincoln Lenny Leroy Lestat Logan Luca Lughie Lukas MacKenzie Mason Max x 3 Maxie Mel Merlot Merry Milky Milosh Minook Mistral Mokha Mr Darcy Nammu Napoleon Nigel Noah Nova Nudge Nugget Onslow Oz Payton Pete Piikki Porsha Punch Quick Raffy Ralph Randy Reeve Rex Riku Riley Ripley Rocks Rolly Rove Rover Roy Jones Jnr Rupert Rusty Sam Scout Scrap Scratch Shadow Silas Snitch Sonny Spartan Speed Spencer Spike Sport Spud Sterling Storm Sumo Swanky Tazz x 2 Teddy Tey Dog Thunder Tiger Tirra Toby x2 Tolkien Tub Tusca Tye Tyson Ulf Wags Walker Watson Weave Willy Woody Zac Zedley Zephyr x 2 Zeus

Abrham Appollo Archie Armand Bailey x 3 Balou Bandit Banjo Bardigrub Bart Barton Baxter Bear x2 Benji Benny Benson Billy Bing Bluey Boss Boxer Brady Brock Brockie Brody Bronson Bruce Bud Bundy Caramel Carl Cash Champ Charlie x 4 Chevy Chip Coco Cobber Connor Cooper Cowan x 2 Cuba Danny Darcy x 3 Dashx2 Deakin Dean Declan Delgado Diablo Diesel Digby Digger Dinky Douglas Dumas Dylan Ebon Eddie Elijah Elliott Edge Esky FlashBazil Frank Franky J Holden Gandor Greedy Hail Harley Harrison Henry Hudson Ivan Jack x 1 Jake Jasper x 2 JayDee Jethro Jett Joe (cocker spaniel) Jordan Joshua Judd Juggie Kahn Kaiser Kasper Kaos Kiba Kei Kippy Kisho Kyzer Leroy Lestat Logan Luca Lughie Lukas MacKenzie Max x 3 Maxie Mel Merlot Merry Milky Milosh Minook Mistral Mogwai Mr Darcy Mungo Murray Nammu Napoleon Nelson Nigel Nipper Noah Nova Nudge Nugget Odin Onslow Oz Payton Piikki Porsha Punch Quick Raffy Ralph Rambo Randy Reeve Rex Riku Riley Ripley Rocks Rolly Rory Rove Rover Roy Jones Jnr Rupert Rusty Sam Scout Scrap Scratch Shadow x2 Silas Snitch Sonny Speed Spencer Spike Sport Spud Stanley Sterling Storm Swanky Tazz x 2 Ted Teddy Tey Dog Thunder Tiger Tirra Toby Tub Tusca Tye Tyson Ulf Wade Wags Walker Walter Watson Weave Will Willy Woody Zac Zedley Zephyr Zeus

I would try the elimination of Chicken as well as it could be what make her scratch and thus once she has scratch hard enough to break the skin bacteria gets in there and starts a hot spot going. Loulou - Do you dry your dogs thoroughly once they have had a swim in summer? See double coated dogs trap humidity under a damp coat which is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria.

Hi there guys The most common cause of Hot Spots is if the skin has been broken in some way - flea/mozzie bite, scratching or chewing by dog at skin due to other allergies etc. Here are a couple of websites that will help explain more! http://www.thepetcenter.com/article.aspx?id=3383 http://www.pets.ca/articles/dog-hot-spots.htm Also just for your interests sake - there are thousands of remedies that people suggest, but I have found two that work particularly well on my Atopic boy - betadine wash and pad dry then curash powder - but even better than that is slightly dilluted pyohex shampoo to wash the area and pad until conpletely dry with paper towel. Best of luck with those horrible buggers!

Brisket bones are bones from the rib cage area and are softer than load bearing bones (leg bones) and can be entirely consumed. Mind you chicken/turkey legs are entirely comsumed as they are no where near as thick as beef legs (marrow bones).

Hi Snowball When I was feeding dry to my boy I gave bones daily - but a variety - drumstick, wings, necks, small brisket bones and soup bones especially as a pup. Then when she's older you can increase the variety even more with turkey necks, lamb shanks, lamb necks, chicken marylands chicken frames etc etc! What I use to do was see what the dry food packet recommnds and then divide it by 2 and feed just a little less approx by 1/4 or 1/2 a cup plus the bone - but keep a feel of her ribs and make sure you can feel them or otherwise reduce the amount your feeding! Hope that makes sense! FTPO PS you can feed any bones to her at her age but bear in mind the size of it and how much dry you are giving.