Erny

A tip that might help. When I need to put an ointment (such as PawPaw) on any part of my dog's body - including his nose ..... I tend to smear some around his muzzle, under chin and then somewhere else where it won't matter if he licks it off. Sometimes it works to distract him from what's on his nose (or wherever else on his body it is meant to be) and it lasts there a bit longer.

And apart from putting me out of my misery re the above, does someone know the ANKC address for letters? I have the email and have sent, but wish to send hard copy as well. Cheers

My highlights. Who is the "Hugh" that the ANKC "CC'd" their emails to? Please tell me it is not Hugh Wirth. Please. It wouldn't be. No. Would it?

Sorry to hear that, LR. Poor Zola's ear . Ouch. Hope you get back on top of it quickly. Wait for quite a good while before you experiment again. IME it is not just about waiting for things to get better on the outside. It's also about the body having enough time to 'forget' it was reactive to those certain food types in the first place. And then you only want to try just a little. Wait. And then give it a bit of a break before you offer a little more again. Just my opinion and something that I've determined from myself being allergic to certain make-ups. Silly me, really ..... for giving Mandela the chicken wings so soon in the piece. I should have known better. His digestive system will take a good amount of time to improve, if it is going to improve at all. He's done some poop and the last lot held some form. But his really foul smelly farts are back - they are REALLY rotten. We had nearly 2 weeks reprieve from those and that was bliss. <sigh>

Your judgement call. I'd try just the tea first. No cream or anything else just yet. Just my opinion. Good luck. Hope it works, whatever you use or don't use .

Aly - give the Calendula a try. It should help with the itchies. I had antihistamines on standby when my boy broke out into hundreds (literally) of hives. A few wetting downs with the Calendula over a couple of days, and I didn't even need to resort to the antihistamines. You should have some idea within 24 to 48 hours if the Calendula is going to help.

Vale Bob. Congratulations to all the 2010 Nominees. You're all winners :D

I use anywhere between a good 1 to 2 tablespoons to a large cup of water. It's rough - I don't measure it. Probably around about the amount Boronia has suggested. I use a lot more, of course, if I use it as a bath. I'm not an expert on natural remedies nor how they are made/processed, but the stuff I purchase is more than just the plant's petals.

Good girl .

It's ok. Had the wrong address for FCI but have now re-addressed. The site shows english, so hopefully the communication between us won't be difficult. I would rather hear this from the FCI. Besides - if Australia is not a member, then its website needs updating/amending. So they might as well be aware anyway ;). I don't care about your letters Tapferhund, nor whether you sent them or not. Just wanted to see how much you were willing to help the cause that you say you're supporting and hoping that you would. Optimistic. That's me ;) .

I wasn't expecting that you would (although was hoping, seeing as you are encouraging others to write). Not sure what your "not born yesterday" comment was about. But not to worry. ;) Thanks to Greg for helping out .

That wasn't called for. What about your letter, Tapferhund? Will you put it up to add to the letter writing ideas?

.... Amazing, isn't it? Such a high, pitched loud 'girly' squeal. Yet his bark is so 'BIG' and strong. Thanks for the good wishes, SK. I think the next time I intro chicken wings (here's hoping he's not gone off them again after this latest event), I will use meat scissors to chop them down so I can give them in smaller portions. ETA: No. Having an after thought - I think chopping them is a bad idea, as he might not bother to chew them at all. Or perhaps I shouldn't be giving them at all at this stage ? I have a feeling that part of the problem is that his digestive system might not be breaking the bone component down sufficiently. I think the other part of the problem is that his intestinal tract is inflamed and therefore tightly coiled - which would make it hard for him to move bulk through. Just my unprofessional/lay person's guess.

I hope so too, Lab_Rat. I'm a bit dubious (but it is hard to be optimistic when so many other things "that have always helped other dogs" have proven unsuccessful for Mandela) as there were some other Chinese herbals he was on for the same(ish) thing and they didn't make one iota of difference. I'm really glad you have had success from them for Zola and that's fantastic that Zola was ok with the beef brisket bones. *Touch wood*. If that can remain a fact - that is a HUGE progressive step!!! Maybe with the thyroidal assistance for Mandela, these other things will have half a chance of working now. Maybe - but I'm ready for disappointment. I think it is still going to be a long, slow road to recovery. I don't mind that thought - I will just really love it if the recovery could bear some consistency to it.

LOL with Stormie. That is pretty much how I already think. A friend of mine often asks "tempting fate" type questions (well intentioned, of course - she hasn't got a superstitious bone in her body) and whenever she asks about Mandela I ask her to not. I'm sure she thinks I'm paranoid and potty. .... and I probably am. But I want so hard to be able to share some of the good times about Mandela's health. It would be so lovely. And to be able to do so without holding my breath in anticipation of the slippery downhill slope of the roller coaster ride our dogs' health often can be. Sorry to hear that Orbit has taken a slide. Hoping that the bounce for recovery won't be too long.

Royal Canin "Intestinal". It is one of their veterinary lines - can only purchase through a Vet. Not cheap. It's $30'ish dollars from memory - for a 3kg oops! .... (more expensive than I thought) 2kg bag.

Sorry for your loss, grief and for the additional stress this would be causing. The insurance company may well be within its rights, but I am still sorry that you are experiencing this situation. I am very much over being told "S/he shouldn't have said that". This happens so much, so often, within organisations - both big (mostly) and small. It is as though that is enough of an excuse, pardon, reason and requires no further action. I'm also over how shallow "sorry" is with many people/orgs. I wonder, these days, if their "sorry" 's really mean that they are sorry for what their errors have caused people, or sorry that the people are complaining about / pulled them up on it. It is about time orgs/coys should start paying for "sorry" - perhaps they'll think twice before the next time and then have less to be "sorry" about.

Thanks Greg - will amend my letter accordingly. And I agree, Melrock. I don't like going into these things on assumptions. Particularly as in the case of ANKC being a member of FCI (in whatever capacity) has been very "on again; off again". And I do believe it is vitally important that we know for certain. And if ANKC is not, apart from anything else it means the door is open for another org to perhaps take up the option ??? Don't know what response nor how long it will take for a response to be received. Last time I wrote to them it took a while, and their response was in German. I'm wavering in my confidence, though, that the email address I wrote to is for the FCI. I have a feeling it was the SV (or something). I get a bit lost with these names/initials. Is there someone else with contact to the FCI who perhaps could email directly, to ask whether ANKC is or isn't a member in ANY capacity?

Ok. Here's mine (draft). Greg - yours was a great help in me being able to put something together. Please feel free to suggest/add/amend - especially if I have any of the finer technical things incorrect.

Thanks Greg. That's a help. For me, and I'm sure, for others. If anyone else (Tapf inclusive - as you're quite 'up' with the happenings/workings in this regard) have extra points that would do well to raise with the ANKC and/or VicDogs (or for anyone else whom we might wish to send a letter to) that would be helpful too. In the meantime, I've shot off an email to the FCI (I think it was the FCI ) asking it to clarify whether ANKC is or isn't an FCI Member, in ANY capacity. I think we need some current confirmation there, from the horse's mouth.

..... You can tell who of us are the worry worts.

He will only eat chicken frames - wings - necks - legs. He will not eat chicken mince or any other type of meat or bones. That's interesting. I do believe that our dogs do know at times when something isn't 'right' for them. It can be a fine line between believing that and accommodating to it, and falling for/reinforcing fussiness. But I do give credit to dogs with 'knowing' to a certain extent. But it is weird that he'll eat the chicken with bones and not the chicken without bones. As you say - it is a bit opposit with Mandela. He has come to the stage where he would/could not eat raw chicken (fillets) but would (at least from time to time) eat a raw chicken wing or a chicken frame.

That's what I was going to post about, the night before, but decided not to. It is hard to know, because his coat/weight/skin condition has always been so up and down. Could be good, verging on great, then 'bingo', we go backwards. I decided that 2 weeks was not long enough for the meds to have had that much of an effect, so determined that his appetite (increase); seeming weight gain; general appearance (even becoming more solid in his body); coat gleem etc. was just coincidental and would have happened any way. His poop WAS getting better (although his poops could come good and go off again fairly quickly, anyway) - but I can't yet attribute any of that to the thyroid meds. He's on Chinese herbals to help his poop/irritable bowel and I've introduced RC "Intestinal" for the same reason. So who knows, at this stage, as to what is doing what. He's having more bloods drawn in 4 weeks and a re-test to check whether we have the right med dosage. And then I think it will be a "time will tell". I can only hope really hard that other things (digestive issues etc) will improve, but I think that if they do it will take a good period of time. As things improve I'll probably wean him off the Chinese herbals and the RC "Intestinal" and that's when I might be able to tell what was doing what. Regards the sleeping arrangements - I have to be careful with Mandela. I do notice pushiness if I permit him too much/often on the couch and especially if I let him on the bed with me. And it is not subtle pushiness, either . In fact, nothing about Mandela is subtle .

Hey Jeff. Long time no speak. Good to see you. Do you mean yours will ONLY eat chicken? (If so, this is similar/same as Mandela.) Or do you mean yours will eat everything BUT chicken?

Thanks Diva. I thought I was. I hope I do.