aj2251

Thank you for replies. I haven't tried a hyaluronic acid product as yet. Will look into it. I guess it is all trial and see what works hey.

Have seen this Osteoforte pop up in a few places recently and wondered if anyone had tried it? My 4 and a half year old rottie was diagnosed with hip dysplasia at 1 year of age and we have done the works as far as conservative treatment is concerned ie Physio, Chiro, swimming, Sasha's Blend, Joint Guard, Zydax/Penosan (when first diagnosed). In recent times I have found the glucosamine and greenlipped muscle combo I was using wasn't working so well, stiff gait noticable even by my other half and limping after running around, even for a short time. So I switched back to Joint Guard, which had been fine previously, but it didn't seem to make much difference this time around. So I decided to try Glyde as I had read it was the best for symptomatic dogs. Things have improved noticably and we are on our second jar/month. Zoe still gets limpy after running, but not as much and recovers from it significantly faster. I was just wanting to know if anyone knew more or had experience with the Osteoforte? Does it replace the need for glusoamine? Is there an anti-inflammatory component in it? I looked up the herbs individually but it is hard to interpret the meaning (the usage for what I could find did not appear related to joint problems, although one is for rheumatoid arthritis, but that is immune related and I don't really consider it necessarily relevent for hip dysplasia) as they are Ayurvedic herbs. Any feedback would be appreciated and I do plan on contacting the Natural Animal Solutions website for more information. Thank you

Yep, they emailed me today to tell me that with a lot of cartwheels and cheering, it is on the boat and on its way. Any update on this product being available in Oz? Ta

My British bulldog has had a few episodes of "idiopathic head bobbing". If you search youtube you'll find examples of it and then you can compare to what your dog is doing. It can be a "yes" motion or a "no" motion, my boy is a "yes" man :) My boy first exhibited this when he was highly excited, but then witnessed another 2 episodes when he was completely calm. He also had an episode under stress at the vet. It is a benign condition. I found giving him a couple of doses of Mag Phos, I found it in a spray, got everything under control again.

Most of the recommended chiros tend to be vets... Maybe that's the difference As a human Chiro and dog owner, I say there is a big difference!!! The training is a Masters of Veterinary Chiropractic and can be done by human Chiros and Vets. My rottie has hip dysplasia and I took her to Vet Chiro and a Vet Physio. IT should go without saying that human and canine biomechanics differ greatly! Anything I may have even thought to do in order to treat my rottie myself turned out to be incorrect quite simply because humans are different to dogs! dah. Having witnessed how my Vet Chiro adjusts my rottie, even though I have been adjusting humans for 14 years, I simply wouldn't attempt what he did to her, without the training, just like I wouldn't expect a Vet Chiro to think they can adjust a human without human training. So how did my rottie respond to Chiro with her hip dysplasia? extremely well, she would prance around like a princess after treatment! Does she get regular treatment? Not at this time, I only take her on an as need basis.

Well, I have done both. I went through the vast majority of the trainers in my local area, and struggled with their methods and paid a lot of money. I started out with DLP LLW with some success, but felt a one on one with Steve would get me to the next level. AND Steve does say this, when you are first in contact with him. So I drove 2 hours to have a consult with Steve and found it to be totally worth it. If I were further away where this was not possible I probably would've persisted with more videos. I did send him one video and his feedback on that was enough for me to realise I needed the one on one. If you can do a one on one with Steve, I highly recommend it, but if you can't, his DLP and feedback to videos are also invaluable.

Good to hear she is on the improve

Sorry to read your sad story. Geoff Thompson at Wyoming Veterinary Hospital/Green Cross Vets is a Vet Chiro. 43241577 He is a lovely man, very caring and a wonderful Vet Chiro. I take my rottie with hip dysplasia to see him and I must say, as a human Chiro, watching him with her was inspiring I also know several people that have taken their dogs to him for Chiropractic and they are all extremely happy with him. Your dog's situation doesn't sound good, but let Geoff have a look and see what he says. When you call to make an appointment be sure to specifically ask for Geoff. Another option worth considering is acupuncture. A Vet at Point Clare does it, but I can't remember his name but the number is 4324 5488. He too was a lovely fellow and handled my rottie very well. Good luck

Bruce is no longer there he is up at Kanwal. Oh no!!!!!!!!!! We love Bruce! Kanwal will be too far for us to go Michael is a great Vet, but we loved Bruce, with his history with Bulldogs, he was the reason we went there in the first place.

I would also recommend Erina Heights, either Bruce or Michael, we've seen both, had several operations done by them without any trouble or too much of a hit to the back pocket.

They truly are a gorgeous bunch! Could you post a link to more pics please? *stix up hand* artemis is a good product and both my dogs enjoyed it and did well on it BUT i hated the crumbing in the bottom of the bag and for the cost, i kinda felt cheated in some small way because of that --- stroke one for black hawk: NO CRUMBING and it doesn't hit nearly as hard in the hip pocket... You have to show us pics as we need proof Especially for you Clyde ;) O M G i would die!!! what a great photo of gorgeous dogs my wonderful bunch of time wasters - believe me I dread the day they will start to leave - love each and every one of them!

I have a british bulldog that suffers with skin allergies. I have tried many natural things, including feeding raw, herbs, and elimination diets. Over the New Year his skin became so bad we just had to take him to the Vet and try it their way, antibiotics and macrolone. This has been somewhat better, but no miracle cure by any means. He's fine when on the macrolone, but within 2 weeks of weaning him off he inevitably has another breakout. Given the weather change and a new cortisone/anti-everything cream, after the 1st week of being weaned off this last course of macrolone, and a small breakout occured we just tried the cream with great success. I should also mention here that he has been eating Royal Canin Hypo-allergenic kibble for the last few months. This, I believe, has helped stabilise his condition, at the very least has stabilised his bowel movements which have always been soft to runny and frequent. We have now reached a point where if we want to go for allergy testing that this is the time to do so as he is the most stable he has been since he was 1yr old, he's now 2yrs old. I think given weather and such he will be able to stay off the macrolone for the minimum 6wks before being tested. Then I guess we decide should we go ahead with the immunotherapy/hyposensitization. My vet thinks he will refer us to Sydney Uni dermatologist. He's looking into it, apparently the Vet he used to refer to has moved to Adelaide. Our vet has already warned us that many go to the specialist and still wind up with their dog on cortisone therpay as needed and that hyposensitization is about 75% effective to some degree. So, my question is...who has gone ahead with this therapy, what was the cost and was it worth it? Thank you

Look up idiopathic head bobbing. If you also look specifically on youtibe you will see examples of what it looks like. My bulldog started doing this, his was in the "yes" manner. He was perfectly conscious and able to follow commands and eat. It happened at night 4 days in a row, would only last a minute or 2 each time and could not be related to hunger or excitement. I tried giving cheese (which was a recommendation), no change, rescue remedy (which helped the first time, not the 2nd) and finally mag phos (which is a cell salt avail from chemists or health food stores) and this is what provided the answer for us. Since giving him mag phos 1/2tab once a day with food, he has not had an episode since. My bullie was on cortisone at the time and now he has been weaned off the cortisone I plan to take him off the mag phos too and see what happens.

I'm confused now too! Sherel, could this be cleared up please in regards to the manufacture of Black Hawk? Thank you Not that it really matters to me, we are very happy with Black Hawk and we tell others about it. My Zoe loves it and she's as shiny as ever AND she does a little dance and skip when I she smells her dinner coming :D

Brown rice, I believe, is not bad for your dog, it is a good quality grain (obviously if your dog has grain issues it would be a problem). Rice and chicken is commonly prescribed for dogs with an upset tummy, especially puppies. Chicken Fat, I have been told is not an issue even if your dog has allergies to chicken. I went through a phase where I thought my allergic dog was allergic to chicken (turns out he can't have any form of protein and is now on hydrolyzed protein) and searched high and low for a kibble without it...very hard to find and then after actually asking Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach and Skin people, they assured me that chicken fat does not have the stuff that dogs allergic to chicken will react to, (sorry, can't remember the scientific jargon).

I know the feeling of being overwhelmed by all the food information!!! I have one dog that can eat anything (currently on Black Hawk and very happy) and another who is currently on RC hypoallergenic (hydrolysed protein) due to allergies, we have done the Vet's All Natural and BARF, but stools were never good, until now. What everyone else here have said I agree with. As long as your dog does well on it, that's all that really matters. My OH is astounded by the money I have spent on dog food and likes to remind me that farmer's dogs often get a bag of cheap stuff thrown into the yard to last them a month (free feeding). So if you have a dog with a good constitution, I wouldn't be too precious. Be guided by what your dog's health is. Oh, BARF is completely raw meat, bones, and some veg diet. No kibble whatsoever. This requires alot of research again if you wish to follow this line of feeding, especially from a pup. Purchasing Dr Billinghurst's book, I'd say, is essential. Good luck, but try not to stress too much :rolleyes:

This has been a most informative topic. My allergic boy has recently been put on Royal Canin hypoallergenic (which appears to be very similar to Hill). He has made what is nothing short of a miraculous recovery in the less then 2 weeks he has been on it. Granted he has also had to be on cortisone and antibiotics for this time, (but this is the 2nd time we've had to do this and the 1st time didn't render near the improvement he has shown this time). I've tapered off the cortisone to every 2nd day and we just finished the antibiotics, so will be interesting to see what happens next. My boy's problem was tummy and leg rash and temperamental pooping. Since eating nothing but RC hypo pooping much better - no more accidents in the middle of the night! And he is even growing hair on his tummy where he has never had hair before. I tried all the raw diet (got improvement, but short lived), VAN (improvement but sloppy poops), different kibbles, but I just think and cross my fingers and hope that this is the answer. If all I need to do is keep feeding him this kibble, I'm ok with that!!! I know he would dearly love a bone again, so hoping one day I can grant this wish, but if not, he won't die from not having bones.

I just put in my first order with Petshopboyz for Pro Plan sensitive - wouldn't you know it, it's out of stock! I rang to see when it will be in stock and the lovely fellow explained Pro Plan has run out of stock as they are changing over from the American made product to Aussie made stuff! Obviously having will have ingredients sourced from new places, but will still be chicken free and as close to the original ingredients as possoble. It should also be back in stock within the next week and a half

Whoops , hit wrong button

Just found another website with even cheaper pro plan sensitive 15kg $92.25!!! Anyone had any dealings with Petshopboyz?

Ah, I see, now that I have searched Black Hawk, it is the same thing. Ordinarily, I too would be wary when there isn't much more info on a food, but now looking at more sites and knowing it is Balck Hawk, apparently it is an Aussie made kibble. http://www.kylainknls.com/food.htm has more info on it. I think I'll give it a try when I've used all the other trial and error bags I have gotten for my allergic boy. I may even trial it on him too. Thanks for the feedback

Has anyone tried this Holistic Lamb rice kibble from Petline? INGREDIENTS Lamb meal, ground brown rice, ground oats. rice bran,flaxseed. chicken fat, brewers dried yeast, lecithin, natural lamb flavors, dried carrot & kelp, chaline chloride, calcium asconbate (source of vit C) yucca schidigera extract, dried blueberries, dandelion, peppermint, rosemary' tomato meal, Vitamin E supplement, iron & magnesiun & cobalt auino acid, chelate, bioten. Vit A. calcium B6, B1,B12, D3, Ribo flavourin, vit.. K, Folic Acid, Sodiun selenite. calcium iodate. GUARNTEED ANALYSIS Crude Protein..22.00% (min) Phosphorus (P)...1.50% (max) Crude Fat .12.00% (min) Calcium (Ca)...-1.45%(max) Crude Fibre...4.50% (max) Moisture..... 10.00% (max) Crude Ash... 11.0% (max) FEEDING GUIDE 5kg - 20-70grm 5-10kg - 70-110kg 10-15kg - 110-150grm 15-20kg - 150-200grm 20-25kg - 200-250grm 25-30kg - 250-300grm 30-35kg - 300-350grm Over 35kg add 110grm for each 10kg of weight This is a guide only. Since I have my allergic boy having to have expensive Pro Plan Sensitive, (it is the only kibble he appears to not react to, despite having tried all the other quality kibble) I was looking to offset my other, bigger girl with something cheaper, but still good. She's been used to Eagle Pack, Artemis, and Canidae - can stomach and happy to eat anything, but don't want to dramatically drop the quality of the kibble as I already know she doesn't look as shiny on Eukanuba. Thank you

Oh, thanks for that. Has anyone dealt with Pet Essentials? They have 15kg Pro Plan $107.75 and postage $8-10, depending on where delivery is.

I've just started using this for my allergic boy and so far it is the only kibble he can tolerate and doesn't make him break out in a rash so I thought I'd look it up because Petstock charge around $130 for 15kg. So, what I found, Petfood24/7 sell 15kg for $107.75 +$5.50p&h, so this will be my first go to when I need another bag (providing my boy doesn't have a change condition on it). Let us know if anyone finds any better!

The active ingredient of Zydax and Catrophen is Pentosan polysulfate sodium, so they are all, essentially the same thing. My Zoe started with the Zydax injections and then when we changed to see the Chirovet he gave Pentosan, which was much cheaper. And I actually noticed a difference when I took her to him, but realised it was the Chiro she got greater benefit from