Jumabaar

Yes you are more than justified talking to a behaviouralist right now for this type of problem. You are setting the stage for your pups entire life so better to jump the gun a little now to have a fun future then err on the side of letting it go.

Where is the kink? I agree that X-rays would be beneficial.

We do have evidence that joint supplements (glucosamine, chondroitin, msm) can prevent progression of injury, particularly if they are already in the blood stream when the injury happens. I now start young active dogs on them quite early- the particularly silly or sports dogs start at 12mths of age. Fish oil is another great product- I use the paws pump bottle because it is just so easy. Dogs are stoic so I urge caution in waiting for signs of discomfort or stiffness to start supplements. Regular low impact exercise to maintain cardiovascular health plus some strength work regularly which can be as easy as puppy sit ups and push ups which helps older dogs retain their ability to get themselves up are also very important. Brain happiness is also vital- treat dispensing toys and regular challenges are important to keep their mind malleable and active. Basically I put oldies on exactly the same program I use for young puppies in the first 6-12 months of their life!! Weight management, gentle exercise and LOTS of fun and experiences.

My head hurts but I survived.

From the manufactures guidelines for the in-house titre test. I actually emailed Dr Schultz to enquire re titre testing my last pup instead of vaccinating. So I am more than happy to titre test puppies instead of vaccinating but if done before 16 weeks I would require 2 tests before I was happy to say that the pup was protected.

Oh thank dogness. Someone who can translate what i was intending/trying to say with out any of my muff ups!! That is one SERIOUSLY adorable puppy!!

I have been using Whimzee's and have had a great deal of success. They are cute and hedghoggy!! I have also been experimenting with deer antlers. With the brushing are you using a finger brush? I find them easier to keep on the teeth than an actual tooth brush.

...??? ... barking is a behaviour and of course it will be reinforced by rewarding it with the right response. Similar like a dog that jumps on you seeking attention. If your response is giving him the attention he is seeking, the behaviour (jumping) is rewarded and he will keep on doing it. Of course there are always motivations involved that drives a dog to those behaviours, but it is for obvious reasons not a good thing to do if dog owners always show the 'wanted behaviour' the dog is asking for. Showing affection for a dog includes also to do the things which might cause short-term stress for the dog, but pay off in a long-term. I am pretty confident in the research backing up my statement. I am also more than happy to have any member of the general public read that statement and hopefully try and look at the WHY the dog is barking rather than just trying to make it stop. Anxiety and stress in an elderly dog isn't something that I believe is ok at all when there are other options. And one of these options is to slowly work to make the dog comfortable and safe and avoid the barking all together. If the barking starts you have gone too far and you should go and comfort said dog to ensure that they do not learn that the situation is scary. Your method on the other hand teaches the dog to give up and is called learned helplessness which I believe is cruel and once again unnecessary. I don't allow young dogs to bark due to stress and anxiety either. Instead I empower them and end up with confident dogs that don't bark (or jump on their owner). This is the difference between dog training and dog behaviour and why dog trainers can get into trouble and make situations worse when there is an underlying reason for the symptoms i.e. barking caused by anxiety. Solve the anxiety and the barking will resolve. We can continue to go back and forth but it is not really relevant to this thread other than to say that there are kinder options available. If you do want more information then perhaps look at some of the work done by Karen Overall who is quite amazing and puts animals welfare and quality of life first.

Some exercise therapy to assist with the physical aspects of this problem may also be worth looking into. I have had many success stories with doing strength work as well as putting in other measures to help in these situations. There is also looking outside the square for longer term solutions as well. I am happy to assist if you are looking for more information. The crying is a symptom of feeling anxious. Feelings and emotions are not something that you can reward so responding when he barks isn't reinforcing the behaviour so if it does progress to changing the set up give him as much love and support as he needs to feel comfortable. Then the underlying motivation to bark will not be there and everyone will be sleeping soundly.

I think a quick vet visit would be a good plan. They can check that your pup is able to concentrate his urine as well as working through how normal the amount he is drinking seems to be. Its not an invasive test and will give everyone some peace of mind.

Hopefully this is under anaesthesia with monitoring and fluids if it is an extended procedure? If yes a truely great price- which is why it is worth asking what is actually included in the price. My clinic charges around the $400 mark for a grade 1 dental (minor dental issues and no extractions) which includes fluids, placing an iv catheter, a full physical to detect any abnormalities. A dedicated anaesthetic nurse and the vet doing the procedure. I personally like all my clients to also run a pre GA blood test which is classified as an 'extra' to the clinic but I talk about it during the consult to book in because it gives a great baseline for any later conditions and means that we are going in with as much information as possible for an elective procedure. This is my personal opinion and I will still perform dentals without it but I do feel that it is necessary to offer because that is what I do for my own pets before a GA so should be an option. Another hand diagnostic tool can be dental X-rays which can highlight disease below the gum line that would otherwise be missed. I have specifically moved to a clinic with a dental Xray machine so I can be involved in more pro-active and better dental care!! I am super excited to start and can't wait to do my first dental!! (And I will admit that dentals are often not my favourite procedure although that is proportional to how manky the pets breath is) It is also worth looking at conditioning your pet to have their teeth brushed since this is the cheapest and best form of oral hygiene once you have clean teeth again.

Look at the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Vaccination Guidelines. They indicate that core vaccines last 3 years which would mean she is easily covered. They are also good reading to help you make the best choices for your puppies. http://www.wsava.org/guidelines/vaccination-guidelines

I will admit that I fall into the category of ignoring the public a fair bit. I tend to be one that curls up with the dogs and goes to sleep at the Royal. And when it all became too much I went into a soft crate with my dog. I have about an hour or 2 of talking in me about my breeds at royals with all the noise and constant parade of people. I do MUCH better when I have volunteered and haven't done all the showing business and last a good 5 hours. I can also take the dogs that loooove having pats rather than the dogs that are just focused on me which just happens to be my current show dogs. Although at least my sleeping was apparently entertaining with people taking photos of the dogs using me as a pillow and then my legs poking out of the crate......

Mel should be able to point you toward someone who can help in your area who uses positive reinforcement. This is her website- give her a call. She is lovely! http://www.creatureteacher.com.au

Yup - bottled water gets yuck too - so good point. good point re: first aid - I kind of assumed anything in the human kit would be OK to use for the dog (with some exceptions) - that said - we don't have a first aid kit at at the moment either and yes - his chip details are registered - :) My human first aid kit includes vet wrap so yup one for humans and dogs can work :p

I have usually decided on what pedigree name I want for the puppy I am keeping and do not decide till 8 weeks where puppies are being allocated. This means I need to wait until the allocation happens to assign names since I also send in microchip details. This has resulted in a week or so delay in getting owners their puppies pedigree.

Has the leg actually been amputated? Totally irrelevant to this thread but relevant to the dogs quality of life and mobility. I would be training the dog to have a very clear understanding of the behaviours. Obedience FUNdamentals by Hanna Brannigan does a great job of breaking down all the behaviours into tiny parts to allow effective communication of the task to the dog. This will allow the dog to perform better than the fully functional dogs and show everyone at the club that you just work harder for things when there is a limitation but you can still achieve greatness. Best of luck- happy to consult re the conditioning and body awareness side of things if your sister needs assistance.

The last harness or one of the ruffwear harnesses. I have the 16mm 5meter long line then went and got the 10mm 10meter long line!! I love them both so not all that much help :laugh:

Just starting the ball rolling with appropriate medication to modulate the immune system so it doesn't go out of control with food will help the dog feel amazing right now.

This does NOT sound like JUST a food allergy. I would suggest a talk to a veterinary dermatologist ASAP rather than buying more food and products. This dog needs a proper diagnosis to be able to get better rather than just trying to plug the symptoms.

I wouldn't swim this dog post operatively. Swimming is contraindicated early on after many orthopaedic surgeries and is not a benign activity. Best of luck Rascalmyshadow getting everything put back to right.

Off topic- what method did they use for the patella surgery. Can you do some foraging games with food in blankets and bedding for her to rummage through to fill in some time? I find that it can certainly fill in some time and help them feel in control of their situations since she has had much of her normal life things taken away and the barking is something she still can do.

Noooooo this is terrible. Sorry I will not be swayed on this. I feel absolutely depressed that this service is now available in Australia and we will be battling animal welfare on another front. It is a cosmetic procedure and a complete waste of time. If you are not going to have a dental performed properly just save your money. So Dr Jemima is about the only practitioner that I would be happy to let near my dogs mouth without an anaesthetic. :laugh:

and an inexperienced male about 2.4 seconds in some cases :laugh:

There have been some updates to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association guidelines. They are really trying to bring science and logic to something with strong roots in 'this is the way we have always done it' aspect of Vet science. WSAVA 2015 vaccination guidelines I have added the bold to highlight some key points. Of course please talk to your vet about what is best for your individual dog. But this is a good document to facilitate the conversation. They will know what risks are in your local area.