Dog_Horse_Girl

Thanks, I hope so. The other thing is that I normally walk one of their shelter dogs (we have a walk every Thurs) so I feel a bit guilty that I'll be seeing the vet for a consult rather than walking a homeless dog...I might get to do the first part with Molly though, which would be nice. ;) I just get so darned nervous with these check-ups...I can't help it. You know what I mean.

Well, it's come around very fast (and it's overdue I just realised today). Molly, my little epi dog, will be seeing our vet tomorrow evening for a blood draw and general once-over. I hope the meds are still keeping her on track and that we don't need to increase the dose. I also hope her liver function is still normal and that the meds aren't doing any damage. I'm so nervous about this. Last year all was well. So cross fingers this year is no different. My little heart dog, please stay well. ;) ;)

Oh, how heartbreaking. I'm so sorry for your loss. Please pass on my condolences to your family. Run free at the Bridge little one! You were loved. You will be missed.

I'm tossing up with turkey...because she's had a very strong reaction to chicken, I'm a bit wary of another poultry source. But roo is so hard to get here as it's either frozen mince (pet grade) or defrosted steaks (human grade). Mince is a bit dodgy as you don't know what the ingredients are and the roo steak is very expensive here. Erny, I'm only able to introduce one thing at a time, so blends of anything are out: I've also thought about giving her a BARF patty to see if she reacts but it's sort of a waste of time because if there is a reaction, I won't know what it's from. I would also like to get her back on the herbals (McDowall) but can't as yet for the same reason. I just want her healthy - she's not happy any more which is breaking my heart. Also, it looks like the mange is taking over again, so another shot for that this week.

Really beef, chicken and lamb are all very common culprits in food allergies. I was hoping that because she tolerates the lard she might also tolerate the muscle meat and bone. Next protein source I'll trial will probably be roo. If I can get it. I hope yours is a bit more successful than mine, koolietas.

Really beef, chicken and lamb are all very common culprits in food allergies. I was hoping that because she tolerates the lard she might also tolerate the muscle meat and bone. Next protein source I'll trial will probably be roo. If I can get it.

I tried beef ribs last night...just one portion. And Ruby's had a fairly strong reaction. So beef might be off the menu too. I hope I can find another protein source or two. She can't stay on fish exclusively as the fat content isn't appropriate over the long term. I'll see how she goes and if the itching stops, I'll try again mid-week. A second reaction would prove it's not safe.

Hugs to you Chewy...I know how awful this is for you.

I get the barra heads from Woolies but we have a fish shop not far from work so I should try there instead. They're $5 per kg in Woolies! So about $2 or $3 each depending on size. :rolleyes: Any product you can buy cheaply and in the most natural state possible is a good thing IF you know what you're doing. Despite having fed a raw diet for years, I still go back to the literature on a regular basis to refresh my knowledge. With Ruby being on this bloody elimination diet/food trial, I've had to go back to the books more than once. Good news is that I'm trying her on beef ribs tonight...decided mince wasn't worth the risk of having preservatives in it and even our local butcher puts something in the mince so it doesn't go off.

Doesn't the dog chewing the fish reduce the risk of anything *bad* happening if there are fine bones in the item? Gosh, some people's response to feeding raw animal parts is stupid. Wild dogs eat raw fishes...and our dogs are (biologically speaking) not much different to wild dogs. The point is "some fish" might not be okay so find ones which are. Barra heads are great for dogs as are many other types of fish heads. Whole fish are also fine for most dogs most of the time.

If something in the diet is causing the problem, why wouldn't you take steps to find out what it is? His age has nothing to do with reacting to certain foods. IMO feeding anything processed is likely to be at least one of the culprits. Why don't you try a properly supervised elimination diet, such as what I'm doing for my allergy dog. While I agree that pups need to eat from a wide variety of foods (preferably raw and whole), in your pup's case you have to look at all possible causes. Food allergies are all too common so removing processed foods would be a good place to start. Try going back to the source (raw) and simple (meaty bones, offal, one kind of vegetable or fruit per week) so that he's getting variety without the fillers, colours and preservatives found in processed foods.

What has your vet recommended?

Yes. Supervise at first, but dogs cope fine with bones of all shapes, sizes and textures. The first time Ruby got a fish head (barra), she looked at me as if to say, "What's that? And more importantly, what to I do with it?", but she got the hang of it quick-smart. Now she has a "plan" and goes in from the back of the head where it's open...it's the funniest thing to see her with a fish head in her mouth, and the fish's mouth opens and closes as she chews on it! ;)

I've had a small bit of success this week! I'm trialling Lard this week...yep, LARD. Vet suggested it to help stall the weight loss and - - - so far, so good. She's scratching a little but I think she needs another mange shot as she's mostly scratching her head and the hair loss has started again. :D So lard is okay...which is a blended animal fat (solidified) so next up will be beef mince. YAY! I hope the beef mince won't cause a reaction...

Because Ruby's been on such a strict elimination diet, she's been eating only fish and sweet potato, and for the last few weeks, I've added one ingredient a week to see her tolerance. She's been getting white fish fillets (cooked) usually basa or whiting or similar (at about $12 per kg), plus at least two raw fish heads a week for some bones to work through. She *loves* the fish heads. I also bought one whole (cleaned and gutted) barra last weekend...at over $6 on sale, she won't be getting that often! I cut it in half so she had the back end on Saturday... Fish is great for dogs, raw is absolutely fine as long as you supervise and feed appropriate portions/pieces. Dogs can survive on fish and not much else for a few months if necessary... Ruby's now getting lard this week and so far, so good. Yay!

I'm so sorry for your loss. Benson is now free from pain and suffering and knows only happiness and love. Sending you strength at this awful time. Allow yourselves the opportunity to grieve and express your emotions and take comfort in the knowledge that we've all been there and will be again. It's part of the price we pay for having such amazing dogs sharing our lives.

My Ruby's allergic to chicken AND eggs. We still have nothing she's okay with except fish and sweet potato. We've now tried chicken, eggs, yoghurt, canola oil and all have produced an allergic response. Just to be sure I gave her yoghurt only for breakfast yesterday and when I got home, she had hives all over and had been scratching just behind her right front leg (the most itchy place she seems to have apart from her face/head). Dogs need a varied diet and IMO the less processed, the better. But that doesn't stop allergic responses if the raw ingredients are the cause. It's highly likely that the dry food and its ingredients is to blame but if the culprit is chicken, switching to raw chicken won't help. If the culprit is also beef, then raw beef won't help. Many dogs react to lamb but just as many react to chicken, beef or pork. And many more react to preservatives, cereals, grains and vegetables. An elimination diet, properly supervised, is the only way to determine what food/s, if any, cause an allergic response in the dog. A vet visit is clearly in order prior to starting down this path.

I thought about the chemicals too - I wash their bedding in Bio Zet powder but use it sparingly for that reason and I line dry their things then give them a good shake (the shake probably does nothing other than loosen whatever dog hair is left over!). I also use a carb soda based floor cleaner but I'm sure it's got plenty of chemicals in it so am on the hunt for something more "green" - I've got a book somewhere to look up home made cleaning products. It's a bloody pain trying to rule things in or out and to manage everything. Ruby's not thin - yet. She was a tad overweight before we started the food trial and I know I'm over-reacting because our vet tells me she's still a good weight and in my brain, I know he's right. But as she matured she got a bit more chunky and we got used to that build...to see her now (as a dog should look LOL) with just enough cover over her rib cage is...scary! I think canola oil has softened her stools a bit but she's still going twice daily and they're still consistent - I'm also not feeding it every meal but every third/fourth meal. I started with 1/4 cup but that was a bit much so she's getting two tablespoons per meal instead. We'll just keep on keeping on...we're getting answers even if they're not the ones we're hoping for.

PPS - it's hard on both of us because I don't like to see her miserable and she's obviously missing her favourite foods...you should see how excited she gets when I get dinner for Molly and Lilly - Ruby's eyes light up until she realises that she's getting fish...again. I think the scratching was from the canned salmon. Second day on canola and Ruby's not really scratching today. Yay! It might be a safe food yet. Tomas, all my dogs have been BARF fed for a number of years, including Ruby. No grains, no cereals, no artifical anything, just raw whole foods. Until I added a few 'naughty' foods including the occasional bit of dog roll as a treat. Ruby's always been an itchy dog but it was always worse over the summer months so we put it down to seasonal allergic response (as did our vets). We didn't suspect food seriously until she reacted to dog roll AND raw chicken within a few days of each other (the dog roll was about 20 grams so not much, the chicken was part of her 'usual' dinner of wings), the first reaction was vomiting then secondary came the hives/welts within about 4 hours. On that basis, our vet recommended we eliminate everything except fish and sweet potato as those two ingredients (for her) are relatively novel and therefore less likely to cause a reaction. She has done beautifully on fish/sweet potato...I've given her raw heads, cooked fillets, canned sardines/mackeral/salmon, raw sweet potato, dried sweet potato and mashed/cooked sweet potato over the first stage of the trial - I noted a reaction to all of the canned fish which settled within 24 hours. She settled sufficiently for us to pinpoint at least part of the problem as food but she still has contact allergies as well. We know this because of her paws (still red and inflamed somewhat) and muzzle (where she likes to 'dive bomb' the ground, as do many itchy dogs) but we haven't had specific allergy tests done (the lack of specialists here is the crux of the issue). Since the first stage of the diet ended, I've used my vet's guidelines to introduce one ingredient per week. We discussed at length the types of foods to re-introduce and we both felt that lamb and beef products would be a long way down the list, but yoghurt, canola or fish oil, eggs and some vegetables (one at a time) would be a better choice. Yoghurt was chosen for its fat content and its probiotics (Dr Billinghurst actually recommends yoghurt whereas the prey model doesn't and Ruby has always loved plain full fat yoghurt). Eggs were chosen for protein as a single protein source over long periods is undesirable unless there is no other option. Unfortunately she's reacted to eggs, possibly to yoghurt (but a mild reaction, not a full-blown one), defintely mild reaction to canned fish products (no idea why) and not yet to canola oil. If she continues to improve on canola, I'll keep it in the diet for now. Next on the list was going to be lamb hearts but I'm going to try to source a different species if possible. I'm wary of lamb and beef...given that so many allergy dogs react to these very common protein sources and given that Ruby (fed raw chicken all her life) has reacted so strongly to chicken twice now. If I can get roo hearts I'll trial them but if not, I think I'll aim for broccoli (the iron and B vitamins are essential given the limited protein sources she's eating). I've learnt quite a bit more about dog's nutrition and allergic response since we started this trial and I just want her back on a completely raw diet but I know it will take considerable time for us to work through these issues. Please keep the feedback/suggestions/ideas/experiences coming!

Doing this with the supervision of my vet so he's definitely guiding me through the process. Unfortunately Ruby doesn't just react to food (if only it was that simple!), as she has contact allergies year-round too. Because she's been on fish and sweet potato for so long, she's lost a considerable amount of weight so I'm desperate to get some weight back on her. Hence introducing the canola oil today. She's actually not scratching now...which is a good sign. The canned fish I've given her is packed in spring water or oil depending on the brand and type of fish involved. I don't think it makes much difference as she seems to be reacting to all canned fish...

I'm still here I knew from the get go that SBT are very close to humans and in particular children, and this is one of the reasons it made the shortlist of breeds due to my young children. Like i've been saying all along i do appreciate more knowledgeable folk (in particular breeders) giving 'constructive' feedback and i have come to realise that SBT aren't suited for an outdoor only life. Now we just need to sit down as a family and rethink our plans. Good to hear that you are taking comments on board. I think one of the aims of this board is to educate people as to the realities of dog ownership: the joys and pitfalls. It's excellent to see people asking questions and actually listening to what's being said in response. I love this breed but they're not for everyone. They are *great* with children which is why they're so popular as family dogs and they're very protective of kids in general. But they do need to be with their family...to put a SBT in the yard and maybe walk it once/twice daily, would upset the average stafford immensely...leading to undesirable behaviours as previously mentioned by a number of posters here. I hope you do get a SBT and that you integrate it into your family if you are definitely wanting a dog and all that brings with it! Or perhaps wait until the kids are a bit older and can genuinely share in the care of the dog? Or get a second dog well after the first has settled into the family? I think you've got plenty of options here...and please keep asking questions! I've learnt quite a bit on DOL and also a greyhound forum that I used to frequent (don't go there much any more, too little time) by asking questions - yes, even the ones which fall into the category of "really dumb".

Bugger! I don't know what to do with this poor girl any more. Gave her 1/3 cup of canola oil with her fish breakfast today...and she's been scratching all afternoon. It's tearing my heart out watching her be so miserable...and I worry about the weight she's lost being on such a limited diet. I'm going to give her some more tonight and see what happens but again, it looks like canola oil could be no good. Either that or the canned salmon I gave her last night is making her react. Every time I give her canned fish instead of fresh or frozen, she seems to react - anyone have any ideas on why? That's something which has me stumped.

Perhaps keep more of the natural foods and get rid of the processed ones? Dry foods can give dogs constipation, which is what your puppy seems to have at present. Upping the moisture content of the diet is easy if you add the right ingredients. Choose meatier bones (eg chicken wing pieces instead of necks), and add some oil to the food (canola, cod liver, salmon body, all are great oils to add). Also add raw vegetables (processed in a juicer, you want the pulp with a small amount of the juice) and fruits (same process). Avoid citrus, onions and potatoes and use tomatoes and capsicum sparingly. You can also introduce different types of bones from different animals - try lamb neck pieces or ribs/flap (if pup is prone to tummy upsets, ensure fat is trimmed first), turkey necks or wing pieces, beef bones (all different kinds to try including tail, ribs, backbone), roo (tail is popular and many dogs love it), or pork. If rabbit is available in your area, try that too!

I wonder where the OP went? It would be good to hear from them again, just to see if their opinion of the breed has changed now that they've got some very useful and practical info, esp from registered breeders and dedicated owners.

Apart from anything else, the OP says they want a SBT. Yet the OP also says that they don't want dirt, hair or mess when they get said dog. If they don't want dirt, hair or mess, IMO getting a BORDER COLLIE would be a complete and utter disaster on so many levels. BCs are active and intelligent dogs which cannot and must not be left to languish in a back yard. Walking is not sufficient mental exercise for this breed which is why so many of them are dumped in pounds and shelters once their owners realise just how much work they are to keep stimulated and happy. I lost count of the number of working breeds and mixes which turned up in the Canberra region pounds when we lived there last. Why? I think because Canberra is surrounded by "country" so people see these beautiful breeds - working - and think they would make a great family dog. Then they neglect them by leaving them in the back yard...and wonder why the dog digs/chews/barks/fence-runs/escapes...etc. IMO if a family wishes to add a working breed to their home then they must also be willing and able to include the dog in daily activities and must commit to regular obedience work and perhaps fly-ball or agility too. Dogs can't just be sat in the back yard...they're living creatures not garden/lawn ornaments. I have to wonder why anyone gets a dog when that dog spends virtually its entire life banished to the yard...where the family never spends much time despite their "best intentions" at the beginning. People really need to think about what THEY have to offer a potential dog and if it doesn't match that breed's needs, then guess what? Don't get that breed of dog. And a dog isn't for everyone you know. It's not compulsory to have a dog!