persephone

Birthdays? Do dogs have birthdays ?? ;)

She will be MUCH more comfy after the surgery ..plus , if there are any lumps or bumps you want biopsied/removed .. or a teeth scale etc - it would be a good opportunity to do it

Then I would think the dog has been on a diet insufficient for his needs for some time . slight OT - an assistance dog who will scale a 6 ft fence ?....... Hmmmm .If you got this dog with the assistance of a particular group - they are not being very thorough in their assessment/training .If, as I suspect - you have done this 'on the cheap' and on your own - then you need to do it properly and contact professionals. It is the dog who is suffering from your lack of knowledge.

Thinking of you, and hoping she can be made comfortable .

A couple more of my attempts

Whatever food you give him - introduce it gradually - or you may well end up with a lot of diarrhoea. Please still give him the mince, as well as the Uncle Albers..... that way he is getting more nourishment.

I really need this explained to me ... why would a 'bigger rib cage ' make the pelvic bones stick up? In that photo he doesn't look oddly built, just very thin.

That's a great idea getting an assistance dog thru a recognised program would mean you get one to suit you- and one that is healthy .You also have support from the organisation, I would think. As it is - , if you are getting comments from the public - Horse should not be out & about - it will give you, and Assistance dogs in general, a bad name . perhaps Horse does need special care - and as you come across as not having much money - then maybe there's someone out there who would be willing to do it .

I just had to read this again..... and shake my head. Horse 2008 This is just not correct. At all. In any form.

:D

That's a nice idea

he's a gorgeous boy ----- Right now might be a really good time to cut back on his food! ;) if he needs surgery,and has to be kept quiet - he will not be burning off the food - plus, lean dogs give their joints a bit of a rest ...

Some do - some don't ... but they do put on weight with it , and I've never had a refusal

*puts up hand * It's good stuff -

Luxating patella isn't a disaster .. lots of dogs have a problem with this ... I had one many years ago - he had the surgery - his long recuperation, and was 100% for teh rest of his life as a very active dog! I'm glad you will be seeing a specialist , too!! (personally, the vomiting/shaky rear end concerns me more)

. you have been given good advice . The comment of 'a bit of extra water won't kill him' well - it may well do ! feeding an extremely thin dog watery canned food is not helping him . your dog needs REAL food ..every mouthful should be packed full of what he needs - and, in his FOOD bowl - he doesn't need water to fill his belly . That photo is very sad- I don't think that is the cause at all . There is just NO muscle on his rump to pad the bones. he needs immediate vet care - from a vet who will actually do tests to find out the problem !! There is no muscle on his back end - and for a young dog , that's a bad sign. As I said in the other thread - Horse can not be expected to do his work to the best of his ability while he is in such a poor state - if you do not have the money to get proper tests done - see if the vet will allow you a payment plan ?

I would recommend taking the dog to a vet and getting blood tests/worm cultures done if you can... Is there anyone you can ask to help you with finances ? and also feeding the absolute best quality dry dog food you can afford- plus lamb flaps /chicken carcases (necks for a dog his size pose a choking risk ) and some pulped vegetable (only a VERY small part of his diet) . Dog are designed to eat and digest meat/bone. Unfortunately - him being ill/emaciated means he won't be able to comfortably do his work - While I'm glad you came on here to ask - you really do need to look into the problem further . it's not fair to ask him to look out for you if he is unwell. Tinned food is indeed mostly water - and not much use.

Some nice shots here Sometimes the subject matter just doesn't need colour to give us the meaning ! here is one .. just for texture....an experiment. A sand goanna on the road ...

Welcome. ..and what does your vet say? How old is the dog? Where did you get him? was he assessed by a vet /organisation prior to being trained as an assistance dog? has he always been fed this diet?

I hope you stick with us ... There is such a wealth of info on here .... for anything doggy ! You must admit though .. someone naming their breed incorrectly , and being taken by surprise at the age a small dog can come in season ....after lots of research... well... When do we see photos of these two cuties? Cavs have the most beautiful eyes /expressions! I hope they grow up to be wonderful, and sound, but, no matter what - they are your little beauties

That is very sad news poor kid. she did all the right things ..and got a kick from it. to her.

Great to hear!

I like this one a lot , DSO . http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5185/5741986005_02f1b0570f.jpg

hey, melstar - Glad you came on here and asked - there is lots of advice for you to act on already . Stick around!! as you are just starting out , and have a LOT to learn - perhaps try & find yourself a mentor amongst breeders of your chosen breed! Ask the breeder/s from whom your sourced your dogs - they should offer you lots of advice, and may know someone who can help you fill in the gaps in your knowledge ...who can show you/teach you things Pups of the age of your two may indeed mate - and even if the male is not fertile - it is not something which should happen, IMO. they are only young - and may get hurt/scared - which is NOT something a future breeding dog wants to do.Whilst those knickers are good for mopping up drips - total separation for the three weeks is what's needed for your two now.Knickers are NOT birth control. Being unsure of how to proceed now, and not being ready for your bitches season occurring, does indicate your lack of experience ..and basic research, sorry . Get your phone dialling finger going, and the computer keyboard clicking - and research, research, research!! Dog anatomy, oestrus cycles, management of entire dogs , dog behaviour , first aid - these are all useful basic things which, if/when you do decide to have puppies will mean a lot more calm and a lot less panic ;)