westiemum

Another great illustration why BSL has to go here. This is a great story.

What brand of flea bombs do people recommend and where's the best place to get them please? TIA.

Yep what would we do without DOL!!! Thank you to everyone who helped Mac get mobile again and who helped me and responded so warmly -VM I never thought about it that way but it's nice having a 2 legged pack as well as my 4 legged one!!!

Not speying but Mac had emergency surgery for laryngeal paralysis at 14 with a GA - he came through with flying colours. If your bitch is otherwise healthy (I'd run the pre-op bloods to check), then she should come through the surgery and GA fine. ETA : yes make sure they give her plenty of fluids if you decide to go ahead.

Thanks BC - yes this particular pram is just ideal for Mac and me - and it's even better now I've had a bit of practice. I'm not sure Perse realised just how clever she was spotting it for me. It really is perfect for him and he so loves being able to lie down and see out and be pushed to the park. And for $50 it's a bargain!

Perse thank you thank you thank you!

Hi All, A quick update on the Macmobile - its really brilliant. Mac seems to absolutely love it - he didn't want to get out of it when we got home from our walk this afternoon - and its so easy to manouvre with one hand with Andy and Sarah on a double lead at the side. Yesterday I was out with a girlfriend with them all as she wanted to look at dog beds at the local pet shop (no live animals). And Mac was baulking just getting from the shop back to the car ark. So the Macmobile has been a life saver. Can highly recommend this solution if you have an elderly dog who really can't walk anymore. Photos from today: Mac looks very comfy! And interestingly after I put him back in it to come home from the park he turned around to face me. As you can see its an ideal fit for him. I'm just so pleased with this solution for my old man - it makes such a difference to him.

Thats a brilliant idea! Damn that I'm not close enough for a Ruby kiss! Maybe you could sell virtual Ruby kisses for those of us interstate!

Oh goodness! So it's not just me!! My mother found flea dirt on Macs neck - I was horrified! We've never had fleas! Top-spotted them all quick smart and that seems to have worked... I hope!

Absolutely gorgeous photos - its the one thing that you miss out on when you have adult rescues - all the cute puppy photos!! Never mind - they more than make up for it in other ways.

Oh and Happy 14th Birthday Mac - with lots of love from my Mac!! Hope you have a really special day with lots of . My Mac is about to go out in his Macmobile - but he's on a diet! (as is his mother...

How on earth did you get Athena to sit like that!!! Brilliant!! My naughty lot would have devoured that delicious dinner in ten seconds flat! As for Krislin - get in line!!!

Thanks DD - I tell we can go crazy trying to manage this stuff!

Quick update - another good week without any repeat of the full-on blue from last weekend. A bit of snappy growly on Macs part - but Mum said something interesting last night - that she had noticed it happens when Andy surprises Mac, remembering his vision is deteriorating and he's quite deaf. So suspect there's something in that.

Fantastic. Congratulations everyone involved in this victory. Hope the video is seen worldwide.

I understand from a former geneticist that's not quite true - genetic testing can determine a majority breed. It's dogs with multiple/many breeds where it becomes more difficult to determine genetic type and majority breed and yet even then by definition how do you reliably classify such a dog as a restricted breed if there is no majority breed genetically? If a dog is genetically a majority unrestricted mixed breed as people seem to believe Ruby is, then legally on balance of probabilities she can't be classified as a restricted breed. Ie if her genotype is predominantly one breed, logically it doesn't matter how it expresses phenotypically (appearance). I'm really pleased that common sense has prevailed here and Ruby has gone home.

If Ruby can be shown to definitively not be a restricted breed I think she should become the poster girl of a campaign to overturn NSW BSL as then the dominoes in other states might start to fall on this absolute nonsense legislation. She is a classic example and this is a classic case- study of everything that is wrong with BSL. I think it was Mita who hit it on the head. We don't imprison people based on appearance - so we shouldn't execute dogs based on appearance either. Preaching to the converted I know but this craziness makes me so mad.

Yep thanks RMS - and I'll also check his thyroid as well as HW suggested next time I'm there. And yes I will need to be more astute and questioning next time.

Woohoo! I'm sure she'll feel much better now she's home. Take care Panto.

Yes Perse it does seem better since I stopped his medication. He's with his grandmother for the day today and I've asked her to watch and tell me how he goes. RMS not the vet didn't warn me - and yes he should have. I'll have that discussion with him next time I see him. At least no accidents so far... so fingers crossed the medication was enough to last him a while - at least until I get back into my own house.

Amen to that!!

Another good day aggression and fighting wise - and nothing even remotely like the full on blue with Andy from Saturday night. So I'm becoming more and more suspicious that it was the Propalin that caused the problem. A few more days and I'll know.

Yes you do know when you need to consider surgery. And there's a lot of truth in that - the ongoing costs of trying this and that can be substantial, particularly when stacked up against surgery costs. But when a trusted vet says 'we're at the end of the road' then I knew surgery was the only option. I hope it doesn't come to that for your guys. But if it does you'll know. I insisted on one last swab/path test when Mac appeared clinically clear to be absolutely sure (the vet said he's clear and further path was unnecessary) and it came back with heavy resistant infection and no further AB suggestions - the vet was as devastated as I was - so off we went for surgery. Surgery showed the middle and inner ear from memory, was chock a block full of putrid cottage cheese consistency infection - apparently the smell was unbelievable. It was long tough surgery too - four hours and two GAs. The infection was behind the ear drum so not obvious on clinical exam. (Where's tympanometry for dogs when you need it?). Bear in mind the surgery removes the hearing mechanism so the dog becomes deaf in that ear. In Macs case after surgery I discovered he had very little hearing in the other ear so was functionally deaf. But at least he's a pain- free, happy deaf old Westie! And we've all adjusted very well to his deafness. I automatically get in his line of sight to get his attention without even thinking about it these days and he cues well off the other westies. So overall it's worked well for us. Good luck. Will be very interested to hear how you get on.

WooHoo! Well done! So thrilled for the beautiful Ruby. DD I agree entirely - as well as getting rid of BSL we should get rid of all councils. Useless bureaucratic nightmares that they are.

Thanks boronia and RMS - Mac now hasn't had any Propalin since Saturday night and seems calmer - no aggression today - although according to the house-mate he was a bit sick this afternoon - luckily not on the carpet. Maybe a bit of withdrawal. No signs of the incontinence so far either - so fingers and paws crossed my lovely old boy will be OK. (He's snoring his head off at the moment). Will enquire about the Incurin next time I'm at the vet. But so far all quiet on the western front. Thanks everyone.