tdierikx

When they prepare a slide, they dip it into 2 stains and a fixer, then they put the cover slip on. With a lipoma, virtually no stain will attach to the fatty substance extracted, so it ends up looking quite clear instead of red/purple... thus is really easy to tell even with the naked eye. Vets definitely know how to use a microscope... even vet nurses are trained to use them. Not to mention that it would be one of the cheaper pieces of equipment needed in a vet clinic... T.

There he is! That darling boy!!! Missed you Chase! (and @NikkiandKane) Good luck on Monday handsome boy! Be good for mummy and the judge... lol! T.

In Australia you need a vet's prescription to buy those vaccines... a C3 costs around $15 a vial. So technically, you could do it yourself, but as you said, you won't be able to provide certificates as required by transport, kennels, etc... Which is why you should be discussing options for complications well before they occur... like during pre-natal checkups... T.

After working with special needs dog rescue for a number of years... my experience was to discuss possibilities of caesarians and other complications with the vet well ahead of time... *grin* T.

Vets can be negotiated with for better pricing if you are a regular and financially responsible client... also microchipping courses are available to anyone, so if you are needing to do it regularly, then it would be beneficial to become a licensed implanter yourself too. Unfortunately, due to the composition of the various vaccines, they do need to be done by a licensed vet, but theoretically you could negotiate a lower cost for doing an entire litter. T.

On an errand for my work today, I met a lovely Kelpie breeder who is NOT charging crazy prices for her fully ANKC papered pups... such a breath of fresh air... and absolutley divine pups to boot! T.

My experience with lots of pups over the years is that each is different in how it will respond to different training methods... some need correction that isn't always 100% positive, and others respond really well to only the positive. There really is no one shoe fits all training method, it must be tailored to the individual. That said, there is no place for extreme or harsh correction in a very young pup. T.

It's really easy to ascertain whether a lump is a lipoma or something else that may need further looking into. Take the sample, then aspirate it onto the slide. Dip into the 3 different dyes/fixers. If the dye does not attach to the aspirant, then you are looking at a lipoma. Simple. In all reality, a vet nurse could technically perform the procedure... but only a vet is legally allowed to make a diagnosis. Vet nurses actually have to learn how to do a FNA as part of their training/course... and we all have to pass a practical test for same. I can understand erring on the side of caution though... some vets may prefer to have samples inspected by a professional pathologist for the most accurate diagnoses... just in case there is something else going on. It would be horrible to miss something sinister at an early stage, yes? T.

Haha! Maybe I did learn a few things in vet nurse school... lol! That said, consulting a vet in any case where one is concerned about the health of our furry mates is best practice... T.

It's possible that she had a spontaneous abortion of the contents of one side of the uterus for some reason... luckily for you, that was only 1 pup, and the other side that had 2 pups was unaffected. T.

Royal Canin Recovery tinned food is also very tasty... and smells pretty good to dogs... Glad to know that Mezza'a wound isn't too bad... poor wee boy. Please give him a few extra cuddles and kisses from me when he gets back home. T.

Have you got any Manuka Honey @Loving my Oldies? A dab on that wound will certainly help... otherwise, a little bit of Betadine will work just as well, but might sting a little. T.

A simple fine needle aspiration is a very quick and relatively inexpensive way the check for lipomas. If the stain doesn't stick to the aspirant on the slide, then you can usually safely assume that it is a lipoma. They are usually fairly readily diagnosed by the way they feel, usually softer and squishy and self-contained. They are also pretty common in older dogs. T.

My first step would be a full vet checkup to make sure he doesn't have an underlying medical issue. If he hurts somewhere, he may be objecting to being handled. T.

Haha! Definitely uncoordinated... poor Joe was playing with Ranger on Tuesday and managed to get kicked in the back... errr! But when Joe said "OWW!", Ranger was so sorry he stopped being a doofus and just wanted to snuggle and make it all better... seriously, that cow (steer) thinks he's human. T.

He's the most adorable boy ever... he is VERY human habituated due to the intense efforts we all put in to not let him die on us when he was little. I'm his 3rd fave person apparently. Amber is his number 1 mummy, then Joe his number one daddy, then he loves me the most... lol! He absolutely loves going out on jobs and meeting lots of people - kids especially - and even though he's much bigger than our other 2 calves (mini belted galloways), he's a fave to take out. The fact that he knows the drill so well helps too... easy to get into and out of the truck/pens, etc... happy to follow you with or without a lead, and the other animals will usually just follow him too... makes jobs easy to set up and pack down when all the animals behave... hehe! I had to play tag with him today as there were no jobs going out... he loves games with his fave people... T.

That was Emma... She's the queen of getting her head stuck in hay feeders, so we have to use a large wheelie bin with a big hole cut in the side in their paddock instead... lol! T.

Simon loves ornamental pear leaves... so I used some to get him to do this... lol! He was given them in the end... *grin* T.

Wee Gertie had a problem retaining cud when she was a baby girl... turns out she had 3 very loose premolars and they had to be removed. As a result she has a bit of a crooked smile, and her tongue sticks out sometimes... which only makes her cuter, don't you think? Her missing teeth have no impact on eating... trust me, she never misses a feed... haha! She's the sweetest natured little thing... and quiet too... I love her to bits! T.

Not to be outdone by Ranger... Percy wanted in on the photo shoot too... lol! He's such a ham... haha! T.

I decided to get out my camera at the farm today... *grin* Some of you may remember that we had a little fellow that was quite poorly when he was a tiny tacker... well... he's growed up some now, and is a right silly boofhead... lol! He is such a tart! T.

Nawww... bless... she certainly is a pretty wee girl! I've watched the surgery for eye removal, and it's not as scary as you'd think... if that is the course of action the vet specialist recommends, then maybe that is what needs to happen. Also, dogs learn to cope with only 1 eye REALLY well. It's a pity dogs can't use the same eye ointment we use on our goats at work... I had one fellow that we all thought was going to need his eye removed completely heal in 3 weeks... no scarring or anything, completely back to normal from the original that looked like it was about to explode... ewww! We've had guinea pigs and rabbits heal from really bad ulcers too, with Atropine and Tricin. (all under vet instruction/consultation in case that wasn't clear, OK?) I wish dogs eyes were as easy to deal with... *sigh* T.

Where I work, we use Tricin/Opticin cream and/or Atropine drops for corneal ulcers in rabbits and guinea pigs... we've had eyes that look about to rupture heal in about 2-3 weeks. None of those seem to cause any pain or irritation, and rabbits are renowned for having very sensitive eyes... Maybe speak to your vet and see if another type of drops/ointment would be less painful and give a similar end result. T.

Exactly how I do it... you did good @persephone... lol! @Loving my Oldies... so glad to hear that Sooty is improving in leaps and bounds... definitely due to her mummy's attentions methinks... T.

Good boy Chase!! Well done you stunning little man! Please plant an extra kiss on that cute face for me @NikkiandKane... T.