stormie

the only annoying them about them is that they are a bit big and have also stretched, so they fall down over his bum a fair bit. Just means that before I let him out to the toilet I have to pull them all back up so he has ample clearance I'm going to put some elastic in the leg bits and also the neck I think, to help keep them in place. His skin has never been better since wearing them!

I'll fight you both for president too... I'm allergic to same things as Orbit, I'm even allergic to Orbit and everything else with hair. I also have very similar dietary issues to him as well and be both suffer the same symptoms if we eat the wrong things. Jammies pics for you, Ruthless!! If you do end up coming to see us you'll get to see him in the flesh

If it's just a little meibomian gland tumour, we take them off quite regularly. It's a very simple procedure and I've never seen one that hasn't healed up well. We take them off when they are rubbing on the surface of the eye and irritating them. We took one off one of my dogs eye's a few years ago. Once the stitches were out, you'd never have known she'd had the surgery.

Orbit's allergies settle down over winter too - not enough to come off medication though, but if he's wearing clothes, we can go two days between doses rather than just one. Doesn't sound like much but it is a huge thing for us! Looking forward to hopefully getting to meet you and Trixie, Ruthless!! Maybe I should start up an allergy club

Rappie - have you used Cerenia? It's not cheap, Kaz, but might be something they could try if they can get their hands on some. Meant to work really well and its also non-sedating.

Far out zayder, that really sucks re the food issue. Orbit's ok at the moment on beef, turkey and roo, but I'm not sure what we're going to do if/when he starts reacting to these. There's a game farm place not far from here that sells stuff like croc, emu etc, but the stuff is gourmet and costs a fortune. Really hoping it doesn't come to that!!

Well you know I'm officially jealous now with that price! How's he going? What schedule are you on for injections? Ours are going well.. we're out to three weeks regular now (and still 6 weeks for her old alternaria one) and no more hives! Yeah I was pretty stoked with the price, specially seeing they gave us 20% discount for it being our first order! Mind you considering my crappy wage, it'd want to be discounted!! We're doing every second day for now, easing up to 1ml. First jab was on tuesday. He gets .4ml tomorrow. So far so good and no reactions! Glad to hear things are going good for you, Zayder!! Munchin, I'm not 100% sure, but I believe severe reactions are not that common. The most common types they see is general reddening of the skin, an increase in itchiness and sometimes hives. If the reaction causes severe itching, then a dose of cortisone will help that. If the reaction is anaphylactic, then adrenaline can be used.

The ingredients look ok. One thing that annoys me though, is they make a lamb meal and rice formula, yet still put chicken fat in it. Great that it doesn't have soy, wheat or corn etc, but it's not really an option for people who have dogs with issues with chicken - and there are tonnes of them around!

Ii'm not worried about jabbing him (i'm a vet nurse) I was more worried that knowing my luck, he'd be one of the few that have a really nasty reaction and going into anaphylaxis!

Our vials arrived yesterday! We have 6 vials all up, so he's getting two shots each time, one from each of the two vials. Looks like each 'set' has about 16 allergens in them. First two shots were given about an hour and a half ago and he's still alive, so things are looking good

Jamie Orbit is the same. Up till he was about 9-10months old, he didn't really destroy his toys like he does now - he'd just squeak them until he killed the squeaker. But now, it's all about disemboweling his soft toys. Basically I've just resigned myself to the fact that that's what he enjoys doing with them. I figure I buy him toys to play with, and if playing for him is ripping the stuffing out, then so be it! I just limit the amount of stuffed toys I buy and don't spend much money on them. You could try toys like cuz's and kongs, but if she's anything like Porpee, they're not half as fun cause they can't be destroyed!!

Agree this Persephone. You could be dealing with worms, tummy bug etc etc. First things first - rule out any of these by taking a stool sample to your vet. Once that comes back all clear, you could then start looking at potential food intolerances. Being a young growing dane, where possible I'd try to stick to a giant puppy food to encourage proper growth.

Pfizer has taken over Fort Dodge completely - it's not specifically just SR12

nope.... not true! Our reps are often trying to change us over and have even given us info on how to go about the change with clients etc, so I can't see that being true at all!

Just thought I'd also add this too - some more info from an email she sent me explaining the difference between Intervets' annual and triennial vacc...

I think the main tweaking that has been done, is just more updated and current versions of each individual component, well, for the Nobivac one anyway... Will see if I can work out how to put up the info I got sent for everyone to download.. ok this is mainly just a comparison between Intervets Companion (annual vaccine) and their Nobivac (triennial)... Comparison_Companion_and_Nobivac_virus_strains.doc The other stuff she sent me was just the vaccine leaflet, which pretty much says the same as above, and she also just sent me the studies done to prove that their triennual does in fact last for 36 months. Actually, it says minimum 36months, so probably lasts quite a bit longer than that for them to guarantee atleast 36. Unfortunately no other stuff to really compare all the vaccines, but from what I can gather, they're not really putting all that much more in it, more just claims that they have the latest strains of the 3 viruses. The 'to the power of' numbers are a bit higher in the triennial though, so I'm guessing that means there is a bit more, but not 100% sure on that. Someone with more understanding of all that might be able to explain?

Ok more info!! I've heard back from the Intervet rep and she's sent me a whole heap of info I'm yet to read through. When I asked her whether it was true that the annual Virbac vaccines was the same as Intervet's triennial Nobivac, this is the reply I got: So maybe I was wrong in thinking Intervet's Nobivac was better! Sounds more like the Fort Dodge Triennial is more the same as their annual. But either way, it doesn't sound like either of the two company's triennials are the same as their annuals. In one way or another, they have altered them to ensure they last 3 years - whether it be all components or just one. eta: unfortunately where I'm working at the moment (Sydney) doesn't offer a triennial or titre testing (my boss is a bit old school!) but my soon to be new job, there is a good chance we may offer it. Just got to do some more research first as to which one we will offer. We will also be offering titre testing. We will be in the Hills District of Sydney.

Yep, Forte Dodge have one called Duramine Adult C3 and Intervet make one called Nobivac DHP. Both are triennial.

Update Spoke to the Forte Dodge rep yesterday about their triennial. She left me a booklet that doesn't answer any of my questions typically, but when the boss asked her about their vaccines, she said (in her words) that the adenovirus component has been 'ramped' up to last 3 years. She was only new so didn't know a lot about it, but what she did explain sounds like it has been altered, ie made stronger somehow, to last longer. Maybe that's just the adenovirus bit, but either way, it's not the same! Still waiting to hear back from Intervet, but from what I've heard already, if I was going to have a triennial, I'd be wanting the Intervet Nobivac one.

I can't see why anyone could not accept a vaccine that is registered for 3 yearly use. I can understand a vet signing an annual one off as being due in 3 years as being rejected, purely because that would be classed as 'off label', but gees, if the vaccine says every 3 years, then that's the labeled, registered dose! Hopefully I'll have some more info soon, first hand, stating the facts.

Ok, I've not heard back from the Intervet rep yet... BUT, I was talking to my boss about it (he's going to get some info for me today from Fort Dodge about theirs if he remembers!) and he was telling me that our Intervet rep told him that their triennial vaccines come from the same manufacturing plant thingy, that the Virbac annual ones are from, and that the vaccines is EXACTLY the same. Apparently this was confirmed by Virbac. This is all second hand information, but its a start!

I'm not 100% sure on this as I don't have a lot of dalmatian experience, but aren't diets that are high in certain meats, offal etc, not desirable for dallies because they are high in purine and thus increase the chances of crytals/stones forming?

I've emailed our friendly Intervet rep requesting information... will let you know as soon as I get a reply!

I go back a long way with heaps of vets, I have built more vets surgeries clients lists than you know,boy! have I ever. They all nearlly turn-out the same,I think it is in the blood.I dont mind not doing vets blades they send them with puss/gunk all over them,I am a sharpener not a cleaner,vets should be ashamed,please dont use my services,maybe you had better buy your own sharpening machine, or go where you pay more so you will be able to justify your services prices. Boom Boom. This is what I mean... if that's how you really feel about vets, then why do you want their business and encourage it with a discount? I suppose Stormie it is the same with Vets and clients. Many posts from vets/vet nurses complain about clients, but what do you do? Only work for the clients you like. Probably not a good business model. Most people complain about banks but we all use them. Of course. We have some difficult clients but I think 90% of them are great. I get that vets need nicestman's services and I'm sure he gives them the same service as his other clients, despite his opinion of vets. My question to him was based on what I have highlighted, and a genuine question if he doesn't like vets as much as he's said, then why does he go out of his way to offer them a discount? I'm not having a go, I'm asking a genuine question.

I go back a long way with heaps of vets, I have built more vets surgeries clients lists than you know,boy! have I ever. They all nearlly turn-out the same,I think it is in the blood.I dont mind not doing vets blades they send them with puss/gunk all over them,I am a sharpener not a cleaner,vets should be ashamed,please dont use my services,maybe you had better buy your own sharpening machine, or go where you pay more so you will be able to justify your services prices. Boom Boom. This is what I mean... if that's how you really feel about vets, then why do you want their business and encourage it with a discount? It just went up, http://veterinariandiscountsharpening.webs.com/ next time you go to a seminar(Lyypards) don't forget to tell all your kind not to come to me please, it will be a pleasure. You just made sharpening dearer for vets at least at my place, and if i have any complaints about the price rise I will direct them to you.. it was a genuine question, but fair enough!