westiemum

My Mac has had three ACL repairs - the first six months after I got him as a six year old fresh out of a cage/run at a notorious puppy farm. He blew it running across an oval with some other dogs, having the time of his life. My vet commented that his back leg musculature was very underdeveloped - and I think it was caused by living most of his early life in a cage. He went onto blow the other one a couple of years later and had to have 2 further surgeries when the first one failed and the back leg angle had to be re-aligned along with the ACL repair. So while I'm sure there are auto-immune causes I suspect there are other environmental causes as well.

Big dog in a small dogs body? That's a Westie. I rehomed a quiet 4 year old girl Westie with an 80 year old - so match made in heaven for an older person.

Mac often can't sit comfortably after all the surgery he's had re-building his back-end. But he's 14.5 years not 12 months old. I'd be xraying and getting a second opinion.

SG I stood hard on Andy's paw on Friday - and he can be a bit of a drama queen. He held it up at me as if I'd killed it. He limped lightly for the rest of the afternoon but a left over tramadol meant he was fine by the next morning. If Patty continues to improve and starts to weight bear I'm not sure I'd bother with the vet - just keep up the pain relief and an anti-inflam if you have it. If pup is no better on Sunday morning and still not weight bearing - then off to the vet with you regardless. If you run out of tramadol then I'd be off to the vet.

Perse he looks absolutely fantastic!!! Good find! Gee you're good at hunting out dogs and stuff!

Eddie Perse is right about the wait for puppies - so you might want to decide on your breed shortly, get to know some breeders and get on their list as soon as you can as you may need to wait for a litter.

I had a neighbour here who wanted to give cooked quail to my dogs, I think to quiet them down - but ran into my mother as she was coming down the drive! The strange things some people do. I was horrified - all those tiny cooked bones - and an old westie who's a regular garbage guts with an open airway!

Allwake thats so true - the first thing I'm going to do in the new house is get my marvellous cleaning lady back!!! Oh how I miss her!!!

Not so. Dogs can also experience shock, grief, the terrible pain of loss. Yep I agrree - the one helpful thing my house-mate/landlord has done since I've been in the house-sit is to tell me the day Andy went to doggy daycare and Sarah was left at home she didn't bark - she howled. She was devastated at being separated from her little buddy. SO lesson learned - dogs grieve and keep both of them together at doggy daycare or at home.

Excellent discussion - Eddie I hope we haven't scared you off but as an owner of three westies - the advice here is sound. I'm in a house-sit at the moment while I rebuild. And at the house-sit despite sleeping in my bedroom at night, having toys, bones and a doggy door installed and access to the small courtyard outside and the kitchen and laundry (while I'm not there), I still ended up with a barking problem. And these are westies for whom I had never had one complaint about their behaviour before in the old house in all the years we were there. Managing them here has been really tough on them and on me. So think this through carefully. As Perse (?) said, dogs are pack animals and are happiest and best adjusted when they are occupied, well socialised, and part of the family which becomes their 'pack' (which is why you need to become their 'pack leader' - but thats a discussion for another time). Good on you for asking the difficult questions and please take the advice in the way its intended - you'll find so much help here even if sometimes its a bit direct . Oh and about a cat - I'm not so sure that this arrangement would suit most cats either - all the cats I've had would be desperately unhappy living away from the house and family - probably because they were handled and spoilt rotten!

Denali. I'm so sorry - i lost my father unexpectedly so I do know how you are feeling. I can't aadd anything - its all really good advice except to say to keep his routine going as much as possible so he expects life to go on - even if its with someone new. Best.

Hysterical!! Gonna send it to my 'no animals on the furniture' friend!!

I'd really like to try this - thanks for that link VM - if you want to treat a courtyard, a carpeted house and three westies how much would I need to buy please?

I desexed my two male mature rescue westies immediately I got them - the first at age six and the second around four or five. For me the question is not if to desex but when. And I think there is growing evidence we are desexing too early - so I'm starting to think not before 12 months or at least not until the growth plates have closed over. I think hormones are probably important to early development.

Lived there for two years in the nineties. Loved it but hated the paralysis ticks - you really have to be super vigilant. Yes pet friendly is really hard to get. I ended up buying under pressure and dropped 10k when I eventually sold . I suggest you pick a couple of big real estate firms and make friends with the agents and actually have them meet your dog(s). Also look at properties just outside Coffs - up and down the coast and inland to Belligen (just beautiful) - that might be easier. Good luck.

Agree with all the above. What I can't understand is how could the girlfriend ever sleep with him again???

DD every since I got these guys, if I take them out with me down the street when I have a half hour of jobs to do I allow at least an hour. People constantly stop me to ask about them and they don't just say hello, they want to chat!!! Mac and Andy are the best ambassadors bar none for rescue dogs (yes I know I'm biased!) People are staggered when I tell them they are both puppy farm rescues (and politely tell them Mac and Andy are examples of why no one should ever buy farmed dogs). Add the Macmobile with Mac on his pillow and drop the fact he's 14.5 and I don't get anything done!!!! . People just love to see him sitting up like Jacky. They ooo and aah as if he's a new baby and don't believe he's a senior until I explain he needs the stroller to get around in these days. The usual reaction is 'what a great idea' . They want to know his story - so of course I happily oblige - and he just loves the attention!!! I like to think he's a wonderful ambassador for elderly rescue dogs and has convinced some people to go the purebred and/or rescue route. Love him to bits - he's snoring on the end of my bed at the moment...

The Westie pulling the cart looks like Andy!! He and Mac aren't the best of friends so I doubt he'd be too impressed!!!

What trifecta said so well. The time is coming when I'm going to have to start thinking about this with Mac too. In thinking about it, the day he isn't interested in food, or is not interested in his surroundings, can't get up and is obviously very unhappy is the day that my heart will break and I'll make 'that decision' for him. I think it will be a 'quality of life' decision but I'm genuinely not sure what that will look like. But I did wonder about your girl as she still seems to be enjoying life even if she is a bit wobbly? I've just started some acupuncture with Mac and I think it's really helped his wobbly back- end.. He potters around still slowly, but much more steadily after his acupuncture session. Might that help make your girl a bit more comfortable too? Anyway just some thoughts and prayers for you and your girl.

What KC said as you also need to take a witness with in case you need verification later. I'd go and see them and take 1k and ask for the pup in return fir a full refund.

Just popping to say I'm so jealous of you NSW south-coasters - probably my favourite part of Australia. Kicking myself I didn't buy house at South Durras when i had the chance many years ago.

OK yes it was Mac's surgeon Richard who I think is fantastic - and he was highly critical of what he thought was a missed initial diagnosis that resulted in a 19k vet bill. I'll leave others to comment as I'm biased - Richard has done two big elective surgeries for Mac (Tibial wedge ACL repair and complete ear ablation) And an emergency laryngeal 'tie-back' to clear his closed airway at 11.30 on a Sunday night. And I think he did a great job and charged very fairly for all three procedures. Did anyone else see it?

Just thought Adelaide and surrounds people might be interested - and might be on interstate too. I think there is a report on variations in vet fees tonight on Channel 7 at 6.30 pm. I took a double take at the shorts (I wasn't really paying attention) as I think I saw that its Mac's surgeon who is on it - but I only caught the end. If it is, he's operated on Mac 3 times for major surgeries - the last one life saving - so might be interesting to hear what he has to say.

Yep BC I covered Sarah's eyes at that part of the story so she wouldn't be jealous! Pink us definitely her colour!

Yep Isn't Remy beautiful!!! He's the canine version of my old grey cat Mark who now lives with my Mum. It's a wonderful story. I just will never understand people abandoning their animals to a shelter just because they are old.