KitKat

Vets do get benefits for recommending Hills...but either way it is indeed a Super Premium dog food and is as good as any of the other Super Premium foods. And i've been led to believe in some pet stores staff are encouraged to promote the food and are given freebies etc if they do so. I don't feed it to my dogs, but that's purely by personal choice...one slight reason might have been the hardsell from a vet once...not so much that they were pushing it...but how they were doing so...which was with incorrect info and saying that all the other super premiums were crap and Hills was the only 'above decent' food available in Aus Once again...it comes down to what your dog does well on :D

Also...what kinda of coat had your dog got? it might also be a matter making sure any dead coat is removed as that can make your dog smell. Also perhaps a change of diet is in order as that can be another reason if your dog is sensative or such to something in what he is eating. Also check the bedding...he might be nice and clean then go roll in the nice doggy stinky bedding to get his smell back

It had given me a few ideas...not sure if my dogs will appreciate it tho However...once while i was doing work experiance at a vet practice we used a dustbuster/minivac to suck up the loose fur after clipping/shaving (to prepare fur desexing). I got the mini vac job which was amusing and i was running it from the belly down towards his bottom...and what do you know? i saved the vet from some work...one teste was still in hiding...but working the mini vac in the right direction popped it back into place...i think the vetnurse and myself were giggling for the rest of the day

Just got a couple of questions for you...Do you get the breeder bags? and the second being...Does where you buy the RC from do a frequent purchasing card? (buy this many and get one free) if they don't i'd seriously look at buying elsewhere...

I used it for my pup's localised demodex but only used it once a month...it took it's time but it all cleared up...but then again localised demodex will clear up eventually on it's own anyway. With generalised demodex it might have been that the dose wasn't enough to even keep up with that particular case of GD...as with all things sometimes each case is different.

I 2nd that question is she in season?

Haven - I was meaning that Demodex mite isn't a virus nor is it contagious (as cold sores are)...it is part of the body's natural system (which cold sores aren't)...all dogs have it (same as people) it's just when there is an immunity problem, stress, puberty etc the mites get out of hand (this is the only thing that is similar between the two)

I think the main problems are the preservatives, the amount of water and the quality of the ingredients and fillers etc... But as to 'proof' a quick google could probably bring you up a number of websites

Cold sores are a form of the herpes simplex virus (you have to have caught the virus, say kissed/been kissed someone with a cold sore, shared a glass etc etc)...rather then a natural organism that lives on the body...and yes we also carry demodex mites..lovely huh? lol..from what i can gather they tend to break out in our eyebrows if they are going to though. Cold sore info Localised Demodex is one of those things...it might happen to one pup in a litter and may even only happen once, to one pup, in a number of litters. Generalised Demodex is the one to watch for, from everything i've researched, as it's the one that can be hard to treat and it's a matter of watching for it for the rest of the dogs life...

My pup only had localised demodex but his spots went pretty much hairless pretty quickly...and noticiable as all get out...and the dogs i've met who had/have generalised have also ended up looking pretty darn naked. There are several people on DOL who have gotten their dogs thru demodex (both generalised or localised) or are currently getting their dogs thru it...so either way this place will be a wealth of information and support

If it was passed on...then I'm guessing the vet has said that it's Generalised Demodex? as in more then five spots on the body? or is it Localised Demodex...generally being under five spots...? Localised Demodex can just happen...usually puberty bring it out and the mites get rampant and start at it..usually they live happily without making the dog look mothbitten (happens with us to). There are a number of ways of treating the mite...but they can depend on if it's generalised or localised Demodex... There have been heaps of threads on this problem as it seems to be either becoming more common...or I'm just hearing more about it..lol

Glad to hear all has gone well!

Not sure if it's already been mentioned...but ProPlan has brought out a new formula made for sensitive dogs...it's based on Salmon...I've briefly looked into it and it's seems pretty darn good.

:rolleyes: RC can be good like that

K9Force

Neck Burns? ok...I have to say i have been using my zappy collar for 2 or so years now and have only recently (last several months) been taking the collar off at night while the dog sleeps insides. Without 'burns'. Hot/wet spots can be caused from even the tiniest irritant...mud trapped under the prongs that dried and pressed intot the skin, dog scratched and it caused it to break the skin...that in humid weather or thick fur can at times be enough to cause hotspots to form. Also the collar itself can help create a humid environment as any other fitted collar over thick fur in already wet/damp/humid weather. When ever it's been wet or it starts getting hotter i start running my fingers through my dogs ruff/neck fur to catch hotspots as early as possible. (But as i have said before, my older boy is a tad prone to them to start with.) Perhaps it could be either or somethying in between but i wouldn't be jumping to the conclusion that the collar is burning the dog as first option.

I have the same kind of collar on one of my dogs, he had developed the odd wetspot in the area of the collar but he's a tad prone to them anyway. HE's never had them at the site of the prongs tho, but i keep the collar 'just' loose enough that it can move around his neck but the prongs are still kept against his skin. But he also sleeps inside at night currently and i take the collar off him when i put him to bed and put it bac on in the morning. He hasn't had a wet spot happen since i've been doing that but i am expecting them to start up again with the humid weather. His coat is quite thick around his neck/ruff. Best thing to do is clip the fur back from around the spot and dose it in salt water, or apple cider vinegar, or puff some powdered antiseptic on it. Basically to help the spot dry out, generally within a couple of days it will dry up and the scab will fall off then the fur will grow back. While it's healing you might want to have the collar set up on the other side of his neck or a little higher if possible so that air can still get to the wet/hot spot.

Just thought i'd check one thing before going further...there is no chance that this boy may have been desexed early? Some breeders and most rescues (for example) desex their pups before they go to their new homes and this can happen from 7weeks onwards... But as with all things...if in doubt...check with your vet Edited to clarify...the pups can be desexed form 7 weeks onwards, rather then go home from 7 weeks...8 weeks and onwards is the best bet

As to how big they will be...that depends on the dog but for a husky of that age..i'd estimate somewhere between the size of the last joint of your thumb to the the size of your whole thumb. (differences being in, thumbsize and sex..lol)

Ntt if they are a fluffy type dog as the fur will grow around the dogs testes (not to mention fluffy butt and breeches) which could hide them depending on how close they are to the body...which by the sounds of it is close. Ok...get food in one hand...and hold on tight to it...let dog try and get it while you reach around with the other hand and grab a feel it won't take more then a moment or two to check EFS

This is going to sound strange...but your best bet is to reach down and grab a feel. You will know them when you feel them, they'll feel like two smallish stones that will move. If the dog is laying on his back look down the length of the penis sheath and if you feel towards the back of that before where the body changes direction towards the anus. If the dog is standing up feel under the tail where the body angles away from his bottom and towards the penile sheath. If you can't feel them it could mean they aren't decended in which case I'd look at having the pup desexed at around 6 months at the latest as undecended testes can cause problems in regards to testicular cancer etc. PS...I don't know this stuff because i'm icky weird by the way but because i'd always had male dogs, usually full male dogs who like to show themselves off I just hope i've described everything as it's supposed to be

I would also consider looking at dietary issues...and perhaps put out more then one litter tray? just to give her a choice and so she can see one is available in more then once place. Has the formular of the kitty litter changed any? or any changes in the routine of the household? Change of diet? Also Biozet washing powder is supposed to be very good in getting rid of those not so nice smells in carpet. The fact that she can smell the soiled area might be drawing her back to it as well...so perhaps biozet and fabreze? both available at your local supermarket

My Feloe that's the kinda question to start a thread on...but if you do a search you will find several indepth threads on that very subject in this forum.

Royal Canin is one of the super premium foods, because of that you won't need to feed as much etc, but it is priced much the same as the other super premium foods. Also check with your petshop as they'll let you know if they do the frequent buyer cards. I know people here who use the lab food but i don't know anyone as yet who uses the Boxer food, although i have seen what it's like and my GSD loves it when i nab a sample pack for him It really is a nifty shape..lol Have you gotten a sample of it yet? if not jump onto the RC website and email the rep in your state and they should be able to send you a sample, or let you know when a promoter will be in a petshop in your area, from which you'll be able to get a sample from. If worse comes to worse let me know and i'll nab you a sample and send it to you