Erny

Thyroid testing can be done properly here in Australia. Our laboratories do not have the facilities to conduct a full blood panel test. Gribbles confirmed this with me a few years ago and told me that the likelihood of them ever developing the facilities to conduct the full blood panel test was pretty much Buckleys and None because the dog population in Australia requiring this more thorough testing was not enough. Last time I queried this (with a Vet who was insisting Australia can do it) it turned out that the Vets sometimes send the bloods to OS as well - they often have a contract with someone over there to do the testing. (I don't know if they send OS routinely.) I think I'd prefer and be more confident with the testing and the results analysis from Dr Jean Dodds too.

What's the weather been like in SA? Dogs are picking up on the storms and atmospheric pressure a fair bit at the moment. Something that's probably quite different for them given the majority of them have only known drought conditions.

Are you sure? I don't even know what those prohibitive blanket conditions are. Already said. Good for you. But it's not just about "wanting to be" a Behaviourist. It's about being one and wanting to add to experience and knowledge. Erny : Corvus : No. I didn't go. Your point being? Erny : Corvus : I already said that. You ask me what my point is but I need to ask you yours? You seem quite hell bent on when it comes to my posts. Is it because you were the one who posted the link and I am the one who has pointed out some limitations and you somehow feel responsible ????? I don't get why you begin to argue defensively so often. So what is your point by the above comment? I've already conceded that it is a case that one doesn't need to do the course if one doesn't agree with the terms, but simply mentioned that's a bit of a shame.

I don't think she is trying to produce behavioural consultants. I think she is trying to produce trainers. My understanding is they teach how to handle common, minor behavioural problems. It takes more than a 6 month training course to learn how to be a behaviourist. If you are right, that would be a problem if you are a trainer/behaviourist and prescribe to her course, because her course prohibits you from using any method outside of her approved regime. So even though her approved regime is about training for handling only common, minor behavioural problems her 'prohibitive blanket conditions' extend beyond that regardless. That's quite limiting. I know the answer is that we don't have to do the course if we don't like the terms of play, but that's a shame as I like to add to my repertoire of learning and experience wherever I can. It is somewhat expensive and it would be difficult to afford, but if I was to pay that sort of price for a course I wouldn't like my graduation to be dependant upon me signing up to someone else's ideals.

If you read the AVA site you'll see their recommendation for vaccinations no more frequently than once every three years. More particularly I think they say that to vaccinate more frequently than once every three years is over-vaccinating. I'm not talking about Heart Worm - that's a different kettle of fish. I'm talking about the vaccine for the core diseases. C3.

I would suggest that after all this time and after all his life of vaccinations, if your dog does not have immunity now he never has and never will. I wouldn't worry about vaccinations. If you're in an area where there is Heart Worm, I'd use the Heartworm Chewables. They call them "monthly's" but that's only so people will remember more easily to give them. They actually cover the dog for 45 days so you don't need to give them any more often than that. I would not use the 1 year Heart Worm injection. That's me.

I don't care if the dogs are dressed to look like Ronald McDonald - the owner should have and should exhibit effective control of their dogs. It's got nothing to do with whether they are muzzled or not. ETA: Or even if their dogs are muzzled or not. lol

I don't wish to stand on any Vet's toes, although I'm sure I often do. I'm sorry for that as I do not ever intend to give the impression that I think I know better. As a general rule, I do not. I readily and freely acknowledge that. BUT .... if the results for thyroid show up as ok, I wouldn't be trusting that result unless the bloods were checked by Dr Jean Dodds in the USA. Reason being is that our facilities in Oz don't pick up thyroid issues until the thryoid is further degenerated by comparison to the testing facilities in the USA. I don't trust the analysis comparison we do here either. I'd prefer to know this as a certainly before heading down the cortisone track. But that's just me.

You will of course ensure that I am second in line to you in signing up for that one, Kelpie-i, won't you Kelpie-i ?

Perhaps I'm by myself in thinking this way, but I figure that if a training principal or principals are the best and work the best for the animals we are training with, then why do the organisations who run the courses feel they need to bind you in writing to being allowed to only use the principals they teach and no other? Why would we want to use any other training principals if theirs does the best with all things taken into account? Results should be able to speak for themselves, IMO. I would still love to do such a course and I'm sure I would take some things away from having done it, but I'm afraid that type of attitude feels cultish to me. You going to do it, Corvus?

I also note that part of the graduation criteria is that you have to "sign a written commitment to teach and train with the principals taught in the course". I'm not comfortable with having to tie myself to someone else's principals, but it would help of course to know what those principals are.

I would love to do this but I guess I don't make the sort of money some people think us "behaviourists" make (in this big money making business, as it has been referred to) to be able to easily afford the Course. Wish I could though. The course runs from January to a date in July.

I quite like this (and other) of the coats by "Back on Track". I believe you can get them through Clean Run - not sure how the prices stack up -vs- direct purchase. This one is listed as being "Water Resistant". Haven't waded (pardon the pun) through the rest of the site to see if there are ones more water proof, but I do like that this can 'breathe'.

I quite like this (and other) of the coats by "Back on Track". I believe you can get them through Clean Run - not sure how the prices stack up -vs- direct purchase.

Have spoken with one of the owners. Turns out that they've now had tests done as they weren't confident about the situation. Tetanus has been ruled out by the bloods. Dx is Bells Palsy. According to the Vet the BP could have been indirectly brought about as a result of the vaccination (body fighting infection is the loose wording to the reasoning behind this thought). I'm not saying if that is right or not - just what they've been told. I guess it is moot point anyway but for what it is worth it sounds a plausible explanation to me. The owners have been versed in what to look for (eg. checking for blinking response; etc). Their dog is the apple of their eye and they are keeping a very close watch on what is happening and will be back to the Vet (or specialist if need be) if there is any chance they think there is more to it or worsens. Phew - I'm happier now that I've spoken with them and they very much appreciated the concern. Thanks everyone for your responses. It was worth going through regardless as my first instinct of concern was correct - I just didn't know they'd taken this further than what had initially been indicated. I would do it over again for the same scenario. And clever people that you are - quite spot on with your thoughts . I love having access to people such as you via DOL. It is a collection of a huge range of experiences and consequently one very gigantic pot of knowledge.

Yay!! Creativeness doesn't happen often for me. I get really chuffed when it does . lol Good luck. I hope it works for him and helps his leg.

Ok. Can you teach him to stand on a squeaky toy to make it squeak? Would that give you the resistance that you need to encourage Toby to put some pressure down?

Does it have to go to your hand? Could it not be on something that's a bit higher than the ground (eg a plank of wood) and you lure him to put his weight onto that? I'm probably not imagining this correctly. Sorry. But as an aside - I thought that if dogs toes were splayed it generally went back to a dietary deficiency. I notice with my boy that when he's eating well he's tighter in his foot and more up on his toes than when he's not eating well.

Mandela can identify about 8 things. 252 to go !!! I must try him with pictures and see how he fairs.

That's what I'm now not sure of - I'm not sure that I could trust my memory of it, not being certain at the time as to what I was looking for. I should be able to make contact with the owners and will try to do so, just so we can have a better chat and make sure everything is ok.

I agree with Nekhbet in that a full blood work up would be in order. Being hypothyroidic can result in nose bleeds. But then so can a number of different things. Hope you manage to get to the bottom of this asap and that it proves to be something that is easily and successfully treatable.

Thanks tlc. This isn't swelling though. It was almost as though the dog was grinning with one side of its mouth (not to the point of exposing teeth) and not the other. I'm not sure now whether that side was 'tight' (so Stormie's post regards to tetanus has me concerned) or whether it was the other side that was a bit loose. I would need to look at the dog again to know. Glad your dog ended up being ok though, tlc, and thanks for posting here.

Because they said "the Vet said it wasn't anything to worry about" I can only presume they did see the Vet. There were several things happening at once at the time that I saw them so it wasn't the time for more in depth. I'll see them again though and mention these possibilities. The dog seemed happy and healthy enough in all other ways.

Thanks CM. I don't know if it is BP or not but will mention the possibility to the owner.

It was at least C3.