liberty427

so in all the scurrying with the border collie.. did anyone actually find out where these scumbags live... they probably cannot vanish overnight.. be nice to go and visit them.. watch them crap themselves at the mere mention of any of this... wouldn't mind seeing some worthless humans squirm myself... pxx

i too have read only recently about this testing.. but was told many years ago by 2 seperate vets that at the ages my dogs were about 8 or 9 back then.. that they they wouldn't need any more as long as they had been given all puppy shots and a few after that... as it is.. one of those dogs is now 17.5yrs and in the last few years when i started fostering i got paranoid and wanted her vaccinated again.. although i have stopped now that i have found out how detrimental it could be to the old chook... pxx

then again.. how much will distance and things like that matter.. how far can a fly fly to transmit it??? how far can it survive on your shoes if you step in poo 20kms away... ???? pxx

Yes so far it is only puppies that seem affected.. my dogs seem fine... the way i see it... the vets don't know what it is.. and with it only appearing to last 24-48hrs.. by the time they go to the vet they are appearing fine again... pxx

there is definitely something going around that is just like what you have described.. and it seems to be looking to be a national problem... i have just had people i have rehomed a pup to last week.. at a vet today and so far their bill is up to $2400 with no answer.. oh except for the vet telling him after a test that no it wasn't parvo.. then they did an operation suspecting a bowel obstruction.. and found nothing.. and then after the dog passed a poo with blood in it.. (as you would i expect if you have just had your bowel operated on) .. then they said.. yes it is parvo??? if the poor little bugger makes it through the night .. he will probably come good tomorrow.. sadly this little man had a similar bug to what you have described.. only 12 days ago when he was still with me... like you i noticed no eating, drinking etc.. i usually keep some empty syringes here so that if they are avoiding drinking they get no choice.. and keeping up their fluids and observing them they seem to pass the bug in about 24hrs.. only problem is 2 of the 4 have come down with it again... pxx

I tend to agree with you Greytmate... and personally would go even further in your pre-foster behaviour assessments to say that it may also help to see if people that are familiar with the breeds needing assessment are possibly the people to do this... I believe that all too often opinions are made of dogs that may be solely based on personal preference and in many cases this may be to the detriment of the animal being assessed. Before volunteering to assess an animal.. or before seeking someone to do an assessment for you .. please consider asking someone that is familiar with the breed.. or with like dogs.. and that there will not be any personal opinion in the resultant report of the dog's behaviour. I believe that I have seen instances of this first hand where a dog's fate has been all but sealed due to what i can only deem to be ignorance of the breed that is being assessed. And when I think of the cases where this has happened all i can think is god help these people if they are ever to have children and get one that has a personality contrary to the one they deem they should have... Sorry if this is offensive to anyone.. but sadly these 'assessments' are NOT being conducted correctly (and i am not saying i am any sort of expert or even have a clue as to 'how' they should be done), but if the people who are taking the dogs are aware of the breed and the sometimes (considered) undesirable behaviour... then they might be in more of a position to say yes or no to helping them out. I guess what i am saying here is .. if you want someone to look at a cattledog or a kelpie or mix thereof... I will give you an unbiased opinion of the animal based on the 4 i have owned (for up to the last 15yrs), the many i have known, and the many i have helped out of pounds and helped to rehome through kennels etc. BUT... ask me to assess a staffy, rottweiler, greyhound or any SWF's... and i couldn't tell you that the opinion you would get from me would not be tainted by personal opinion.. cos i can only base assessments of behaviours of dogs on the breeds i know... (which in all seriousness would probably make these seem like pussycats..). By the same token.. you could hardly expect someone who is used to owning layback pussycat type dogs to assess the crazy kids i have without percieving them as having a 'problem'... as i said before .. i see this EVERYDAY.. and it is killing dogs that given the chance could find the homes they need, want and crave... where they can make their owners glad that they gave these dogs the chance they needed. My opinion if i voiced it here of my likes and dislikes in dogs.. would cause an uproar.. cos i don't find all dogs as appealing as the next .. as i am sure other's don't ... and out of fairness to the dogs.. i will never meet and deem that i have 'assessed' a dog of a breed that i don't know.. pxx

Peibe.... Now i know why i don't come in here... Elle-Belle is the 4th dog i know that has gone in the last 2 weeks.. shouldn't have looked in here while i am work... ho hum... She has good company... my Aunty's BC Jemma is up there.. she had to be PTS on 16 Jan at 15 yrs... then a friends pup Olivia went on 19 Jan .. she was only about 12 weeks... cause unknown... and then my neighbours stopped to tell me on the 23rd that their boy Buick had to be PTS the week before from liver cancer... (they told me on the day that i was going to see those red cattle puppies at renbury - cos they wanted a friend for their dog and i was looking for one for them.. i was picking up a rotti too so i told her i was going there but didn't mention going to look at the babies as a friend for Buick)... i hoped when these 3 went that was it... thought it only happened in 3 when it was humans you knew... apparently not.. but i am really really sad about Elle-Belle... she was a beautiful girl... and there is no way that anyone could have met her and not have loved her.. she had a beautiful spirit... and i bet she is one of the biggest stars in the sky now... i know you and bridie have beautiful pei's .. but i think she was my favourite one i have met so far... fly high Elle-Belle pxx

oh luv... sometimes i live in that sucking vortex... you are not being dramatic at all ... you know the bit about people losing a child.. i know that nothing would be like the pain of that.. but how often do you hear people say .. it's only a dog... or it's only a cat... i have had that said to me before at work.... and couldn't help my response.. when i pointed to the photo of this man's 3 year old child.. and said.. see that.. that is just a kid... a lot of them forget that not all people make the choice not to have kids... and even if i had them i would still have animals.. they are too important in my world... and where you mentioned the grief and asked the question about kids.. when my cat Baby died in February last year at 15 years... all that kept going around my head was ... it is ok to be beside yourself ... it is ok to be sad.. a lot of people don't understand that you can be as upset as some of us get... but all i could think there too was... lots of people's kids don't make it to 15 years.. it is a long time to love, nurture and protect anything that breathes... and the other thing i always remind people with attitudes like 'it's only a dog' is that a 10 year old kid that is hungry can get up and get a biscuit or something to eat out of the pantry... it can turn on the tap for a drink... but our little animals are so dependent on us for their survival.. cos they cannot do those things.. thank god when they have these things they can be left alone... (like to go to work or to go out for the night) it is a gigantic plus not having to worry about babysitters for them too.. ha ha pxx

oh god it is hard coming into this area of the forum... need to get the tissues ready everytime.. i never had a budgie that died at the hands of another animal... when i was a kid i had a budgie that lived for years and years... i still remember he died on 13 May 1982... i have it written on a little flowery thing somewhere... i was 13... a few years ago my OH bought home a baby budgie he was a little runner.. he was gorgeous.. any animal that comes to my house has to have room ... so i went to the markets and bought this huge budgie cage... (well compared to the one's when i was a kid it is) ... he lived in the cage happily for a few months... until the bushfires in (can't remember well).. think it was 2002... december... i went to work one day and it was so hot and humid... and the wind was wicked.. i had begged my OH to let me put the budgie in the cage... in the bathroom for the day... he insisted that the house was going to be too hot for him... and he left him on the table on our back verandah.. even when i was walking around the city at lunchtime in the hot disgusting wind.. i never even considered that it could be as bad at my place... and the verandah never got much wind even when it was bad there... when i came home that afternoon.. my 42 yr old OH was sitting on the back steps sobbing cos our 'birdy birdy' was gone... the cage had blown off the table and hit the ground before bouncing off the verandah... and popping in half... there was no sign of him anywhere... i know my dogs didn't get him... cos they never kill and eat anything.. they used to play rough... and things like mice would not survive their kisses.. but they would always just be sitting by them crying.. i know they wouldn't have eaten him.. but like you we were crushed... all i could think of was the little baby bird that couldn't even fly to start with.. being bought up in a cage with food and water always there... and it was horrible to think that he might be somewhere out there and not know where to get any... we think he got away alive... which could have been good for him .. but i doubt it... we were the same... cried for days and days... we have never replaced him... and the cage still sits out there empty... i think my OH just doesn't ever want to go there again.. so we don't... hope your new birdy brings you the joy you deserve.. and your little moses will watch over him i am sure.. pxx

will be waiting eagerly to hear... think i will have to take mine somewhere for a walk whatever the weather tomorrow cos Gus is going stir crazy out there... he will play in the rain... but i don't want to encourage him to run around in the slush that is the backyard.. so cos he is not getting to vent his energy anywhere much .. he is making mudpies... everywhere... digging up stuff we couldn't get a shovel in... we have been having games of fetch in the house with one of the cat's little toy balls ... throwing them up the hall and Gus runs straight back with them for me to throw again... it kinda lacks something though... and isn't enough to wear him out... with Pablo still being timid to many things... i don't want to walk around the streets with him yet... as it would scare him too much... but if not where planned tomorrow .. i will be walking them in a park somewhere nearby... pxx

you know my thoughts were and are with you for these girls.... they will be hanging out with my Maxxy... and our friends Chilli girl... they may have to wait a long time for use to get there.. but they have good company in the meantime... and i know that they would be eternally greatful to you for what you tried to do for them.. and for what you were able to do for their doggie brothers who now have forever homes... pxx

i am going to come along with my boys... but i get really nervous where there are other woofas... the mother dog gets scared.. and when i used to take Tammy anywhere .. and she felt my angst... she would do the 'don't worry mum i will save you' and bark very intimidatingly (if that is a word) at others... obviously i will be leaving the geriatric at home.. she would do well with some time out from the boys... they are great with her.. but i think as an old lady she sometimes appreciates the silence... ha ha so when a car turns up that makes you grab for your sunnies.. you will know i have landed... oh that and when i get out the boys will probably tie me in knots.. ... nah.. they are not that bad.. they are actually good kids... i will aim for 10 am... pxx

I reckon Booma probably sent Lola to you ... cos he knew the love he felt with you... and maybe he knew she needed someone special for the little time she had with you... They will both be watching now... waiting for the time to be right to put that next special puppy in front of you needing the love only they know you can give it.. pxx (paula)

just found this little thread... and thought i would add to it... came home on Tuesday afternoon to find that my cattle boy (about 4 months now) had chewed thru a VB can... my other half has since thrown it out.. but i wanted to take photos since.. so i will be searching the recycle bin for it when i get home... if it hadn't been pierced with tiny tiny holes i might have thought nothing of it... but i tell you i have been looking for 'ninja stars' in his poop ever since... scary little man... and has a squillion toys (and a 14 year old dog ha ha) to chew on during the day... as well as bones and chewy treats... was another lesson for the Daddydog... that you cannot leave your garage garbage can without the lid on it... rrrrrrr... and this bit is not so interesting ... and probably done by many dogs... yesterday morning ... he cleaned out the cat litter for me... distracted for a second by another puppy needing a loo break.. and he turned into a dog that went from garlic breath to you know what breath... yucky .... i am sure many pups have done this one... but the can was a corker... scary too cos he chewed complete pieces off it... pxx