westiemum

Yep the thread Perse linked to is brilliant. I'm a raw feeder. And my three westies do extraordinary well on a raw diet. I also keep it simple - I shop for the westies when I shop for me - buy human grade meat on special, the raw mix from Adelaide Dog (which yellow girl discusses in the thread and became the basis of the raw mix she sells) - brilliant stuff, veg in season (zucchini and carrots are favs), Black and Gold frozen mixed veg, chicken necks, frames and wings, turkey necks, RMBs, Woolies cans of mackerel and sardines as a cupboard back-up. I don't have time for a lot of fuss so I keep it really simple. And my older guys last blood panels in July last year were perfect - amazing for a 14.5 and 12.5 year olds.

Good for you Clover. I'm in a house-sit in in a wonderful house where things work for three weeks with 5 dogs and 2 cats (Including my three westies) - and aircon !!! And we're all holed up in the family room happy and cool - no more cranky pants!! (At least for the moment)!

Yay! Really pleased for you both. Hope he's home with you soon Rascal.

Boronia your Mac is just gorgeous - such a special boy. Gee they're special at this age. Will post my Mac over the weekend.

Indeed Give him the bill.

Thanks guys - does it make any difference to how I manage it if it's fear, excitement or anxiety?

Rascal I'm so sorry - what a ghastly ghastly time for you. All prayers for your pup here. I agree with Little Gifts. I'd give the vet bill to your neighbour and ask for payment - you're unlikely yo get it IMO but it makes a point.

Hi All, I'm currently house-sitting at friends while they are OS - and am incredibly grateful for their air-conditioning! As well as my three westies, I'm looking after two cats, a lovely 8 year old Dally and a 12 month old rescue Cav…. Its the Cav I'd love some advice on - I took him and the Dally for a walk to the park tonight, for the first time, which is about 100 metres, if that at the end of the street. The Dally was fine on and off lead - the Cav barked and barked - from the front door to the park and all the time we were in the park, and the barking escalated badly with other dogs in the distance. The moment we turned for home the barking stopped and he walked quietly home and hasn't barked since. He was on the lead the whole time. This is the first time I've tried to walk him - and not sure i can continue if I can't find someway of controlling his barking (Yes this is a problem for his owner too). Hes a lovely boy otherwise - but the barking (fear?) is a real problem. Advice please! TIA.

Staffyluv, my Westie Andy has occasional focal epilepsy and is not medicated - so I can't help you there. (Andy doesn't lose consciousness or become incontinent - he simply head shakes side to side uncontrollably for 3-6 minutes). But I do find he's more susceptible in hot weather roughly between November and March. It's rare he has a seizure in winter. It will probably help you a lot if you keep a diary - I bought a cheap one especially for the purpose. Record time,date, duration, temperature and description - and if you know what he was doing before the seizure that might help too. It's useful to see if there's a pattern - it's how I realised Andy is more susceptible in summer and make sure he stays as cool as possible. Hope that helps and good luck.

Mystery solved! During the recent Adelaide heat Mac has preferred to sleep on his side on the floor rather than on my bed - I suspected because it's cooler - but didn't connect it with the drafts.

Good news Stitch. Hope it works well for your old girl. She'll be much happier and much more comfortable.

'Patrick' - love the name honeybun!!! Yes it is good when it works and they are happy.

Yep as hare down says - take a fresh wee with you. I usually keep a couple of the yellow screw top wee jars at home for the purpose - but any clean screw top jar will do - doesn't have to be sterile. I follow target Westie out in the mornings for their first wee, kidney dish or cleaned foam meat tray in hand and the moment they squat/lift leg shove said dish/tray underneath them - then transfer collected wee to tightly screwed jar. You don't need a jar full - just a bit You get quite practiced at it.

Stitch how old is she and what breed? This is relatively easy to solve. My 12 year old Westie Sarah was wetting overnight and was soooo distressed by it. Off to the vet - she's been on Stilboestrel for 12 months (?) - 1mg tab for 5 days then 2 per week - Monday mornings and Thursday nights. Problem solved. Propalin is the other drug I know of which my 14.5 year old Mac is on after the Stilboestrel seemed to reduce in effectiveness. He changed from Stilboestrel 6 weeks ago and the Propalin seems to be working well but is more fiddly to manage twice a day. Off to the vet with you... Usually an easy prob to solve. Hope that helps.

Thank goodness we got some cool overnight. I've just turned off the fan and loving lying in bed with a cool breeze and Sarah in the crook of my back. Some welcome relief until tomorrow... Then back up to over 40 degrees...

Punchy he's just gorgeous

Switzerland? Now you're talking!!! Or Tibet!!! The boss is in Switzerland this week and he hatesssss cold weather and thinks 40degrees is lovely!! Jules he's really strange!!!

Yep Jo the westies and I went north to visit NT friends who were staying 100kms north of Adelaide - and coming home mid yesterday afternoon was absolutely horrendous even with the car aircon on full bore. Stopped at a roadhouse to buy cold water for the westies and doused them with it and made them drink. On the way home I was wondering what was I thinking taking them out in that sort of heat!!

Switzerland? Now you're talking!!! Or Tibet!!!

Oh and lamb flaps are great too - just watch they don't have too much fat on them and trim them if they do.

I can't add anything to the great advice here - except to say keep it simple! I feed very similar to Krislin - the dry 'Doggy Maccas' is treat food or back- up only when I've forgotten to defrost their raw. Chicken necks, frames, wings, turkey necks, bones, raw meat mix from Adelaide Dog, rice, pumpkin, meat on special, canned mackerel from Woolies as a back-up, mixed veg - all on the menu here - and my guys do cartwheels for it in a way they never do for dry. And it's wonderful to see them wrestling with bones and frames in a way that dogs should IMO. Even my 14 year old Mac who has few teeth left adores wrestling and mouthing on anything raw - and it's wonderful to watch the old boy! So keep it simple, use the freezer, shop for them when you shop for you, buy in bulk and on special and human grade and save a heap!!!

Antarctica? NZ? (Not such a silly idea! Watch out you Kiwis! The reverse invasion is about to begin!).

It's my fault - wish I'd kept my mouth firmly shut - sorry everyone...

Real cranky pants here - barely slept last night again and trying to be pleasant and smiley at work when I'm soooo tired I feel like biting off the head of the next person who asks me a stupid question.... Westies are all down at their grandmothers on her bed in the aircon today... Wish I could join them... At least we all head to a friends airconditioned house tomorrow night - and blessed sleep!!! I'm looking after their 2 dogs (dally and rescue cav) and their 2 moggies + my 3! I must be crazy - at least they all get on

In thinking about this - if licking is possibly connected to reflux/indigestion - then it follows that something in their diet might be triggering it - doesn't it?