westiemum

Thanks everyone - good suggestions and I appreciate the sensible words - hard to see sense at midnight when you're changing a second set of clean sheets... Diva thanks for the 'stress' thought - its a good one - I didn't completely lose it with him last night but yes the stress levels were pretty high! And although he is much better now, he is still a bit of an anxious little man, particuallry with talk dark haired men... I'm also trying to teach an old westie to be tolerant of a puppy pen prior to a repeat ACL repair in ten days time so just don't need this too at the moment. Thanks everyone, will give it all a go...

Hi Everyone, Really need the wisdom of the DOL collective again... Firstly, no lectures please about dogs not sleeping on your bed - I really don't need it at this time of night and this is the culture and routine at my place anyway and has been for years... I feel like I'm about to cry... I have a dog with a serious ACL injury who is needing incredible levels of supervision, I've had the week from hell, exhausted, done piles of housework today and now twice tonight I've gone in to a large wee patch on my bed... the first time the mattress protector saved it, so grumble grumble, strip the bed, throw in the wash, change the sheets... a couple of hours later I'm ready for bed and there's another wet patch on the bed... and of course its gone through to the mattress this time :D . (On Thursday he wee'd in the kitchen just after I left for work - at least I'm fairly sure it was him - how do I know? I went back for something I'd forgotten and there was a huge warm puddle next to the back of the kitchen cupboards, after I corralled them in the kitchen while I was at work to stop the old boy with the ACL problem jumping on and off couches and beds). Some background... although I didn't see him do it I'm sure its Andy my 5 year old rescue who I've had for 16 months. (The other two have never done this before and its started, on and off since Andy arrived) He has a mild form of focal epilepsy (cerebellar localised head shaking only) but I haven't seen a seizure of any type since November last year (although I realise that doesn't mean he's not having small seizures I'm not seeing) and I realise it might be connected with that. Although it also seems to happen in cooler weather when the grass out the back is wet underfoot - the whooosie doesn't seem to like getting his feet wet! Maybe that's the problem? (I'm confident he doesn't have a UTI, but will get a sample and check with the vet anyway ASAP). Anyone like a 5 year old westie?? Going cheap!! Before he disappears, never to be seen again?? Seriously, I really need some advice as I'm starting to find this all too high maintenance (I feel like Sarah, my girl westie and I should simply move out and leave the boys to it!) How do I solve this when I don't actually ever seem to catch him in the act?? (One thing - he's a genuinely street smart, clever young man!) Thoughts?

Hi All, Thanks for all your replies and thoughts - much appreciated. The news is its surgery on the 18th. He had a review at the vet today and she really didn't like the right leg at all, and she felt it was deteriorating - its clicking and she's worried he's done some meniscus damage. So I'm continuing to train him to be 'happy' (or at least tolerate) being confined in the puppy pen casowner so kindly lent me, - and he's doing OK - gradually tolerating it for longer periods. And I've lined up the 'grandmother' for dog sitting duties from the evening of the 19th. So wish us luck!

Hi Trish, No problem - my boy just loves his massage! He goes all gooey! The woman I use is a trained doggy massage person - her website is here Hope it helps

Yep that may well be the case in certain procedures redangel, but I understand different procedures are used for different sized dogs (hence the different costs) - and a DE (?)technique I gather is pretty common for small dogs - it involves inserting a piece of inert plastic stuff or something to keep the joint together - and occasionally it snaps and she (the vet) thinks this is what has happened here.

Hi R & L, My doggy massage person doesn't have the name of the doggy massage book on her but will send it to me later today - I'll then post it for you. Her website is here. In the meantime, she says Amazon has lots of fantastic doggy massasge books - so she suggests you have a look there too. There is also a doggy massage course here in Adelaide in two weeks - its on the National College of Tradtional Medicine website here. There is also a canine myofunctional course being run at Southern River, (somewhere south of Perth?) in August - its on the NCTM website too if you're interested. Hope that helps.

Thanks very much Mrs RB - thats good advice - yes I think this right leg with its arthritis and age is going to be much more problematic (he was 6 when he had his first repair, 10 and 1/2 when he had the second on the right last month). The vet at Glenside has an underwater treadmill - so I'll ring in the morning and take it from there. I'll also get a review with my own vet after his massage in the morning! Gee its going to be a busy day! Thanks very much for your reply - much appreciated.

Thanks very much for your reply GR - yes a vet review is certainly warranted and I need to review his pain relief anyway - and I suspect it will be more surgery sooner rather than later - but exercise and massage in the meantime can't hurt. He's having a massage in the morning so will see how he is after that and take it from there. R and L is right - there is significant arthritis in both back legs and he has poor muscle development in both legs (a legacy of his puppy farm days) - so the massage will be good for him - and he absolutely loved the last one! I have been through exactly the same thing (or rather my dog has!) but I was just like you A. Two cruciate ops, one repair 'half' went almost 12 months later. Vet thought it might just have been scar tissue in the knee joint. I wasn't due to go back to the vet for another 2 weeks but within a week of last seeing the vet, I just called and booked my dog in for the surgery as I knew there was no point in waiting. And you are right, it's only making the 'good' leg more susceptible to damage, the longer you leave it. Good luck, hope everything turns out well!

Thanks R and L, - yep he is one amazing boy to still be so good natured after all he's been through. The swimming is certainly a good idea... a vet around the corner has a heated hydrotherapy pool - might investigate that tomorrow afternoon. Thanks for replying and hope all goes well with your baby too.

My boy is having another massage in the mornign - I'll ask for you...

Sorry to hear - how about some doggy massage? My old westie boy with dodgey joints who has recently had a 2nd ACL repair, responded really well to a session with a doggie masseuse!

My old boy westie had a left ear ablation last November which has gone really well. He had a left ACL repair back in 2006 and that has gone really well too - no further problems at all. Welll just when I thought we were through it all he blew his right ACL back in March... it was repaired on 1 April (DE technique?) - seemed to do well and then two weeks ago he was limping quite badly again - real three legged hopping... . So back to the vet we went and she thought he looked quite functional and was moving quite well - and then she examined him clinically and the joint was so loose she was sure he had blown the repair... she spoke with the surgeon and they decided since he was moving surprisingly well to wait and see if the joint capsule tightened up - that was last week - and he seemed to get better again - until he started not weight bearing on it again and three-legged hopping on it again tonight... We aren't due to go back to the vet again until the end of next week. But I think I'll need to take him back early and insist on another surgical repair. Don't have much faith this is going to end well without more surgery. Please could I have others opinions? Am I jumping the gun, or just being realistic? What are peoples experiences in these circumstances? One of the problems is he is an ex-puppy farm dog and a very stoic old man - so he can be in quite a lot of pain and not show it... and I'm worried about that good but vulnerable repaired left leg... Advice anyone?? Thanks.

Hi IR, Thanks this sounds very interesting - I too have dogs who are pretty good at cooperating with procedures so I'd be intersted in hearing more about this procedure. My guys sit there through whatever waiting for their liver treat! Just after my old boy came out of the puppy farm some years ago, the vet wiggled out a putrid tooth which must have been incredibly painful on the examination table without sedation - the tooth was that bad. He then turned around and licked the vet! So I'd be interested so I could then ask my vet to inverstigate with your vet so South Aussies have a choice too. My old boy in particular (who has had 3 GAs since November and is looking down the barrell of another if this latest ACL repair doesn't heal), has bad teeth from his puppy farm days and given the connection between bad teeth in dogs and heart disease I need to keep on top of the teeth cleaning problem - but the frequency of GA concerns me - so anything that might allow me to look after his teeth frequently and well while reducing the number of GAs he has in my mind is a good thing - and gives people choice. Thanks for the info.

Yep thats the one I use too - was there again tonight

I have one westie covered and one I decided not to cover since 2007 with Pet Plan. My girl had a bout of HGE so that was excluded for 12 months (fair enough) - otherwise she has no exclusions and they have been good to deal with and took about 3 weeks to pay a couple of claims. I decided not to cover my boy who was 7 at the time ( I think). His pre-exisiting conditions (skin ears ACL) meant they were going to permanently exclude everything but his right big toe. So I decided to up the mortgage repayments, save for his needs that way and redraw as required. I'm glad I did this as his surgery since November has been almost 4k and all would have been excluded under Pet Plan. So I just drew it down out of my mortgage. So the lessons learned for me are: 1. Insure early before puppy/dog develops any pre-existing conditions and potential permanent exclusions. 2. For puppies/dogs with multiple pre-exisitng conditions and permanent exclusions put at least the premium amount (and more if possible) into a mortgage/savings plan and draw down/out as required. (And treat it like paying a premium so you're not tempted to dip into it for other things!) Hope that helps

If she can't be bothered she needs to be relieved of the dog, at least temporarily so the poor creature can be properly looked after... (Sorry if I'm sounding a bit short this afternoon- I'm tired and sick of people like this who take on animals and then don't give them the care they need - for better or for worse... ). I don't know the dog's breeding. She got it from a work mate that had to rehome the dog, because they were expecting a baby. I forgot to add he also has ear infections often. h I have told her about the feeding on numerous occasions and even offered to make up a week's supply for her to try him out. The problem here, I think is that she can't be bothered, and it's much easier to open a bag of whatever. I have even offered to have him here to transition him over to raw, but short of kidnapping him I don't know what else I can offer. Gosh, my boys have been on raw since I got them and they enjoy their mealtimes, just as much as I enjoy feeding it to them. They have a freezer just for themselves.

twodoggies do you know what the cross is? Maltese is common and is IMO not a good combination - often have terrible coats , never shut up and a tendency to be passed around from home to home...

Yep Sammy, got it in one. Tell her to get the dog off the **%%$# dry food, get some moisture through raw food into the diet and through to the skin (dry skin is almost always itchy), go to a good groomer once every 6-8 weeks. One bath between groomer visits if necessary with a good quality shampoo like Groomers EPO (she's not using human shampoo is she?) - although you can use this more often if needs be. BTW, if its a Freedom Kennels westie cross then she's probably in bigger strife than she realises...

Yep I agree about the Anzac Highway vet. John Calder and Gerry Dean on Brighton Road used to be good when I lived down that way some years ago - not sure what sort of after hours service they offer these days but you could call and find out. Second the Adelaide Animal Hospital on Magill Road or alternatively my favourites run a good after hours service - Derek McNair's practice on The Parade at Norwood - The Parade Veterinary Clinic. Here's hoping you never need it. Hope that helps.

Hi westielover, Hmn... two of three of my westies mustn't be normal either!! They love people too - and the girl just loves men the tart!!! The third little boy is getting there (former rescue dog, poorly socialised - you know the story... ) - so all considered I think he's doing very well and people comment on how he's coming along - so I agree its how you raise them, train them and socialise them - like any dog. Mine are loving little white shadows - absolute snugglebums! Yes they can be a bit independent at times - but mine don't bark or dig either - they don't even chase the cat! (although I know some westies do). Oh and mine have been easy to train in a small group - but hopeless in a big group - too many smells! (Couldn't get his nose off the ground!! He is a terrier after all ). So don't discount westies - and the fact they are low/no shedding is such a blessing!! Good luck with whatever you decide.

I agree entirely showdog. Its also about knowing yourself - I couldn't 'do puppies' if my life depended on it!! (Well... I could in an absolute emergency... but I'd rather not!! I really am too old and I don't do sleep deprivation well! ) Which is why I take adults and admire those who do have puppies, even though even having adults is like perpetual toddlers IMO! Having said that, after getting up to my darling Mac 4 times last Friday night after he couldn't settle after his right ACL repair last Thursday, I was a tad sleep deprived and grumpy to say the least and wouldn't have it any other way! I do it all again ten times over.... I just hope that this mother and daughter people think more carefully about what age of dog suits them and their lifestyle in the future. But good on them for returning the puppy so promptly, so no harm done. ;)

Great stuff Ravyk. There is no such thing as an ideal weight loss diet for dogs IMO - so what you are doing is absolutely fine and most importantly working. Well done. The most important thing is to strip the weight off - Weight loss dry food failed dismally for my fatty westie - until finally I gave it all up and with vet approval put him on a diet of very lean meat like roo (80-100 gms) and bulked up the veggies so he wasn't too hungry - he too turned his nose up at the veggies initially - but he soon learnt they were better than completely starving - and now he wolfs them down. In fact his diet worked so well the vet now puts other fatties on 'Mac's Diet'.

3 westie dogs, 1 moggie cat, inner burbs, and thats enough! Although would take another foster if needed...

3 westie dogs, 1 moggie cat, inner burbs, and thats enough! Although would take another foster if needed...

Is Sydney Cats and Dogs a no or low kill shelter? How long has this little bloke got? Judging from the available piccies he looks like he might be a westie cross...??? Westielover are you around???