Loving my Oldies

Thanks everyone. I will go to that other thread. @crazydoglady99 I will have to experiment with his diet. Thank you. It has been fairly varied since he’s been here, but the majority of it has been beef.

I have tried searching and scrolling through, but can’t find it - unless I was imagining it. I didn’t take any notice, but then along came Simba - my latest little foster dog, 9 years old Apricot Toy Poodle. Sweetest little dog, but sits around “catching flies” like a maniac. Goes on for ages , poor little darling. I have also noticed that he goes racing around the the back yard looking up and yelping as though there is something there. At first I thought he might be seeing one of the neighbourhood cats, but after a while, I realised there was nothing there. I also began to wonder if it is something he does to amuse himself as, reportedly, he was just left in the back yard and occasionally given some kibble. I have discovered that he plays ball and brings it back and drops at my feet - wonderful since I can hardly walk these days.

Mezza and Tamar have been on RHV since 6 December - I haven’t noticed any changes at all. However, we are all going to the vet this afternoon for check ups so will see what she thinks. Mezza was shaved on Friday and has gone from full coat Pomeranian to a teacup Akita . He was very quiet for the first couple of days, but seemed to get back his mojo last night and this morning was playing solo soccer again, which made me happy.

Oh wow!! What a time you have both had. Hopefully all on the up and up now.

Such beautiful stories and photos, Koala

Link https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-16/insect-bites:-australias-emerging-insect-farming/10253494

I saw a program on ABC tv recently about using insects as protein .... think it was Landline. There is a woman who has been supplying “the industry” for years now and she visits schools doing taste tests. She sells insect powder to be used as a part replacement for flour and also coats insects in various ingredients (eg chocolate) as nibblies. The program also featured people from [forget - maybe Brazil] who use insects and insect powder in their commercial cooking - the business is in northern NSW, I think. They have to import their supplies as the Australian industry isn’t sufficiently developed to meet the demand. Nothing about dog food though. I have never been adventurous with food, so I won’t be giving it a try. I imagine Bunter would wolf it down, though

Gosh, what a beautiful girl Button was and what a wonderful life she had with you, but, oh, how we miss them. Deepest sympathies - a huge loss. Beautiful Button.

We are making progress !!!! I had to go to vet to collect meds and Satiety kibble so took Mezza to weigh him. Down to 5.52kgs, ie another 200 grams . He really is a good little boy. I am so relieved as last weigh in was such a downer. Must be the new kitchen scales

Well, it has arrived. I tried a little bit with Mezza in bone broth. He licked a bit but seeing his dose is two scoops a day, I would have to feed him about 1000 litres of bone broth to get enough down . Bunter lapped it all up though but he is the one without leg issues .

Scary some of the “advise” new puppy owners are given. Well done for coming on DOL to get sense. As Boronia says: they are dogs not stuffed toys. Dogs will want to be everywhere you are whether indoors or outdoors. Dogs belong with the family and are very socially centred creatures.

Or my mashed banana and cream !! I’m looking forward to all of us RUNNING around the block instead of staggering and stopping every few steps.

Thanks for all the input. I hope I am in the band of those it helped. @Tassie, good to know abut the refund. I ordered mine directly from RHCV and they have been offering 1/2 price. When you say you have a friend who gives it to her dogs and takes it herself, do you mean the same product (teaspoon for Mezza, teaspoon for me ). I’m up for it as meds have stopped giving me relief from pain in my legs.

Oh goodness Doesn’t sound good.

I’ve seen rave reviews about Rose Hip Vital over the years and watching my old dogs, particularly Mezza, struggle to their feet, I’ve decided to give it a try. The order is on its way and I am hoping I will have the doggy version of spring lambs cavorting in the back yard any day now. Both Tamar and Mezza are on meds but poor little Mezza still limps badly. Tamar has nerve damage and her back legs have episodes of going all over the place. She doesn’t appear to be in any pain except for one spot that the vet can find, just that she is wobbly and sometimes if she turns around too quickly or gets to excited she can tumble over. Doesn’t worry her though and she still flies down the back steps like a puppy. Having had leg and back pain myself over the last few years, and having dreadful reaction to some meds (Tramal being oneI can sympathise more with their experience. Who has tried Rose Hip (any animal) and what have been your experiences? I follow a horse rescue group and I think it was on their FB page where I first saw it mentioned in glowing terms.

No many I imagine. It was my immediate thought, juice. They’ll do a huge fund raiser and little or nothing will go to the animals.

Pretty much the diet he is on, Boronia. I’ll just have to accept it will take time. Actually, 4 months isn’t all that long because if we can achieve that weekly loss, even in two months’ time, he should be a lot better. What makes me so mad is that it is all my fault. I’ve always had difficulty with dogs who love their food because my very first experience (and plenty after them) was with dogs for whom food was something they needed to stay alive, just no big deal

Thanks so much for that link . 1-2% of body weight per week is the suggested loss for dogs and half that for cats. Taking the middle ground of 1.5%, at 5.75kgs Mezza’s weight loss should be 0.086 grams per week!! At that rate, to get to his ideal weight of 4.25kgs, it will take 17 weeks.

Hope we hear back.

I am indeed experimenting with something Mezza enjoys but still keeping the calories down, @Papillon Kisses. I want both things for him: a happy enjoyable life and a well one. I am not rigid with regards to feeding. As I said: "It is absolutely imperative that he loses weight so not doing this for aesthetics !!"

He is used to being free and I doubt you can do anything about it.

Yes. Thanks for the tip about turkey. I’ll give it a try.

Progress has stalled - completely. We had another check up on Monday - three weeks since the last one - and despite all my best efforts, no loss. I was so disappointed, because I have been weighing his food and being very careful. All four dogs are shut in separate areas for meals (breakfast and dinner) and there is never any food left lying around. Once meal time is over, up come the bowls and they are washed. They haven’t been getting any treats and there is nothing until next meal. Mezza doesn’t like the Satiety which I mix with bone broth and about a teaspoon of mince (beef or chicken) but because the bulk of the meal (a whole 20grams !!!) is Satiety, he rarely eats even half. The vet wants to see them all next week, so obviously I will be consulting with her, but in the meantime . . . . . My strategy is that if he doesn’t eat what is perfectly good food and which Bunter loves, he can’t be actually starving. On the other hand, eating is one of life’s pleasures ......... However, should I just keep giving him his meal and if he doesn’t eat it, too bad, he will eventually? It is absolutely imperative that he loses weight so not doing this for aesthetics !!

Poor girl. Hope she gets better very quickly.

Ha ha ha - I think that is a problem that will take many centuries, if ever, for a solution to be found. That said, there are thingies that you can try, but I have found they generally don’t work, but rather the mats still keep getting rouched up and then, because the corners/ends have thingies under them, you can’t adjust with a drag of a toe, but have to bend down ..... and five minutes later you have to do it all again. If you google for help, you will realise that people the world over are dealing with this very serious and troubling problem. It is obviously something that needs a huge injection of funds from governments worldwide to come up with a solution.