Jumabaar

Well done on spotting them so soon! Kate is a VERY lucky Terrier.

Stopping dogs eating abnormal items does start with eliminating their access to what they are attracted to. In some cases they may decide change what they are eating, or they may grow out of the habit. Cage muzzle, cleaning up and monitoring is the place to start. All items on the ground insta-binned, make him contribute something to the vet bill and perhaps put something smelly in your brothers clean socks to give him a wake up call :p

There are quite a few different options for seizure control these days that can be used alone or in combination- keppra, zonisamide are two that come to mind as alternatives. Not to say that this won't be an option in the future, but we do have some choice right now.

I am in complete shock with how many responses I have had today!! Thank everyone who has already filled it out

Thank you :cheer:

This pilot study is looking at the awareness of veterinary rehabilitation and conditioning among pet owners. It is a quick survey with just nine questions! Please take the time to answer it for us, it won’t tale you long. Please also pass this on to any pet owner you know. Click here to find out more. And here is a direct link to the survey. Thank you in advance :)

I play fetch with my dogs- it is a GREAT way to exercise them. I have trained them not to jump for the toy and I either throw it to them, or I throw it so they run to it without needing to do a sharp turn to get the toy. My older girl might only have it thrown 1meter and she is happy with that, or rolled off the edge of the lounge- i even hide it in bedding so she has to find it that way! Tennis balls are very abrasive on teeth so I try to choose toys that are soft. I have also seen many stick injures so I never play with sticks. As with everything it is about risk minimisation while maximising your dogs quality of life. If your dog LOVES playing fetch then looking at safe way to play retrieve might be important to keeping your dog loving life.

Don't disbelieve you at all Perse. And I agree the evidence isn't there. But I think it also gets missed unless its respiratory crisis time - and then in the emergency treatment to save the dog the 'why' question doesn't get asked. The number of GOLPP dog owners who tell similar stories of missed diagnoses over long periods of time is worrying. Not once has anyone ever asked the 'why' question around Mac's laryngeal paralysis. And from my perspective I've been shocked at how little vet after vet seems to know about and recognise LP/AP/GOLPP, understand laryngeal pathology and how they are connected and managed. Happened again on Saturday night - really nice young emergency vet who was sure Mac's problems were spinal cord/neurological only - didn't seem to understand LP/GOLPP or polyneuropathy and doubted me that I needed (actually insisted on) ABs - until I insisted on X-rays and he saw the films (and I very politely showed him he was not just looking at normal spine and cord). The ABs were the key to Mac's recovery - not a CT or MRI two days later. So back to collars and leads - it seems to me that collars are so much an accepted part of life with dogs (and such big business?) that no-one questions them - except some anecdotal net discussion. And what I don't understand is why we seem to 'get' that collars and leads around our own necks are dangerous but apart from minor anatomical differences (and they are minimal), we don't question doing the same to our dogs? Personally, I think its high time the question was asked and some studies done to give us all better information on the use of collars and leads - and harnesses for that matter. But as I said - each to their own. I can certainly feel the difference in dogs that pull on a collar vs no pulling- they can be quite asymmetrical in musculature in both quantity and quality and range down to subtle changes. Although most dogs that pull do have some evidence of it although it may be subtle. So if that is going on then there would be a change in forces on the underlying structures. I do agree that a harness does less to the dogs neck- but important to then look at the other structures so you don't rob peter to pay paul. Studies would be amazing!! I have lots of different harnesses and collars and it is my cues that tell them if i want them to pull or not when they are in a harness.

There has been some resent consideration of harnesses that cover the dogs scapular change the mechanics of the way the dog walks/moves. I used to use traditional flyball harnesses but will swap to a Y front which does not sit across the front of the chest. I also wouldn't exercise them with a harness on because I want the minimum amount of restriction to their movement when they are free running. So far there has not been a published study on it but hopefully there will be one in the future. I figure better to play it safe in the mean time.

Lethargy and some irritability is possible after a Vaccination but watch out for changes in resting resp rate or if she deteriorates further. I really wish the therapy groups would accept titre testing for the core diseases so we only had to do the kennel cough component! I hope she is feeling brighter soon- its not nice when they are not feeling 100% and can't tell us why

The problem is, it doesn't seem to work fine. :p Obesity in pets is often multi-faceted. If you create a dog that is hungry all the time because it's meal has been cut dramatically, it's not sustainable for the owners who gave them way too much in the first place. The diet becomes 'cruel' and they feel awful about it and it fails. I don't know what the answer is b/c we never had much luck with compliance. On a science base RC Obesity seems the best in quality and the fact that it has L-Carnitine and ingredients that promote satiety...however I think they stuffed the marketing by naming it Obesity. :laugh: Couldn't agree more about RC Obesity.

I have no idea either- but for the sake of the dog sometimes you need to work out a way to make the owner compliant, even if it means opting for different food and is more expensive than just decreasing rations. Aussielover mentioned this is for weight clinics so for dogs who's owners have struggled in the first place and need a helping hand to keep their dog at a healthy weight. Sorry no experience but watching with interest- because I know a few people who are serial treat givers etc that might benefit from a pre made commercial product like this. i.e. clients with compliance issues who's dogs are the ones that suffer.

Mine are quite happy to be out every day with me training and hanging out. But they also survive when I am out working during the week and their main interaction is cuddles on the lounge. So long as you do lots of fun stuff outside then they soon learn that home is a place to relax and chill out. I have treat toys, and hide food in different boxes and containers. And I am always encouraging them to do different behaviours for cuddles- sit, paw, drop etc so they get to think every day. I also do strength training with them a couple of times a week using wobble cushions etc so they are fit for agility/flyball which I can do at home.

Vet should make people aware of the top shelf treatment whether or not they know their clients have pet insurance. It should always be an option. I find most clients are the ones going forward with the top shelf treatment, because they have insurance. Not because a vet pushes it. In fact, in some instances you have to ramp clients back a bit. :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: Couldn't agree more. It is unethical to not offer all treatments to clients- so I would hope most (all would be better) vets are suggesting it to all clients, not just those with insurance.

Better to remove at 2mm when you might need 1cm margins particularly in such a difficult place! If you waited till it were 1cm then what might happened to the eyelid and thus the eye had they waited! The smaller the lump the smaller the surgery. Also offering Gold standard standard service is not over servicing- its giving owners the options and choices to make decisions about their pets care rather than dictating. I hope Hunter is feeling bright and bubbly! I also use Barbra at all natural vet care (she works tues and wed).

I have found a very short walk around the front yard, rather than the back yard has been enough to get mine over the initial constipation post op. Just the excitement of having a lead and collar put on and going out the front door even though it was probably less than a minute of walking all up- yes I have special dogs.....

It is really easy to recommend a Help em up because they really are amazing quality!! I hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow!

I must have passed you by today! I was out with the witches hats, yoga mats and wobble discs and the naughty Kelpie :laugh:

I agree- a Vet visit soon

Have a look at getting a Help-em- up harness http://helpemup.com It will help you balance and support him without breaking your back and ensure he is stable as he goes down the stairs. You can leave them on so it also means you always have an easy handle to grab.

Plenty of geriatric oldies have annual anaesthetics (for dentals typically and lump removals) and pull up great so long as they are managed well. And the risk of anaesthesia was weighed up against their quality of life and it was easy to see that it wasn't just a cosmetic procedure and there are real benefits. I think its the same in your case- your not doing it for cosmetic benefit your doing it to improve and maintain her quality of life. Ivy is practically a spring chicken compared to the 17yr old boy who I got to help our with a few months ago. ETA- she is gorgeous!

If she is limping i would remove- better an anaesthetic and short recovery while they are small rather than waiting until they are huge and much more difficult to remove. They can also become aggressive and grow into the muscle if they do keep growing. Lipoma's act differently so the ones that don't grow and don't impact on the dog I would leave but that is not what your describing. Also for her general quality of life- limping means that she is uncomfortable and her function is limited by the lipoma so I think it is a good decision to remove.

I continually forget that they don't actually know everything that my older dogs do so ask waaaaaay to much of them- with associated guilt when I realise what I have done.

There are lots of dogs that fully recover from this type of condition and go on to live amazing lives! Nothing to do with surgery can ever give an iron clad guarantee- to many factors. Also what is normal? Does that mean if she needed a wheelchair but was pain free that it wouldn't be normal? I can understand saying that it is too expensive and other dogs can be helped but I think your asking a little too much to want guarantees....