Curlybert

Rach, just saw that Whitey has gone - it's nice to think that Jay Jay might be 'showing him the ropes' on the other side of the bridge. XXXX

Just curious, but if there's little to no vision, is there any main reason you want to save the eye rather than just have it removed?

Yes I wondered this too, especially if it is causing pain. I had to make this decision about my Golden (that's her on the left for those logged in :D )who had a non-malignant tumour behind her eye, although it wasn't discovered until the eye was removed. She had a lot of drops, cortisone and visits to specialist vets in an effort to save the eye but when it ended up looking dull and lifeless like a dead fish eye and she was clearly in pain, I made the decision to have it removed. I guess it would have been done much earlier if we had known about the tunour beforehand. Anyway, she recovered remarkably quickly and with the eyelid sewn shut, she still looked very "respectable".

Good luck with Ms Emma - it must be very distressing for you both.

Wow - once he's over this hurdle he surely has a career ahead of him as a stunt dog. And he's soooo handsome! :cool:

A terrible innings for you lately, K9A. Big hugs. XXX

Love that pic of Baz retrieving the stick - it's three times his size. What did he think he was - a Lab?! Lyn, when I saw you at DAS once I told you that I loved your DOL name - it's now a fitting memorial to your boy.

Sleep well, Baz - you were clearly much loved.

Yoda's no Sam.

I doubt any dog will ever be as ugly. He was one of a kind.

Get thee behind me Satan! :D

Quick update;

Today they also started him on a PREDNISOLONE just until he starts chemo.

My 14 year old crossbreed dog was diagnosed with lymphoma in early November last year. I decided she was too old for chemo and just wanted to keep her comfortable until it was clearly time to go. While the prednisalone only masked the symptoms, it gave her a good and active three and a half months before it was time to let her go.

Your Dusty is just a young fella and I do hope the prednisalone and the chemo ensure a long and active innings for him. XXXX

I am astounded (and delighted!) to report that the faecal occult blood test came back negative. But the urine sample (obtained after I chased Madam around the backyard with a kidney basin at 6.30 this morning!) was a bit concerning. The vet said it could be because of her diet (Royal Canin Urinary) but wants to investigate further so a full blood count is scheduled tomorrow.

I wish you luck at the vets ...has she done any normal coloured stools, or is everything black?

:hugs:

Thanks Pers, and also others who have responded. She usually does a couple a day (smallish in quantity) and she did one late yesterday that was brown rather than black, but alas, it was followed by a black one this morning. Then on our walk this afternoon she did a normal one. It was a relief, but I'm not convinced all will be well. She hasn't had liver or any other fresh meat - she is on a strict Royal Canin Urinary diet, combined with whatever she knocks off from the kitchen bench top! I am pretty careful about that. Def. no red meat.

My 10-year-old desexed female Golden Retriever has done several black stools in recent days. She also seems to be drinking more water than usual. She is otherwise well and happy: gums the correct shade of pink, still very playful and loves her tucker. (She is on Royal Canin Urinary for bladder stones, diagnosed two years ago - they dissolved without surgery).

Of course, I took her to the vet with a stool sample yesterday (Friday) and the vet could find no immediate problem but she did say black stools can indicate bleeding in the upper intestinal tract that is hard to detect through a superficial examination. I have to return on Monday with a urine sample. She will know how to proceed once she has the results of both samples.

I am sick with worry (damn Google, no reassurance there!). In the interim, any thoughts about possible causes would be greatly appreciated, especially from anyone whose dog has experienced similar symptoms.

Yes I have to agree about their service. When I started doing occasional rescue dog transport I ordered a bottle of F10 from Kennel Solutions so I could disinfect the crates, back of the ute etc. They are based in Queensland. I'm in Canberra. The F10 was on the doorstep one day after I ordered it!!

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/pound-ki...0430-1e29v.html

The Lost Dogs Home's Graeme Smith said the organisation did not receive any government funding, unlike the RSPCA. ''Tenders are judged on many factors. These include financial, ability to deliver, customer service, management, quality, etc,'' Mr Smith said.

''In other words, they are awarded on the basis of performance.''

Wonder what he means by "performance". Perhaps he thinks a high kill rate equates to high performance...?

I don't think Jan Cameron owns Kathmandu any more. The money she raised selling it is what she is using in her animal endeavours AFAIK.

There was an Australian story on her a while back. She has pretty straightforward views on animal welfare, eg, she eats meat but believes animals should be well treated prior to being used as food.

That's right - she doesn't. But I still shop there if I need something outdoorsy - an ongoing brand loyalty because of her good works! I saw the other day that she has donated a large swathe of bushland in north west Tassie to Tasmanian devil welfare and research. The intention is to keep the devils (that I believe will be brought in) tumour-free. Not sure how that will be achieved but it's a great gesture.

This article is from SMH...I was so upset to read this and wish we could all could do something to stop this terrible waste.

What do you think???

Prof Hinchcliff refused to reveal where the dogs came from, saying only they were "donated".

An RSPCA spokesman said the society believed the university advertised for unwanted pets and former farm and breeding dogs.

Greyhound Victoria admitted it provided dogs to the university.

Not sure why they'd need to advertise - there'd be more than enough candidates available from the Lost Dogs Home.

I think possibly the biggest dog fight I've ever seen (no serious bloodshed but a hell of a lot of sound and fury) was between a large group of Golden Retrievers at a local pet owner get together. Those owners took the affability for which the breed is renowned for granted in a situation with a big crowd of dogs (10+) who didn't know each other well offlead near a lot of food around a picnic table.. and were visibly stunned and shaken at the result. I can't think of too many other breed owners that would have been quite so complaisant. I'm glad the dogs stopped the fight because I'm not sure any of the owners knew how to.

GRs are great dogs and nearly all I meet are very amiable but they have all the instincts of other dogs and IMO it pays to manage them not for what they usually do but for what they might possibly do. Selecting the best possible match for an existing dog is one example.

It's a bit of a stretch to equate this scenario to what is proposed by the OP - ie getting a slightly younger GR as company for her existing one. She's not talking large-scale picnics with complacent GR owners.

A number of people with two GRs have posted on this thread saying that their dogs get on famously and have suggested the OP go ahead.. I really don't understand why you are so opposed to the idea, Poodlefan. There is surely an element of risk with two of any dog not just two GRs.

I should have added that my dog lived with a registered breeder who had six female dogs, all entire. It was not a normal backyard family-type situation. Far from it in fact. I still say go for it, OP!

I'm a bit late off the mark with this thread but I consider myself an expert because I have two Goldens curerntly, have had them in the past and have much experience with the breed as a pet.

My two Godens adore each other. Both desexed females - Billie is nearly 10, and Rebel four. I've had Billie since she was six months and when she was 18 months I got an ex-show-dog with a mild heart murmur (who could not be bred for that reason) That was Willow - she's my avatar. She was the same age as Billie and they ADORED each other from the moment they met. Willow died suddenly aged 6 from a ruptured renal artery. Thought I'd never get over it. Anyway two months later I got Rebel who was then 14 months. Rebel was terrified of Billie at first because she had lived with alpha females and was always bossed around. She thought things would be no different here. Finally she realised Billie just wanted to play and she warmed to her. Now when they're not sleeping, they're playing. What a life!

I love my girls and I love their relationship. I say go for it!

Maybe it was an accident or as he is 61 maybe his memory is not so great.

Steady on, lassie! I imagine it's a long way away for you, but 61 is hardly decrepit!

2 fed and happy elkies curled up in Piper's borrowed crate, sound asleep.

MANY thanks to KHM for picking them up for me, and to Piper for the crate loan!

This is great news! Do hope all the pickups/deliveries and other activities are going smoothly today. It's a fabulous effort by so many DOLers - good on you all, and Steve for your coordination efforts.

I just looked at Norskgra's profile. Yesterday (Anzac Day) would have been her 53rd birthday.

She was so young.

Donation made.

This is pretty much the same as my boy who steals a bone from another dog then walks past me with the bone in his mouth and his eyes tightly shut. If he didn't know it was wrong to steal the bone, why would he walk past me with his eyes shut (in the belief that if he can't see me, I can't see him)? He knows it's wrong before he does it, which is why he does it when I'm not in his line of sight, he knows it's wrong when he takes his stolen booty to his corner but has to go past me on the way. And he gives it up as soon as I approach him because he knows he's not allowed to have it.

I know this is a serious thread and I am trying hard to be po-faced but this IS very funny, Gayle! I always know in advance when one of my girls has broken the law because she takes herself outside and lies in the kennel that she never otherwise uses. The crime is usually ripped up toilet rolls or overturned waste paper baskets.

The concept is utterly repugnant but their descriptor "high maturity app" is hilarious.

Have reported.

I just found an ad for Thai Ridgeback pups in Newark, New Jersey. Cost is $350, including shipping worldwide!

Other ads on the same site had prices ranging from $1000 to $2,500 for TR pups.

My biggest hate is people using commas and apostrophes incorrectly. It's not a bunch of dalmation's, the dalmation isn't possessing anything it's just a plural. I hate it when people put apostrophes in its incorrectly too, it's "the dog was looking for its bowl" dammit!

Yes!!! I often wonder if an entire generation of school children who are now youngish adults were taught that a plural is always made by adding an apostrophe and an 's' to a word. There's a lot of it about!

So happy for these two old darlins - thank you for all your efforts to save and reunite them, Jay Too. (And anyone else who helped.) Do hope it's a match made in heaven in their new retirement home!