westiemum

Hmn... interesting... just had a chat with the man from AQIS who clarified that yes they are concerned that the Aktivait capsuels contain 'plant, animal or microbiological' content... He was very nice and said this happens all the time... So have emailed the manufacturer with the AQIS requirements and we'll got from there.... either they'll be released or I'll need a permit. Fingers and paws crossed they'll just be released.

Thanks very much Hardy's Angel - really appreciate it. I might quickly email the manufacturer and see what they can do... worth a shot I think. Thanks again.

Hi Everyone, Hope someone who knows more about this stuff than I do might be able to help with some quick advice as this whole situation is new to me... sorry for the long post but need to explain... A little background - as some of you already know my beloved Mac is showing the early signs of canine dementia. Everything I've read says early intervention is critical and of course I'll do anything I can to help him lead an extended quality of life... Aktivait in a non-prescription nutritional supplement available in the UK. I can find nothing like it available here in Australia. Although the few studies I can locate only suggest only weak benefits the adhoc evidence on the net shows it really seems to help some dogs. So I bought some over the net to try in the hope it might help Mac too. So no huge conspiracy or commercial quantities here. Last Thursday I got a very official letter from AQIS - a seize/ destroy letter saying that as these capsules were 'vet therapeutics' and I needed a permit of some sort for them. I understand them to be non-prescription over the counter nutritional supplements. Also that unless I could prove from the company that they were completely 'mineral or synthetic' then they would be destroyed or I could pay $42.50 ( ) to have them returned to the company (And I hope get some of my money back - although thats not the primary concern). That's all they have told me - I don't know any other specifics of their concerns. It honestly never occurred to me that non-prescription nutritional dog capsules would be a problem although I'm wondering if they think the capsules contain some sort of plant or animal content? I don't think so - but here's a list of the ingredients: Each capsule contains: DHA/EPA 70mg L-carnitine 40mg Vitamin C 40mg N-acetyl $cysteine 40mg Alpha lipoic acid 20mg Vitamin E 20mg Acetyl-carnitine 10mg CoEnzyme Q10 2mg Phosphotidylserine 2mg Selenium (as selenomethionine) 50mcg I suppose I'm a bit bewildered as on return from Vietnam some years ago I declared a bag of sealed Hanoi coffee (clearly processed 'plant' material) for my consumption, showed it to them at Sydney International Airport and was waved through. These are sealed non-organic capsules as far as I know and to me don't seem to be any different unless I'm mistaken (and happy to admit that I'm wrong if someone can enlighten me) - can someone identify the capsules' problem ingredient(s) for me by any chance? I plan to ring AQIS in the next day or so to discuss with them. In the meantime, if any DOLers can help out with some learned advice/guesstimates on what AQIS might be conccerned about that would be really helpful. NB Please no lectures on knowingly or unknowingly importing 'banned' items into Australia -I know that already (obviously) and it genuinely never occurred to me that these these would be a problem until I got the letter from AQIS - - so within the law I'm simply trying to clarify what concerns I might talk to AQIS about to understand their position and for future reference - and if I've made a mistake and the capsules need to be returned to the UK so the manufacturer knows not to send to Australia in the future then so be it. Although I admit it saddens me that I'm unlikely to be able to give Mac the only supplement I've found that might help him Many thanks for any advice/insight any informed clever DOLers can give me.

I have - washed Missy Moo's corner pillow that she sleeps in on my bed this weekend - twice - and her dirty paw marks still won't come out - even with a very liberal application of liquid napisan... might be the age of the pillow case and particularly 'sticky' mud of my back yard! BD (before dogs) - I had some lovely elegant white linen which I continued to use AD with another coloured sheet across them - but they still managed to get grubby paw marks on them. Most of them are over 15 years old now and have started to go to holes with paws and feet going through them So replaced them at the sales in January with three QS 500 tc coloured sets and they are wonderful - wash like rags and the muddy paw marks are less obvious! For Adelaide DOLers - I got each sheet set for around 70.00 each at the January sales from Harry's (Harris Scarfe) in the Mall who BTW have moved to the building where JB HiFi and Spotlight are - lovely colours and real bargains and seem to be putting up with the punishment well. (The last set of sheets I bought were Cotton House which I bought on sale for much more at DJs. They really disappointing and not up to their usual good standard - put my foot through them inside 18 months ). So yes I love crisp white sheets but with three dogs they need more frequent washing than I'm prepared to do - so I've gradually replaced them with more forgiving colours! ;)

Yep another vote for greyhounds products direct. Always buy Jointguard and vitamin powder from them. Troy's customer service is great and his prices are really good.

I see a pound dumping coming on... very sad...

Rysup its hard to tell and you probably need a vet experienced with canine dementia to help out as its really difficult when a doggie has other sensory deficits like sight or hearing. Apparently 60% of dogs over 10 show at least one sign of canine dementia - so dementia is certainly possible. My Mac has significant hearing loss - none on the left and questionable on the right - but it was the aimlessness of the behaviour which set it apart and gave me the clue it was relalted to something else besides his hearing loss. One of the best things I think you can do at this stage is keep a diary. I bought a cheap one earlier in the year and keep it on the coffee table in the lounge and write down the nature, time, length of time of all episodes of everything to do with my dogs (also helps my failing ('dementing") memory when I'm talking to the vet. It gives a really clear picture of whats going on. For example my other westie had a seizure this morning so I timed it and described in in the diary - only took a minute. I also note anythign else that changes - sleep behaviour, agitation, food changes, vitamin additions, medication changes etc. Keep the diary for 4 -6 weeks then head off to the vet and go from there.

Hi Puppy Sniffer Thanks for your post - that all seems very plausible and its really good to hear your old girl is doing well again. My old boy is having a bad time of it at the moment after a good month with no sign of the CDD at all. So hoping that he comes 'out of it' again and we have some futher periods of no ainless barking and growling.

Thanks Sheridan but I don't think its Mac losing his pack place - he was always on the bottom anyway. I suspect that its more about food - he seems to be becoming very food protective/possessive... although there wasn't any food around at the time... hmn... actaully just thinking about it it could be the reverse with Mac asserting himself against the younger more alpha boy... and it may or may not be part of the CCD... who knows. Grumpy seems to be very purposeful with his grumping - when you describe it, it always seems to be at someone or something... whereas mac is growling into thin air - or is that what Grunmpy does as well?? I like the idea of a low bed - and will do the same here in the next 12 months or so - will be very interested to hear what you buy or how you go about it. Maybe a low futon or something? Will post about the Akitvait after he's had a few weeks on it - hopefully will arrive this week.

Sadly we've had a worse week here with a couple of instances of the aimless growling - but he seems better this weekend - I think this is going to be the course of this thing - hopefully weeks of being fine followed by islands of the CCD behaviour. I also had a major full on fight this morning between the boys - highly unusual and only the second time I've seen them have a major to-do. They have been such good friends for such a long time... I've ordered some Aktivait for Mac (21 GBP for 2 months supply + post) - it has such good reviews I decided I'd do whatever I could to slow down the course of the disease. Good to hear Grumy is doing well. Did you manage to find some B/D? Mac is on half a cup twice a day and some veggies - if he has any more he gets too fat and his mother gets told off by the vet!

Evolved people are never cruel, nor do they torture - ever.

Yep me too westielover - I consider it a good invest in preserving the resale value of the car and considering its quality and the cost of a car I think its good value.

After my Sarah arrived from Brisbane, to stop her shivering in the middle of winter and waking me up I bought her some gorgeous hot pink pjs from kick a tin along here. And she makes them for many breeds - not ust the breeds on her website. Hope it helps.

Hi Sheridan and Grumpy, Here in Adelaide the vets are marginally cheaper by the time you add freight to the order from the online pet stores - its such a big bag. So I usuallly buy from my vet - don't mind giving him the business when the price difference is so marginal and they look after us so well. We had an episode of the aimless barking and growling last weekend - first time in a month - but it was shorter (3 minutes) and hasn't re-occurred. I know what you mean about 'him not being there' - Mac does the same and I have to touch him to bring him back. Hope Grumpy is doing OK though. I'm convinced he's a grumpy cunning old boy! I can see where his mind's not quite there sometimes, like where I might be in one room and he assumes I'm in another. When he can't find me in the room he's assumed I'm in, he just stands there confused and it takes me touching him for him to work it out. I think he's also starting to be a bit more clingy of late. Thanks, very much. I'll check those out if the vet doesn't get some in.

Hi Korrigan, I'm so sorry to hear about your dogs head tremors. The other thing I think you need to rule out is focal epilepsy. To the uniniated my youngest westie has 'head shakes'; the vet is sure its focal epilepsy (localised on the cerebellum). They are mild, infreqent, and he's unmedicated. He doesn't lose conciousness, is not incontinent and doesn't fall over but post ictally he is quiet and sleepy. I simply cuddle and hold him until it stops. Its not getting any more frequent over time. But the course of this disease can be highly variable so it may present differntly in different dogs, I understand. The videoing is a great idea. In the meantime on this page under 'Example of a focal seizure' here is a short video of what happens to my Andy - I sent the link to my vet when I had difficulty getting a video of one of his seizures. Hope it helps. Best, westiemum and Andy..

At the outset, I declare I'm completely biased against most sorts of commercial dog food except for barf patties and Jo's mixture which I trust and where there are special reasons and where there is evidence it helps special conditions or recovering dogs. My old dementing boy is on a cup a day of high antioxidant dry food and the balance in raw. But until that change recently, I saved myself a heap of money by feeding raw human grade only, with the exception of those trusted raw foods above. Can't believe how expensive the dry food for him is! Read the ingredients on the labels of most dog foods ( ), work it out on a per kilo basis, value for money and quality of the ingredients and except for special reasons under independent vet advice, its human grade only for me and us! It only takes a little thought and planning and you can save a heap and give them a very good quality diet IMO. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Back seat buddy protects the leather seats and all three westies snooze very happily in the back... can't recommend them highly enough...

Hi Westielover Gorgeous!

That thread is fantastic - no wussie cutie pie stuff there! Thanks for posting...

Can't do obedience??!! My Sarah blitzed her obedience class at the age of 5... and the instructor, who said she usually doesn't like 'those sort of littel dogs' thought she was just wonderful...

Yep me too DW - for me its their spunky independent nature as well as their gorgeous cute looks - they are seriously character dogs and often described as 'big dogs in little dogs bodies'. So I suppose if you are after a smaller dog with guts and character then I'm not sure you can go past a westie!

Yep he sure does labrat - and its not a breed that is well known for its agility ability - yet to my untrained eye he looks like he is doing very well!!

Yep Kavik and stonecutter - its a fabulous shot so I couldn't resist posting it - but I should point out I didn't take it - it was sent to me and I haven't been able to reference it (so if anyone has come across it before please let me know). To me its the essence of the westie character - no wussie dog here!!

Spunk! Thanks TJ thats the word I was looking for!! Another reason I love this breed - they are spunky, courageous independent and soooo damn cute!!

Westie character in a picture, brave, determined and loves to get dirty! :D Click to enlarge and you'll see what I mean!