Scottsmum

Thanks PK. I'm not so worried about the diagnosis - its simply the "joy" of having an old dog. I just need to be armed with knowledge... you know.... Re-checking in May could be totally acceptable and normal in this case. But not operating ever again or even finding out if the lump is cancerous doesn't seem like best care to me.

Thanks DDD :)

I believe, from the tiny, minuscule amount I do know its more common in small dogs too? Could be totally wrong. Have PM'ed Rappie :D

Will keep that in mind. She's a wee slip of a thing :)

Awesome. thanks Juice.

***Not Scottie*** Need advice before I speak to a family member who's freaking out. So a family dog is a senior, Fox Terrier type, approx 13+, rescue, abusive/abandoned background but has lived in the lap of luxury for last 7+ years. She has a lump which may or may not be malignant - vet wont operate as it's on the leg so too hard to remove and close surgical wound and "if it is malignant, they'll only be able to partly remove it and that will make it worse" - I'll be suggesting they find out IF it IS malignant and act from there but they other reason they don't want to operate is that she has also been diagnosed with with a heart murmur & wont survive the surgery. The vet has said the murmur will ultimately lead to congestive heart failure & will be terminal. As I said, owner of said dog is freaking & not happy with the vet as they've said there is nothing else to do other than watch and wait and re-check the heart in May. So.....I've never dealt with heart failure in a pet - is this reasonable? What else can be done? (I suppose I mean medically? testing? Hills H/D? [she's already on Hills Senior - would H/D be better?] She is overweight and I have spoken to them about this before - so that's an obvious 'easy win' ...anything else???) Owner is planning to get second opinion. Can anyone recommend a good vet between the Blue Mountains and Westmead (NSW)? PM is totally ok :) Thanks guys.

It's a horrible feeling - I was attacked about 18 months ago and my instincts said to pick Scottie up too - quite hard to fight with 10 kilos of dog in your arms. I can't stand aggressive dogs either - don't understand why people can't successfully keep their dogs on leash and secured in yards - we bend over backwards to keep our gates locked and our yard secure.

No there's not but all you can really do is limit your exposure or chance of risk - changing route to one you feel more confident in - even walk it without your dog first. Yes - dogs will come and go and there might be one there one day and not the next but you're never going to 100% control your environment.

A good squirt bottle on jet is better. Any kids guns with a good stream are chunky and need pumping to work. A bottle of rocks in an old soft drink bottle works well too - but again as PK said - you have to desensitize your own dog. By the way - I seem like a total (and nasty) loon but I promise I'm not - it's just between working doggy day care (we used supersoakers) and having a kind of strange mate who spends her time thinking about this I seem to have acquired a strange working knowledge of this. Strange mate also advocates for large umbrellas to pop up and create large scary visual barrier. I personally prefer the Dazer as it's pocket sized.

You can get something called a dazer http://www.dazer.co.nz/ You can get cheaper knock off ones but they are a bit hit and miss in their effectiveness. (I have a cheap knock off and if I was walking more dogs on a paid basis I'd lash out and get a better quality one). As PK has pointed out with some choices you do need to desensitize your dog but I've found with the Dazer that it really only works on the dog its pointed directly at and apparently it works better on some breeds with more sensitive hearing than others. Eg if you point it at your arm, or behind your back the dog want really register it - you do have to point it right at the dog. We "tested" it on Scotties obedience class once and the only dog who's ears only flickered when we had it at a distance pointing away from all of them was a younger/youngish dobe. We didn't point it direclty at any of them in stun or alert mode. Mine comes with two settings - alert and stun. Alert emits a lower frequency sound (which can't be heard by humans) and mine also flashes a light. I use it occasionally to "call" Scottie in from the yard at night - it's great for getting his attention. The stun is a different sound and I've never used it on Scottie. I have 'flashed' it at aggressive dogs running at me with a fence in between us - mine just gives them a second to stop and register that there is a strange noise - which lets me keep moving. I wouldn't rely on it to save me - but mine fits in my pockets and when I walk paid dogs / "clients" I tend to wear cargo pants with lots of things in the pockets (poo bags, treats, my purse) so it's not too cumbersome. Then, above all else - change your route - like others have said. I know it's a pain in the arse for you - but I keep notes on suburbs where there high risks like this There is one suburb where there are two or three dogs who live in yards with gates open. One place with two big mastiff types who "know they're not supposed to leave the yard" - it's just not safe to keep tempting fate so whole streets are off the approved list of places I'll walk. I have a hard enough time convincing someone to put their dog back on leash in a pubic park - no way am I even going to bother telling someone they should restrain their own dog on their own property - despite what basic manners and safety might suggest is a good idea.

Lol. Scottie jogged at the beach yesterday. Maybe hes gettin fit in 2017

We're pretty lucky. You'll note my poor father in law has just come from regional NSW (40 at their place according to the pet sitter) in full jumper & flanny shirt. It was a toasty 21 here yesterday & i was in shorts & a tee

Sorry to see this Griff.

Album: https://flic.kr/s/aHskNMWs5A

20161230_104319 by Superspanger, on Flickr

We finally went for a drive today up to the viewing platform at the base of the windmills I've been photographing this year. 20161230_103907 by Superspanger, on Flickr & a stunning day for it too

20161230_104700 by Superspanger, on Flickr

Thank you! I think the ducks are my fave. Would have to go back to check the number

This. 100000 million trillion times this. True of the almost all the dogs Ive had in my life except for maybe the Entire Jack Russell boy. I didnt bold smarter. I dont agree with that so much :)

It;s perplexing - he can't figure out how to get it in his mouth & gives up to go play with the warthog.

Yeh - That was my Mum - I'll ask her where she got it. Mums side of the family are sausage enthusiasts ;) *edit: She said she got it ages ago from the junk shop / $2 shop & hasn't seen it since.

51: 52: Boxing Day ... And...Finished!

50: Miss Maize.

Hrm... What's dat?

Back when we first got Scottie he'd spend as long as we let him at tge lark. Id often go & read a book, make a call or fo other things. I hsd to multi task or id have lost hours. I still try to take him for long sessions at the park but these days he prefers to chil more