Erny

I did think (as I suspect Kelpie-i might have also) "thyroid". I don't want to confuse the issue, but if I was going to test for thyroid (which I have done with my own boy) I'd get the bloods drawn and sent to the USA. What they test for and their analysis is far more thorough than ours. If the Aussie tests came back positive, that's all well and good, but if they came back negative I wouldn't trust them enough to be able to take them for granted. And the ranges the Aussie analysts rely on are VERY loose by comparison to OS. Cost of the USA tests (including international courier) are around $200 AUS. Speak to your Vet about it and if you would like more info let me know.

Wonder how the poor little mite is. I guess not enough time to tell. Good luck. Hope to hear some good news. Maybe the pup has been lucky enough to have escaped serious injury and will heal well and cleanly.

Sorry Joelle. It does get complicated, doesn't it? And if it makes you feel any better, it is often way above my head too .

Oooh, yes! It would be exam time for you. Good luck, and stop letting DOL interrupt your studies!! But please - if/when you do read the literature and if/when you do email her, I'd be interested to hear the results of your discussions ............. in layperson's terms if that's ok, for us plebs who haven't undergone the scientific language learning that you guys have . Cheers, and good luck, Staranais. Hope your studies and your results go well .

Sure .... will PM the email addy to you. The link to the whole statement was in the post I made . Cheers Erny

Cheers! Always good to have a question mark chucked in - makes one think with a bit more complexity . Although I admit, it sometimes does my head in! ETA (in response to your ETA) .... I'd love it if you would be inclined to query it with Dr Dodds. My problem is that I'm not so good at talking the language that those who have had the veterinary science background can.

I don't have the veterinary scientific background knowledge to argue (ie offer opinion) on that one way or the other, Star. I know that Jean is a wonderful person in that she always seems very happy to answer questions, so I'm sure she would have no objections to what she's written being queried, if you felt the urge to contact her?

Sorry Cavalier - I wasn't making reference to pregnant bitches. Much of what I have learnt is through general reading and talking with what I regard as reliable sources. Eg. Dr Jean Dodds and others. One part that I have pulled up (but not the only) : From Dr. Jean Dodds Yes - I've heard that 'argument' before and even pondered on it myself as having viability, and it still does, to a reasonable degree. But in all truth, our dogs in my younger days just didn't seem to develop the lumps and bumps, illnesses and lameness that they do now. Sure - my knowledge of these dogs back then is only a small cross section by comparison to the majority, but given it was back in the days where it was more rare for a family to NOT have a dog than to have one, and when the dogs were free roaming (so we got to know them fairly well), I think it is a reasonable observation. Sure ..... but don't you agree that (using Dr Dodd's word) the affects of "insulting" the immune system needs to be taken more into account than it ever has been before?

By reminding yourself that you are doing what you can to work it out - you should be happy that you are a responsible enough dog-owner to know to do this. I'm interested also to know what 'other' things is your Vet testing for?

All I can think is "Holy Crap!!" ..... that poor pup!! I don't understand the geography of Laos. You talk of Vets in other "provinces". What sort of distance and travel time are you talking? To me the only way to know what to do would be to be in a position where the damage can be measured. I'm not a Vet but the limited emergency measure of antibiotics and IV fluid drip makes sense to me. Staranais - is it possible to overload a system with fluids if fluids aren't required?

The thing is, whilst Titre testing is a good tool/measure (ie if it shows positive for immunity levels), just because it shows negative doesn't mean the animal doesn't have protection. This is where I believe the discussion would move on to the topic of "cell memory". The problem is that we are all so frightened of our dogs NOT having immunity that we keep bombarding their systems with the vaccinations which doesn't help their immune system and affects them for so many other things that dogs are suffering (more now days than ever before), cancer being just one of them, but also allergies, thyroid issues, etc. etc. Over-vaccinating can have the affect of actually WEAKENING the system, as opposed to bolstering it as many would like to believe. There will, IMO, never be a guarantee to anything, but I think we need to put at least some trust to puppy vaccinations promoting immunity (and titre testing can assist, in some or many instances). It is a weigh of balance and more and more research is coming to the fore of how we are making our dogs sick by trying to keep them healthy. In one of the very many discussion on this subject even just here on DOL, I have read of not only one person who has had pups that WERE vaccinated, contract parvo, whereas other of her dogs who were NOT vaccinated (I'm talking boosters, here) did NOT contract it. So to suggest that dogs contracted parvo because regular (yearly or otherwise) boosters were not administered is, I think, only supposition.

I agree with Staranais. You do your research based on the answers you get here and other places. You weigh it all up along with a dose of knowledge you have of your own area. You speak to your breeder and perhaps her Vet. And go with what makes the most sense and what and whom you're most comfortable with. One place you can visit for a read up and which I consider to be an excellent source of advice is Dr Jean Dodds Vaccination protocol . By reading there it might assist you with a deeper understanding of some things you are finding a bit confusing and can assist you with understanding more clearly the writings and opinions of others. Even the AVA are suggesting annual vaccines are an over-prescription even though some of their own members seem to be disregarding that. If that's the case, ask the Vet why they don't agree with the AVA's media release - perhaps there is a good reason? Personally, I don't go for the canine cough component of vaccines. It is a cough. I prefer for my dog not to contract it, but vaccinating him for it isn't going to prevent most strains anyway, so I'd likely be applying drugs on a yearly basis to my dog for no particularly great reason or effect. My boy is C3 level vaccinated (and I do not plan to vaccinate him again, unless there is very good reason that appears to suggest, with ALL things being taken into account, for his health that I should). He caught CC when he was about 5 months old. I dosed him on Active Manuka Honey and was watchful that he was keeping himself hydrated. Within 24 hours the cough symptom was gone. Within 24 hours beyond that he was back to his bouncing crazy self. I didn't exactly restrict him from self exercise, but I didn't encourage it or do anything that would have him too excited. I didn't have him out of his yard/home for about 10 days after symptoms disappeared (so as to not over-tax his system and also so as to not potentially spread the virus around).

Definitely illegal to own, import or use in Tassie. I understand that even loose links sent in the mail will be confiscated. Aidan - can you point me (provide a link) to the Tasmanian State legislation/regulation where it states that the PPCollar may not be used in Tassie please?

Thanks for the explanation Perse. Didn't think about the vomit reflex potentially being triggered over by water.

I agree with Aidan. I don't recommend children being used 'close up' to assist in rehabilitation of problematic dog behaviour - especially (but not only) when the children are the central focus of that problematic behaviour in the first place. Apart from things having the potential to go wrong (a higher risk if you're not aware of exactly what you are doing), children can become traumatised by the dog's responses as well (even if it is not accompanied by physical connection). So you don't want to risk creating a fear in one (especially a child) for the sake of fixing a fear in the other ..... that's if it did fix it and didn't make it worse. I too think it is great that you have recognised there is a problem before it has escalated beyond where it is, and are seeking to take steps to help your dog work through and over it .

No - it is pretty much the opposite. Use of PPCollars is illegal in Victoria. Legal everywhere else in the World. Use of E-Collars is legal in Victoria (conditional) whilst it is illegal in SA and NSW (I'd have to double check before I made claims for the other States). Which is a pretty amazing thing for our predominantly "Nanny State".

I agree with what Perse and the other posters have suggested regarding not panicking and keeping an eye on her for the moment. But Perse ..... not picking, however I would think that water should not be withheld. When dogs vomit they lose liquid and I would think dehydration is something to be concerned about. If it were me, I'd allow my pup water if he/she wanted it. Perhaps my thinking is wrong? I do agree about giving pup's tummy a bit of a rest by not offering food for a while, just to give things a chance to settle down. If my pup vomited in the morning I'd leave it until later that day to offer more, and only in small quantity.

Oh :D ..... poor dog. She must be feeling VERY uncomfortable/in pain. Please do keep a close eye on her. Poor dove. She's not to know that getting into stuff is going to cause her harm, nor will she associate what she has done with the pain she would be in now. I agree with the other poster that you do need to supervise. I would look into getting a lock (child-lock?) for your pantry door and any other place where you think she has the real potential to get into and cause herself some harm. Prevention, wherever possible, is the best medicine, as they say. I hope she recovers without the need for further medical intervention.

Wording is "illegal to use" not "illegal to have", I think you'll find.

;) .... well you might as well be, 'cause that's the answer I would have given. And probably worded better and more succinctly than I. You're good at that .

You mean like as in the "TOT", dogdude? I've never thought or saw that as "Jackpotting" and still don't, if that's what you mean.

No - you have not missed the boat, FranCO. It is not too late. You need to start off in the same way as you would a pup, although crate training a puppy occurs fasting, IME, as the pup doesn't have much in the way of prior learnt behaviour/habit.

And a hug from me. That'll fix 'im . Poor Buds .... But on the subject of Cartrophen, when my horse (who has wear/tear in his fetlock joint) was in work, I used to administer the cartrophen every 3 months. The point of this was to protect the joints and keep them well 'lubricated'. Whereas many other people used to administer when they saw their horse beginning to come a bit sore again. When the animal becomes sore, it means the joint is already aggravated. Of course I know you'll talk to your Vet about things such as increasing frequency of the cartrophen doses and I accept that my first hand experience in this relates to horse, not dog.

Leaking? Leaking anal gland stuff? ;) Or do you mean leaking urine? If the latter, you might have the Vet check for UTI as well and in that case you'll need to supply a sample (your dog's, that is ). But yes - what you describe DEFINITELY sounds like anal gland issues. Good luck, and stay out of the range of fire when the Vet expresses them.

:D That's funny.