Erny

Not enough description but I was thinking Ibis. Although ours here are white (not sure we have black ones at all). What was the beak like (length and colour) and how big was the bird? Were the feet webbed?

Because Hypothyroidism seems to be [becoming] quite prevalent amongst Rottweilers, I'd be inclined to have bloods drawn to check this, although I'd be inclined to wait until the dog is about 12 months of age. In the meantime I'd be investigating/experimenting with food/diet and also what you're using to wash him with. Is it coincidental that he had a hydrobath a few weeks ago and you say he started scratching again 3 weeks ago? I'd bath him using Calendula Tea and assuming that settles the skin and the itch I'd be inclined to avoid washing the dog. IMO we bathe our dogs too often and with chemically based shampoos and this upsets the natural Ph balance of the skin. ETA: I wouldn't run the bloods for thyroid via our Aussie facilities as they are not thorough enough to detect early outset thyroid issues. I send bloods to the USA (Dr Jean Dodds) for this purpose.

I agree with Nekhbet. Good advice .... don't know why you're so easily dismissive of it .

Good on you, Dash. I hope the bird pulls through but even if s/he doesn't, at least s/he is spared the trauma of being left on a road with cars whizzing past and potentially taking more injury and a painful death. I am one who always pulls over if I have hit a bird and also will pull over when someone else has. Even just to make sure it is dead and not left to suffer. Last one was hit by a car in the lane next to me. It died instantly but its mate insisted on hanging around so I had to move the dead bird or its mate would have also been hit. It was so sad to see the mate appear seem so distressed.

I would bath them using Calendula Tea. Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, natural, effective and no need to rinse.

Well, I didn't doubt you for a second .

I have had mini-classes for these on offer for a long time. It is probably my lack of marketing skills but all the same, I know there are a lot of people who visit my site yet very few enquiries for only specific training requirements.

But that's not happening. From what I see, quite the opposite. When there became a possibility of some competition (of sorts) all of a sudden State bodies were good enough and could make things right and competition wasn't needed. From an outsider's point of view (although one who is very interested in the dog world per se) I am really unclear as to what breeders want/need/would be happy with in terms of fixing existing issues.

This is the email response I received from Hills to my question about feeding Z/D for extended periods and about proteins being digested if they aren't recognised by the body. I emailed them before Staranais responded to my query here on DOL. It reflects what Staranais has said but thought I'd share it anyway.

Potentially not .... except to breed your next stud dog or bitch and to continue your passion. But if your passion is lost, that's fair enough. For the sake of $22 once every 3 years, I'd probably hang in though and just see what happens. Support it enough to give it a chance. Unless my mind was already made up to quit in which case it wouldn't have been just because of this recent proposal.

..... I think I'd at least be prepared to give something like this a go and see how it pans out rather than quitting before giving something a chance, regardless of how dubious I might be. What harm would there be in doing that?

I agree with PF. I know for a fact that there are some who have thought me as being anal when I explain what they need to do to prevent later problems. I think it's the "it won't happen to us" syndrome, especially when they're looking into their baby puppy's 'melting moment' chocolate brown eyes.

I have intro'd antlers to my boy. They're very hard and I have to encourage him to chew them. He spends a little time chewing them but gives up quickly. He's not even made a dint on them. He's not selective over one or the other. I've also intro'd him to the Antler Velvet tablets. Time will tell as to whether this has any detrimental affects on his very sensitive digestive system.

That's good to hear. It's so hard to imagine. A humming City and then not. How frightening and devastating.

A sentiment I have held since I can remember. Well coined by Julia and I second PF's "hear hear".

This is slightly off topic but I was just letting my mind meander ..... thinking about the Judy Garde -vs- RSPCA incident where the RSPCA seized a dozen of her debarked dogs on the technicality NOT that they'd been debarked, but because they'd been debarked AND exhibited. So, here we have a dog that has been adopted via the RSPCA (and for that I'm glad for the opportunity the RSPCA gave for this dog to find a good new home and also to the OP for taking the opportunity to give this dog a good new home). I wonder what the stance would be if the OP went and "exhibited" this dog. Would the RSPCA knock on her door with TV crew in tow and seize the dog back again? As I said .... just musing and is OT to the OP's first post. I do say well done and good on you to the OP for giving this dog a home and a second chance at a good life.

Relieved to hear from you Staranais - glad to hear you're untouched and the same for your friends. Thinking of all others at this time and hoping to hear a continuous news stream reporting of lives found and saved.

I arrived back to the television reporting this. How horrific. My thoughts are with all those in New Zealand and those affected by the quake. Where's Staranais? Are you safe?

That's excellent work with Fledge, Star . It was great to watch.

That theory has an element of potential to it - you might remember that for a long time (approximately 7 months) I was actually stuck on giving him ONLY cooked chicken, as he'd not even consider eating raw chicken - in fact, he'd not even consider eating raw anything. Back then though, the problem was sloppy poop and after 7 months of it (too long) that's when I went to the Z/D. So, unless it is that the Z/D has given his digestive system and tissue a chance to recuperate and that eating at least cooked chicken might now be ok, I'm not sure how he'd go on it if I fed it as the main stay of his diet. Yes, "enigma" is almost an understatement. But it has been such a lovely few months since he's been on Z/D not having to scrape poop from the lawn and then hose off the remnants; not having a home that carries the almost constant really foul aroma of his rotting mass farts. And I have to confess that I have enjoyed the convenience of the Z/D. I didn't mind putting in the time preparing his meals (cooking chicken daily or every second day; preparation of vegies) but when he'd then walk away from it and I'd be left to throw it out ..... that was disheartening. At the moment, this is easy : I offer him a can and some dry. If he finishes it, he gets some more. Far far less waste. As a consequence, the Z/D is possibly working out cheaper for me. My joy of all joys (to date) has been seeing his over the top enthusiasm for his food return (haven't seen that pretty much since he was about 7 months old) and also seeing him put on some additional condition and looking and acting overall "well".

I'm glad you thought my question reasonable, FruFru. Sometimes I do wonder if even I will look back later and think "what a dumb one that was!!" lol, so I'm always pleased for the reassurance when I'm not throwing silly ones.

Thanks Staranais - yes, your explanation makes perfect sense, thank you. No - I don't want to stick with just chicken. In fact, even though he really started to look great and his appetite seemed to really improve when I did re-introduce the chicken (even his appetite for the Z/D increased, so it wasn't just about flavour), I did notice what I think could be warning signs (stools lending towards being soft; windy stomach), so I don't think chicken is 100% agreeable with him. What's difficult with Mandela is that he will change even when nothing else has changed (although the change this time around was pleasingly dramatic/readily noticeable). So sometimes I wonder if the change relates to what I'm doing or whether he would have changed anyway. Which is why I tend to repeat my experiments with one food type before I move to another. Although I broke my rule by introducing the Antler Velvet tablets to him whilst not completely convinced about what effect/affect the chicken was having on him. That could potentially prove to be a dumb move.

I ordered, saw my order, hit the submit button and it then gave me a message that my cart was empty. So now I don't know if the order went through or not. If I try it again, I might end up re-ordering what I've already ordered. I can already imagine me selling DOGZ ID badges at bargain prices. Problem being that there would be a lot of "Erny"s running around .

I don't know yet, Staranais. I have a feeling/suspicion that proteins are still part of the problematic equation but I am hoping that with the Z/D helping to give his digestive system a well needed respite that the fact he is medicated to balance his thyroid levels might kick in to help his body learn to cope (bit by bit) better with the proteins he tends to be offended by. I hope I'm making sense here. And I have no idea whether the body can possibly work the way I'm suggesting it might. But I'm fingers crossed. Oooohh ..... I think we could run a book on that one, . A question though - I know Hills Science suggest about 6 weeks on the Z/D. I know someone here has said it won't matter if I even need to have him on this diet permanently. But is there a down side to this? What I mean is, could it in any way shorten his life span by being on the Z/D for really extended periods? The other question I had in my mind was, if Z/D is a food that has had its protein molecules made so small that the body doesn't recognise them as proteins, does this mean the dog's body doesn't digest the proteins as it should or would? IOW, how can it process and convert proteins if it doesn't recognise them as proteins?

This to me suggest that you receive them because you are attending? we have had name badges made up for dogzonline members who will be attending the Dog owners Choice Awards so they will stand out in the crowd but for those of you who are not going but who may attend a dogz do in the future these are great I have no idea though. Yes - I thought this at the beginning, and then started thinking that perhaps these were made up for attending people on their request. . I don't know. I'm confused, .