Erny

LOL .... stand by. As parliament has finished "sitting" we can now expect a spat of watered down responses, especially from the Labor sector - responses that won't really hit at the heart of the erroneous laws that the Labor Party (ie Joe Helper) wants to bring in. I wonder - with the "acknowledgements" which don't really tell us anything, are we allowed to ask what stance they'll be taking? Especially if the acknowledgement is from an MP who represents you directly? I have some work to do on formulating another letter or two. It never rains but it pours though, as I have a couple of other more personal (but important) biggish things on the go at the moment that also need my urgent attention .

Thanks Tim. Another person has just emailed me as she too has received a reply - exactly the same as yours. There's holes in that reply. But I need to go fix my dinner and address that at another time. I think it will be worthy of a response back, pointing out to her where she is wrong. And where we can see through what she is trying to vale (sp?) over.

Yes - he was one of the people who "acknowledged" to me as well. Another Liberal MP. Thanks for continuing to be motivated, Sumosmum. I know it is easy to give up. I assure you and everyone else who reads here that I have a tonne of other things to do and get done, and like everyone else need to spend my time to earn a living so I can continue to put butter on my bread (or more importantly, hehe .... to feed my dog). Even I need motivating at times. People such as yourself and the others who have also continued to push on (I won't name everyone as I'm sure to miss someone out) help to motivate me. Them, and the fact that this proposed Bill and the laws within it are WRONG and need to be stopped before grievous errors are made, albeit made in the "name of the law".

TWENTY THREE !!!! Good on you, Grumpette

Good one, Chewbacca You know, I don't know of any one Labor MP who has responded directly to questions asked by any of us, about this Bill. Questions which in themselves point out the flaws and the wrongs of the laws contained within the proposed Bill. I have a feeling they've been 'groomed' in some shape or form. Groomed into either not saying anything, or groomed into being careful about what they say. I also have a feeling that they will try to 'soften' the reality of the laws and somehow make out as though they won't affect us, that they don't intend for them to target us. VicDogs seem to carry that faith, somehow. I don't. Problem is, that's pretty much the case with any of the laws they've passed (especially in recent years). But I don't see any of the same people who voted for the passing of those laws, come running when surprise surprise, they DO affect the responsible law-abiding people. And most of the stories I have read and heard of where those laws have been administrated and applied, have been not to people and dogs that truly deserved them. Thing is, the laws don't say "these won't apply to responsible dog owners". The laws don't explicitly give an 'out' to someone (or someone's dog) who have been lynched by these laws, but who might be a first time offender, or where a mistake that was outside of their control or responsibility occurred. And what good if they did anyway, if the person's dog is already dead. "Oops. Sorry." And how many times have any of us heard from authorities "we have to work within and by the law", at the same time they are nodding as though agreeing with you that in your instance the law is not fair? And besides - what's the definition of "responsible dog-owner" in the eyes of the law? Is there such a definition? And I'm getting these feelings I've expressed above due to the very absence of responses. In all, I've sent something in the vicinity of 234 emails (3 different letters) to every single MLA. Two have acknowledged, and one has explicitly responded (Mr. Bill Sykes, Liberal Party - thank you, sir ). Not a one single response have I received from any one of the Labor MP's and given that the Lower House is a Labor Mandate, that's a lot of Labor MP's who aren't responding. Why?

Yay!!

which paper Erny? I can't remember exactly. The Leader, I think, but I'm not sure which district. Yarra Glen or something like that?? I've asked for a link once it is published - when I know it, I'll put it up.

Not only that, but what's the point? I mean, what will being able to fine you for your dog not wearing its plastic council tag, when you're out there with your dog, help in anything? Your dog's registered (a method of ID and a fee to Council) - that's easily checked electronically by one of the council officer's hand held thingies (or a quick phone call back to Council Office). Your dog's microchipped (so ID'd yet again, and again, another fee) - that's easily checked by way of scanner. So what's this particular fine about? What harm are you causing the Council or the Community because your dog's not sporting a council tag, even though your dog is with you on lead and IS registered and IS microchipped? The only beneficiaries of this law and the fine that it will attract, is an increase in easy revenue for Council/Government.

Are there any other indicators? Such as loose stools; irregular bowel motions; etc. ? My boy has digestive issues. I tend to find that if he felt physically uncomfortable as a result of eating, he'll pair that discomfort with the food, especially if it occurs more than once. At least, that's the best summation I've been able to come up with. I change food to something he's not paired that experience with before, and he'll usually eat - quite enthusiastically. Until or unless the 'pairing' happens again. This means that, whilst I am busy trying to get food into him during those times when he won't eat it, I'm also busy with his naturopath trying to work on the underlying cause. I can't tell you that it is completely successful, but in the past, when my boy wouldn't eat (like yours, he'll go for days - and he's lean anyway, so has no weight to lose) I'd try offering so many different things in a bid to get him to eat something. It's hard not to do that when you see the bit of weight gain you've managed to get on them, being so easily lost. Perhaps it is because my boy, who is still lean but holds his weight a bit better than before, that I've been more comfortable in NOT offering him any food once I see him turn his nose up (and it's not about him being fussy). If he doesn't indicate that he's looking very eager for food when the next meal time comes around, I don't offer any at all. I've only needed to do that once or twice and it is not something I'd like to keep doing for too long, but the next time I have offered food, he's eaten it. This could be coincidental too. It might have nothing to do with the fact that I've not offered food. I'm not sure. But (pardon the unintentional pun) it is 'food for thought', perhaps? In the interim - whether he eats or doesn't eat, I have vitamin powder which I mix with a little water. I make sure that he receives that daily, even if it means I syringe it to him. This has become a standard practice and he doesn't really mind it now.

Head collars are a very poor aversive stimulus for training purposes. As a training tool (for LLW) their function is to remove the reinforcement for pulling and to elicit loose leash walking, thus giving you something to positively reinforce. As is the case for any training tool and for that matter, where our coupling methods/techniques are directed.

No. The intent is completely different.

Hi Jed. I'm glad to hear that you are improving day by day - take it easy, take your time, but hurry . I know you are overwhelmed by the support given you by the DOL community - we're all glad that we could be there to offer this to you, and it is certainly telling of the respect that you have from the people here. I hope you don't let this stop your posting in your very direct and straight forward manner - I've always enjoyed that your posts shoot straight from the hip, so to speak. So don't go getting all mushy and soft on us, heh? Well, if you do get mushy (we all enjoy 's from time to time and will be glad to share one or two with you), make sure you return to your very informative and no nonsense style of posting. I miss it. . Get better soon and looking forward to hearing from you. Erny

I know the feeling, but never let that stop you responding to your gut feeling. At worst you'll be up for an unnecessary Vet Bill. At best, there'll be something found wrong and it will be treated earlier rather than later. In one 'stint' I spent 10 or 11 months dotting from Vet to Vet, telling them "something is wrong" with my avatar girl (bhcs). I got told by one Vet who up until then had no answers "there is another disease - over investigation", he told me as he looked up under his eyebrows at me. The other few Vets I saw shrugged and gave me funny looks. Of course, they couldn't see what I was talking about. It was subtle at the best of times, although definite, and that was disguised by the effects of adrenaline that pumped through my dog any time we entered a Veterinary Clinic. Finally I took her to Dr Bruce Syme in Castlemaine and, having gone through her chequered health history, informed me about adhesions that can occur from surgeries such as what Kal had gone through. We were lucky - this was an instance where there WAS something wrong, but where it would resolve in its own time. And in that instance, it did resolve, just as Bruce Syme told me it would. Point being, all those other Vets either didn't have a clue and I copped the brunt of their lack of knowledge in that department OR they didn't believe me in the first place and I copped the brunt of their disbelief/lack of faith in me. Another stint, a little while on, had me doing much the same (again). When Vets, yet again, turned their backs/shrugged me off, I ventured to the University of Melbourne Vet Hospital where I consulted with Dr Russell Mittan (now retired) and Dr Guy Yates. They listened (hallelujah) and investigated and it was then we discovered a tumour on Kal's adrenal gland. Unfortunately this ended up being Kal's demise. If the Vets had listened to me earlier, could we have found it in time? I'll never know. But that is a question I will NEVER forget. Follow your gut instincts. And even if you're not sure of them, follow them any way. I look back now and am pleased to know that I tried. And I continued to try (even though the Vets had me doubting even myself at one stage). And in that, I didn't fail her.

17 isn't that old for a horse. What happened to him? I looked him up on the web. I'm not big on 'paints' but he is very nice colouring. Certainly looked like a stud muffin!

Cosmolo, my first horse went permantly lame when she was around 9yo, so I retired her and just let her enjoy life. Over the years, her 'bad' leg would get even worse to the point of her having days where she was unwilling to move around on it and when she did, it was one of those lamenesses where her head would rise right up and then right down again, with every slow step. I'd be thinking I should do the very thing that none of us likes to face, or can face easily, and then a day or so later she'd be bucking and farting around like a spring foal. On one of the Vet visits, I asked the Vet if I was thinking of myself for keeping her alive, or was I correct in thinking that I was being unselfish by letting her carry on and enjoy those good days in between times. My Vet told me that I was not doing the wrong thing by letting her keep going. He said "look at her eyes - there's a gleam and a twinkle. When that goes, you'll know your horse (Lollipop) has had enough." As it was, she developed an incurable thrombosis in her rear leg and on that day I knew I had to do the kindest thing I could by letting her go. She was by then, 23 years old. So don't look so much at Dexter's lameness, but look into his eyes. Let him tell you what he thinks.

HaHAAAA !! You all thought I was going to give you a reprieve from reminding (and urging) you about this today, didn't you? Nup. It's too important.

My boy had an episode of rear leg lameness that was accompanied by yelping. I feared hip/cruciate problems. It lasted through the afternoon and into the evening. He was still sore the next day, but it had subsided a bit. By the third day (which is the soonest I could get to the specialist) there was no evidence of soreness. It turned out to be severe cramp.

If it were me, I'd be stopping the administration of all chemical based products that I could. No flea treatment. No shampoos. etc. and I would be heading to see a Naturopath or holistic Vet. I'm surprised the Calendula Tea didn't help, although I know it can't be a 100% success 'symptom' treatment for every occasion. My boy didn't like being wetted up by it either but I don't think that was so much it being Calendula, it was more that he just didn't like being wetted up and he'd tend to try to scoot off as soon as he saw me preparing to wipe him over with the saturated flannel. But I did find the Calendula took away the redness, soothed the skin and eased the itching. If the skin is in danger of being abraded because of his itching, an antihistamine might be in order, but if you can, I'd speak with a Naturopath or holistic Vet first.

Try not to feel bad, Busterlove. Hindsight is a powerful thing. Even at an annual check up at the Vet's, it may have been something they themselves might not have been able to have been picked up if, at the time, it wasn't affecting her in any way.

TWENTY TWO!!

Another *bump* because I won't get much of a chance to monitor this today. Morning! .

Sorry to hear this, Cosmolo . It's really tough. I'd probably speak to the specialists who do the stem cell treatment and get their advice, thoughts and opinions. And go from there. Much depends on whether you can afford the stem cell therapy and whether the specialists believe there is likely to be a good chance of success. Other than that, it needs to be your decision, as hard as that is. I don't think there'll be any comfort in it, but know that this decision is harder on you than it is on Dexter. If you can console yourself with that, even a little bit, it might shore up your strength for decision one way or another.

TWENTY ONE PEOPLE !!! (2 off my favourite number 23 ) Yay! Thanks Lilli ETA: It's Andrea&John's Poll/thread. So thanks go to them for setting it up.

Hey! Don't "hate" anything about that, Anniek. I know there are others outside of DOL who are also writing. This poll is just an indicator of how many Victorian DOL members are contributing to help. I'm also aware that of those who have voted on the poll once, have often done more than one letter (which is great - good on you .... you'll know who you are :D). Cheers, and thanks Anniek. It really is heartening to know there are others out there doing what they can. Even I struggle for motivation sometimes, and when you think you're almost alone, that's hard to keep going. But "going" we are :D. :D

Yeah, although try to keep letters emotionally minimalistic, otherwise they tend to stop reading after the first few lines. And of course it goes without saying that the way we write is a representation of ourselves. We're responsible dog-owners. And we're civil. Not suggesting you weren't any of these, Mackiemand .