MalteseLuna

It's quite possible that exposure to anything toxic in the environment i.e. pesticides, paint fumes etc could be the culprit of the rising ALT levels. It is frightening when a vet can't figure out what is happening and/or why. Keep us posted!

Hi there! I have a Maltese with a history of elevated ALT levels. Apparently Maltese often have higher ALT levels than other breeds, and abnormal Bile Acid Test results (my vet told me this), this is likely the 'norm' for the breed and as long as not associated with any other clinical signs isn't a reason for panic. I would recommend taking your dog to the vets at Sydney University Vet Hospital - they have some of the leading experts in canine liver function ( & one of the best liver shunt surgeons). I wouldn't be doing any biopsy, ultrasound, medication etc without talking to one of the specialists at Sydney Uni vet. My usual vet wanted to push me into a biopsy, ultrasound, diet change (onto the L/D Hills diet) etc despite no other clinical signs of a shunt or liver issues. I still monitor her ALT levels on a yearly basis but after taking a course of medication prescribed by the specialist Luna has had no problems & her ALT levels have stabilized - still elevated but what we think is "normal" for her. I would really emphasize a previous statement made - It's important to remember that you have a clinically normal dog with a biochemical abnormalitiy. This doesn't mean that she definitely has liver disease so talk to your vet before putting her on a protein restricted diet as it might not be indicated at this stage. The increasing trend is a sign that a trip to a specialist is in order - in my opinion. I just don't think that normal vets are equipped to deal with highly specialized scenarios - same reason we have specialists in human doctors. Besides liver disease there are also environmental conditions (stress, toxins etc), bacterial infections etc etc which can cause elevated ALT levels. I wish you luck!

Phew - I've been out all day and came home to some good news! I figured after thinking about it some more that it was probably an error in the contact details - I've now emailed Rachelle. Can't believe the other person was rude - could have just told me "wrong email" - some people! Thank you to everyone who has worked on sorting this all out :D

Can someone please tell me what on earth is going on with the Sydney Distributors... Kel very politely told me she is no longer selling the food and the other listed on the Black Hawk Holistic website told me to "piss off" when I inquired about purchasing a 3KG bag from them I like the food and until now it has been great to deal with the distributors etc.... but I'm not very impressed to get an email telling me to "piss off" ... I just want to buy some dog food Where should I be purchasing the food and/or why am I getting strange responses???

I had a horrible experience with a groomer recently... they chopped off my dogs ear hair and tail hair when I expressly told them not to. There were no matts - she was fully brushed and well groomed prior to going to the groomer. But that isn't the only reason I was angry... they also nicked her very badly (5 cent piece sized) and another 3 smaller nicks. When the dog is 2.5 kgs a 5 cent piece sized nick is considerable. It was fairly clear from the angle of the big nick that it was because the clippers were being used against the grain and with little care in an easy to nick area (skin 'flap' near back leg)... I had to get a cone for her to stop her licking the wounds. They also failed to call me when she was finished - obviously didn't want to tell me about nicking her on the phone - so she was there from 8 am to 6:30 PM when I finally just went in to see what was happening. They charged me full cost. I will never use them again. Ever.

I used to have a Maltese in a unit, though this was when she was a puppy. The first thing I would do would be talk to your neighbours and let them know that you have a dog and could they please let you know if she makes any noise or disturbs them and you will do your best to fix any arising issues. This way hopefully the neighbor will approach you if there is a problem and not the body corporate. It will also let you know what she is doing when your not there. Would it be possible to lock her into a bedroom or study further from the front door? Or gate her into the kitchen etc - whatever room is furthest from the hallway. If there aren't many people on the floor I should imagine she won't bark too much. Mine didn't even bark at people walking past the door (only if they knocked on the door). Does she like kongs? Giving her toys that have food in them might help distract her from anything outside etc. In all reality she will probably just sleep whilst your at work ;)

Asking for extra rent or bond/deposit is discrimination. It's passing the judgement that because of X (pets or children) the tenant will cause more damage or be more work etc etc. Isn't the purpose of the bond there for the event of the tenant leaving without repairing damage (besides normal wear & tear). I get frustrated when renting a house, the landlord I have does NO maintenance on the house, the screens are rusty and damaged and falling apart, the gutters are sagging/rusty/leaking, the wiring is horrible, the plumbing is falling apart and the kitchen is . We were lied to about the state of the garage (i.e. it having power), it has a mould problem which was obviously painted over etc etc etc. Yet they didn't want me to live there with a small 2.5 kg dog (that doesn't shed...much). The real estate agent "apparently" talked them into allowing me have a dog... but really we were the only potential tenants interested or we would have been passed over. So many times whilst looking at rentals I was told that 1 dog was okay (though not ideal...they would prefer no pets), 2 dogs or 1 dog and 1 cat was asking for too much and I should think about giving up one of the animals. Sadly I know of families that rent who have had to surrender their pets (knowing they will be put down) because they are unable to find a home that allows them to keep pets. They had little options and tried to find friends/family/rescues who would take the dogs on but due to the age and personality of said dogs nobody was willing/able.

I bought mine from Clipperworld - fantastic! Great prices and service/advice. Ask for a quote/bundle and they were happy to oblige. I got the Wahl KM (2 speed). It's great, though if I could change one thing I would make it smaller/lighter. I sort of wish that I had gone with an Andis clipper as they are apparently smaller and equally as well made (but they are pricier).

Some of these questions the breeder should be able to answer, i.e. when worming needs to be done, when vaccinations need to be done etc. They will likely have started worming already ( at 3-4 weeks I think - could be wrong). Most puppies begin their vaccinations prior to/at 8 weeks, and it depends upon the schedule adopted by the breeder and vet as to when the next one is due. I would suggest you ask the breeder? A vet visit is a good idea after you pick him up to check that everything is in order etc. An initial checkup with the vet is a good idea to make sure there are no underlying issues and is often needed for any health guarantees the breeder gives you to remain valid. I wouldn't take the puppy for walks or leave the house until after the 2nd vaccination at least, and the 3rd if it was a high risk area (your vet should be able to advise you). One thing to make sure of is that the puppy is micro-chipped, it is illegal to sell an un-micro-chipped puppy in NSW. Before choosing a heartworm, flea, worm treatment I would suggest talking to the breeder to see what they use (and have already given to the pup) and then I would ask the vet during your visit (within a few days of picking up the puppy).

I feel your pain. My Auntie (40 yrs old) is a very irresponsible dog owner and breeder. She bred her Labs with little /no health testing for 2 generations. She chose her "sire" at the local dog park. The last of her labs passed away a few months ago. She had told me that she wanted to start breeding responsibly, might do some showing and get registered etc. I offered to help her find a good reputable breeder provided she was honest with the breeder that she wanted to breed etc. I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, she started breeding when she was young and impressionable so perhaps she wanted to turn over a new leaf. Well 1 week after her lab passed away (after deteriorating rapidly) she had found a puppy from a registered breeder - without talking to me (should have been my first hint that she didn't care anymore)... Pup was on limited rego, I said okay well if you want to breed you can always get another pup. Her response was "I don't need her to be on mains to breed her and I don't have to tell the breeder either (apparently breeder was adamant that pup was limited and not to be bred from)" and "I know what I am doing as I have done this before" (in regards to health testing... which she doesn't). AHHHHHH I would have called the breeder if I had known who they were. It makes me so angry. She apparently plans to ask the breeder to upgrade the pup to mains when the pup is older as "the pup is so gorgeous she will of course be breeding quality"... I'm already in a tense relationship with her... now I don't even want to talk to her ... or invite her to my wedding... just seeing her makes me angry. But my parents are adamant that I need to just mind my own business (although they agree that she is irresponsible and doing the wrong thing...they just don't want to start any family feuds). Unfortunately there is no way to convince people if they have already made up their mind and with family it is even worse. i.e. 24 yr old niece telling 40 yr old auntie what she should be doing... end in tears every time!

Exactly - it's quite odd how inconsistent his statements are sometimes. Sometimes it's "the best dog is a oodle" and sometimes it's "don't buy from pet stores" and sometimes it's "pet stores are great - thats why I bought a surprise puppy for the newscaster this morning" ... should make up his mind. Surely this has to be a bit of a step in the right direction though? If someone is breeding and raising 'oodles in their home well that's still a much better start to life than being in a pet shop where you have to defecate where you eat and sleep right? There is debate over the whole situation with BYB's (I certainly won't be going into it again anytime soon on these forums) - but the sale of live animals in petshops and spending all that crucial socialisation/bonding time away from people is undeniably bad. +1 At least acknowledging that there is an issue is a step in the right direction, and I agree that breeding and raising dogs in a home environment is better than in a cage in a shed, destined for a pet shop. I actually think that breeding of dogs needs to have some thought put in i.e. knowledge of genetics, canine structure, canine reproduction etc. A BYB is just as likely to have genetic health problems popping up imo. Just bringing pups up in a home isn't good enough either - pups need the right kind of socialization to be fostered by the breeder as it's reared. Just your average Joe letting his bitch whelp in the home and keeping them penned with little interaction is as bad as a puppy farm imo. The issue is that pet shops are now "catching up" and have started telling people "our puppies only come from registered/private breeders not puppy mills"... just "knowing" where the puppy came from isn't enough if people are hiding the true nature of the "breeder" from the naive buyer.

I'm off to youtube to find more! My dog doesn't do anything embarrassing per say - I do get weird looks (from men mostly) when they see her walking down the street with a topknot but that is more my fault than hers. My parents dogs used to (when they were younger) hump each others heads in front of guests - both are girls. K

Exactly - it's quite odd how inconsistent his statements are sometimes. Sometimes it's "the best dog is a oodle" and sometimes it's "don't buy from pet stores" and sometimes it's "pet stores are great - thats why I bought a surprise puppy for the newscaster this morning" ... should make up his mind.

Nu Nu is home - she really is a miracle She has to be kept quiet for a month as the poison may still be affecting her heart. But that's not a problem with a 13 year old pug She being spoiled rotten by my sister i.e. carried around and snuggled with. *phew*

No Oxygen yet - she appears to be pulling through She might even be able to come home today. Vet said often dogs get anxious because they cannot move/walk properly - Nu-Nu isn't though she prefers to sleep anyway! She really is a "survivor" although most of the issues she has had have been related to her eating things she just shouldn't (i.e. mouldy sandwich). Thanks for all the good wishes - we are all hoping she comes home soon! My parents other dog (Maltese cross) is very anxious without her buddy.

Some of you may remember my post about Nu-Nu my parents pug who ate a mouldy sandwich last year and was in hospital for several days (and nearly passed away). She is now a "star" in the vet lectures - she was treated at Sydney Uni Vet Hospital. Well she has been going very well... until now! On Sunday my brother noticed that she was unable to use her back legs and had vomited. My sister and I raced over to take her straight to Sydney Uni Vet. We were worried it was a stroke or something to do with the mouldy sandwich. Unfortunately during the car ride I noticed a lump on her - which I quickly identified as an engorged Paralysis tick I have never seen one before. The vet took her straight into the back to remove the tick (and check for anymore). She was then given the anti-serum. She has been progressing well and we are hopeful that her prognosis will be good. She had apparently likely had it since the previous sunday - when she accompanied my dad into the bush to "garden" at their weekend house on the Central Coast. My parent's hadn't gotten around to giving her FrontLine Plus yet. So poor Nu-Nu the "miracle pug" needs another miracle - hopefully she will pull through this! She is 13 years old. Vet seems hopeful as she hasn't gotten worse yet, didn't go into shock after the anti-serum and hasn't needed oxygen etc. But apparently it's very hard to know with paralysis ticks. Can anyone tell me what sort of long term affects will occur (possibly) or will recovery mean she will go back to "normal"? Or is it different for each dog? Kylie

Cuddly Bomb-proof temperament Fluffy - I love long haired breeds Intelligent Friendly I would also add - small sized as I like the "portability" of a small dog and that I don't need a huge yard. (they also take up less room on the bed) Although my 2.5 kg Maltese does manage to take up nearly 1/2 of a queen sized bed if I let her

He's probably just reading whatever they put in front of him. He does seem to be a bit of a mouth piece for whoever is paying him or whatever will get him the most attention. Not very respectable for a vet who a few months ago was all about "rescue"... Quite annoying having him associated with the vet that I normally go to.

I have quite a few photos of Maltese - my own dog. However she is not in full coat. Here are a few... Alternatively if you need a certain angle I could get a new one

Maltese are certainly toy dogs. Mine is only 2.5 kgs... though many "Maltese" I see are well over 5 kgs and probabl aren't really Maltese.

I am a Maltese owner and I would avoid using a collar - Maltese are just so tiny that I find the collars can be abit dangerous i.e. accidentally jerking a collar could be quite dangerous on a tiny Maltese. If the collar is just for tags/id then I would use a cat collar or puppy collar. When I got Luna she fit into the tiny Rogz collar - they do have a puppy range (i think). Luna is trained to walk on a loose lead (i.e. heel) so it's not that I think she will harm herself with pulling against a collar as she doesn't pull. I just prefer harnesses as I think they are better for smaller dogs: less likely to slip out, more secure, less likely to hurt the neck if jerked accidentally (likely if walked by a child or if owner isn't aware the pup has stopped)etc. Most Maltese owners that I know use harnesses - particularly step-in harnesses. They are also good at avoiding matting which I find particularly bad with collars + normal harnesses ;) And yes Maltese are prone to collapsing trachea's so this is another reason to avoid collars - just my opinion. It probably is related to genetics - but wearing collars puts pressure on the throat (at times)... Good luck with your Maltese - they really are delightful! (share some pictures if you have any - I love seeing Maltese puppies)

It does sort-of - but when collecting a sample at home you could switch the two swabs/samples. This is why for certified results you need the DNA collected by a vet (or other authorized person. The vet then labels the sample with the microchip number of the dog it was collected from.

Errr since when is that? As far as I know GTG (the main "DNA Testing" lab in Australia) will test any dog (registered or not) for a disease. I've certainly paid for a test for a non-registered dog by them. No issues. I also work in a DNA lab (research with a little bit of Disease testing) and as far as I know - we will test the genes in any dog regardless of registration. Don't know why any lab would make such a rule - would cut out a clients...which isn't the aim of any business. At the same time - for registered breeders - you generally have to get the DNA collected by an authorized person (i.e. a vet). But if you just want the results for kicks or your a non registered (non-ANKC) breeder then you wouldn't necessarily have to do this. for PRA ? You may be right but isnt there something about certified results or similar ? Yes for that you need to get the DNA collected by a vet, but the dog doesn't have to be registered. This just insures that the dog your testing is the dog who supplied the sample (i.e. no cheating). There are also "By parentage" certificates - no DNA test done (based on DNA tests of parents), perhaps the dog does need to be registered for this.

Errr since when is that? As far as I know GTG (the main "DNA Testing" lab in Australia) will test any dog (registered or not) for a disease. I've certainly paid for a test for a non-registered dog by them. No issues. I also work in a DNA lab (research with a little bit of Disease testing) and as far as I know - we will test the genes in any dog regardless of registration. Don't know why any lab would make such a rule - would cut out a clients...which isn't the aim of any business. At the same time - for registered breeders - you generally have to get the DNA collected by an authorized person (i.e. a vet). But if you just want the results for kicks or your a non registered (non-ANKC) breeder then you wouldn't necessarily have to do this.

Isn't the DNA profile of a Amstaff the same as a Pit bulls? I very much doubt any of the current DNA tests can confirm whether the dog is a Amstaff vs a Pitbull. I cannot believe such laws have been written and are now being enforced. Hopefully the public will catch on and the government will have to undo the laws. It's not the breed it's generally the owner/upbringing (or a combination of the two) etc etc.