Stitch

I have now switched to Kangaroo tendons. I am hoping they are not going to pose as much threat as the piggy ears in more ways than just salmonella. My lot LOVE them and if you believe the advertising they are chemical free and just dried which is a bonus and being kangaroo I am presuming that they are not imported. They are also very low in fat. I can even give them occasionally to my problem girl who suffers from IBS with no ill effects. I would think that fatty products would be more problematic than lot fat ones when they are being stored but who knows!

You should take your vets advice on what to feed when your dog comes home. Whilst I realise that some people here don't like feeding kibble/dry dogfood to their dogs, in your circumstances that may be the best option, initially or in the long term - you don't want your dog back in hospital again any time soon!! Once you have established a normal eating routine you can then experiment on which whole foods it will tolerate. I used to feed all mine raw/BARF for years (and I still do for most of them) but then when you get one that has the kind of problem your dog does you realise there is definitely a place for dry food in some dogs diets.

Remember bone marrow = fat and that's ALL bones even the small ground up ones. I can't feed BARF to my girl who has that kind of problem but I can cook for her ie. muscle meat & vegs, etc.

From my experience it depends on which specialist vet you talk to, mainly because there is no definite scientific proof that auto immune disease are definitely hereditary. Vets that are cautious will usually say that if you want to be sure you must presume that there is an inheritability factor there. I suppose you could think of it in terms of a certain dog having a genetic "weakness" or "predisposition" to develop an auto immune problem rather than actually having the inheritable problem itself - if you know what I mean! Throw into the mix that we really don't know how all the immunisations and chemicals we dose our dogs with actually effect their overall health. We know that the chemicals prevent heartworm, intestinal worms, fleas and ticks all do their job but are they having a more sinister effect on the dogs health? We know that the immunisations usually prevent them from getting life threatening illnesses like parvo etc. but again what damage are they doing at the same time?? I would not breed with a dog that had an auto immune problem.

Read on another topic that there was a mobile chiropractor in Brisbane. Can anyone tell me his/her name & contact details please?

This is why I ask: http://www.ehow.com/info_8744618_pig-ear-chews-bad-dogs.html

Rottifan, can you let me know the name of the mobile chiropractor as my Dobe boy is really in need of help. He won't travel in a normal car so I have to take him to the vet in a big crate on the back of our truck which is not always available. A mobile chiropractor would be just wonderful!!

Thanks for your replies. I know in other areas I have read where human drugs are also given to dogs so I was really hoping there might be a cheaper alternative when it came to anti inflammatories in dogs.

Are there any human anti inflammatories that can be used on a dog?

I have recently read that there is a risk of salmonella from dried dog chews, ie. beef, kangaroo etc. tendons, ears etc. Has anyone actually had any problems with them?

OOOOOOHHHHH - Thanks, just what I wanted. Now I have to choose between them!!! Not sure what I will do with the Bunge Rope one between rewards now that I look at them??? Maybe the shorter one on the webbing handle would be easier to manage???

I am looking for a tough training toy to use with a dog that trains way better for a short game with a toy than for food treats. I am thinking a lambswool rectangular pad with a strong tab so I can put it on a bunge rope. If anyone has any better ideas I would love to hear them. I have to have some way to hold the toy out of the way between rewards and I am not sure how I will do that.

DAP is very good in my experience but if you have found something that works, stick to it!!! DAP is not cheap either.

It could be anything at this stage. Make of note of how it appears now and if it doesn't clear up or gets worse consult your vet.

Some bitches are just as interested as dogs are with other bitches in season. Doesn't mean there is anything wrong with the bitch. I agree with dyzney - you might just find your bitch comes into season herself soon! If you are concerned you should take your bitch to a repro.specialist vet and get their advice.

That's great - problem solved!!

Thanks heaps for that link. Do you know if the dogs like them as much as they do piggy ears??

Does anyone know if 'Australian' sheep ear chews are available here?? I found one seller on the net and although the advert. gives the impression that the product is 'Australian' they are actually from Brazil. Sheep ears seem to be a lower fat alternative to pig ears which are very high in fat and you would think that if they make piggy ear chews in Australia they would also make sheep ear chews here too?? In the meantime I have bought some kangaroo tendons which I hope will be appreciated by my lot. Surely kangaroo chews would have to be made in Australia. Any ideas??

I feed according to the dogs requirements as not all dogs have the same metabolism or the same needs. Younger dogs/older puppies need twice daily feeds, dogs that don't hold condition need more than one feed per day, dogs that are 'good doers' need only one feed, and so it goes.

Feed less snacks and concentrate on the nutritious food or else feed less of her evening meal. I presume she is only being fed once a day now??? If they are perky, alert, energetic etc. and exhibit no signs of being sick then the only other explanation is that the dog is getting too much to eat. The solution is therefore easy - feed less!

Update on this product. Apparently it has happened before. Seller contacted manufacturer 3 times on my behalf and 3 times they told him they would contact me immediately. Guess what - I never received any response from the manufacturer at all!! Obviously there is something in the product that can cause a severe allergic reaction. I do hope that it doesn't end up causing the death of an animal!

Thanks for that!

Livamol is a good product however it needs to be used judiciously as it is based on molasses and the sugar promotes tartar on their teeth. I found that not all dogs will be adversely affected but some will.

Tried to find them on the net but can't. Anyone know if they are still available here or overseas?

I HATE barking dogs of a night time so I think your neighbours have been very understanding. I agree however that I would like to see you let it sleep inside. It won't wander around if you crate it. Anyway, you have two choices - 1. Crate the dog inside or 2. Get a Barking Collar. You have three choices when it comes to barking collars. 1. Some dogs, especially male dogs I have found actually respond to Citronella Collars. 2. Get a remote control collar so you can Zap it yourself when it barks if that concerns you or 3. Get a good quality e-collar that has a 3 second delay on it so it won't go off repeatedly if the dog continues to bark through it. 99% of dogs are smart enough to work out what causes them to get zapped if they bark with the collar on. Then, blissful quiet and also the dog learns to relax more.