~Anne~

Thank goodness you don’t. I agree and good for you.

This I totally agree with. We’re talking dogs here people. They’re not robots. They’re living, breathing, creatures who do not know what a human rule or law is.

Dogs will be dogs. Yes, I know. I know. They should always be under effective control. It’s the law right? Tell that to a dog. The issue, for me, is not that the dog is off leash and approaches other dogs - that is normal canine behaviour and dog owners can behaviour manage it out of their dogs all they like but nature will always be stronger. It doesn’t make anyone any better to have a dog that curbs its natural canine behaviour. It just helps you abide by a human law. Not a canine law. I’m sorry, but if you don’t want an unleashed dog coming up to your dog - I’d recommend you don’t go to an off leash area. The only reaction you can control is your own and, if you’ve got your dog leashed to your side controlling it, then temporarily it is also under control. You can not control others or their dogs however. The other owner sounds like an idiot. You can’t control them. You can only control you. So take control and don’t go to off leash areas if this kind of thing bothers you. We often talk about sensibility being lost. This is one occasion. On a side note - some of the rude responses in this thread are appalling and completely unnecessary. You’re not superior because you have a better grasp on the written word so pull your heads in. Play the ball, not the player, and be kind.

Agree about farex/weet bix. Years ago (like 50+ years ago) we fed this to pups but there was a lot less known about canine nutrition back then and a lot less commercial products you could buy. It certainly didn’t do much harm but I think there are far better options available now. I’d try a commercial wet puppy food made as a slushy with the formula you’ve been feeding and progressing to water, if you’re not keen on raw meat.

Sadly, many changes to the detriment of the breeds.

I’m in two minds about a belly band or some kind of cover being helpful, not making a difference or making it worse. I think I’d give it a try and see. If the band or covering is secure and not moving, it should help I would think.

Just FYI, SASH is a specialist hospital and the specialised care and services also come with a higher price tag than general veterinary care. They’re generally good at keeping you aware of your account, but make sure you also regularly check the amount so you don’t get any unexpected surprises.

Where are you located? Unless you’re in a rural area, you’ll likely have a number of vets within a reasonable proximity to you. Do a ring around and find one closer. You can go back to your vet for the follow-up.

Your Vet can write you a script for you to buy it wherever you need to. Ask them.

It doesn’t state vet clinic staff haven’t cleaned up the bodies. You can send your animals direct if they’ve died at home and often, fluid leaks for a long while! As a former vet nurse, I’ve taken dogs out of the freezer and they will leak fluid the minute they begin to defrost, even if ok before going in. While I agree the cremation company could have used more sensitive wording, I think it’s just a stupid media pickup of a nothing story. Seriously idiotic media. I get that is a heartbreaking time for anyone who has lost a loved pet - been there and done that and had my own issues with cremation services, but there are horrible things happening in the world that far outweigh this bit of rubbish hyped up reporting. Give people a break, especially the businesses named and shamed in this circus.

When I had dogs, this was exactly me! I washed the life out of those beds but then, pugs could be smelly little things. I made the mistake of buying a front loader and gave it away and bought a top loader realising my dog bed washing was not as effective! I hardly ever have to wash the cats beds but when I do, it’s the same treatment. Washing machine with vinegar rinse and I use the dryer to dry them and remove fur.

My daughter has a cocker spaniel, so she has medium sized dog beds. She puts a fitted cot sheet over the the bed and washes the sheet every few days. This saves the need to wash the whole bed so often.

I wonder, given the picture with him and what appears to be an Amstaff or Staffy, if his previous experience gave him a false sense of confidence and he entered the property without heeding written warnings about the dogs or their physical warnings to him? I mean no disrespect to him, his memory or those who loved him by anything I’ve said above - it’s purely my musings and thoughts. It’s sad seeing his picture and putting a face to such a death. May he rest in peace.

Aww, she sounds like she’s definitely becoming more confident around you. She sounds so sweet.

They are essentially the same dog. It’s a bit like the Mini Foxy and the Tenterfield Terrier in Australia. It can be summed up as a petty shit fight between believers of each ‘breed’ which caused the creation of two breed names which are heading in slightly different directions. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/american-staffordshire-terrier-history-amstaff/

You’re not having much luck. My daughter’s cocker spaniel pup also has this. I didn’t realise it was hereditary though. From what I’ve just read, you should definitely let the breeder know so she can assess her breeding program.

I’m not sure what time it is where you are and when you wrote your post, but if she is only urinating 2-3 times a day (excluding walks) I wouldn’t think that is unusual. If they’re only testing ph and crystals, they don’t need to send the urine any where. Are you sure you’re not be over reactive/protective? I understand you’re wary given her history and perhaps they’re recommending the kibble as a preventative given it seems she may be a candidate for ongoing problems due to the high ph. The end point I make again is that you can control the situation if she is prone to issues, by altering her diet and encouraging her to drink. She doesn’t sound like she has an issue at the moment in my opinion. Feeding her a diet which keeps her ph at a healthy level and makes her drink can only be good. You can buy urine specific kibbles online. I know some Vets may push foods and products they sell but vets are trained professionals and they are the people you should listen to - not strangers on the internet. We can only offer our opinions and experiences - not detailed medical knowledge.

How many times a day does your dog urinate (not including when she is on a walk)? Is she wetting inside? Why do you not trust what your vet says?

Crystals don’t necessarily mean infection although they often accompany each other. Your dog is at risk of developing stones if those crystals clump together. You need to always ensure her bladder and kidneys are being flushed through and she’s always well hydrated. You also need to keep her ph levels at an acceptable level. If the ph is too high or too low, crystals form and infections can take hold. She must be encouraged to drink to keep flushing - which also means she must have easy access to going to the toilet. The longer she holds, the more chance of crystals and infections. I mentioned before I think about our final rescue, Olivia. She had two operations within 12 months to remove large stones, before coming in to rescue. The last stone was the size of a small mandarin. Her previous owners did not control the situation and she was an infected mess and lost the use of a kidney through the ordeal as well. They had taken her to the vet to be euthanised when we got the call to take her in. She was put on a very long course of antibiotics after we had a sample taken from her bladder while under anaesthetic to identify the exact bacteria. We also immediately put her on c/d prescriptive kibble. This was soaked in water before feeding her to increase her fluid intake. She was also given a warm broth (winter) a cool broth (summer) every day made from water mixed with any meat or vegetable juices I had from cooking, and yoghurt mixed with water when I didn’t have this. Olivia never, ever had an infection again. She never, ever developed crystals again. She had a weak bladder from the previous damage and, as I said above, only 1 functioning kidney but she was free of issues for her last 8-9 years of her life. One way of testing for crystals is to have her wee on newspaper and let it dry in the sun. You’ll see the crystals glinting if there are any. You can do other things, but the most effective is her food being specific to her condition. Research if you don’t want to feed prescription kibble - it is expensive and it’s not palatable for a lot of dogs. You can make a similar formula by adding salt, and ingredients to keep her ph at a better level, to her food. Olivia was a pug which meant she was a guts that would happily devour any food. I had it easy. A fussy eater will make it much harder.

Poor little boy and also the dogs for their horrific treatment afterwards. In Australia, there are already restrictions in place for pit bulls. I’m not a fan of the breed but I also don’t believe dogs of proven good temperament should be seized and or euthanised unnecessarily. I remember the battles on this forum when the restrictions came into place. The law makers got it wrong and it’s still wrong but they are definitely not a breed for people who don’t understand them or who try to tell the world they’re teddy bears with a bad rap.

@tdierikx I don’t want to sound repetitive, nor push the blatantly obvious, but this section of the forum is about “News”. asal started their first post with a ‘how to vote’ at the Vic elections. It’s not a post about news - it’s political support material. It wouldn’t matter which political party, I would point out the same thing. asal regularly pushes the same political group - apparently without any links but a seemingly firm commitment to encourage people to support them also. I wonder if I started to push the Greens and maybe how to vote to support their causes, would you view my posts through the same eyes? When I come to this part of DOL I’m expecting to read discussions generated by something in the media. I don’t expect to see a repetitive push for a political party. asal continues with making assumptions and to be blunt - tedious to read posts. Last week, people were jumping on another who writes similarly but this time because you agree with the motivation it’s somehow different? Go figure. Anyway, the conversation is going around in circles and it is becoming tedious in itself. I think we all have said our bits. So, peace out and mung beans, I’m outta here.

No one said you have to share anyone’s opinion but throwing barbs and getting huffy is a really poor reflection on you. I have never said what I believe in. Good grief. Stop carrying on like a fool. I don’t find your posts in this forum in the spirit of ‘news’. I believe they’re propaganda. THAT is the crux of the comments made by me, and stellnme. On another note, it’s one thing to feel passion about a topic, but another to think anyone who doesn’t gleefully pat you on the back for your thoughts are somehow the ‘dumbest representatives of humanity possible’. Seriously. You have a way with words, that’s for sure. *edited for clarity.

Relax asal. Just as you believe you have a right to push a political party, I feel I have the right to voice my opposition to your ongoing push for a political party you very obviously have links to. It’s nothing but propaganda, any more so than if someone who supported PETA, the Greens or even the Liberal National party were pushing the party line. Anyway, you only do more damage for the cause you support by being so aggressive and making negative assertions against those who call you to question.

Political advertising. Be careful whose propaganda you fall for. Asal, this isn’t news. You’re using the news forum threads to push your political affiliates.

Facepalm = imagine someone slapping their forehead in frustration while shaking their head…