brightstar123

I think you can do if, like everyone has said, you are happy to put the time in and you make sure you chat to a lot of breeders and find the right dog for you. I second the recommendations to adopt/buy an adult dog, I think this would make things a lot easier. As an example, we have two young adult labradors that we bought from a reputable breeder when they were around 2yrs old. They already had nice manners, basic obedience, calm friendly temperaments, don't destroy stuff and make the perfect house dogs (if you are happy to vacuum everyday lol). They fit into our lifestyle perfectly and we couldn't be happier with our choice. We also wanted a breed that loves retrieving as this makes it easy to have a quick but tiring session at the park if we are pushed for time. We live in a small semi with a little courtyard but I am home quite a lot. The dogs love just being inside with me plus their morning and afternoon walks or play at the park. On weekends they usually get a decent all-day trip to the beach, river etc. They toilet on command and last all day or night inside with no problems. They are actually loads easier to keep happy than one of our cats that is always bored and scratching/meowing to go in/out/in/out...! Obviously not all labradors would be suitable for this situation (!) but we kept an eye on the Mature dogs page, had a few breeds we liked and waited until we found the right breeder and dogs for us. Good luck :)

Hi, I would make an appointment for Lily with a specialist neurologist if I were you. From what you have described it could definitely be a stroke but there are other things that could be possible, like vestibular disease or definitely idiopathic epilepsy. Idiopathic (unknown cause) epilepsy is often diagnosed in dogs between 1-3yrs of age and as you said dogs can have ongoing abnormalities after the seizure for anything from minutes to days. They are usually normal between seizures. If it wasn't done in emergency, I think it is important to investigate underlying causes by doing a full blood count/biochemistry, urinalysis and testing for thyroid disease. I had a case of a 4yr old female Keeshond that presented collapsed with a stroke due to undiagnosed hypothyroidism. She had mini-strokes and slightly abnormal behaviour, then the following day she had a severe stroke and was sadly PTS. The emergency vets do a great job saving lives but a neurologist can take their time and do a very thorough neurological work-up, which would be a good idea IMO.

I think green tripe would provide a few additional benefits when compared to horse poo - it is an excellent source of essential fatty acids, high quality protein, prebiotics and probiotics and digestive enzymes. Horse poo would only really provide pre-digested fibre and probiotics so it would be occasionally beneficial so long as your dog is also eating a good raw diet. Green tripe would probably be better however it can be hard to find and quite expensive to have delivered.

The clinic recently advertised for a new graduate vet so that's obviously what they have got. Apparently they provide support (access to an experienced vet) by phone. As Jumabaar said, vet students are largely expected to acquire practical skills themselves, so it is possible for a student to reach final year and have basically no hands-on experience. However even if that's the case, there's a whole year of placements with compulsory general practice, referral practice, anaesthesia, surgery etc. By graduation a student should have done many many subcut injections on different species, IM injections and IV catheters too, as well as a whole range of other procedures (should be comfortable with a basic blood draw on a dog too). From the sound of it, a competent new graduate should be able to do this job, given it involves no surgery/anaesthesia and is largely preventative care. I would expect to see a student that is not confident, tentative handling animals and struggling with very basic skills to have failed one or more final year placements and I can't imagine Murdoch would be too happy to read this thread. Consequently, I do feel sorry for the vet in question that with a lack of confidence and competence, she felt she had to take such an unsupported role. There is no requirement for new grads to work with experienced vets initially but most do. I don't like to pass judgement without knowing the full story either but this sounds pretty concerning. I hope that it doesn't end in tears - for her, the patients or the owners.

I love silver products for wound and burns treatment, especially the Acticoat silver dressings, but they are pricey! Even good old Flamazine/silvazine can still be pretty useful, depending on the circumstances obviously. The Skybright product looks interesting, I'll have to order some! Does it stay on the skin well? I find some Manuka honey products can be very sticky and drippy and end up everywhere except the wound lol. Since this is a cream it sounds good though...

Cheap vaccinations, worming and microchipping are great but I'm not sure I'd visit this clinic if my pet had a medical problem. I think I'd prefer to go somewhere with X-ray/anaesthesia/surgical facilities. This approach will definitely cater to people who may not be able to spend as much on their pets or who just have a quick problem/question though, but I'd be a bit worried about medications e.g. corticosteroids, antibiotics being overprescribed or even wrongly prescribed, with a lack of diagnostics being performed to work out what the problem really is. I believe this clinic's motto is that a cheaper alternative should always be offered with a referral to a fully-equipped clinic and I'm not too sure what I think about that. And at $12 per consult, would there a lot of pressure on the vets to get clients in and out quickly in order to make a profit? Realistically though this clinic will probably (and should) be 99% focused on affordable preventatives and that can only be a good thing...

Hi everyone, I'm looking to buy a soft crate for my crate-trained small lab. It's only for sleeping in at home overnight and she's not a chewer/destroyer :) Right now she has a huge cave-like sky kennel that she really likes (feels secure), but I'm sick of it taking up half my lounge room lol. I want something I can fold up and put away as needed. Much as I like the look of the K9+ soft crates, I just don't have $185 to spare right now, so I was wondering if anyone can recommend one of the cheaper ones? Any recommendations for crate pads/bedding also welcome, she has vet bed right now but I'd like something a bit more padded but not too pricey and easy to wash. Also how easy are soft crates to clean? Thanks!

Sounds like a challenging situation. I completely agree about quality of life being important but I'm not sure leaving her on the current diet would be the best approach if she is thin, has a dull coat and is vomiting (with or without blood in the vomit). I might be able to help a bit, Stitch, I'll PM you!

So sorry to hear of your situation. Some great advice here already and you will best know when she's really ready. I found with my last dog that I was thinking about how enjoyable and pain-free each day was for her - was she still enjoying her dinner, was she still comfortable snoozing in the sun or on her bed, could she still occasionally walk around the yard sniffing etc. When the bad outweighed the good was when I made my decision. Having said that it is a very difficult decision and it's not even easy for a vet to make sometimes. Things aren't always black and white. My only real advice is that when you decide to go ahead, make sure you take as much time as you need to say goodbye. With my last elderly cat I knew it was time as she was having problems breathing and not eating - clinically it was straight forward. However it all went ahead very quickly and I found myself wishing I'd just taken five more minutes to say a proper goodbye. Selfish maybe but so important. Often getting your vet to come to your home can be more relaxed for your dog too. Thinking of you :)

Was the bloody diarrhoea caused by the pancreatitis? I usually recommend RC Gastrointestinal low fat or Hills i/d for chronic pancreatitis. The RC and Hills i/d dry food both have chicken, however the Hills i/d wet food only has turkey, so maybe you could try that. The gastro foods are much higher in protein than a renal diet though and the renal diets are quite high in fat for a dog with pancreatitis. Perhaps stick with a low fat gastro diet until the creatinine levels have been retested (there are many other causes of elevated creatinine - even just dehydration - urinalysis is important to rule these out); you could also ask your vet to recheck TLI (for pancreatitis) at the same time. Were the antibiotics prescribed because there was a suspicion of pyelonephritis (kidney infection)? Your vet should be able to recommend an appropriate diet if your dog does turn out to have stage one chronic kidney disease and chronic pancreatitis - perhaps something like Hills d/d salmon which doesn't have chicken, is pretty low in protein (d/d 18.9%, k/d 16.1%) and is lower in fat than k/d, which should help with the pancreatitis. If the pancreatitis has resolved then I would probably risk going with the renal diet and keeping a close eye out for any signs of the pancreatitis returning, however that would be up to your vet to recommend. Phosphate binders, omega 3s and anti-hypertensive drugs may also be needed. Let us know how you go :)

I can also highly recommend Monsimbee. I would definitely avoid German Shepherd World - I don't think they do any health testing, don't trial/compete with their dogs and don't provide pedigree information about their breeding dogs. Happy to be corrected but that was my impression ...

Mast cell tumours are not typically very painful, although it sounds like there is a large amount of swelling. It also sounds like there could be other organs affected (the lameness may or may not be related, as you said), especially if her lymph nodes are enlarged If you feel she is very painful you could certainly ask your vet about adding in an opioid as well as the NSAID. Tramadol is good for moderate pain, other options that are popular for severe cancer pain are fentanyl patches, methadone or buprenorphine. At this stage it's better to slightly overdo pain relief in my opinion, since we don't really know what they are experiencing. Very sorry to hear that she is so flat too, right now I would be focusing on keeping her very comfortable and calm, delicious snacks/meals and lots and lots of cuddles :)

Hi Maddy, sorry to hear about your girl's diagnosis. In your description of what happened there are a few things that stand out to me. Mast cell tumours are usually singular, but dogs may also present with multiple nodules, or even recurrent ones. Sometimes nodules can enlarge and then regress in size on their own, which is due to swelling within the tumour itself (granules within the tumour cells release substances which can cause swelling, itching and redness). You described this happening with your dog (the lump disappeared in two days) - this kind of thing should always raise the suspicion of a mast cell tumour. Swelling within the tumour would also explain how it's possible for the current mass to have become so large in only 1-2 days. Unfortunately mast cell tumours are very unpredictable tumours and as others have said, the prognosis will depend on the grade of the tumour. Tumours on the head/neck do tend to have a better prognosis than on the trunk, however unfortunately tumours that increase in size very quickly typically have a poorer prognosis. Depending on the grade, if she was my dog I would be having her referred to a specialist surgeon, as a wide resection with clean margins is very important and as you said, there are many important anatomical structures in that area like the carotid artery and jugular vein. An aggressive surgery early in the course of mast cell tumor disease is associated with the a better prognosis, so don't delay if at all possible. If the surgeon is unable to get a clean resection then radiation therapy might be recommended as well. Radiation is more commonly needed with recurrent tumours too. Before you proceed with any treatment it would probably be a good idea to have chest X-rays and/or an abdominal ultrasound to check for metastases, although I'm sure your vet will discuss that with you. Best wishes and keep us updated with how she goes :)

Colour dilution alopecia certainly is pretty common in fawn Dachsunds, with hair loss beginning around 3 years of age typically. Dogs can have complete hair loss by middle age. Secondary bacterial infections are common and the condition generally requires life long management. Charging $2000 for a pup with an undesirable coat colour which could definitely lead to an expensive, life-long medical condition is very unethical, in my opinion. Even though it is usually more severe in Dobermanns, it's similar and I've never heard of Dobermann breeders charging more for fawn pups! Perhaps Dobermann breeders could comment? If the pup is affected by alopecia you will end up spending more on treatment than $250. As others have said, I would walk away, as this is a dubious sounding breeder indeed. She looks very cute but I'm sure you will find another pup that's just as cute and without the concern of ongoing medical problems :)

Hi everyone, I have recently adopted a young lab that has been mistreated and is now fear aggressive. She is slowly improving and like most labs she really loves retrieving :) I have just been playing around with her on my friend's farm and she is retrieving a dummy well over 100-200m, on scrubby land/long grass and in water. She never gets distracted, is ok with the gun, uses her nose and is really keen. I've noticed it helps with her confidence around people and so I'm looking for a retrieving club somewhere near Sydney where we could come along, learn a lot and have some fun (not too competitive!) Any recommendations welcome :) Also if anyone has any suggestions for fun retrieving/training exercises we can do in a large city park - it can be hard to vary it sometimes!

As everyone else has said, this pup needs a proper veterinary workup. Blood in faeces should be investigated, even if it does resolve with change of diet. Likewise the biting at the leg. Any decent vet would not pass this off as something he'll grow out of. Be very careful of the calcium content in your homemade diet, I would try an alternative high quality brand of commercial food that you can supplement his homemade diet with while he is growing. Both too much and too little calcium/vit D can be dangerous. Also be careful with raw eggs and pups, as raw eggs can be a common source of salmonella and young animals are less able to cope with a high bacterial load than adults.

I would personally be very very careful about raw feeding a giant breed pup. I'm a big fan of raw feeding and my dog is on a raw diet, but like others have said it's extremely difficult to properly balance a raw diet for a giant breed pup, especially the calcium:phosphorus ratio, Vit A and E, Vit D and fat. If you are determined to raw feed from a few months of age I would have a diet plan drawn up by a specialist veterinary nutritionist (board certified by the ACVN or European college). Some nutritionists will do a plan for you in consultation with your regular vet. If the diet's not balanced the consequences can be severe - rickets results all too commonly when the calcium:phosphorus ratio is incorrect. I would suggest you feed mainly a commercial food with additional raw treats/supplements e.g. chicken necks/wings, small pieces of a variety of raw meats and organs so that your pup is accustomed to raw from an early age.

These stories are so hilarious, I was laughing out loud at Horrible Herbert :) Makes me realise that my dog is a super well-behaved goody two shoes (not sure why, it's not due to my amazing training skills lol).

Interesting! It seems to just take resting heart rate/resp rate though, as an average over a day or week? I'd like one that does HR fairly accurately during exercise, like the Polar® RS800CX, but without having to do the whole electrode thing lol. Does anyone know of one?

I agree that the breeder should have informed the owner about the murmur, prior to dropping it off. The two most likely possibilities are an innocent murmur or a congenital defect. An innocent murmur is usually soft (grade 1-3) and disappears by the time the animal is 4-6 months of age. An echocardiogram will reveal any structural problems in the heart, but this is expensive and so I would probably wait to see if the murmur resolves as the pup grows, especially if two vets have already said that it sounds like an innocent murmur. If it were me I would return the pup for a refund but I understand how quickly one can become attached! Fingers crossed for an innocent murmur - less energy and smaller size are non-specific symptoms and may not relate to the murmur at all (or even be abnormal for this pup).

Just to let everyone know, I just saw this fellow off to his new home today, they seem lovely and very capable. Beautiful property, had a spot ready for him in front of the fire! He's already had some tasty brisket bones and got a nice new collar, lead, harness, bed and coat lol. Fingers crossed everything works out but she loved him so I think it's a happy ending :) Thanks everyone who offered their help with this guy!

I totally agree about the Weatherbeeta ones, I'm always fiddling with them too. Can anyone recommend a good option for mainly sleeping in cold places? I don't need it to be waterproof, just comfortable and secure. We have a lab and by cold I mean around 0-5 degrees. She gets cold in Sydney inside our house though so I think I'll need something pretty warm. I don't really want to get sweaters or anything woollen/woven as I think she will chew it off. I've noticed with her Weatherbeeta that when she puts her head down to sleep it's very stiff where it does up at the front and digs into her neck, so I'd love something with stretchy fleece at the front like the Chilli Dogs ones appear to have. Can anyone compare the Hurta coats with the Chilli Dog ones, in terms of comfort and security? Thanks!

I recently bought a Weatherbeeta coat for our dog and I'm a bit disappointed. It was the most expensive one in the range but I don't like the way that the belly strap is just a thin piece of webbing, it cuts into her belly if she lies in a weird position, even when it's loosely done up. Also the back of the coat rumples up when she's sleeping and lets all the cold air under. It's my fault as I didn't look closely enough before I bought it, but I wouldn't buy that particular one again. Like the look of the Hurta and Chilli Dog coats much more.

Thanks for the replies and help with this boy :) About an hour ago I spoke to a nice sounding older vet couple who are coming to meet him this week, they live on 10 acres and already have an Irish Setter, so it sounds pretty good. If they don't end up taking him I will definitely follow up with some of the other suggestions. Thanks again, it should be a good outcome for a lovely young dog!

Hi everyone, I've posted a beautiful young English Setter looking for a new home in the Rescue forum. If anyone is interested please contact me. Sorry to post twice, I just thought some people might not look in the rescue section and I'd love to find him a home with breed experience if possible. Thanks :)