westiemum

Double post

Thanks DD - yes I agree - I think Andy was making a point as there was only one little wee in the kitchen tonight that I could find. And yesterday morning as I left having corralled them in the kitchen Andy barked his head off - a real protest bark. Yet no barking this morning. But his belly band was wet and off him but not undone when I got home this afternoon - so he obviously slipped out of it again. Anyway maybe he's finally getting the message! Must admit its nice not to have wee in the rest of the house as interestingly enough they never do when I'm home. And I now have Mac sleeping on a proper Conni critter incontinence mat as a precaution. Will try the same routine with them all tomorrow and see how we go. Champagne when I come home to a weeless kitchen!

I love shopping online! But not for harnesses for westies! I think there's room for a harness fitting service - would take some of the online guess work out of it.

Knitmehappy yes my girl Westie has had two bouts of HGE the first just after I got her as a five year old - she almost died. Then a little over 12 months later she had another less severe bout - but I picked up the early symptoms and raced her to the vet and got her straight on a drip so probably prevented it progressing to a severe bout. In my case no idea what caused it - and thank goodness it hasn't recurred. Quick action off to the vet and rehydration seems to be the key to recovery. Good luck with your boy.

Ness you beat me to it! Thanks so much - yes they are almost identical to the comfortflex from Cleanrun without the wait. And I was actually able to have Mac fitted properly with Karina after the online false starts - which helped a lot! I didn't realise what odd shapes and sizes most harnesses are when compared with the 'superb lithe' Westie body - not! Once I get the other two harnesses, I'll see if one of the first two harnesses will fit Ollie, my recent foster who has gone to his new home and go from there. Halfwords and Minimax thanks very much for the Ezydog suggestion!

Hoping to pick up the other two harnesses tomorrow night and will take some then. I'm so pleased to find a harness that really fits chunky westies!

Just thought I'd update the harness situation as its been useful to work this through with a dog with a severe disability. To recap, Mac had laryngeal tie-back surgery at 11 pm June 23. So he can't ever have anything around his neck again and has a permanently open airway. And I've discovered 'chunky' Westie bodies are not that easy to fit with a harness! If the harness fitted around the waist it was too long along his back and vice versa. The clean run walkeze harness is a lovely harness - but it's too tight over his head and drags across his neck. I'm sure the next size up would be too big. I also tried a vest style harness - it was OK but a bit high up around his neck and the strap too long along his back. Enter Karina from Adelaide Dog (wish I'd thought of her weeks ago)! She fitted Mac properly with an Ezydog Quick-fit harness. And it fits really well and the chest strap is a long way from his neck. Like it so much I'm going to fit the other westies with the same harness. So if anyone else has a dog who has had neck surgery I'd suggest going straight to an Ezy Dog Quick fit - and see if it suits.

TB bruno's wound looks very neat and clean in the photo and looks like its healing very nicely. I so hope it's a once off and Bruno does really well. What a lovely boy. I got Sarah's results results today - a very large epidermal cyst. So benign space occupying lesion and nothing more to be done except to have her stitches out next week. TB thanks tons again for the thread.

Hi all, Quick update. Mac continues to do well. He's a bit wobbly on his feet on uneven surfaces like grass/ backyard but he's still spritely and interested in everything gong on around him and vocal even though his bark is very muffled these days. Still sleeping well through the night thank goodness. And I think I've finally had a harness win. After a false start or two, Karina from Adelaide Dog came to the rescue. She fitted Mac with an Ezy Dog Quick Fit harness that is well designed to go around his chest and stay well away from his neck. The problem I found with the two other harnesses I tried, is they didn't fit the chunky Westie body very well - if it was the right size around his waist it was too long down his back and vice versa. And one harness was a tight fit over his head and getting it on and off it dragged too closely over his neck for my liking. So really pleased with this harness thanks to Karina. Will post a pic in the next few days.

OK - toiletted all three this morning before restricting them to the kitchen with the doggy door, water and their beds while I went to work today - decided not to put a belly band on Andy. Came home to multiple small wees in the kitchen but at least it was contained to a tiled floor. Contained them again tonight while I went out for a bit over an hour - belly banded Andy and only one small wee which I'm suspicious I missed after work. Will make sure the floor is clean in the morning, will belly band Andy, restrict them all again to the kitchen and see what it's like tomorrow afternoon. Thanks for your help everyone. :)

Make that three! I bought a number of cans on Saturday as an interim measure as I only had time to get around the corner to Woolies - soaked the lounge in it and put some patches of it on the wooden floor ( yes a risk I know but I was desperate!). It's worked really well and smells good too - so much so I don't think I need anything else at the moment. Thanks RMS!

Yep I'd be interested too.

Jules you'll get no argument from me - I'm sure some dogs do well on commercial food. But I also agree with redangel. I recently saw two different vets - one a locum who pushed RC like hell and got annoyed when I said I prefer to feed a raw unprocessed human- grade diet. The other was a once off visit to a specialist vet who has no product, food, collars or otherwise in his rooms and said he believes we've all been conned by a multi-billion dollar pet industry and dogs do better on more 'natural' diets, particularly without grain. So who do you believe? As you say I think it boils down to what your dog does well on - and mine do really well on raw, unprocessed, human grade. Their recent blood panels were 'perfect' according to their regular vet who was surprised at the result in 12 and almost 14 year old dogs. And I find it cheap and simple to manage. Others legitimately prefer commercial.

I paid $180 for a 9 kg Westie unaccompanied from Brisbane to Adelaide in November 2006 plus the cost of the crate - so $240 all up from memory. So I'd expect to pay around the $300-$350 ish with a crate included.

Made the news here tonight and Koda is very sore but should make a full recovery

I agree with you and Perse. I'm just not convinced about these so called elimination diets, particularly those based on commercial dry food - and I've never heard of one that's worked definitively and well.(But happy to be corrected). I had a very itchy Westie girl who did elimination diet, cortisone, antihistamines, ,Atopica ( boy that hurt financially) - and the thing that has helped her most is cutting out all grains and keeping her on a simple unprocessed no colours and preservatives and human grade diet. Roo is also a low allergenic meat - so I'd give Perses suggestions a go. Will be really interested to hear how you get on.

Brilliant! So pleased the boys home where he belongs. Sleep well tonight Noishe.

Thanks Rosetta - thats a really good idea - assuming the technology is simple enough for me! Powerlegs the Stilboestrol has been a God-send. Sarah has just started on it too at age 12 and hasn't had an accident since - and she seems happier - her accidents used to really distress her. And certainly with Mac it might be something as simple as a dosage adjustment. How does your spy cam work? Did you set it up yourself?

Thanks tons Perse - brilliant idea - ordered! I think they will really help. And yes I'll ring the vet and ask about the dosage. (i'll be back there in ten days anyway for Sarah to have her stitches removed). Thanks again.

Further update - vacuumed the floors thoroughly this afternoon and then mopped them in a 4:1 vinegar and water mixture solution, got them pretty wet, let it soak in and now letting them dry. So will see how we go. All fine today - but I have been home all day which I'm sure helps. Regular backyard toiletting and rewarding seems to be helping too. Andy doesn't like the belly band much at all - and it doesn't fit his chunky body very well - might try and get him a slightly narrower and longer one - anyone got any suggestions of where to get them custom made for a reasonable price? Thanks all.

All fingers and paws crossed for Scout. Thanks of posting news on Koda.

Good news for Koda - and hope all goes well for Scout. Are you at Magill Rd?

Thanks Powerlegs, That's really good advice. No, not noticeably more drinking going on. And Mac and Sarah had blood panels and dip sticks done back in June and they were 'perfect' according to he vet so I don't think diabetes is an issue for them. But I certainly should check Andy so a vet check for him will happen as soon as I can afford it. (With Mac and Sarah's recent surgery feeling pretty poorly financially). I came home from the football late this afternoon to one wet patch on the loungeroom floor. Andy's belly band was still on him and was dry. So suspicious it was Mac who was so soundly asleep in one dog bed in the bedroom that he didn't hear four adults clatter in through the close-by front door on the floor boards. He didn't stir at all when I walked into the bedroom. I toiletted all three of them,rewarded them, gave them dinner and then all 2-leggeds went out to dinner for 4 hours. I've just got home and Mac was again dead to the world on a damp patch on the on the lounge which smells like wee. He was so sound asleep he didn't hear me bang the front door closed or walk on the floorboards. I had to wake him up. Andy's belly band was dry again and no wee anywhere else. I've just toiletted all three again in the backyard and rewarded. So, I think I'm gradually working out that its most likely both boys. But is it possible that Mac is occasionally incontinent when he's deeply asleep as well, even though he's on Stilboestrol ? Next step is to put belly bands on both boys while I'm out and see if the weeing stops completely. Thanks again for your help.

Thanks Perse - yes possible but I think it's unlikely as I've had him checked a couple of times. More likely behavioural I think but will have him checked again. Have toiletted them all and reinforced them all for outside wees and poos and left Andy with a belly band on while I go to the football. Ive also started restricting their access but didnt want to be too cruel since Sarah had her op yesterday.I rang around this morning looking for Delete and Urine Off - can get the Urine Off but Woolies was closer so trying the 'No vac' spray stuff RMS suggested first (I need quantity!!!). I've sprayed three cans of the stuff around - two on the lounge including both sides of the seat cushions and one on the floors - and have a back- up can or two. I'll do a really good floor clean as well tomorrow. Have washed the wee'd on dog bed as well. Phew! So lets see how it all is when I get home. Thanks everyone - really appreciate your suggestions and support after almost seriously losing it last night.

Thanks everyone - Woolies is around the corner - will try and get there this morning. Christina that makes sense - with all going on around here with Mac and Sarah its like an attention seeking toddler! Assuming Andy is the culprit.