dogdayz

I have always used the water spray bottle to stop unneccesary barking - just plain water, some people i have known use lemon juice or vinegar but this is not a good idea. The shock of a quick spray in the face usually gets the message through. The early morning is always hard, I know my dogs get up earlier than i want to, and you hear them playing. This is probably the major playtime of the day for them, and certainly the noisiest. Perhaps you could prepare his breakfast in a kong and give to him then. Usually a full tummy makes them sleep. He will prefer to be in with you rather than outside with toys, but personally i think a dog needs to learn to spend time alone. I use the kongs, smearing peanut butter in them seems to last as long as anything else. I use a treat ball - some are safer than others, if you search the forums you will find advice on these. Mine also like boxes, there doesnt have to be anything in them its just the fun of jumping and tearing them, so i keep empty beer cases etc and give to them. My dogs were just got into the habit of being left from an early age, i gave them two small treats and leave. Short duration first, then return when he is quiet - just keep extending the time, and never return when he is barking. When i leave home my dogs come to the gate get their treat and disappear off on their own before i even get in the car.

The cough has not improved. The limp however became much worse this weekend, she is not putting any weight on it. Sunday she saw the vet and was put on anti-inflammatories in the hope if it were a soft tissue injury she would improve by this morning. unfortunately this did not happen and she is now at the vet for a full examination under sedation and x-rays.

Thanks Wylie Interestingly my collie did not handler her C5 puppy vacs very well (slept for 48hours), so she was ony C3 after that (no ill effect). I did search all this stuff pretty heavily because my other dog is a weim where autoimmune problems are linked to vaccines, but saw nothing around on collie sensitivity. Dogdayz

Sorry Wylie, I am still not clear if you are saying collie sensitivity is to vaccination i.e. the C5 or C3, or is it the established ivermectin sensitivity e.g. yearly heartworm. I have a rough collie so am concerned if we are tlking C3/C5 in particular. I already knew the ivermectin and avoid that.

TKS - that as well. But those like myself vaccinated at the start of the 70s have problems now with low titre. In the past 4 years myself, brother and schoolfreinds have all had it. Fortunately not so severe in adults.

So was this anaphylactic shock to the vaccine. I did not think this was more common in any breed in particualar. Or was she given a heartworm treatment, as the collie breeds do have a known sensitivity there. 30 years ago our vet was saying no vaccines beyond 6 years of age - obviously ahead of his time. But then whooping cough among adults has increased significantly the last few years as a result of those people vaccinated as children no longer having immunity. This has increased the risk to those not vaccinated. Dont get me wrong i think we over vaccinate, but the call for titre testing concerns me, after all it only gives you a result on the day of the test. One month later the titre maybe too low, and its eleven months until the next test.

Lablover, She does gag though not always after eating. The cough itself never sounded harsh enough for kennel cough - those Ive heard before always sounded louder and deeper than you think possible for the size of dog. She will have one or two big coughs followed by a series of softer coughs, more like a previous dog of mine that had heart failure and would cough from the fluid in her lungs, but as i say this staffy checks out very good on heart and lungs. Ill make a note of your suggestion, perhaps if i push some ideas the vet may look a little more closely, afraid her vaccination satus may Kc all too easy. Dogdayz

She certainly has no problems eating, and their is no sign of weightloss. I originally thought it was something in her throat as she had caught and eaten a couple of birds, but vet said nothing there, however he did not look to close, he reckoned he would be able to smell anything stuck in her throat - he was looking pretty scared though so i think that inhibits the examination a little. I have little confidence in the various local vets having gone through 6 months watching one of my dogs waste away in front of me. When i went much further afield we got instant diagnosis, treatment and within 3 weeks we have gained back 10kg. Unfortunately the staffy with the cough has no socialisation with other dogs and driving anywhere is a nightmare - i can envisage her going through the car window to get at any dogs. She also has to travel with her housemate pittyX who is also not social but when we tried to leave him at home he literally came thought the door before we pulled away, so he would have gone through a window if we left him. The vets are very wary with him in the surgery as he gets a bit hyped up and starts squealing when he senses people are scared of him, not that they need be because he is the biggest sook in history if you pet him. Would feathers in her airway show up on a radiograph? We are concerned about sedating her because of her age and weight, though her heart is apparently good for a staffy her age. My other thought is that maybe she has a lump pressing on her windpipe or something. She has a lot of lumps that you can see - the vets have always said they are benign and dont bother treating them if they dont bother her, but i just wonder what might be inside. Dogdayz

Second opinion was sought - but they also said Kennel Cough. Have completed another course of antibiotics, more benadryl, and still no improvement. This is now getting 3-4 months without improvement or change, other than for the last week or so she is not appearing to move too well ion her back legs, dont think its a hip problem, more it seems to be with one knee, perhaps a result of her cruciate operations some years back. Before i go to yet another vet, are their any alternative suggestions i can go armed with, rather than again being told its KC just because she is not vaccinated. None of our other dogs have shown any sign of the same symptoms.

Okay we have an 11 year old staffy. Around 10 weeks ago now she started coughing, vet said kennel cough. She has been having benadryl and antibiotics. She is getting no better or worse. I always understood that kennel cough even untreated only takes 3 weeks to clear up. It helps her stop coughing if you rub her throat, which i had always understood initiates coughing in kennel cough. She is overweight, but vet says heart/lungs are very good. Admittedly she has not been vaccinated for the last 3 years, but was yearly prior. The only dog she has been within 500m of is her housemate who has not shown any signs of coughing. Is it really possible for KC to last this long without getting better/worse. I would go to another vet but feel as she hasnt been vaccinated they will all just go with the easy diagnosis of KC. Any thoughts what else this could be. Dogdayz

So sorry Melree. Living with a weim, bloat is a constant worry, especially as i hae a weim with digestive problems. He was also rushed to a vet a couple of weeks ago with suspected bloat fortunately a false alarm. Hope tay is fully recoverered very soon. Dogdayz

I use Bonnie working dog for my collie as a kibble once a day. We tried several but that seems to suit best. She also gets her raw meat/vegetable/fish mixtures though just for a healthier diet as a second meal each day. Dogdayz

Hi Butterfly As a fellow collie owner i sympathise fully, but if its only little drops you have been lucky so far - wait until she gets a stomach bug. Disgusting though it is i find any small amounts mine just cleans up herself. Though it isnt that often, perhaps a change of diet might be advisable in your case. Grass burrs are much more of a hazard. My collie also hates that end being touched. To be honest we tried training her out of that with daily brushing, bribery and even sedation - vet thought if she wasnt stressed being brushed she would desentise quicker hence the mild sedatives. After 2 months i admitted defeat and warily called in a groomer, warned them she would be difficult and would not rule out her snapping. She made me look dumb by behaving impeccably. Im afraid this breed has intelligence as big as their coat and soon work out they can get away with anything when its their owner in charge. She has a groomer once a month, their dryers are great, far better than at getting out loose hair. as for that occasional stomach bug, i recommend tying up and using the hose rather than the cutting technique - less traumatic for you and her. Dogdayz