BomaBec

For anyone interested this is Reiko one month after curled up in front of the fire at his new home. And two and half months after getting him out of the pound .... He hasnt grown much but he looks a hundred percent better compared to when I first got him.

Yeh shoulda said thankyou! So anything that is a cross is just put down as a cross breed?

Was only a question.

Rottia if they put put as an as close to acurate x down for pits what do they call them? Am staff x, or staffy x?

I dunno if many vets want to get into the pit bull debate, they are there for the dogs well being after all and that is all that should matter to them. Very sad no one would stop to help esp the ones that saw what happened.

RIP Pip Poor little man .. so isnt fair :p You were a beautiful boy and way too young but your in a peaceful place now. Thinking of you guys Choppa. :rolleyes:

I have been told so many different things. Some say one C3 at 6 to 8 weeks then following with two C5s a month apart others say two C3s a month apart then one C5 and then others have said one C5 to begin with them two C3s a month apart and of course the two C5s and then one C3 a month apart. Then they all say boosters should be given yearly but soem say a C5 others say a C3. Some use the new intranasal one, if the dog is 12 weeks or older they say they only need one vaccination others say they need two of this one no matter what the age (not sure what it covers either but think they said its like a C5). Now with fosters its depends on their age and gets a whole lot more confusing. If they dont know their history.. which we usually dont.... they have suggested (for dogs over the 3 month period of age) two one month apart but some say one C3 and one C5 and others say two C5s and I have been told by other vets only to give one C5. With pups around the eight to ten week mark Ive been told to give three or two as above. I would love to hear the general consensis of people on DOL.. if there is one?. I have been giving my own dog C5 boosters every year since he was a pup (he had one C3 to begin and two C5s as a pup) and hes now turning 5 and am thinking of not bothering to vaccinate again.

I have treated him with Advocate and will see how this goes. His skin is not red anymore and the fur is growing back well. He has a good covering over his ribs now. I still havent found anything to suggest which way is the best to vaccinate dogs, some have said only up til 12 months others three times in their life time? Dont know quite what you mean sorry PF?

OK thanks ZA will PM you. The vaccination thing really confuses me as they all tell you different and really I wanna do the best by the dogs.

Yeh I know Poodle fan just saying they are Higher Risk areas. ZA the vet did two skin scrapings in different parts and did them down to slightly drawing blood she said if its demodex he would have heaps of mites. If it doesnt get much better in the next few weeks I will take him back or to another vet. I seriously dont know about the vaccinations, they think its just a skin allergy and besides being slighty underweight he is otherwise happy and healthy and active. If I knew of a good vet who didnt charge and arm and a leg and would give me a reduced fee I would take him to them, aswell as any other rescues but I dont have that choice atm.... very little vets will give rescues a discount and the decent ones are usually the last to offer it. Perth doesnt even come close to the assistance and support the Eastern States do in some ways, not whinging just stating the truth.

Pics of his skin as best I could do.

Reiko is looking beter and better every day. I got some chicken necks today and tinned tuna... hes fussy little eater for a bully and being a puppy who is underweight.. Im used to those two combinations eating almost anything. Spoke to another vet about his irratation she said like I have read that sarcoptic mites are very itchy and if he isnt itching that much it could just be a bad diet and allergy thing and he should improve just with a better diet. Still going to treat him for mites though just incase. She said she would get two C5 vaccinations done but you can just go with a KC vaccination. Being a puppy I will probably just get a second one done in a month just to be on the safe side and new owners can discuss with their own vets after that how often to vaccinate. He has had a few enquiries about adoption and in a week and a half I have arranged for one family to meet him that sound promising. LOL BnB yeh Reiko was a good name.. my son loved it I got a camera today so just gonna get some pics for everyone whos busting to see him

I took Reiko to the vets today. They gave him his vaccination as they said although he is not in the best condition they think the vaccination needed doing and wouldnt be a major issue. They werent concerned about the diarrhoea as it has gone. They did a skin scraping and ruled out demodex mites but cant rule out sarcoptic. The checked for ring worm and couldnt see any. They said it could just be a dermatitus allergy. They shaved the few scabby spots he had off and said that the neocort probably helped that. They dont want to put him on any antibiotics as it isnt good with his vaccination and like with many people dont like over using them if can be avoided. They said to use the neocort just like I have been when need and only on the itchey spots and to bath him no more than twice a week. I didnt ask about the frontline as she just suggested using advocate as it covers the heart worm aswell as the fleas and mites. The thing they said to me which is confusing as other vets have said different and some have said the same is if they are over 12 weeks of age they only need one C5 vaccination then another Kennel Cough in a month, other vets say just give them one C5 and others say give them two C5s a month apart if you dont know their history. What do other people do?

My parents dog lived til 18 years easily and she was fed on all sorts of left overs and it never affected her.... even when we baked her a chocolate cake for her birthday and she ate it all lol.... we didnt know at the time these things were bad for dogs. I would say it would depend on the dog as to how it affected it. I would never feed my dog large quantities of the stuff but I do occassionally give him left overs and it hasnt affected him. It would be up to you to make the decision and assess how much your dog is affected.

OK so I rang an few more vets and double checked on the ones I did ring first. The heart worm test isnt based on kgs... my bad... so much info to remember But it is around 70 dollars average but I did find one who does it for $40. another two said they dont think it is as important before 9 months to get the test done. They also said after five years the Heartworm dies and this is when it can cause a problem in the ones that may already be there that are dormant due to treatment. ... I am seriously thinking of getting my dog tested now due to this new information! I always tell people who have adopted dogs off me before about heart worm and that the dog hasnt been done. Very high risk areas are in the North of Australia where the whether is humid. Dense wooded areas and areas near streams/water ways are at a higher risk. The problem is while all are within 15 to 20 minutes of me one may be on the cheap end for one thing and at the most expensive for the others which means you would be driving hear and there to get different things done. For this boy I will just go with what I know and trust and fork out what I have to.. as hes a special case anyways being deaf . For the future (after I take a break) I will try to get a vet to come to the party more and get some better deals. The problem will be trying to convince them to give me a discount for one dog a month to six weeks average.... possibly even longer at times on my own. and yep PRS you are getting a good deal and I hope other rescues get good deals as no one makes money out of it even with good deals. Thats also a good idea about getting online as it sounds cheaps as... might have to beg the old man to use his credit card as I dont use them.

Rang 4 vets and the general rule is for heart worm: dogs over 6 months are tested some have said they dont bother before 12 months and others have said if they dont show signs because its not a common thing in the Perth area its not extremely important to test. Some will give the injection of proheart from 6 months of age others wont and treat with revolution until fully grown. The pro heart does not kill off the heart worm and neither does the revolution it just stops it getting worse and makes it dormant. Heart guard is the only one which kills it off and this is over a 12 month period of regular treatment. The cost of the test is around 70 to 100 dollars based on dogs 10 to 30kgs. Incorprate that into other costs (based on a 15kg male dog) such as vaccination ($50-$90), microchipping ($50-$60), sterilising ($110-$200), all wormer ($8-$10 each time), spot on flea treatment ($10-$14 each time) and not including other out going costs or buying the dog direct from pound the average rescue should be charging atleast $300 minimum to cover the basic costs.

Yeh I will look into it and how much it costs and if vets say it is needed and from what age.

All rescues do it do they? Not from where I am from its not and I know others that dont either. PRS as far as I know its low risk in my area. When I have spoken to vets they dont seem to bothered about it. I tell all adopters about heart worm. I have no idea how much people in other rescues charge for pups but just covering basic costs is all I am charging. If I was with a large rescue group (which I am not any more) I would definately do it as they can get things done about half the price I can yet the ones I know dont even do it.

No I leave it for new owners todo.

Thanks for the advice everyone and totally agree that the internal being healthy is always a major factor when it comes to skin and coats and I dont like to use chemicals either.. I have put illuim neocort on him three times in three days just to relieve the itching that he has done, which is not a hell of alot and was only in spots that look the most irratated. And yeh I always worm straight away too and bath and usually flea treat when they start scratching. Dont heart worm except my own dog...leave it up to new owners.

Ok well I will take him to vet and let them decide. I know they have said they wont vaccinate if the dog has kennel cough. The diarrohea has gone... was probably the usual crappy pound food. I havent bathed him again as I thought the everyday thing may dry his skin out like someone else said. I bathed him the minute I got home cause one it was medicated and vets have suggested before to use it with any new dogs that come in as it wont do any harm and two cause he needed a bath really badly... was covered in poo from when I was transporting him in a crate. I seriously dont know if hes had fleas... I havent seen any on him but he mighta before which could of started the whole thing off along with a low immune system and a bad diet. If the vet doesnt notice he has a skin problem I will be going to another vet.

Yeh I will get it done when he is at the vets this week for his vaccination.... I woulda asked them to confirm what ever it is anyways. He certainly is looking less red and irratated. It only takes a few minutes from what I saw last time with the pups I had before and didnt seem to be a problem when the pups were awake. Will get him sterilised in a few weeks when hes healthier and the vets will do it. Am making sure his diet is good :rolleyes:

Thanks for the support Bully T :rolleyes:

Thanks Clyde, I have never heard that from any vet about compromising between the two? I just go on what all the different vets tell me. Dont have a flea issue.

Oh for god sakes picking out tiny bits of my post. Its says hes happy and healthy BESIDES his skin condition and needs some fattening up. Read the posts in their whole context. Who said I couldnt afford it? Bit of an assumption isnt it? and I AM taking him to the vet as I have said! Do you often tell all Rescues the same things? Or is it just you have nothing better todo with your time or like singling people out? Infact do you even rescue at all? Thanks Shaz will try some of the suggestions you made, yeh I do know they are prone to skin allergies and will pass on the same info to who ever adopts him.