westiemum

Thanks very much guys - really appreciate the advice. Will pass it all on - the cleaning of teeth makes sense - any advice how to do this in an older dog with dodgy teeth who hasn't had her teeth cleaned before... - thanks again for any help. Cheers, Westiemum IMO being a people oral hygienst this is the only thing that will work especially if the dog has anything other than a perfect canine dentition (wolf shape). When plaque is left for over 24 hours it hardens to calculus when this happens nothing is going to get it off except a scaler. No food can knock off calculus its like barnacales on boat. It seems to me that small dogs terriers, cavs, pugs etc over react to calculus not all, but a lot. I have a 18 year old Mini Foxie who has had a few teeth removed due to gum disease. My 17 year old JRT has worn teeth but no signs of gum disease. I think the best thing to do is monitor your dog as a pup if you can see yellowish staining on the the gum edge of the back molars then you shoud commit yourself to having a dental done at the vet every few years and cleaning the dogs teeth daily. A lot of dogs don't build any calculus at all this is more do to with genes than diet. But feeding raw is the best for dental health.

Well said PM - one suspects said article writer is in the pay of a petfood company... Cheers, Weestiemum

Thanks Persephone and KitKat, Will pass those good suggestions on - any other suggestions? Cheers, Westiemum

Hi All, A friend who's ex-breeding dog (4 year old mature Cav when she got her, with bad teeth) insists on using Hills Oral Care as treats - but this food according to the ingredients is barely better than chaff. (She also gives bones but the teeth are fairly sparse which makes it difficult). So does anyone know of a better quality dental/oral dry food/kibble or maybe just a good quality kibble which works well with teeth as well? Any help and advice really appreciated. Cheers Westiemum

Hi, My westie girl was very car sick when I first got her and it seemed to be fear, anxiety and stress - so apart from all the above the other thing that helped her a lot was very short trips in the car to somewhere nice, gradually building up over a week or two. Yes it was a concentrated effort but it really worked and was worth the effort. So I had a concentrated daily practice of driving down the street to the corner and back again a couple of times (a very short distance!) , (and yes you feel like a dill!), then to the park 2 blocks away and getting out for a quick play and then home again, then to another park three blocks away and a play a couple of times, then to close -by friends who gave her a treat (after I clued them up...), then to the vet and they gave her a treat too (and she learnt to associate the vet with good stuff not just the bad), then to the great pet shop a bit further away... anyway you get the idea... now she can do my place to the Clare Valley (about 2 hours) without a problem. Oh and I also elevated her on a cushion on the back seat (harness and seat belt tether as well) so she could see out the window - that helped enormously too... Hope that helps, Cheers, Westiemum

Yep I used to give my guys the occasional chicken breast treat - you guessed it KraMar Supernaturals - got sucked in by the 'no artificial flavours, colours and preservatives'. Thank goodness they haven't had any for quite a while. Thanksk for posting the warning. Reinforces for me the wisdom of a raw/barf diet where I know EXACTLY what is in it. (I don't trust canned/commercial dog food either - if treats can't be trusted neither can cans/commercial dog food as far as I'm concerned). IMO our quest for superfast feeding and convenience is hurting our dogs. The only 'treats' my guys have had for a while is Blackmore's fish oil tablets - and they love them :D . Cheers Westiemum

Well well... canine candida... never occurred to me but thinking about it, it makes sense... thanks Cavandra. Yes I think raw diets can help enormously - my old boy, now 9, has arthritis in at least one back leg (confirmed during ACL surgery), yet he seems to move really well these days - and he's been on a raw diet for almost two years now - so yes I think raw doets can be a big help. Cheers, Westiemum

Hi Neats. Welcome to DOL. I've got so much wonderful advice and information from many generous DOLers in the couple of years I've been here - and I'm sure my westies are far better for it. The wealth of knowledge and experience on this forum is really quite mind-blowing. And this thread I think is a great example of it - the right products and routine (which was a really important factor as well) coupled with the right diet have made a huge difference to my dogs. The EPO products are marvellous - I've heard of people with psoriasis on their hands improving immensely through bathing their dogs with this stuff - but I have absolutely no doubt a good diet plays a significant part as well. I'm an absolute raw/barf with elements of prey diet advocate - no commercial dog food whatsoever - and I really dislike feeding our dogs what I think is 'convenient rubbish'. Another DOLer once said to me feeding commercial dog food is like feeding your kids McDonalds every day (sorry I can't remember who) - so I never do it. I save a fortune in vet bills (mine haven't been for over 12 months) and once in a routine, I spend a little more time each evening feeding my guys good food - barf patties, veggies, chicken necks, raw meaty bones, yoghurt, offal, chicken frames, lamb flaps, cheap chewy meat. And they're thriving. Having said all that - each to their own. But I think red itchy dogs might really benefit from trying these types of regimes - and talking to Lynda from Groomers really helped as well to make sure I got the right products and routine - but as I said early in thread - it really is a bit of 'trial and error' and 'horses for courses'. Cheers, Westiemum

I'm with Arty Farty - I genuinely don't have the time to make my own barf patties - time's money too in my house - so I buy the barf patties and my guys love them - and given how much time it saves me I think they are fine from a cost point of view. And they are better balanced than I could get them making my own. So coupled with a varied diet of raw meaty bones, eggs, yoghurt, offal, fish, chicken frames, and veggies (frozen and raw) I think they are doing pretty well - and they haven't been to the vet all year. So if you live near where they are made and can get them cheaply then, as AF said, 'Go for it'! Cheers, Westiemum

Hi Laffi, Yes he is still on the vet grade EPO shampoo (condition of his adoption!! ) but not the food supplement. He completed one bottle of that only. He's on a raw/barf diet as far as I know. Cheers, Westiemum

Just reviving this thread to show the progress that gorgeous foster westie, Eddie, who we had earlier in the year, has made. I've posted some photos in rescue general discussion but knowing many people don't go there I thought I would post them here too. You might remember the boy had a terrible coat - really thin, no undercoat, like straw and bare in patches. He also had a red raw infected bottom and was underweight among other things... He completed a course of EPO food supplement and was shampooed intensively with EPO vet grade shampoo. Here he is a few days after we got him back in December last year... note the texture and colour of coat... And here is at the groomers on Saturday after his bath and bow-dry and before his clip - and yes his coat is as think soft and shiny as it looks... sorry the photo isn't marvellous - he was really wriggly - but it gives you a good idea of his fabulous coat... his groomer is absolutley gob-smacked and thinks the difference in his coat since December when she first started clipping him is amazing I have no doubt a great diet and lots of TLC from his wonderful new parents have helped too - but I'm sure the EPO shampoo has played a big part as well. Cheers, Westiemum Ed to correct typos and add that the second photo was taken and both photos posted with the kind permission of his wonderful new Mum.

Hi CavsRcute, An excellent question and the truth is I'm not sure - I do notice a freeing up of my boys movement just after he has his sylvet capsule - so I'm sure the capsules help. Yet my gut tells me the jointguard helps too - my vet says his ACL repaired joint is very solid (in the good sense), so if I was a betting woman I'd say its both the capsules and the supplements - but having said that I can't be completely sure... Hope that helps... a bit! Cheers, Westiemum Just a little hijack LOL Westiemum, Do you think the sylvet capsules have made a difference or do you think it's the combination of all the supplements?My girl is on Jointguard and fish oil as well as Traumeel for her HD, and the sylvet capsules were suggested by a vet a couple of months ago. The vet where we go for our acupuncture, also is doing stem cell transplants, which I'm also looking into.

Oh Congratulations newnewf!! Good going! Having been down this road with my porky westie who I stripped almost three kgs off (10+ kgs down to 7.2), I couldn't believe the difference it made to him - he bounces around like a puppy these days at the age of 9! And all it took was a raw diet of tiny portions of 'roo and bulk veggies! So 'being cruel to be kind' worked a treat here. More progress piccies please??? Cheers, Westiemum

Love it! How true!! Couldn't have said it better myself! Cheers, Westiemum

That look says it all... I don't like it - and think it looks just plain stooopid... but as someone else said - each to their own... As a westie owner who is acutely aware of looking after my dogs skin, I'd never do it... too worried about colour seeping into their skin and setting off a totally unexpected reaction... I've worked too hard on my dogs skin to muck it up now... Cheers, Westiemum

Yep ditto. On a regime here of cartrophen injections first short-term, then to sylvet capsules long-term and all along joint guard and fish oil capsules (one a day - they think they are a treat! ) - and its worked brilliantly - my boy appears pain free and at 9 years is bouncing around like a puppy. Oh and heaps of cuddles and massage of old joints... Hope that helps Cheers Westiemum :p

Yep another EPO Shampoo fan here - used it with my foster and his terrible coat earlier in the year and it made a huge difference. Still use it with my westies. Good luck. Cheers, Westiemum

No problems here either Cheers Westiemum

Thanks Poodlefan - yes I think so and agree - would be good to hear from anyone else who might know/have an opinion - as the logical conclusion if caging predisposes to injury of this sort through poor muscle development then its another reason for legislating against those evil pfs.... there... I've said it! Cheers, Westiemum There is a definite link between obesity and ACL rupture. I'll defer to the experts but I'd have thought lack of muscle bulk/tone would place additonal stress on the ligament.

Hi Again, Yes I agree - I think weight control is critical in managing dogs with ACL injuries successfully - just seems common sense to me so well done getting Daphnes weight down - I'm sure that will make a big difference to her and I know what hard work that is. Yes I let my boys weight get away from me too, early on, after I got him as a newly desexed 6 year old - and paid the price - as did he. I now have an arrangement at the vets that whenever we are passing I pop in and put both westies on the scales and they record it in their notes so we can keep a close eye on it (Which reminds me I should try and get back there next week). Back when he was on his serious weight loss diet big-time, I was expected to front up to the vet for a weekly weigh in!! But it worked - and kept me motivated and on track as the weight came off. I have had no success whatsoever in keeping my guys from jumping on and off the furniture - although luckily, now the ACL is well healed it doesn't seem to make any difference to him - and I actually wonder given his poor leg muscles whether it may have actually helped... hmn... not sure... Anyway welcome to DOL - and will look forward to hearing of Daphnes progress - paws crossed for you here! Cheers Westiemum

Slightly off topic, but I was just thinking... anyone know if there is any relationship between caged dogs and/or poor leg muscle development and/or ACL tears/ruptures?? I've long been suspicious that my boys history (weight difficulties aside), possibly predisposed him to a ruptured ACL and/or arthritis ... would make an interesting research project... Just a thought... Cheers, Westiemum

Hi Daphne, Yes I too would support the 'wait and see' for 4-6 weeks and with your vet, make a call then... My westie boy, who is a rescue ex-puppy farm breeding dog, with poor back leg musculature development and arthritis (we suspect from spending most of his first 5 years in a small cage ) blew his left ACL as an overweight 7 year old (desexed late as a six year old and then I fed him too much!! ) . We did the wait and see (and diet!) approach but for us it didn't work - he would improve a bit and then bang! Overnight he would be back to hopping around and was absolutely miserable - and I think in considerable pain. So at about the five week mark I went back to my wonderful Vet and said I thought it was time for surgery and he agreed. He did a fantastic job on the surgery, I did a fantastic job on getting his excess weight off (absolutely critical in my opinion - had to be 'cruel to be kind' - so it was a barf diet heavy on the veggies in the weight loss phase), until I got his weight down to the low side of normal - so now he's a 'lean mean westie machine' :rofl: He's now a new dog at the age of 9, and is bouncing around like a puppy and appears to be pain free. I also use Joint Guard, Fish Oil capsules and Sylvet capsules (after a course of Cartrophen injections) with him and it appears to be making quite a difference - at least it can't hurt. And my gorgeous Weight Nazi of a Vet tells me off every time he puts on a gram - so I watch his weight like a hawk! (Its worse than going to Weight Watchers!) So I really hope you have a lot of luck with 'wait and see'... but don't be afraid of surgery with a good experienced vet if you don't... its worked brilliantly here... Hope that helps. Cheers, Westiemum

Yep a good solution/precaution - I also make sure I put them in the side of their mouth - that way they have to chew a couple of times before swallowing - and I supervise them. Haven't had any problems even though my two are real desexed foodaholics Cheers, Westiemum

I bet they do!!! Cheers, Westiemum And no my vet is not a dry food 'pusher' - you can buy it if you want but he doesn't 'push' it.

Hi, Had a similar problem with my westie - cut back his dry food over and over until he was getting very little but it didn't help (and no he wasn't getting anything else) - and he was miserable. So under vet supervision I cut out all dry food and put him a raw barf diet - heavy on the veggies to start with - a chicken neck (one!) snack in the morning and a small meal at night. Then gradually upped the exercise. The weight fell off. Then once he was back to his low normal weight I added more protein back into his diet gradually until he started to put it on again and then I cut him back again until he was maintaining. I hate those so called low calorie dry foods - yuck!! But as everyone knows I'm biased!! Each to their own. BTW there have been a number of great threads on weight loss/fat dogs - suggest you do a search - they are well worth reading Good luck. Hope that helps Cheers, Westiemum :p