InspectorRex

I am not very computer literate, even with Google. A nice DOLer emailed me a pic so I could show my friend the difference between an APBT and a Staffy as she thought they were one and the same and living here in Vic I did not want her purchasing a so-called restricted breed , especially as this would be her first dog.

No Worries. With these bowel related issues it it always better to err on the side of caution and have them checked out. BTW i would be keeping the dog isolated in case it it something simple but contagious like a gastroenteritis

From that desciption I would be straight off the the Vet, with the poop in a plastic container/bag so that the Vet could do an faecal analysis and faecal float. Very reminiscent of when our Maggie started having bowel issues and was later diagnosed with severe Inflammatory Bowel Disease. With me having OBD now I have been told any massive change in colour of motions or texture to get a sample to GP asap who will then ring Specialist.

Had a dog done in 2004 and it was around $400 for the intra-dermal skin testing Check with your Insurance Coy as some Vets will bill them direct( I know PetPlan can do this)

Yes they can and if the animal does have a reaction it MUST be reported either by Vet or owner to the governing authority- www.avpma.gov.au is where you can reoprt it and they are very prompt getting back to you What sort of reaction has occurred?

Hi all Can anyone please email me a photo of a Pitbull and, if possible , a Pitbul X.? Would be much appreciated email: [email protected]

I would be asking the Vet"why did he die?". I have not heard of this in young healthy dogs.

A Vet Dermatologist needs to do the Intra-dermal Skin Testing and will guide you from there. What breed of dog? I ask this as several breeds are prone to Atopic Dermatitis and in those breeds it is inherited.

Dr Dodds is a wealth of info that is for sure. I would go with the Daily Dimmitrol,We use the 200mg tablets and that covers weight range from 15-39kgs so will be easier as Mandela grows because if you buy the monthly tabs you will have to alter dosages as he grows. It is easy to remember.I have the Dimmitrol jar sitting next to the Dog dishes so when I get their tea ready The Jar is looking me in the face so so speak.

Springdog- you may have firmed up his stools but from personal experience you need to have an accurate diagnosis as to whether it is Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Inflammatory Bowel Disease. I have recently spent nearly 2 weeks in hospital with a flare-up of IBD, it is a life-long chronic condition that needs to be monitored by specialists, Human or Animal

Did you get him to a Vet?

Good onya Erny.

I agree with the others- a blood test is a MUST for all dogs 6mths or over for heartworm prevention regardless of what you wish to use.

Hi Erny and "Mandela"- We use Dimmitrol Daily tablets for Heartworm Prevention you can buy these on the 'net for about $40 for 1000 tablets. Collies, as are many related breeds, sensitive to Ivermectin based drugs and related drugs(including Revolution).You can have a DNA Test done for many breeds for ivermectin sensitivity which is caused by a mutant MDR1 gene..Both Phoebe and Gracie have been DNA Tested and are Affected- this is very important as if they are Affected or Carriers there are amny other Vet drugs they CANNOT have due to the neuro-toxicity. I went for the daily tablet as less drug into the system and easy to remember as I leave the jar next to their dinner plates. If you want I can email you the list of drugs etc, just let me know. Then every 3 months we use Popantel All-wormer to cover all the other worms including hydatid tapeworms. good site to look at is www.miniaussierescue.org- it lists all the drugs affected/carriers should not be given. I carry the list with me if I have to take one of the girls to the Vets and when they go into Boarding Kennels the Kennels are also given the list For flea prevention we use Frontine Plus. As others have stated once a dog is 6mths old you need a blood test before you commence any heartworm prevention regime

So glad to read that your dogs clotting times are back to normal My young Collie brought in a dead mouse back in April and I rang one Vet who said" don't worry she will be fine!". Not happy with that I rang another Vet who asked me to bring in both dogs asap for the activated clotting test. The dog in my avatar was normal but the young one was twice the normal limit so onto Vitamin K for nearly 4 weeks. I knew where the baited mouse had come from ( ministry of housing place behind us) and I rang them and told them what had happened and was told " well your dogs should not have picked up the dead nouse ". i told them in no uncertain terms that if they ever used bait again they had better notify all the residents as all the people in our Court had dogs and most had kids. Good luck with trying to recoup the costs and yes please PM me the details of this palce so I NEVER go there either

IBD is also known to be inherited in Humans I agree with BL- get your dog on a raw diet with minced chicken(about$1kg from the chicken shop) and vegies that have been pulped( I use carrots, celery, alfafa, parsely and a hint of garlic) plus they also get a chicken carcass daily.

How was the diagnosis made? There are two types of bowel complaints; 1) Irritiable Bowel Syndrome and;2) Inflammatory Bowel Disease( this one is diagnosed by endoscopy with biopsies taken, I know as i have had a Collie with Severe IBD). IBD is usually managed by steriods at first to ge the inflammation down then dietary alterations. Irriitable Bowel Syndrome is usually just dietary changes I suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Disease myself- it is a life long condition and you will get flare-ups( i had had 2 in 4 mths , being hospitalised on both occasions) Send Charles Kuntz a PM- he is a Specialist Vet Surgeon and very helpful

Please add ours - BOLDFOLK Thanks and what a great idea

A big No here too! If they even eat the corn kernels they cannot digest them properly so they come out in the poop just the same as they went in-whole

I too use Human Grade probiotics"Microgenics" brand from the health food shop- the dairy free one

I lightly steam carrots, celery, parsley, alfafa and a hinty of garlic then put it through the blender and add to the raw chicken mince and put in freezer ready for use. I usually make up about 12 meals at a time

send Charles Kuntz( Specialist Vet Surgeon who is on DOL) a PM- I am sure he will give you sound advice.He is wonderful

All the best for the trial and hope the weather is not as hot as the forecast says(30 degrees)

Thank God you took her to a Vet

I would not be adding any other foods to the chicken and rice or steamed white fish and rice. Go for a Human grade Probiotic from the Health Food Shop-open capsule and sprinkle on food as a sufferer of Inflammatory Bowel Disease myself( recently had 8 days in hospital with it, 2nd hospital admission in 6mths) IMHO this dog needs to be seen by a Vet. For humans the first point of call , for me anyway, was IV steriods, to bring the inflammation down in the bowel and bland food. Even if the owners have had this dog to a Vet I would not be mucking about. I lost my Ch Collie to IBD and I would hate for another dog to go downhill as quickly as she did.