Jumabaar

My boy had the superlorin implant and had no interest in the girls at all. There was no need to separate him off. Now thats its wearing off I only allow him near them supervised up till day 5 or so (earlier if he was too interested) and are not allowed back together till she is off and he is no longer going gaga over her. Mind you I am looking after my grandparents bitch from a month before she is due in because their boy LOVES her already and is annoying her!! So it really depends on the dog.

Is the dog able to bend its leg in the brace? I tried to watch the movie of the dog walking but couldnt work it out.

I have seen a dog where they elected not to do surgery- it went back to agility/flyball. This is a rare outcome- most dogs wouldn't get as much attention as this one did and would end up with arthritis etc so it is certainly not the first port of call. I am not sure what made these people decide against surgery. This brace could be used to avoid surgery BUT it would mean a LOT of extra work by the owner and I wouldn't be trying it without the assistance of a physio and after talking to a specialist who have both seen/assessed the dog to see if it actually is an option. NB there are risks with every surgery Angel3 but quality of life is worth the risk in many cases so dont get too hung up on the outliers. If your worried perhaps look around for a specialist surgeon who does multiple of these a week with all the specialist equipment and exceptional nurses who are amazing at aseptic techniques.

I make a mix of veggies and mince bulk and chuck it in the freezer in meal size amounts. Defrost the night before and feed in the morning!!

Medications do have side effects, but in this case the side effects are going to be less damaging than the seizures. Go to a new vet who is willing to try and work on this with you.

I agree with the last two posters!! I think you need to look at what you want to do with the dog THEN look at appropriate dog breeds. i.e. I have someone with an autistic child (younger than yours) looking at a Finnish Lapphund (coated so not appropriate for you) because they want a calm, solid dog for her but also a dog that will go out on picnics/walks as they are very outdoor orientated. They also like the look of a spitz breed. They began with a list of traits then looked at breeds that fitted. This is a dog that you will have to care for 12+ yrs so you should make sure it fits in with your lifestyle, rather than having to change your lifestyle to suit the dog. That being said there is always some variation in temperaments of breeds so you might be able to find a compromise- like a slightly quieter JRT from rescue (which do exist). A whippet might suit but is that the dog you can see yourself living with?

Thanks for link As a puppy she had a lot of allergy problems after each vaccination. We have now changed to the 3 yearly vaccination and she made HUGE improvements. Recently I switched her from Eukanuba to Canidae thinking I was doing the right thing . Within weeks she started chewing herself and she seemed to have constant ear infections again . We have also had wet weather which can also cause ear infections - so is it food or wet weather This week I've switched her back to Eukanuba, the weather has cleared and the vet is happy with the success of the Surolan suspension. Hopefully one or all of the above is working ETA we've been down the Dermatologist path (admittedly more that a year ago) - that was well before I started her on Canidae. At that stage I really believe the vaccine was causing her skin and ear issues. Can I suggest titre testing in the future rather than vaccinating? My dogs are vaccinated as pups (only two) then titre tested- and none have needed boosters!! Jean Dodds has a fair amount of literature on the net about vaccination reactions which you may find interesting. If it happens again with that history I would really follow up on hypersensitivities, Your normal vet SHOULD be able to go through an elimination diet etc but it may be easier to see a dermatologist who does this type of investigation daily. If it is a hypersensitivity then you will find treatment of the ear infection will be much more effective.

Hypersensitivities (aka food allergies) can def cause ear infections!!! http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/30900.htm

I have never had a bad reaction using chlorhexidine which you can get from the chemist.

How do we know they are still being bred? This law is about what a dog LOOKS like. You could prove that it was out of a Great Dane and sired by a Pug but this law is not about parentage, its about how well a random dog fits into a standard- not about stopping Pitbulls being bred. I think that there are laws that are silly. It is quite clear from the number of cases that are being overturned that this is one of them. The industry experts- AVA, RSPCA and international experts have said that this type of law doesn't work. Unlike research indicating that drink driving and using the mobile phone does increase the risk of an accident. I don't think that drink driving is OK. I also don't think that not socialising your dog, not containing your dog and/or egging your dog is OK- but once again the law does nothing to stop that.

If its a re occurring problem perhaps talk to your vet about a referral to a veterinary dermatologist. They might be a little more expensive upfront but you have a much higher chance of a better resolution!! There may be something underlying that is causing these infections- so treatment of that will solve the ear problem. Or you might need different medication to treat what is in the ear. ETA- an allergy or atopy can cause recurrent ear infections and cleaning won't solve the problem. Going to an expert is the best bet.

If you look at the sentence above it was aimed at pets not ending up in the pound in the first place. The fact is that people buy dogs with no intention of seeing them through to the golden oldie stage- These people should not buy pets. I think its a very accurate point of view. Yes things happen that mean owners need to give up their dog, but that is a little different from someone who keeps replacing the dog when it stops being cute. Poor dog I hope that a review may improve the situation

Hey thanks B, will give it a go. Do you know doggie Vit E dosages by any chance? Thanks tons :) Mac went to see his favourite vet this morning for a 12 monthly check. As part of that we've done bloods so will get the results of that next week. Preventative only - not expecting anything untoward - just think 12 monthly bloods in an almost 13 year old is a good idea so hopefully I can jump on anything he is brewing early. Apart from that he's doing really really well for an old boy. Although a bit distracted by every smell in the dog park last week, he was really spritely and trotted around with his ears and tail up looking very happy - made his mother happy too! Its awesome you are starting to do the bloods. It makes catching little things early soooo much easier!! I hope you get some really healthy 'base line' bloods back

I think people who have an interest in anything should learn as much as they can about it. One of the things I like about breeding is that you continue to learn, you continue to hone your knowledge against your peers. I don't think the CCs should have to spoon feed people. It;s a hobby, they should want to learn. That's half the fun. I don't agree with the CC's response to AR, but that is another matter. dogsaremyworld, I think you were probably very unlucky. I am on holidays from uni and unfortunately that means my brain turns off and most of what I write becomes incomprehensible lol While I do agree that the individual should be the one going out to do research I do think it would be VERY cool if the CCs offered more information nights from geneticists and specialists the canine field. I wouldn't be sure how to initiate this on a large scale- but information nights where 30 people attend would be very cheap, and could be subsidised by CCs. I know a few clubs who are active in this area, but once again some clubs are not and their members perhaps don't get as much access to lectures. Some people lack even the basic knowledge to know that they are actually quite naive about topics that they should be well versed in (some descriptions of basic genetics have been so depressing I laugh and cry at the same time). I wouldn't see them as begin compulsory, but as another resource for the ethical breeders out there- served on a silver platter!! I guess something to add to my growing list of suggestions to DogsNSW. All this talk of CKCS makes me wanna go to a show and hug one :laugh: ETA- I also hear people talking about genetics and not quite getting it on their own. They are happy to discuss it though and its great when you can see them 'get' it. I just want more people to have access to resources that allow them to 'get it'. PS I am a tiny bit of a nerd and love voluntary lectures on random interesting topics so not sure if it would appeal to others.

Hi, I am interested in what you would call "head in the sand" attitude in this thread? Just for my own clarification? What do you think could be done to change this attitude? I have met many CKCS breeders that are very willing to talk about health problems- what they do to prevent them, their impact on the breed etc. And I think that attitude is great!! Yes the breed has problems but there are lots of sites that tell puppy owners what questions they should be asking etc. And I think that means that there is a great deal that will happen for this breed which will move it in a positive direction. I dont necessarily see this attitude when I talk to breeders in other breeds- there are always individuals that are going out of their way to improve the health status of the breed, its just that it doesn't seem as widespread and open as it does in CKCS. It may be that the breed has a smaller population so there is not as much data to draw peoples attention? I really don't know. I personally try and combat this through educating potential puppy buyers on important questions they should be asking breeds about their breed.

Edited- Sorry too disillusioned with other breeds where there is much more "head in the sand" attitude.

My guess is , having a diagnosis and deciding on surgery .. Tralee then had to find the $5000 to pay for said surgery . Not a task I envy. just a thought .. perhaps entirely off the scale ..but would amputation be a consideration in a case like this ? I think it is the owner that is trying to find the money. Tralee has said he doesn't own the dog that it is going home after it has healed. The problem was also originally thought to be a break and it is only recently that it has been found to be a dislocation that needs an expensive surgery. This was discovered on the 6th July. Tralee appears to have been investigating options since then and the owner finding money. There was another thread on the subject. So the dog hasn't just been left for 11 weeks with a dangling leg. Should it have had pain killers? Maybe. I don't always give painkillers as I don't want the animal to do more damage to the limb. Tralee I would probably do bloodwork before giving painkillers anyway as some painkillers are not good with certain conditions. ie I have to be careful what I give my dog with a liver shunt and am very restricted with drugs. Hopefully doggie is just sore and missing his mum and nothing else is going on. Just on that- its unethical for a Veterinarian to use pain as a physical restraint. Yes an animal should be able to feel a small amount of pain but it should be kept comfortable and not exhibiting signs of pain (such as inappetence etc). I agree get medical records forwarded to a new vet and kick up a stink if they are not there. Make sure you check by 3pm so you have two hrs to get it fixed if they are being tardy about it- because its likely they will be. It is quite clear that the relationship that you had with your previous vet is now not working for you and that is not what this dog needs.

Sorry but your vet is absolutely wrong. Gaiting a dog alongside a bike is the worse thing you can do at this age. The contstant steady pace for that long is what wears joints out. 5 minutes is fine, an hour isn't, even 30 minutes isn't. Far better to have a stop and start walk with time to sniff and vary the pace and direction. It is less stressful on growing joints. Also let the puppy rest when he wants to. Borders tend to have two speeds, flat out and asleep. Self exercise is running around the 2 acres, with you wandering about and doing short training or play sessions between just letting him run. As for dogs being softer these days, the survival of the fittest used to( and sometimes still does) apply to farm dogs so any dog that was badly injured was shot not fixed and the farmer wasn't bothered if the dog became arthritic in it's old age either as he would have had years of work out of the dog first. Working farm dogs have a pretty harsh life and their well being is often not a top priority because they are easily replaced in many cases without sentimental attachment. Not all farmers are like that but many are. Vets know how to do lots of things we don't but they get no specific training in puppy development and training. My vets breed Border Collies so know the breed well. Does your vet? You would also be astounded at how many vets know so little about so many things relating to dogs beyond giving vaccinations and desexing them. I have seen some unbelievably bad advice given and mis diagnosis made. There are some wonderful vets that have done further studies into dog development but this is not something done by the average vet. I have 29 years experience in the breed with 25+ years on the health/hereditary diseases sub-committee of the BC Club of NSW so know far more about the health and development of the breed specifially than most vets. I have seen puppies crippled by excessive exercise by owners that didn't want to listen to advice. Also take note of DeltaCharlie's post. Their dogs are as active and high drive as you will ever find in the breed but are also well trained and conditioned to be top winning agility dogs. It is wise to look at how others succesfully raise their dogs of the same breed rather than listen to a vet who has probably never lived with one. Vets can also give different advice. Mine would shoot me if I did much more than free exercise with my pups. And when I mentioned agility triple checked about what exactly we did with our foundation training (tiny jumps from 9mths, not full height or any weaving at all till 18mths). Another vet I had to explain what agility involved- so clearly they are not able to assist me in making the correct decisions about management for that sport. Doesn't make them a crap vet- just one that I don't go to about sporting injuries. Absolute ninja for blood taking though and very knowledgeable in other areas.

They did something similar with Guide dogs for memory. They found that there was a correlation between some traits and what paw the dog had dominant. And I THINK they have found something about the whorls on dogs. http://www.guidedogs.com.au/Content/upload/files/amc2010/presenters_papers/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20Lisa%20Tomkins%20-Association%20between%20lateralization%20measures%20and%20guide%20dog%20success.pdf They are not necessarily looking to create a robot dog, they may be trying to find out what traits MAY have a genetic component they can find, or find traits that correlate with what farmers find desirable. My guess would be looking at farm dogs because if they use WKC Kelpies they have a closed, closely related population which makes genetic testing easier. And they will probably look at traits that they found in previous studies (in guide dogs and police dogs I think) to see how they play out in working dogs. It may seem like none of this matters but in the end it tells us more about genetics etc and how genetics comes into play. It may help select better working dogs, or it may be used to try and understand something completely different about animal behaviour. Please note I don't know anyone involved in this project so can only speculate. I don't think we can really say anything based on an article that would have been written to catch attention, rather than based on the actual probably more boring and realistic goals of the study :laugh:

This Having had a Kelpie walk around on a broken bone for a few weeks- found incidentally by the chiro because she was not lame on it (she has also competed with torn ligaments that I found again in an incidental examination because she had run completely normally in the comp) I can only imagine what these guys manage to hide away. Just an explanation that I was given on the nature of canine pain. A lot is from observational studies but we do think they experience pain in a similar manner to humans- Dogs will always hide injuries and get on with the job- they have been bred that way since their origin- through primary and secondary selection processes. Its only since they have become companion animals and people have had disposable income and there have been veterinary advances that many of these conditions are not ignored or treated with a bullet- so the ones that did get up and walk on injuries are the ones the bred from. It is up to us to look at the situation, determine how painful we expect it to be and treat it accordingly, rather than try and get the dog to tell us. We think that by the time a dog stops walking and eating it means it would rather die than take another step or eat, this dog isn't at that point but that doesn't mean it isn't in a world of pain.

This!!! Very different Smell (so I assume taste- thankfully don't know this for sure) to carnivore poop.

Perpetuated every year by Dr Harry at Sydney Royal. Usually during the flyball break when he is surrounded by happy balanced suburban borders

My 14mth old Kelpie pups really only get free play (so them being allowed to do their own thing off lead) still and training. They might go on a proper 'walk' once or twice a week for maybe half an hr or so, do obedience training at a club and have started agility foundations. They also tag along to flyball for basics. They are buggered after training and probably only do 3x15 minute sessions and spend the rest of the time crated while I work the older dogs. They are TRASHED after that! I am guessing all the exercise your doing is actually making your pup fitter and fitter!! Meaning that your never going to keep up with his exercise requirements. But it sounds like others have suggested some great strategies to tire him out mentally rather than physically.