White Shepherd mom

I used to feed once a day but when Casper became epileptic, someone suggested I feed twice a day to help his metabolism. I'm not sure what the difference is. Now I prefer to feed twice so I can give him his morning tablet without him knowing it. Their morning meal is about 1/4 of their daily allowance, they still have their big meal in the evening.

I'd be a little concerned using a medicated shampoo on a puppy unless the bottle says it is safe to do so. Please remind me if Joey is a pup or adult. Can't keep up with all the new dogs around!

Just because you didn't see fleas on him, doesn't mean he wasn't bitten by a meanie that jumped off. Has he been de-fleaed? He might also have an allergy to flea-bites or certain grass or pollen or even something in his diet. A lot of dogs are allergic to grains. As Erny said, try some omega oils and an oatmeal bath and then de-flea him. What did he eat at his previous home (you said he's from a breeder right?) - did he itch there?

I knew someone who took her constipated dog to the vet. He told her to feed him Pal to get him to go to the toilet. Before I knew better, I gave Casper Pedigree and Pal...boy did he have a bad stomach for months. By the time I got Bella, I had them on premium pet food. When Casper became epileptic, the vet had me switch to home prepared. I can't say they look better or worse but I feel better knowing what I'm feeding them and they love the taste of it so this is what I'll stick to. Occasionally I will mix in some kibble or if I have nothing prepared I'll give them a tin but that's rare.

I don't know if this would work for most dogs but I put a meaty bone in their bowls and they eat their food around it first and then take their bone to the lawn. Once or twice they tried eating the bone first only to discover that when they got back to eat their food, their bowl was emtpy (courtesy of the other dog). Now they know to eat their food first.

I have vaccinated my dogs every year up to now. As they're not yet 4 years old yet, that's not many vaccines! After reading the pros and cons of annual vaccines, I now plan to vaccinate every 2-3 years. The reason I looked into this is that my one dog is now epileptic and I have read that annual vaccines could stress a weak immune system. I would like to have them titered but don't know where to get this done yet.

I also don't associate the necks (or drumsticks, etc) with the actual chicken - I prefer not to think about it or my dogs would have to live on carrots (same goes for us). I would not be impressed to find heads although the dogs wouldn't know the difference...oh yuck... and as for the horse leg with fur and hoof, OMG - I would probably have ditched it as soon I was out of sight of the farrier except I'd feel too ill to pick it up...extra yuck... ;)

well, I guess they like your non-cooking then! As vehs said, I would omit the rice. I read somewhere that pumpkin and sweet potato should be given in moderation but can't remember why! Don't forget to add a little organ meat. I usually cook a pot of organ meat and veg and put it in a take away container then at every meal I mix a little of the cooked mix with their raw mince. It is usually a battle to make their food every night as they both sit in front of the counter where I prepare their meals, trying to push each other out the way!

When we moved from Sydney to Perth, Casper started having diarrhoea and he had it for two months. Vet said to feed him boiled rice and chicken. I tried that as well as every other food combination without success. Then I tried Rescue Remedy (actually the pharmacy I bought it in makes their own as well as something similar for gastric problems - I bought both and gave him both). I may have overdosed him a little as instead of his usual constant pacing, he slept for 2 days only getting up to eat and go toilet. It has now been 10 days and he has not had diarrhoea since. Try giving her some Rescue Remedy - it might take the edge off enough to help destress her and get her tummy back to normal. Tell us how you go.

Casper's nose used to be black but then turned brown and has been for a couple of years now. Recently he developed a black freckle in the middle of his nose! He used to eat out of a plastic bowl as a puppy and their water was in a plastic bucket. We don't use plastic now so it will be interesting to see if he goes back to black!

What is the average lifespan and health of a wolf or dingo in the wild? just curious.....

If dogs don't eat vegetable matter of any kind in the wild, then why do our dogs eat grass?

Mel (hi!), I read somewhere that rice / pasta can help cause hot spots in some dogs. My guess is dogs that are allergic to grains would get itchier, and lots of scratching can cause hot spots? Casper has certainly had fewer of the buggers since I stopped giving him pasta. I saw this on the Balgownievet site: Hot spots These are more prevalent in dogs, especially thick coated breeds. Hot spots require immediate veterinary attention as they can double their size overnight and give pets a great deal of discomfort. They require aggressive therapy- clip, scrub, cortisone and antibiotics. Most of the damage is done by the dog continually chewing &/or scratching itself, hence the need for anti-inflammatory drugs. Owners first notice a weeping inflamed area often with matted fur and pus underneath. They are intensely itchy and painful. Conditions and common underlying causes include: • Hot, humid weather • Dense hair coat that may not dry out easily or may accumulate dirt • Clipper burn • Anal sac Impaction • Ear infections • Flea bite allergy • Scabies • Atopy • Adverse reaction to food • Demodex mange mites Prevention For hot spots due to certain conditions, attacking the underlying cause is the best plan of attack e.g. flea control. Regular washing with Dermcare Pyohex or Malaseb is very helpful in preventing hot spots. For those dogs with ear problems leading to hot spots below and around the base of the ear, consider using Malaseb shampoo as an ear wash. Dilute 1ml of Malaseb into 30mls of water and flush the ears 1-2 times a week and after swimming. Make a fresh solution each time.

we introduced an 8 month old desexed girl to our existing 8 month old desexed boy (who he'd had for 3 months). It took a week of fighting before he accepted that she was in charge. We still feed him first and all that just to boost his ego but we all know where he stands in the pack! Being labs, you might have an easier time of it!

RM (sorry for the topic change!) - how old is Charlie? How old is Ralphy? I wonder what your garden is going to look like with 2 labs tearing through it! I hope the introductions go well - we were thinking getting a second dog was a mistake but a week later they decided to stop killing each other and get on!

Aah, a buddy for Ralphy. Good for you RM! Does Charlie get his own couch in the house? Have you introduced him to Ralphy?

Kate, I was looking up something and came across these links. I have not looked through them but remembered seeing the heading on this thread and thought I'd post them here: http://www.petdiabetes.org/resources_index.htm http://www.petdiabetes.com/ http://pub141.ezboard.com/fpetswithdiabetescaninediabetes

At least Ralphy has a short coat - try it on a German Shepherd coat - you can see the patch for miles! RM - Who is Charlie-Chuckles ?

Have you noticed how ruthless vets are in shaving around hot spots? No wonder the hair takes ages to grow back! The item I swear by is called Dermacool and comes in a spray bottle. It apparently anesthetises the skin while helping it heal. I trim the hair of the hotspot right to the skin and spray Dermacool. Usually I can see healed skin by the next day. It's also a lot cheaper than going to the vet each time for something you can sort out fairly quickly.

ditto! hey, don't one of you WA folk have a nice big property we can start a doggy day care in? (sorry to have changed the subject here!)

My BC cross gets bathed twice a year - I think her long coat helps repel dirt from her skin. She gets regular brushings and if she gets pongy, a squirt of doggy deodorant and she's good to go. My shepherd gets bathed every two months as he feels dirtier and if he swims in unsavoury water he get's very itchy.

My vet told me to stop feeding my dog commercial food when he started having seizures. About 3 months after I changed to raw/cooked, I gave him one kibble to taste (as my other dog is helping deplete our kibble stores!) and he turned his nose at it - and this at a time of day when he was hungry! I cook a small pot of organ meat to which I add some grated carrot, peas, bok choy (or other leafy greens), maybe some pumpkin or mashed potato (potato is temporary while I try fix his dodgy tummy). I add some of this mix to raw mutton/roo or chicken mince and chicken RMB. A couple of times a week they get a bone to gnaw on. I used to give a can of fish cat food once a week but since taking him off commercial pet food, I now give them a can of tuna or sardines. When I can find it I give them Missing Link with Glucosamine as an all-in-one supplement. Every now and again I will read the ingredient list on a bag of kibble and walk away very quickly. It's great to see so many feeding their furkids good, fresh food (made with love!)

Oh my grief Rex. I was only reading this thread this morning, hoping to learn something about my boy's dodgy tummy. I can't believe you lost your Maggie after all that, poor little girl. My heart goes out to you on this sad day.

Chicko, don't we have doggy day cares? What a pain? I wanted to get my boy to one as he could play all day and no one at home can keep up with him!

Can you find a doggy-daycare to take him/her to for a couple of days a week? This will also be good for socialisation. It shouldn't cost too much for just 10 weeks. Do you know anyone who could pop in for a short while each day for some play, a cuddle or maybe a walk? Do you know anyone who's at home or has another pup who you could drop your pup off to every morning? How about a professional dog minder? If the above fail, you could contact "Don't Fret Pet" or someone similar who could look after your pup at their house during the day. All the above will also benefit you as your pup should be happy and tired by the end of the day and not needing you to walk it after your long day. Kongs are great but after the food's been eaten, then what? Same with other toys - he/she can only play alone for so long. As your problem is only short-term (ie 10 weeks), getting another pet is not necessarily the solution unless you were planning to do so anyway, but then you could have 2 bored pups! Good luck