tdierikx

I've met a few too many "emotional support" dogs that are even more messed up than their owners, which is a shame really, as a sound animal used for that purpose is a literal lifesaver. Sometimes I wonder if some of them have been socialised properly before being "accredited" by whoever does that service.

As for having to deal with nasty dog farts and slobber on a long flight... I'd say they have a case for some sort of proper compensation.

T.

I have a litter of rescue pups here that I have been crate training one by one so that I know they should settle for their new owners once they leave me. They are also contained in a playpen either in the house (at night), or in my yard (during the day) when I can't supervise play/exploring. Each evening, I will take one pup from the playpen, and put them in a cage crate set up in the same room for a while - extending the time each session up to overnight by themselves. They can see me and the other pups, but essentially are on their own with a beddie and a couple of toys. Generally they have played with the toys for a short while, checked out the dimensions of their crate, had a little whinge/whimper, then settled down and just gone to sleep. I let them sleep for a little while, then go and open the crate... they will then either just stay there and sleep more, or slowly decide to come out, and then I'll pop them back in the playpen with their siblings, where they settle down and sleep again.

During the day, I will have a couple of supervised free running sessions in the yard to let them really run about and stretch their legs, explore the yard and have individual cuddle sessions with me if they came asking. The free running sessions last from 15-45 mins depending on my time constraints.

In the evening when we are all inside, each pup gets a good 30-45 mins of couch cuddles, where they get to settle on the couch with me watching TV, and just have them being nice and quiet on my lap or beside me. This trains them for quiet time before bed time, so they aren't hyped up and cause issues when it's time to sleep.

The first pup has gone to his new home now, and reports are that he easily settled into his night crate in their bedroom and slept quietly all night... no whinging or getting upset at all. They also have a couple of playpens set up for when he's not supervised, one inside, and one in the yard, and he has settled straight into the daily routine beautifully. He is 10 weeks old.

T.

I'm with asal and Dogsfevr... at 6 weeks it would be near on impossible to either diagnose a luxating patella in a puppy, let alone grade it. Just out of curiosity, is the vet involved going to be the one who performs the surgery, or is he advising a specialist orthopedic vet to do it?

My first suggestion would be getting the pup to a specialist in orthopedics for a second opinion on this diagnosis.

I would be extremely leery of any vet who thinks they can diagnose such an issue in a 6 week old pup, let alone one that advocates surgery for that issue before the pup has reached full maturation of the joint..

As stated by asal, patellar luxation is not necessarily a surgical case, as some dogs have perfected their own means of rectifying it as it happens, and are not in any level of actual pain when that happens. Any orthopedic surgery also has it's own risks and long term effects, such as earlier onset of arthritis... the trick is to understand what the trade-offs are for the dog's long term health and wellbeing, and whether we will be causing more of the latter in order to "fix" the former.

I have a litter of small breed rescue pups here. They are 10 weeks old and all have quite loose joints, but that is perfectly normal for their developmental stage for their breed type. I remember watching them as tiny slugs just learning to get their legs under themselves to learn to walk, and was amazed at exactly how loose all the joints were and the strange angles they could get into. All 4 pups are now running and playing perfectly normally and developing well, albeit their joints are still a bit loose, as is perfectly normal for their developmental stage.

I'd be interested to know what breed your pup is too...

T.

How often is she being fed? If you are feeding her once a day, and that is in the evening, then maybe her drinking is related to eating what you are feeding her? I'm assuming you are feeding the kibble SPD food...

If the above is the case, then maybe try 2 smaller meals a day, say morning and evening, or maybe a mix of kibble and tinned (or roll) SPD might take the edge off her thirst after eating. Kibble can be a bit salty/dry, so many dogs drink a lot more if on a kibble-only diet.

T.

Here's a quote from one of the submissions to the vet shortage inquiry...

"Vets are experts at euthanasia. And suicide."

I'll just let that sink in...

T.

If the same dog had been visiting the centre for at least 6 years without incident, one would wonder what was different about this particular day/encounter that triggered it to bite. I'm thinking that the whole story may never be truly known, and we all know how much the media love to beat up any dog bite incidents to immediately blame the dog... not to mention that all kids' mothers will say that their darling child would always behave appropriately around animals (which isn't always the case, as we all know).

I'm certainly not trying to minimise the gravity of this incident, just that there may be factors around why that will never be reported. I hope the little boy eventually understands that this was a fairly rare thing to happen, and he keeps loving animals of all kinds, albeit with a little caution when he doesn't know the animal very well.

T.

Yep... a very high proportion of those overseas students are leaving Australia shortly after gaining their degree... they are under no obligation to stay here and practice at all. Then add that to the fact that overseas student places in the vet courses outnumbers places for Australian (read subsidised) students, AND the fact that overseas students paying full fees are not subject to the rigorous entry level requirements that Australian students have to go through... well, can you see a problem here?

Here's an interesting aside... speaking to a 2nd year vet science student (Syd Uni) recently who wasn't even aware that there was an inquiry into the vet shortage issues - even though their University sent their own delegation to appear at said inquiry. The universities appearing at the hearings were pretty much avoiding the issues of post graduated vets, essentially saying that they needed more funding from government, but also being a little vague as to what that extra funding would be spent on...

For anyone interested, the transcripts from the hearings are now available for viewing... https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/inquiries/Pages/inquiry-details.aspx?pk=2964#tab-hearingsandtranscripts

Note Emma and Abigail kept asking about "Veticare", and there was quite a bit of discussion about how a system similar to Medicare won't work, but some good suggestions about a telehealth model that may go some way to resolving some of the burdens faced by vets and pet owners. AWL's mobile clinic was also a great incentive, but the problems they have been facing need to be addressed to make the model a viable prospect long term.

It was disappointing  that the government had withdrawn the promised funding for the Byron Bay Wildlife clinic/hospital, which is a wonderful asset for sick and injured wildlife, and quite frankly we need more of those types of facilities, not less...

One submission really stood out for me - that of Dr Jocelyn Birch Baker - she was also a witness at the hearings on day 1 - some really awesome solutions to some of the issues vets are facing on a daily basis that she has put into action at her own clinic(s) and are working very well... https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lcdocs/submissions/79975/0061 Dr Jocelyn Birch Baker.pdf

It will be interesting to see the final report from the inquiry... hopefully the Chair will have some level of control about keeping to the facts and not let Emma run roughshod over what information is included or discarded like she did in the puppy farming inquiry last term of office... grrr!

The next big inquiry to watch out for is the one into NSW pounds... that committee is chaired by Emma and deputy chair is Abigail Boyd, both whom have some fairly strong AR agendas, so I'm not holding much hope for any real common sense results to come from that... but miracles can happen... fingers crossed. Les see what the composition of the witness list is for those hearings... I'm tipping it's going to be overloaded with AR leaning groups screaming doom and gloom and calling for all breeders to be banned, etc...

An interesting note re the pounds inquiry... submission entry closed on 18 August, yet none have been published on the inquiry webpages to date. Normally submissions are published either as they come in and are vetted, or within a couple of days of the closing date... we are now 2 weeks post that date, and nothing published yet... which is highly anomalous.

T.

So much discussed at yesterday's hearings, and this waffle is the only take-away the media gets? Sentient are an Animal Rights organisation set on restricting animal ownership, and certainly don't speak for the vet industry in any way, shape, or form.

"Key concerns included a lack of work life balance, pay concerns and the increased pressure from 3 million ‘pandemic pets’ due to Covid."

And they also missed the overriding largest issue faced by vets (and all vet clinic staff actually) - which is unrealistic expectations from clients, and the high incidence of abuse (both verbal AND physical) when clients are faced with the actual costs of those expectations. This was closely followed by the fact that graduating vets have not been taught the realities of working in the industry, such as the long hours, low pay, and the human to human communication skills required - after all, you are primarily dealing with humans who own the animals you see/treat. Graduating vets are also not inclined to work in mixed practice (small AND large animals), preferring to stay in urban areas and where the client base is more predictable and the pay a bit better than rural/regional practice.

Another issue that was raised is that vet nurses are facing very similar issues as vets, and are leaving the profession in large numbers too. If they think vets get paid crap, vet nurses are paid even less - effectively not receiving a living wage even if they secure permanent full-time work. Hospitality staff waiting tables or making coffees get paid a better hourly rate than vet nurses (and in some cases even more than vets)... just let that sink in for a while... the person making the pretty pattern in the crema of your coffee gets paid better than the vet nurse who is in charge of monitoring your pet's anaesthesia and vital signs during surgery...

With regard to the abuse issue, that has been a growing problem in society overall. People in customer facing jobs have been subject to increasing levels of abuse over the past few years, often bearing the brunt of people's ire for any number of things beyond their control. This attitude needs to stop, and we all need to treat each other with the  level of respect we expect for ourselves... it's not really all that hard, honest!

The vet shortage inquiry hearings continue today from 9:30am for anyone interested - today's witnesses are from organisations representing vet nurses and vet education facilities (universities) - might be interesting to get their take on why the graduates they train aren't the least bit prepared for the realities of life as a vet.

T.

Our farm dog hated peas, so we'd hide a single pea in his dinner - a mix of leftovers and kibble - that he'd wolf down in seconds... except for one solitary shiny clean pea left in the bottom of his bowl... lol!

When I was a student vet nurse, the head nurse told me to go give a cat a pill, so I went to the cat, opened it's mouth, inserted the pill down the back, then closed it's mouth and blew gently in it's nose to make it swallow... job done, no mess, no fuss! Then the head nurse said that pilling the cat was a test, to see how I'd handle a cat that apparently was a bastard to pill... I offered to teach her my method, but she declined and just said that I was now the designated cat piller person... grrr!

T.

Link to Easy Thumbnails software... it's free, and I highly recommend it too.

https://www.fookes.com/easy-thumbnails

T.

Did the lump get to that size over time, or has it come up more suddenly? I would be having the vet actually look at it and feel it to make sure that it's just an inflammatory reaction, and not something more sinister like an abscess that may require some intervention to stop it getting worse. Better safe than sorry is the general rule here...

T.

My eyes are leaking... in a good way...

Thank you @sandgrubber

T.

The clinic I worked at didn't add the antibiotic shot after surgery as a line item, as it was included in the surgery cost... as was the long acting pain relief shot all animals also get.

When I was with the rescue I fostered lots of pups for, I was never given antibiotics for any of the pups after desexing surgery, and they all healed just fine with no complications. There is usually no real need to give a week's worth of antibiotics after any surgery, unless it is a particularly long and tricky one where the inside of the animal is exposed to the air for an extended period of time.

T.

They possibly gave her a long acting antibiotic injection at the end of surgery before she woke up (the clinic I was at did it with every surgery), and if her surgery was the first of the day, then she would have recovered from the anaesthetic earlier, and been ready to go home earlier. Some dogs recover really quickly from the anaesthetics, so why keep them sitting in a cage at the clinic when they could be home in a familiar environment?

T.

Low dose hormones? For thyroid maybe? Or for her incontinence?

If the hormones are for her thyroid, maybe they are no longer at the right dose, and need upping a little? Hyper behaviour could be a symptom of thyroid issues.

In what way was she "sick for a week"? And I'd be looking for reasons for a sudden development of a cough, such as possible heart disease...

I'd be booking a visit with my vet asap, and getting a full blood panel done, including thyroid markers, and a good listen to her chest for any heart or lung irregularities. Depending on the blood results and/or any anomalies with heart or lungs, I would follow vet advice for any future tests that may need to be done to get to the bottom of the sudden onset of her strange symptoms.

T.

Considering that the bill she got passed last year requiring all pounds to offer animals to rescue has actually made pounds leery of destroying any animal for fear of repercussions, and has ended up with most rescues being offered animals that need extensive rehabilitation before they can be rehomed, some of the problems many pounds face right now are of her actual making... grrr!

"We're talking about happy, healthy, reliable animals that are being euthanased," she said. - I call bulldust... generally those being euthanaised are not exactly great pet prospects, but as the legislation only stipulates that physical health as the benchmark for keeping them alive, mental issues in these animals are sadly overlooked as a perfectly legitimate reason for ending suffering.

Note that the only organisations quoted (or giving comment) in this piece are AJP and Animal Liberation... one sided much? RSPCA obviously didn't want to comment, nor did any other overseeing government body (or they weren't given enough time to make a response).

Another interesting note about this article is that it doesn't give any link to the inquiry itself... so for those interested in making any submissions, here it is...

https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/inquiries/Pages/inquiry-details.aspx?pk=2970

Don't hold your breath for a common sense approach to this inquiry though, as Emma is chairing it, and her pet Greens member Abigail Boyd) is also on the committee. Between them, it's gonna be quite loaded with an animal rights agenda of limiting pet ownership. Be prepared for the witness list giving in-person testimony to be heavily populated by animal rights groups and those sympathetic to the "cause", and the final report to be loaded with excerpts of their testimony in order to push the AJP/Greens agenda.

All that said, I fully support any positive and common sense change that makes life for not only the animals, but the humans involved in their care also, better.

T.

As a vet nurse, I can't help but to clarify that on animals, it's called a necropsy... just my inner word nazi kicking in, and no offense meant to anyone.

A basic necropsy performed by a vet is not an expensive or complicated process, but if tissue samples and fluids are sent off for examination by a pathologist, that will increase the cost exponentially.

A couple of times when I was in my last job, we had a goat or lamb suddenly pass, and our local vet actually did necropsies on them for free - he figured that learning what had happened and then formulating preventative measures to ensure no repeat incidents was the best course of action. The one time we formally requested a necropsy, I think the cost was around $40... no pathology sent off.

T.

Two happy and healthy doglets... stunning!

I can't help noticing that while Hailey looks always "switched on" and really alert, Apollo has a much softer facial expression... is he really just a big goofball?

T.

14 hours ago, Deeds said:

I note the the 2 facilities named in both articles are in Sydney Elite Performance K9 and Elite K9 Resort at Nerang.  Wonder if they are connected.

The article says they are owned by the same people. It does not elucidate further than saying that the dog on the Gold Coast collapsed while at the facility and was taken to a vet, but sadly died before arriving there. It doesn't say when this occurred - recently, or during the summer months, which would be more likely if the dog (that looks to be a Frenchie?) collapsed due to heat issues endemic to that breed.

The article goes further, by saying that RSPCA QLD have told complainants that matters at the boarding facility are the responsibility of council - does not say whether RSPCA QLD have inspected the facility at any point, but mentions that barking complaints are not RSPCA purview.

More than half of the article is a dissertation of the Sydney dog death, including the public statement that facility has released regarding the incident.

Overall, the story is short on any actual detail, but heavy on speculation and condemnation... trial by media if you will...

T.

I suppose it comes down to whether they will write the scripts with a number of repeats, or they will want to write a new script each time you need to get the stuff elsewhere.

Out of curiosity, when you get meds from the clinic, do they charge a dispensing fee also? I've noticed that a lot of Sydney suburban vets have started adding this fee in recent times, when they never used to charge any extra to dispense medications previously.

T.

Sending you all my very best virtual hugs and love @Rebanne... hang in there... you did everything you could, but it was just her time... please don't beat yourself up, you are Opal's best hero for trying so hard, OK?

T.

The area this happened at is just off the south end of a large off-leash dog park (Gannons Park) which is not far from where I live. Hurstville All Breeds dog training club hold their weekly training sessions near there on the Sundays, but was probably on school holiday hiatus this weekend. Lots of dog owners like to take their dogs down towards the river out of the park - which technically isn't designated off-leash, but there are no signs or anybody to stop people going there with off leash dogs for a dip in the water when the tide is up, or a good sniff about in the low tide bog.

I'm trying to think which vet clinic they could have taken the little dog to on a Sunday afternoon, and the closest one that would have been open would be VSOS, which is an emergency hospital, so if taken there, it will be in the best hands fully trained for emergency situations.

T.

Oh jeebus @Rebanne... my heart breaks with you and for you.

I'm sure Opal knew in some way how hard you tried to bring her back, but it was her time... however hard that is for us who are left behind. Please remember her with lots of smiles and a heart full of love for all the amazing memories you made together over the years. She will always be with you in your heart.

Fly free with the angels goodest girl Opal...

Much love and virtual hugs to you Rebanne...

T.

An interesting note... there has been a steady increase in news reports about dog attacks in Qld... leading up to the announcement of their plans to introduce new laws looking to ban certain breeds altogether (rather than just imposing restrictions on owning them), and much higher penalties for dogs and their owners if/when an incident occurs. The one thing that stands out with the proposed new legislation is that it only targets larger breeds or certain larger breed mixes... it is not being applied as strictly to smaller breeds that may attack humans or other dogs, as it's commonly espoused that they "don't do as much damage".

If one looks at dog bite statistics, there are a number of (smaller) breeds not specifically mentioned in the proposed legislation up in the top 10. I'm not bagging out owners of smaller breeds who might be "a little feisty", but I certainly don't think that certain behaviours should be condoned or encouraged in ANY dog, regardless of size. Certain things that SOME owners of smaller dogs may find amusing or "cute", certainly are not that when displayed by a larger dog, are they?

Back in the day I used to visit busy dog parks, I can certainly attest that most of the aggressive type behaviours were usually from smaller breeds of dog towards the larger breeds, and only if the larger dog reacted in kind was there ever any fuss made by anyone. Quite frankly, if you have your dog out in a public space, please keep it under control, and make sure it has decent "manners" around other dogs and humans... regardless of it's size, OK?

T.

@Papillon Kisses... I hear you about the difference in the amount of damage that larger dogs can invariably inflict, but is that a reason to place bans or ridiculous restrictions on them all? Then again, smaller breeds can inflict serious damage to a small child too... and I'm not bagging out smaller breeds in saying that.

I'm with you on the need for education about owning any dog, because what someone may find intimidating or downright scary coming from a larger dog, might also be the exact same behaviour that is smiled upon with a smaller breed dog. Quite frankly, I don't fancy being bitten by ANY dog, and any owner who thinks it's amusing or acceptable for their smaller dog to act in certain ways, really needs to rethink their stance in that respect.

T.