saintlysusan

I just bought the Wahl 8 Pc extension blades, they are so cool!! Color coded too! I should have bought them earlier instead of buying every blade size there is! Would have saved me a heap!

Ive just been dealing with a ear infection that has taken a good month and a sh*t load of medications etc to get under control, I suggest you get your vet to find out exactly what the bugs in his ear is for the best chance of stopping it. If let go, it could get very bad, at least you are aware of the problem and can now act.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I will start doing a pre clip now, just to save me some time basically.

Thanks Ive never heard of storing them in anything other than a stand. None of mine have ever rusted so I think I'll keep doing the way I am, may get another blade set aside for only doing pre-clips on dirty coats. Then that way I know its the only one that will wear out faster and can be sharpened or replaced more often. If you oil them well after use they shouldnt really rust I dont think but I was told you can remove the rust on blades by my supplier (i think he said tin foil, could be wrong)

Hello... Merry Xmas! I was wondering how long or how many clips you get roughly between re-sharpening your clipper blades? I have allways washed and dried prior to clipping but I know many who clip off excess hair 1st. Makes sence but I dont because I was told clipping a dirty dog is a sure fire way of blunting the blades faster.. What do you do? It seems such a waste of time to get their coats so clean only to clip it all off and Im not sure I will be saving a great deal of time when I seem to blunt them anyhow even with looking after them. It also takes me alot longer per dog than most groomers and I put this down to the extra time I spend preparing the coat prior to clipping? ....Any advice would be appreciated thankyou.

It dosent say on the bottle but I'd guess it would to some degree, its a insect atleast.

Thankyou, Wrote them down, will see what they have and if theres one without coloring I will go with that one. I went to the supplier and got a 500ml spray of Cetrigen.. plesantly suprised it was only $20 also.. Now his ear and lovely white chest is pinky purple!! I didnt think to ask how often it should be re-applied?

A friend said theres a purple spray or liquid she uses on her horses to keep insects off that is safe on wounds. Vet said its safe for dogs if its ok for horses but I dont know what its called... Anyone reccommend a product that a horse/livestock supplier may carry? I need to keep the bugs off my dogs ear while it heals and it needs to be ok for wounds..

The bacterias are overwhelming Staff and Strep infection and its the Strep that is resistant to the drugs we tried so starting a new lot and the drops are hopefully going to be more potent going directly into the canal as apposed to tablet form.

Bumping... Back from the vets again, he finished all his meds and was starting to look ok, the wounds have started to heal and I cant see inside his lobe anymore but then wednesday night it started to swell again so made appt for yesty, wasnt able to make it though. Hes on all different medicine this time to try kill the bugs including ear drops (should be fun) and tablet form cortasone and antibiotcs.. Vet thinks the last lot of drugs only killed one of the bacterias and now the other one is thriving....I dont actually understand this as he was on a mix of 4 very strong antibiotics,, or that what I was told! Hes promised me results for Xmas lol......... I walked out with a "bag" full of medicines (too funny) This is one bloody deturmined bacteria!! My poor baby... how long must he have to put up with this!!!!!

I dont have any advice or help for you but wanted to say how horrible that is for you... I hope you work out a solution!

I dont think you have left it too late at all.. I have a very friendly St Bernard and I also had this problem with people allways wanting to pat my dog. All I can say is I insisted he be sitting and wait until he was calm before he was able to get patted. I didnt need to use any food reward , the cuddles from people is reward enough.. I just had to ask the people to wait a minute until hes still and they dont mind, its better that than them being knocked over with cuddles!

Problem solved, I literally fed him a can of Pal and I kid you not within 15mins he was going..... ewww

Hi. Boris is getting better, Vet was very happy that all the neck has reduced alot, hes not so tilted now. The ear is still very swollen but its not as bad as it was.... very sore... he had some more shots for comfort and the antibiotics seem to be working. Still backed up, vet didnt wanna give him anything as hes not really straining so some chilli con carne for lunch lol Vet said hes outta the woods and SHOULDNT lose the ear........ PHEW... Now once the ear is healed to be able to touch it, we have to work on some preventatives as hes likely to have this reaccur every year if Im not vigalent!

OMg why didnt I think of that! lol (Hes been through enough, he'd never cuddle me again if I fed him that rubbish) lol

Taking Boris again for another check up this morning and since yesty hes been constipated. Poor baby walks kinda twisted in and cant *go* I rang the vet last night and they said today they will give him something to help but I dont want *poopf* all over my car on the way home lmao! Dont these lax's work very fast?? I tried feeding him spicy foods with every meal to help but to no avail... I think all the medications are making the problem worse. Anyone know of some natural remedies?

Dare I ask what a "snood" is? I have no idea?

The vet said to only have supervised outside due to flies being attracted to the open wound and suggested not covering it so it can drain freely, he believes covering it will make it spread and increase in size. Thursday is his next check up and likely every few days after that so it wont really be a week, I do want to follow through with this vet as he knows his history and is the vet who has done all the tests etc. To be honest I cant afford to get it all done again, the vet bill is a tad over $800 so far and only going to get higher! He is on very strong drugs to fight the infection and im watching him like a hawk, I allready see a slight improvment, its slowly starting to decrease in size but will take time I guess. However the vet didnt put in any of those drain tubes and he said that was because they are generally used when theres holes that wont heal and his wound was way open...and dont get me started on his neck, no draining there either! I am about to give him a very careful bath, he stinks to billiow and is covered in old blood etc. His cheeky personality is starting to come back so Im not quiet so stressed today. Will try to post some pics.. Any advice warmly welcomed if it helps my baby...

Thankyou everyone. Hes home today, hes very sore and still very swollen. He has one allmighty hole in his ear where it burst and I could literally stuck my thumb inside (wouldnt of course) and I can see the white tendant easily. Hes got a major staff infection, several different medications which he happily takes and has to go back again tomorrow. The vet didnt drain his neck which I thought he would, he said it will (hopefully) go away over a few days. He believes the infection has either dammaged or burst his ear drums, only time will tell. So basically he has to stay in and shake the fluids out as much as possible before it can start to heal. Hes not allowed outside for too long as flies could cause a much bigger problem and the vet is worried theres been alot of tissue damage and he may still lose the ear........... Im going to give it a week and then if its not getting better, Im getting a 2nd opinon at a different vet.

Thanks for that Rappie, I wasnt sure if it was the going rate.

Wondering what others are charged for sending off a cotton bud sample to be cultured? (Not complaining, just wondering, does $106 sound like alot? or the norm?) Its where the Gribbles lab grows it to see exactly which bugs are there, Im told it takes 3 days to come back. I just looked at yesturdays itemised bill and that was a decent chunk.

So lots of cheese and hamburgers and hotdogs and bacon and donuts and boston buns and icecreams lol I better go shopping!

I dont exactly know, I believe a ear infection caused him to shake his head vigoursly, that triggered a swollen ear lobe ( very swollen, like 3 inches thick)...then overnight the swelling spread to his neck, its 3/4 basketball size mass of fluid ( probally blood) then this morning the swelling spread to all his face, neck jaw jowels... then burst from the pressure and hes at the vets now to find where the bloods coming from and they should have done this yesturday I believe.

Back from the vet again, he is bleeding so much they have to operate to find where the bloods coming from. I cant believe this happened so fast. Today I woke to find his ear had burst overnight and it wasnt pretty, blood everywhere. His beautiful face looks like a balloon of fur and swuishy fluid, as does his ear and neck/chest/chin Im in shock and told them to get him fixed no matter what, i was a blobbering mess in the vets, I tried to compose myself but hes my heart and soul right there. Wish him luck, hes going to need it.

At a guess, I'd say something has irritated his ear overnight and hes shook his head so hard hes broke blood capillaries. Wont know for 100% till tomorrow, I was going to take a picture but I want him to rest, the ear itself is so heavy hes head is tilted so while he lays sleeping I think I dont want to disturb him. It is warm and clammy, the swelling is right into the corner of where the lobe skin meets his neck so may be a infection or something. Im not exadurating when I say it is sooooo swollen and full of blood, I can feel it all squishy when I touch it but still very firm. I wont give him any breakfast in the morning, they can do whatever they need to get it sorted. Personality wise he seems fine, dosent react when I touch it so may not be as sore as I think but these big dogs will put up with alot before they complain so I dont really know. Sorry for rambelling I will try to take a pic soon