Erny

A person I came across the other day has a 5mo Golden Retriever - beautiful pup and really sweet. I asked about the pup's face, as it appeared lop-sided (similar to stroke patients whose face drops on one side). The owner told me that this occurred directly after the last vaccination (didn't think at the time to ask which vaccination was used) and that the Vet didn't think it was a problem (there was an implied tone to suggest that it wouldn't last). Anyone else have this occur as a result of vaccination and did the dog's face recover? If so, how long did recovery take? I'm just asking for curiosity. The owner hasn't asked and I didn't want to set up an alarm (other than the fact that I've already suggested that they may do well to avoid vaccinations). I will have more opportunity to speak with the owners, so I thought I'd back off a little until I had time to think about things and gather some additional information.

You'll need to investigate the reasons for the hives (were they hives and not mosquito bites? The latter have been in plague proportions recently) but the Calendula tea wash soothes and in my boy's instance, reduced the hives in size dramatically, cleared up the secondary infection that was brewing and basically set them on a path to disappearing inside 24 - 48 hours after commencing application. If your boy's hives are not mosquito bites, then you need to look at possibilities such as food intolerances (changed anything in his diet or treats lately?) or contact allergies.

I took a dried rabbit pelt into 'Show and Tell" at primary school one day. Teacher was horrified as wriggly things were falling off it (I didn't know until I held it up). She quickly thanked me and shuffled me off. I didn't understand what the fuss was about. They were only wrigglies. They would give me the heebee jeebies now. Funny what age does to you. Anyway, obviously the rabbit pelt I had wasn't dried properly. Sorry for the OT chat.

I think perhaps people allow themselves to be deluded so they can rationalise their desire to own something which costs way more than any sensible person would pay for an otherwise substandard item. I know I shouldn't laugh but that's a classic I was going to post the same (although could not possibly have coined it quite so eloquently as you have here, Sandra). I bet you anything that if the general trend was to pay more for great temperament, then people would become more temperament interested and colour wouldn't be quite as important (although of course it will always play a part - aesthetics always will).

Your brother could investigate the concept of adopting the "no vaccinations any less than 3 years apart" protocol that the AVA recommend (if he thinks he wants to vaccinate at all any more, assuming the dog now already has immunity to the core diseases). Heart worm prevention can be purchased by way of 30 day chewables (which are actually suitable to give every 45 days instead of every 30 days) or daily tablets over the internet with considerable savings rather than purchasing directing from the Vet Clinic. I know of a few people who use a Mobile Vet but I'm sorry that I'm unable to assist as I don't remember the names that were mentioned at the time. If he doesn't already, he could also look at feeding raw/natural diet - these often prove far less expensive than commercially prepared diets.

Working on it. Hi HR. Hope you're doing well and enjoying the fact that you've moved. Lucky duck. You're allowed to use PPCollars and achieve fine training with them. How does that freedom feel ?

Fantastic that it worked, TYLER23. It doesn't "cure" mind you ..... if the reason for the skin reaction remains, the problem may likely return. But it is great in helping relieve the dog and also helps to halt the process that turns the initial skin reaction into a skin infection. I think that because it seems to be such a benign treatment some are inclined to not think it will work as well as it often does. Seeing is believing :D.

Fair enough, lol. Admittedly, you'd do more damage with a head collar for potentially little returns, .

I found differently - quite cheap actually (at least the Complete Mix was - the pre-mixed stuff was considerably more pricey). I needed to feed only about 1/3rd of what the feeding guide suggested and many others found the same (otherwise their dogs just got too fat). Way back then it used to cost me about $120 for a honey bucket full (to the brim) but it used to last me about 6 months. Even if it was double the price now, it would equate to about $10 - $15 per week, plus the raw meat, for a pretty decent diet. That's really cheap by my standards, but then I now have a dog with problematic issues and I'm used to my feeding expenses being around the $100 per week mark. My dog back then was a Ridgeback too.

Why do you want to pick on e-collars? If you used an e-collar the way I do, it might not achieve what I think you might want in this instance. Too soft. . I think you'd cause more punishment if you used a Head Collar.

I have used it with my previous girl with good results and also have recommended it to people who have reported good/excellent results. I have used it with my current boy but he has complicated issues and after 7 months of doing reasonably well on it, will no longer eat it. But don't blame the product for that, as my boy will no longer eat many different foods, raw holisitic or otherwise.

I'm not sure what you'd be after nor whether I can help, but happy to venture in to find out more. However I don't think I would like to single out pure breds only. My view as a trainer/behaviourist is to help all people with all dogs for the sake of all dogs and I would suggest that some of my clients might feel a bit upset to think that I'd be promoting one over the other, when theirs to them is just as special as the next one.

Lol .... Maybe the OP needs to change the thread title to "Dol Fight".

Go about the business of what you need to do without making a fuss of her. Tell her calmly to stop being silly. Be calm. Be assertive. IE What move? Where are you off to?

Well put it this way ..... I didn't vote for the Sex Party. Although I guess one could say that their policies could serve to enhance every day living, lol.

The RSPCA wants to regulate trainers. It's on their priority wish list.

It's funny how the DOL opinion tendencies change. It isn't all that long ago that the argument was that it is not about accreditation, certificates and such like and that there were plenty of people with pure experience (and I agree with this) that would make them more invaluable and render them a better expert than someone fresh out of school with a certificate in their hand.

Nothing. But Labor has proven itself time over to (a) bring in dog laws that are unfair, unjust, sometimes unworkable and sometimes just downright silly and (b) to not listen to the people who put up excellent reasons as to why those laws are unfair, unjust, unworkable and just downright silly. So might as well give the other party a chance to prove itself.

Is your little Foxy in good health? Sometimes ill health can be a trigger to a fight that has harmful intent by one. I'm glad the Foxy pulled through. How upsetting it must be for you, given the little guy was your Dad's. I hope you manage to find a good home for him - one that will care for him in his old age and allow him to lead a peaceful time in his senior years.

I have to agree, there is a lot of money in exchange for plenty of mumbo jumbo with poor results I've heard they just throw the mumbo-jumbo in there to confuse the customers so they get poor results and have to keep coming back so that the behaviouralist can keep up the payments on their mansions and beach houses. It's genius really.

Pooped again and all good :D. I'm not really worried if he misses a meal or two. I'm not really worried if he stays on the lean side (although I'd like just a little stock on him). Hopefully with the thyroid treatment and the Z/D I can have his skin not erupting like it has in the past and where his poop is not runny all the time, then I'll be reasonably satisfied, even though I'll probably always be on the look out for how to improve him even further . Side notation : Notice that the poop looks as though it has little hairs throughout it. Is that normal for Z/D? Is that normal for poop? Side notation : I have finally got his right ear flap to heal up. Yay! Noisy : The Vet and I have a plan and if we think we still need to we will arrange for an endoscopy to tie in with another "little operation" that will be done at the same time, along with teeth cleaning. I too syringe vitamins down Mandela's throat if it seems to me he hasn't eaten for too long, or just to help provide something akin towards 'balance' when he was just on the cooked chicken. I named Mandela "Mandela" for longevity. So, if dogs do live up to their names, then yes, he may well be "just one of those dogs" . Although it'd be lovely if I could get him better enough for him to be a bit more normal - for his sake and also for it to not be costing as much to feed him every week of his life. I'll do what I need to of course and if that's my biggest grumble, then I am lucky. But I just want to know that I've done the best I can and everything I can, and in the right order . Shelby : Thanks for the info. I'll speak to my Vet about it and if he isn't aware of similar blood tests being available for animals then I'll email Dr Jean Dodds in the USA. If it is not available here nor in the USA, then whilst it would have been something further to check and potentially very useful, there'd be no point, other than simply for the information sake. I'll let you know in the event I wouldn't mind following it up via your friend . ETA: You know, he must be getting and looking better as it wasn't that long ago that I wouldn't contemplate GA for him. Not that he looked as though he was on death's door, but just that he didn't give me the impression of his system being strong enough for the GA to not set him back too far. I'm not looking forward to him having GA but I think he is essentially stronger to be able to deal with it better now than then. I think this in itself is a milestone.

Mandela has been fed cooked chicken for the past 8 months - because it got that it was all he would eat. He's had loose stools for 8 months (as well as some ups and downs with eating/not eating, as I've already described here). I tried adding cooked rice and it didn't do anything to change or improve the situation. I didn't keep up with the rice as I wasn't really certain that the starch factor would be helpful to whatever is going on. As it wasn't helping, I didn't see the point. He would eat 2kg of the cooked chicken a day and still not reach optimum weight. Did I think that much meat (cooked, no less and without any fibre or bone) was good as far as diets were concerned? Nup. But at least it got him eating. Yes. I juiced them and added the juice back to the pulp. That's how he was fed as a youngster as well, until he began to refuse to eat them. I also tried cooking the veggies to see if that would make a difference. If it did, it was only momentary, then things would go 'off' again. I added cooked pumpkin (only) to his food, as a way of at least providing some fibre. If anything, his poop became more sludgy than it already was. The question always lingering no matter what I do/have done is "would that have occurred if I hadn't have done what I did?" It is so hard to tell because there doesn't seem to be clear and steady patterns.

Yeah - it's really frustrating, isn't it? I've had Mandela not eat anything (neither breakfast or dinner) for days in a row, in earlier times. That can be raw; VAN; BARF; kibble.

I get what people are saying - but what's the answer? I have a dog who, whilst I would not call him skeletal can certainly not afford to lose weight and could do with more on. I have a dog who will not eat much of any vegetable. I have a dog who will no longer eat raw meat, so bones too are out (even if I remove the most of the meat and fat from it). Mandela is not a 'normal' dog. I know that if I had fed my previous girl (bhcs) even half of what Mandela eats, she'd have been a big fat round ball. So if we're just comparing one Ridgeback to another on the basis of feed quantity requirements, I don't think we'd be comparing apples with apples here. But taking all of everything into account, what is your friend's answer for my troubles with Mandela?

Interesting info and contributions - thank you. It has really given food for thought (pardon the pun) and a deeper level of understanding. I loved your explanation too, Staranais. It was really clear and therefore, quite helpful in that I now better understand things. SnT has also helped as has every one who adds their thoughts/comments here. Bit by bit the info adds up and slowly sinks in until a penny drops . I wasn't going to post about Mandela's poop but seeing as I'm here right now, thought I'd add that he did a really good one late last night, just before we packed it in and went to bed. Hasn't eaten nor is he interested in his Z/D kibble breakfast though.