westiemum

Yes I got the control on the Pfizer trial - and the Atopica worked really well for Sarah until I'm convinced she became incomtinemt on it - and it was far too expensive. So I'd be interested to try the new one as well.

I usually leave a stamped addressed envelope with the forms and my vet then kindly signs and sends - I find it's quicker that way.

Is this the same drug that Pfizer ran clinical trials for back in 2012 with Atopica as the control? Does anyone know??

I agree with Perse - whatever your dog does best on is best. I'm a raw feeder and so I don't feed dry except in emergencies. But I did try Black Hawk as the back- up food - but it made Sarah very itchy - and the moment I took her off it she stopped itching. But other dogs do very well on it. So it's what your dog does best on. In my case it's raw.

I've always moistened the westies food - I put the water the veggies have been heated through in in with their raw meat - that way I make sure they are well hydrated. One thing I learned through Mac's laryngeal paralysis is that dry food is usually too 'dusty' for dogs with open airways after tie-back surgery. The dust is enough to cause aspiration pneumonia in tie-back dogs like Mac, so dry food must be 'damped' down. Hasn't been a problem here as I feed raw and 'damp' routinely. But it's probably worth considering generally how 'dusty' some dry food is.

Good post Danois. But I still maintain grief is grief. If you deal with it by going to work safely and productivity that's great. But I've had to send someone home who came to work a mess after the death of a cat - and it throws everyone else around them. A lawyer I know had a complete meltdown on the death of her bird who she'd had for over 30 years. So I'm not sure there's one hard fast rule. We offer 12 days paid personal leave and 2 (?) days bereavement leave per service year which can be used flexibly. Our policy is worded deliberately in terms of 'members of an employees household' to be fair to all different types of households - singles with 4 legged companions as well as shared households. Not everyone is in a traditional family or a traditional couple. So from my perspective if people have leave available and can legitimately use it for animal companion death then IMO there's no reason not to. BTW I'll probably front to work when Mac falls off his twig. But that's me and not necessarily right for everyone.

Issy you won't regret the Conni pads. Perse suggested them for me sometime ago and they've been brilliant. I have them on my bed and the lounge and they've saved my bed on more than one occasion. (I couldn't bear to banish Mac just because he was occasionally incontinent) I also bought one of the 'proper' Conni incontinence mattress protectors - I've also put vet bed under all their material/foambeds on the floor - so all bases covered - in combo it all works really well.

Oh and while we're at it - places that 'spring' stuff on you after you've booked and arrived are lousy. Last night I arrived in the cold Clare Valley to a dark cold cottage - not even a porch light. Oh well I thought - quickly get the fire going to make it cosy. No wood. The owners don't advertise, put in their t's and c's, on their website or in their pre-booking emails that they now charge for wood which was previously included and you have to ask and pay extra for it or it's not there. I wouldn't have have minded so much if I'd known up front. Similarly arrived to a written threat of a pet cleaning charge and a whole raft of pet rules which were not up front. So while I'm being my usual careful self - I still think it's pretty lousy to spring stuff like this on people once they arrive and not be up-front about it. Needless to say I won't be back.

I agree - the dog has nothing to do with it. All bedding should be changed between guests. I stayed at a dog friendly B and B at Port Elliot last February where I'm sure the sheets on all the beds hadn't been changed. Complained bitterly. How people can do that and charge what they do I'll never know. As to dogs on beds - I ensure they sleep on their own blankets on beds and cover all the furniture. As otherwise I spend the weekend telling Sarah in particular to get off the lounge. It makes for a lot less stressful weekend for me. I'm away for the long weekend at the moment and I bought one bag for me - the boot was full of the westies gear - blankets, bowls, beds, food, meds... ETA sorry I wasn't clear - I don't book pet friendly accomodation which doesn't allow dogs inside or specifies a whole raft of rules upfront. I take my business elsewhere and have never not had the westies invited back. I'm very very particular when I'm in other peoples houses - probably more so than I am at home.

All great advice. The Conni pet pads are brilliant and hold a lot of wee and prevent your dog lying in wee for the rest of the night. Well worth the price. I use them on the lounge as well. Vet bed is a must for old dogs as well to protect their skin - and I find it washes well and dries quickly. The other blankets which are brilliant are the $3.95 or 4.95 Ikea acrylic blankets. My westies adore them and they wash like rags and are almost dry after a good spin. I have 6 - 8 of them. Good luck and good on you for working around your dogs needs.

Yep FG this is my point - grief is grief and people shouldn't always be at work during times of bereavement - I find they often aren't productive or become a WHS risk - I'd rather they had legitimate carers or annual leave if they need it, look after themselves and come back focussed and come back to work well.

I think grief is grief - doesn't matter whether the family member who has died has 2 legs or 4.

Julie I know you have help you couldn't do without - but the drive you've shown to get the first one up and running and then keep it going is incredible. Congratulations to you too. One day I'd love to get to one.

Sigh... Yes I've got to know this subject well. First is a vet check to rule out easily treatable conditions. My Mac and Sarah both take Stilboestrel for urinary incontinence. But as they've both got older they seem to forget their toilet training (or else it's the dreadful carpet in the house-sit I'm in at the moment). I've used pants for my girl with a Poise pad or similar and belly bands and a pad for the boys. Although Mac appears to be becoming faecally incontinent as well so he has started getting pants and a pad and a belly band or disposable baby pants with a hole cut out for his tail. All those solutions work pretty well. Petstock stock pants in various sizes and you can buy belly bands online - or I've made my own easily. Hope that helps.

My boys are pretty pristine - but Sarah If there's something gross around she'll find it - I'm sure it's her version of perfume!!! My gorgeous grubby girl!!! Thanks for all those great ideas - potato flour also on the list. She gets a grubby bottom every now and then. Meantime she's pretty good at the moment after three baths yesterday. One thing - I've also cleaned her ears with Epi-Otic as her ears and head were pretty smelly and I was scared she might have got poo actually in her ears. Great Sunday morning conversation!!!

Now the dust has settled, Mum says she thinks it might have been human poo too - it was covered with leaves and stank to high hell. Baby wipes on the next shopping list. Thanks everyone.

OK thanks all - drama over and we now have one clean but wet Westie! Mum had used velvet soap but she still smelt. So I got there via Petstock and a tube of Blackmores shampoo (the only one they had without oatmeal which makes her itchy). Seems to have worked fine. The baby wipes is a brilliant idea - as is the detergent as a back- up - thanks all - can't upset the Westie sitting at this stage!

Hi All, What's the best thing to remove poo of unknown origin, probably dog, from a white coat ? Homemade or commercial shampoo? What else? Sarah has apparently rolled in poo while being dog-sat at the mothers while I'm at a conference - and the usual very sensible mother has gone into meltdown. On my way there now but please could I have some suggestions? Happy to stop at Petstock or the supermarket if required or are there better homemade options??? TIA.

Best place I've found for baby newborn socks for paws is Woolies - they sell them in two pair packs for four paws so us a bit cheaper.

Gorgeous Jules. Lucky Toby. Very happy for you all. Yes these things have habit of working out when they do. Part of the plan.

Absolutely on both counts. And for my other old girl I continue to pay her Pet Plan premiums as she's too old to change now. As for Mac, I've borrowed from my mortgage, lived on rice and lentils and stacked up credit cards to the point I'm sure I could have had a year in first class on the Queen Mary for what I've spent! But he's my boy, my heart dog, my first, my 'floorboards' () and while he still has good quality of life I'll continue to hand the credit card over... and close my eyes and sign... This pretty much sums up how I feel with Issy. We call her our "new roof" rather than floor boards though. One of her ops was $6,000.00 dollars. Her hip joint on the other side is just as bad so I will give up a lot before I have to let her insurance lapse. I definitely think she is worth it whilst she has good quality of life. Exactly coogie who needs a roof or a floor anyway!!

Absolutely on both counts. And for my other old girl I continue to pay her Pet Plan premiums as she's too old to change now. As for Mac, I've borrowed from my mortgage, lived on rice and lentils and stacked up credit cards to the point I'm sure I could have had a year in first class on the Queen Mary for what I've spent! But he's my boy, my heart dog, my first, my 'floorboards' () and while he still has good quality of life I'll continue to hand the credit card over... and close my eyes and sign...

Congratulations and well done. The cleft lip (BTW not 'hare lip' - that term went out with the ark!) shouldn't be a major problem - just make absolutely sure she is desexe, preferably before she leaves you and make sure she is NEVER bred from - otherwise she should make someone a lovely pet.

Here's the Choice link. It generally seems that at most price points there's PetPlan and the rest. But I think this was written prior to the recent price hikes so be careful. Like I said the devil will be in the detail. Hope it helps.

Yep Petplan seemed to be the insurers of choice for a long time - and people were generally happy with their premiums (they seemed fair), response to claims and their service. But I suspect that has changed with the latest huge hike in their premiums. So it might pay to shop around really thoroughly and read the fine print. All is not as it seems with pet insurance. Have heard some terrible stories - and really the worth of insurance is when you need to claim - so cheapest is not always best. I think Choice looked at the issue recently... I'll post a link if I can...