BlitznBear

Thankyou poodle fan and poodle wranger for replying, I might go down and have a geez at my butcher today, check out his prices, see what deal he can do for me.. Thanks agian BlitznBear

I have been thinking alot about what the vet asked when I took bear to the vet just over 2 weeks ago when I found blood in his faecies. When she asked what diet he was on and I replied raw, she asked human grade or pet grade, is human grade better and safer, I mean with the chicken, pork, and lamb mince) I have had a look at mince at my butcher and the lean lamb mince which is what I always buy for my family is around $16-17 a kg any cheaper and it looks too fatty. The chicken necks, wings and frames they are all the same arnt they?, Im not really sure what the difference is except the pet food is not fit for humans to consume. I have read on here that there are some people that buy human grade only, why is that?, what are your reasons for this? please Im interested.

Can you please clarrify what IBS stands for??

Well Ive definately learnt something today, I never knew that. Thanks Ptolomy

Definately please keep us posted...good luck Ruthless BlitznBear

She is beautiful Ruthless, what a gorgeous little face she has, what a poser!! Ive got pics that are a few months old Ive been pretty slack but here a couple.

First we changed from straight Ukanuba to raw diet and noticed a 50% reduction in his skin infections and rashes, along with the medicated wash, then we took him off the corts and vets antihistamines and antibiotics and went to natural oils, and polaramine, and since then havent looked back, it was just a slow integration of different methods. We used to buy him Smacko's and all sorts of other treats but since the vet informed us of yeast contributing to itching, we put a stop to that as well. When we have BBQ'S with people around we ask them not to slip the dogs any food under the table, as Bear sits under the outdoor table and waits for things to drop "accidentaly"..he's sneaky.. but we'r on to him..

The vet told us malaseb washes off all the yeast on his skin, it is yeast free which is why we leave it in his paws unrinsed and that too done helped alot prior to us having him on antihistamines and oil capsuals. When he is washed his skin isnt dry or flacky, he has the best shiney coat, I get comments on his coat quite a bit, our other dog Blitz get washed with Soothe and he smells beautiful when hes been washed, but Bear's wash leaves no scent or smell, it contains no purfumes, he just smells clean.. Bear cant have anything containing yeast, we stay clear from it, alot of Smacko's and treats from the supermarket contain them, so they dont get any manufactured treats just meaty raw bones..

Malaseb medicated wash once week.

My Amstaff is on polaramine tablets as well, he used to suffer really bad from skin allergies, we were in and out from the vets, but since mixing fish oil tablets, flaxseed oil and polaramine in morning and night he is doing excellent, we havent seen a rash, red paws, red tummy, or infected toe nail since.. Its great, just like sumosum said, there are a range of antihistamines you can try, not all dogs are suited for just any particular antihistamine...here's my list from a vet that you can try, if you dont see any improvements within 10 days you can move on to the next one, (it is just trial and error) Polaramine 2mg = 2 twice x daily Phenergan 10mg = 1 daily Penactin 4mg = 2 twice daily Zadine 1mg= 1 twice daily Clarantyne 10mg= 1 daily Telfast 90mg= 1half twice daily Zyrtec 10mg= 1half twice daily As you can see Polaramine was first on our list, we tried it and have never looked back, just make sure that you check the label on packets as some cause drowsiness, there are 2 types of packets, 1= 12hr relief and 2nd = 6 hr relief, Bear is on 6 hr. He is 35kg and has 2 daily and he does well on that dose I really hope your girl gets through this summer without having all the dramas of itching and rashes, I know exactly how you feel, its horrible, give it a try, and good luck, please let us know how she goes, I will be interested in hearing in an update.. and a pic too..

UPDATE.. Just got back from the vets, she thoroughly checked him over, he's not dehydrated but has given him a shot and put on a course of antibiotic's over 4 days, she said he had a intestinal gastro, which was causing "something???" to come away from his intestinal wall which was causing him to bleed. She did say he had quite a lot of blood in his stool that I collected and asked what diet he was on, when I told her raw diet, she didnt say anything but suggested he have cooked chicken and rice only over the next 4 days, no raw food, no bones etc etc.. She asked if he had any biscuits with his diet which we said yes, Advantage in the morning and kangaroo mince, lean mince, beef mince,chicken necks, carcasses, lamb necks etc for dinner with pumpkin or sweet potatoe, maybe bits of cabbage, carrots etc.. She didnt seem to agree, I asked my OH if he picked up on it and he agreed, she mentioned that it could have been caused by salminela by the raw chicken, or too many raw bones, they only get raw bones once every 2-3 days.. She also said it could have been viral, but leaned toward the raw chicken, and sugested if not cooked chicken with rice then dog cann food chicken and rice. Has anyone else had this reaction to raw chicken, Bear has done wonders on the raw diet and his allergies have cleared up immensly, she hasnt put me off but I want to know if theres anyone out there who have had experience with salmonela or any illnesses due to raw food. OH is cooking chicken Bear chicken breast to go with his rice as we speak.. Thanks for your replies too guys, I was in a bit of a panic..

Every Month on the dot!, fully vacinated, heart worm the lot!

OMG, I am really stressing out, my boy is booked in to go to the vets in 45 minutes, he has diahorea and its full of blood, I am soooo having a spastic attack, 40 minutes, its the longest 40 minutes of my life. My hubby is racing home now, all I can think of is PARVO, I thought only puppies got it, he's 15 months old, has had diahorea since this morning, my mate came to pick up her kids from work and Bear had an accident on the deck, it had big chunks of blood in it!!! I immediately called the vets, took a sample and called OH, All these things are running through my mind, he's been pretty off today, quite sleepy, not bothering to play with Blitz... how could I have not seen it earlier??, im bloody kicking myself. My mate has taken the kids because Im a wreck, Ive had 20,00o cigarettes and stressing out massively...

Blitz is 5 mnths old, we got him to sit first with the bowl still in hand, then when he mastered that which didnt take long, we got him to stay with still holding the bowel up infront of his face, if he moved he would be placed straight back into the sitting position and the process repeated again. Now we get him to stay with the bowl of food on the ground, the stay command is with our palm out towards his face, as soon as we put our hand down and say good boy, he is permitted to eat. We havent completely mastered this as he does sometimes rush during the stay command for his bowl, but we again repeat the process until he is permitted to eat.. My suggestion is just take it slowely and start small then eventually add in the stay command.. Good luck,

My boy was on it for approximately 3 months, like the others said above, he got thirsty and his poo had a god awful smell, I done a little research and found that long term use was NOT GOOD!!, his coat became really crap, dry and dull, he became lethargic and we decided to take him off the corts. We turned to flaxseed (anti inflamatory) fish oil (skin and coat) and polaramine (antihistamine) with every meal, his coat came back beautiful and shiney, his paws are no longer red and itchy and he is a happier dog, we were dreading the worst with the warmer season coming up but he is still doing well, he has been off the corts for 8-9 weeks. We do wash him with Malaseb once a week-fortnight, after washing him off we then re apply and leave on to dry in between his paws and tail.. We were in the same boat you are now, but we were constantly going back and forth to the vets, it cost us around $40.00 for a bottle of 30 antihistamines, + more including the corts and antibiotics to clear up his infections in his paws, but luckily enough my partner ended up talking to a lady who worked in a pharmacy who too had an allergy dog and gave us a list from her vets of antihistamines to try. We now pay $12.00 for a pack of 50 Polaramine. You might want to try other alternatives once he has cleared up with the corts, we waited till he was fully cleared and then tried the oils and antihistamines.. I hope all goes well and good luck,

Absolutely normal, just pop him outside and clean it up without too much fuss, my 5 month old still has accidents luckily not too often, but prepared enough to have a bucket full of rags and a full packet of bicarb.

From day 1 we have always given our dogs their food and at any time take it from them, make them sit and wait 20 secs then give it back to them, they must sit and wait patiently, then they can then have it back, same with bones, we have always sat around them while they chew there bones, pat, scratch and rub there heads while they have a good munch on their bones and be able to take their bones away. Blitz will come and have a cry and ask us to go get his bone off Bear after he's stolen it from him, he's a bully.. without any fuss we can take their bones from them, no worries. I think what your doing so far sounds like your pretty much on the right track, I would take the food off her for longer to start with say maybe 5-10 minutes. I hope this helps.

Poor thing, I hope she has a speedy recovery.., and you as well!!, will the vets be able to determine what it was that set her off?

Im really sorry about your loss, I wish all vets would fully inform their clients of all possible side effects, symptoms and dangers prior to prescribing medications, you did everything you could under the circumstances, and am sorry you wernt informed or advised earlier.

I have several rags cut out of some old towels, I grab a couple of dry ones to soak it up then I get hot soapy water give it a scrub, I then sprinkle Bi Carb over top, and rub it in again, the bicarb neutralises the smell, no stain, no smell. My personal opinion, I wouldnt use disinfectant, I use to, but was informed not to, as it contains amonia which is in their urine, which apparantly sends mixed messages for pup to go back to and wee. Give Bi carb a go, its cheap, you only need a little.

Once a fortnight for Blitz he reeks usually after a week or so, so in the bath he goes, Bear gets a wash once or twice a week due to allergies with malaseb med shampoo, I leave it on for half an hr or so, and wash off, now that the weather is warming up he just goes and flops in the sun and then I'll wash it off.

poodle fan, yes your so right,, I will scream at the top of my lungs in certain situation's and it usually out of panic or fear, but when your screaming and yelling at your dog during a training situation where its suppose be a positive and fun place to learn for both owner and dog, yelling achieves nothing.. and they do look silly which draws attention to everyone..

I dont know if Im a little quirky but I always say please and thankyou to my boys, I met a Rotty owner a few years ago who always spoke softly and said please and thank you to his beautiful boy, he was strictly a guard dog and when meeting us for the first time, the dog could see us coming from a distance and was going off tap, but from 10 meter's away his owner was saying "Tana quiet for daddy please" and he would! I couldnt quiet hear him because the dog was going off tap, immediately he sat, his owner said "thank you Tana, good boy, and he settled instantly.. I thought it was a great lesson to learn prior to owning our first dog together. I dont think there's any reason to yell at your dog, it does nothing, and makes the owner screaming at the top of their lungs look desperate and out of control. I hope your boy is o.k.

mad dogz my boy suffers from allergies and it effects him in between his paws and under his chin to the point where he nores on his paws until he is red raw. He was on cortisone everyday for 7 days then every second with antihistamine tablets in between, and just like you the itching and noring would stop and all his symptoms would disappear, and then when he was completely off them for approximately a week or so, he wouldflare up again and be back to itching and and constantly noring at his paws. We didnt like him being on the cortisone at all, his coat turned to crap, it was rough, dry and his shine dissapeared, he gained weight whilst still running every night, his poo had a god awful smell,and he was constantly thirsty so we took him off the corts and changed his diet. Since we have taken him off the corts and introduced flaxseed and fish oil capsuals with a raw diet we have seen 70% improvement, his coat is slowly coming back to its shiney gloss and he is back to his previous weight, we give him antihistamine tablets when he starts licking at his paws (roughly once a fortnight maybe) and it calms him right down, but summer is on its way and it will be our first summer with him so we are not sure what to expect. You might want to try the flaxseed and fish oil, the flaxseed is a anti inflammatory and the fish oil is a calming soother for his skin, alot cheaper for you, with no harmful side effects for your dogs.. Good luck, all the best.. BlitznBear

I thought all dogs from the RSPCA came desexed prior to anyone taking them home?? Our boy was from the RSPCA and all dogs are desexed prior to taking them...