Megs

Thank you all for your thoughts.

My ex always walks the dogs separately or drives them to the off lead park to avoid the abundance of wildlife on the streets. Sadly, he didn't think to warn his parents to do the same. However, I agree that two older people should not be walking two large, strong dogs together, or at all in the first place. I think we can all become complacent when we have such lovable goofballs and forget that they are dogs, and sighthounds at that.

Still waiting to hear news, council have not approached them yet but it's likely only a matter of time. My ex is considering pts of both dogs if they are declared DD, I'm heartbroken at this decision but it's his decision. I'm at a loss of what to do or say. 

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping for an idea of what comes next & what the likely outcome is for these dogs.

My ex just called to say his two wolfhound crosses have killed the neighbors cat. His parents were out walking the dogs on lead and they spotted a cat running. They took off, pulling his parents to the ground and attacked and killed the cat. Obviously this is devastating for the cats owners and my ex is distraught that they did this. The owner either knows/witnessed it and is obviously very very angry and upset. I am unsure whether the cat was on the owners property at the time or not. 

I guess I would like to know what will happen next. Will these dogs be seized? Can they be euthanized for this? Or will they be declared dangerous and have multiple restrictions placed on them - muzzled in public etc. 

In the long run I think it may be best to separate the dogs, obviously there is a strong element of prey drive in both dogs and being large, strong animals there would be a greater risk if they stay together. However, they are extremely attached to each other and that needs to be considered, and sadly euthanasia as well. 

Straightforward information and advice (without malice) would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance. 

Ps these dogs are not dog or people aggressive in anyway. They regularly attend doggie day care and public events.

I did think about saying she could be crated Megan but I don't want her discouraged from getting up and moving into a more comfortable position due to a crate. She's already so protective of her sore leg touching something that unless I had an XXL crate this would be difficult for her I think. But shes well behaved, she will just stay on her bed when told. Thanks for the suggestion though :).

Thank you for all your replies :)

I've left my details with a few air bnb people who don't advertise that they allow dogs but i'm hopeful a well trained dog, recovering from major surgery might sway one of them. Now I just have to try and not stress about the surgery!

I understand your pain Canetoad, if you have house-trained dogs that stay on their beds and have an additional cleaning fee I don't understand why its so expensive. Probably like most things, the irresponsible people who let their beloved (aka ill mannered) dogs trash other peoples homes have made it so.

I probably should have added that part :). Just temporary accomodation. 5-6 nights mid Feb.

I must have missed that one on air bnb, thought I had trolled through the lot. Budget would be <120 a night ideally. Will check it out Megan, thanks.

Hi Everyone,

I'm trying to find budget (as much as possible anyway) accommodation in Melbourne that will allow me to have one dog stay with me.

My dog is potentially having major surgery (total knee replacement)and I'm struggling to find a ground floor apartment that will accept dogs that's not wildly expensive. I've googled for hours but coming up blank. I understand it may be a cost I have to accept but I thought I would check the most knowledgeable place I know first before committing to it :).

If anyone has any ideas it would be much appreciated. Air con, no stairs and as close to Malvern East as possible are my requirements.

If anyone has been through (or know someone who has) a total knee replacement with their dog I would love to here your experience. Actually only tell me good things, I'm too stressed to hear anything bad!

Many thanks.

Thanks for your replies :). Unfortunately I've gone the hessian bag route & they don't last a week here - probably because they're too small to be comfy beds & make better drag & explode toys. You would think they would be bored with them by now! I might give the hound house covers a try, thanks Airedaler, I've found HH products really good in the past. Fingers crossed, running out of money!

Hi everyone, I'm sure this has been done to death but wondering if anyone has come up with any creative answers!

I have two wolfhound crosses, one of whom is a bed destroyer. He's only young so I'm expecting this will continue for awhile but I really need a TOUGH outside bed or bed cover. I'm thinking of those who own horses - like a heavy canvas rug material? I don't care if its washable or removable, just very very strong :).

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

I've got another 6 days Steve, if you think you could fit them in in that time frame that would be fantastic (day 5-6 is ok, I'm quick :) ). Don't stretch yourself though, I'm working full time & doing cert 4 vet nursing as well so I know all about time pressures :laugh:

Thank you everyone, you've all been fantastic.

I think I've pm'ed all the relevant people now.

Pirate, thank you for your offer but i have your breeds done now :)

Espinay2 thank you for the website link, I'll have a look tonight, sorry for calling your breed the wrong name *hangs head in shame*

Airedale Terrier, ACD, & Flat Coated Retriever all done, thank you so much :)

Hi everyone,

I am an infrequent poster but a regular viewer and today I'm asking for some help! I am currently doing my Delta Cert 1V and one of the assignments requires speaking to breeders and owners about their chosen breeds. I've been to a dog show but it wasn't very large and I didn't see very many atypical breeds, which is a requirement.

The breeds I still need are as follows :-)

Flat coated retriever

Beagle

ACD

Corgi - either Pembroke or Cardigan

Maremma

Great Pyrenees

St Bernard

Chinese crested

Airedale

Samoyed

Any extra information on these guys is appreciated as well

English bulldog

French bulldog

Neapolitan mastiff

The questions I need answers too ( just couple of words/sentences is fine )

1) People's expectation of the breed (e.g. greyhounds - high exercise, muzzled because dangerous etc)

2) Their trainability

3) Their activity levels and the way you provide for this (exercise & enrichment)

4) grooming requirements for the pet dog

5) feeding program you use (type of food, how often you feed, feeding games/toys)

I don't expect many people to reply because I know how busy you are but thank you for your time anyway :-)

Cheers, Meg

You asked for it dogbestottled! :)

(Everyone else can skip to the * to not get bored)

I suspect she ruptured both cruciates at around 18 months of age, clinically her only symptom in the beginning was an odd pacing gait that didn't happen overnight but gradually as the months went on got more pronounced. I took her to a dozen different vets & specialists then to a physio & a chiropractor & acupuncturist. In the beginning no one could get any pain response from her in any area & I was either told she was normal, had wobblers or to repeat X-rays (she had spinal, pen hip, all four legs & toe X-rays). However, I started her on anti-inflammatories & while her gait didn't improve she seemed happier.

After about 6 months she stared being grumpy with the other household dogs & when I saw another specialist he got pain response along her lower spine. X-rays had already been done so we proceeded to an MRI of spine & hips. Normal. I gave up looking for a diagnosis & kept her on rimadyl & on lead walks only. I'm not sure exactly when the teeth grinding started in the beginning, maybe 6-12 months after her gait changed but then it was only maybe one grind every so often.

6 months after the MRI the grinding increased & more X-rays taken. Nothing obvious but possible degenerative changes to her stifles. Booked in for exploratory knee surgery only to find moderate arthritic changes, complete acl rupture & meniscal tear. 3 months later we did the other leg which had more de & full acl rupture. N

1st surgery post op & far too little pain relief on board later (these vets weren't big on pain relief & I didn't know better at that time) the grinding was constant. Second surgery better due to fentanyl patch + everything else under the sun but still some grinding, especially at night.

Skip forward almost 12 months post op & overnight she went 3 legged lame. Fluid in stifle & hock but X-rays showed nothing & stifle felt stable. Strict rest instructed & increase pain relief. 2 weeks & no improvement. Ultrasound leg & ultrasonographer suspected joint infection. Remove cruciate implant & flush joint. Nothing grown on swab of joint or implant so thought foreign body reaction to implant. Continued abs for 1 month anyway. Some improvement after surgery but 4 weeks later still not even 70% better & swelling now present along hock, vets suspect gastroc muscle tear - ultrasound finds nothing, theory was fluid from stifle because of instability without the implant. I then took her to a specialist to confirm. He got massive pain response (normally she gives nothing away) on palpation of Iliopsoas muscle, likely tear/strain.

That was 7 weeks ago & you can hardly tell which leg is the problem one but since the change in weather I hear her grinding early in the morning. She doesn't grind any other time and it only coincides if she's cold, if I manage to get a blanket on her before the temp drops she's ok.

*I did shorten all of that history honest! Anyway since the new crate no problems. She' feels super warm even without a coat & so far no grinding :). At least when the weather drops I can add a coat in too. Thanks so much everyone for all your help & thoughts. Much happier dog & human now :).

Derail away everyone, I'm enjoying learning more. In fact as a vet nurse I've always wondered why you can get such classic hypo-t dogs and their t4 test is normal! All the vets I've worked with have never suggested additional tests. Kasey only had her t4 test as part of a complete blood profile so it was the basic thyroid test, despite being cold she doesn't have any other symptoms - hair loss, weight gain/loss or trouble maintaining weight, tired, grumpy, nervous etc & her bloods never showed anything that would link it - high cholesterol, mild anaemia etc. Anyway I'll send off bloods to the USA to be sure. I've just bought a soft crate, another bed, thick doona & a dog coat, so what's a bit more $ for my million dollar mutt :).

Kayla I believe the teeth grinding does coincide with pain relief wearing off but when it wears off in the evening & she's warm no grinding. When she initially had surgery & then the infection & then the tear I did set my alarm 8 hourly so she didn't get breakthrough pain but it's just not something I can keep up long term, having alarms going off in the middle of the night & not being able to get back to sleep isn't something I could keep up. The rimadyl is the only thing that lasts 24hrs. She's also on gabapentin & methocarbanol (muscle relaxant), all meds at the highest possible dose. Monthly cartrophen too. She was on tramadol as well but it makes her nauseated so we've stopped that.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions, I've been googling and racking my brain for ages, should have known to just go straight to dol!

The crate is a fantastic idea, with a heavy duty blanket over it & a doona on top of her bedding & up the sides a bit it should work well. I'm also going to order a coat from euro dogs & little gifts, exactly the sort of in the know info I needed :)

I should have mentioned previously for all the thoughtful people concerned about her health that she has had a complete blood panel, a t4 test & a oral exam under GA within the last 3 months. The teeth grinding did start when she ruptured her cruciates before starting anti-inflammatories so I'm pretty sure it's not a gut issue. She had a shocking morning this morning so off to do some measuring & buying now.

Thanks again, you guys are the best :)

Edited to add I'm now living in Tassie so the nights are fairly cold already,

Hi everyone :)

I have a hopeless 4 year old Ridgeback x Rottie who I can't keep warm at night. On colder nights she wakes up every morning grinding her teeth in pain / cold and is freezing to touch. She's had surgery on both her hind legs for ACL rupture, and recently has had a joint infection (from cruciate implant) & torn her groin muscle. She's on every pain relief possible & when she's warm copes fine with her dodgy legs. I'm after some ideas to keep her warm at night, particularly her legs. At the moment she sleeps inside on two thick beds, one is heated, and wears a weatherbeeta coat. She won't unfortunately tolerate a blanket for long. I'm i missing something obvious!? Is there somewhere that sells coats that can go down her hind legs & are super warm? Any suggestions much appreciated :).

Just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who made the time to reply, i know transport threads are boring compared to a lot of dol stories so its much appreciated! I'm very pleased to say we have managed to secure transport for our new family member thats on schedule & than half the price :). A big thank you & recommendation to Wayrod/Wayne, hes fantastic!

Thanks so much for those suggestions everyone. We'll be on the phone first thing. Will let you know how it goes.

Thanks Wildthing, have pm'ed you. I should have mentioned we're happy to pay, Jetpets quoting $700 so whats a bit more!?

Hi guys,

I'm after some advice on transporting a dog from Wagga Wagga to Sydney & Hobart. We had originally gotten a quote and made a booking with Jet Pets to fly our new dog from Wagga Wagga to Hobart with a layover in Sydney this Thursday. When we called to pay for the booking we were informed that they didn't have the crate size at Wagga Wagga airport & we would have to wait till Tuesday or Wednesday next week for them to arrange it. We have organised time off work, airport drop off by his wonderful foster carer & a worming certificate all ready to go.

I'm wondering if any of you knowledgeable people know of a) a transport company that would drive him to Sydney airport & we fly him from there or b) anywhere in Wagga Wagga we can purchase or have delivered an airline approved crate quickly.

He's a big boy & would need roughly a 110x60x80 crate.

Any help or right direction pointing would be much appreciated :)

2 couches

3 doonas

2 electric blankets

Numerous books

10+ dog beds

5 pillows

ALL my bra and undies (left the drawer open!)

Mobile phone

Headphones x 3

Countless toilet rolls

10+ shoes

Tv cords

Dvd cases

So many pens

4 couch cushions

Countless dog collars/leads/coats/bowls/toys

All by one dog over about a year and I’m sure there is a lot more I’ve repressed!

Thanks for all your advice guys :-). I order some creatine paste from vet pet direct - this is there spel about it:

CREATINE is a compound of 3 amino acids which is critically involved with energy supply to muscles. During exercise the initial energy supply to muscles is ATP, which releases energy as it is converted to ADP. Creatine in the body may be combined with phosphates as Creatine phosphate, which converts ADP back to ATP so that it can be re-used. Supplementing with Creatine increases the energy supply to muscles. High creatine levels, and thus increased ATP supply, prevent the muscle using glycolysis for energy production. This glycolysis produces lactic acid. By reducing lactic acid production Creatine is delaying the onset of muscle fatigue. In addition, Creatine enhances the bodys ability to make the proteins used during muscle contraction. This results in increased muscle density, size, and strength. CHROMIUM enhances the activity of Insulin. Insulin is vital to many body functions: most importantly in dealing with body sugar and facilitating muscle growth. Supplementation with Chromium has shown in scientific trials in horses, and humans, to increase muscle weight gain and decrease body fat. Many diets are deficient in Chromium, and supplementation is critical for optimal muscle development. Chromium picolinate is a unique, highly absorbable form of Chromium which is very safe. The combination of Creatine and Chromium has an anabolic effect on increasing muscle size and strength, in addition to an improvement in energy supply to muscles during exercise. These effects combine to result in an increase in muscle work output with increased performance.

Composition: Tricreatine malate 200 mg/mL, chromium picolinate 100 microgram/m

Horse: 10 - 15 mL twice daily for five days prior to strenuous exercise, by mouth.

Dogs:1 mL/10 kg bodyweight daily

I may have been sucked in to good marketing though, i like alot of info before i spend money and this fitted the bill

Will be adding some whey poweder into her food too.

Thanks again

My dog has being diagnosed (eventually) as having soft tissue damage to her right thigh; she has completely changed her gait and added in skips when slowing down to compensate for the pain/weakness there. She is now on pain meds and inflams along with daily stretches and exercise in water but my vet has suggested trying some muscle building powder to aid the muscles recovering and strengthening quicker (the current concern is she will do a cruciate on her left leg if she doesn't start using her right side properly soon). She didn’t know exactly what to use and said she’ll speak to a few people and get back to me, in the meantime I thought I would ask the knowledgeable dol community for any suggestions/similar stories

sumosmum you did a fantastic job! You came across as a responsible, caring and concerned dog owner, and in no way the 'dog fanatic' that some people might think would be the only ones worried about this legislation. LDH on the other hand makes my skin crawl, that man is evil, pure and simple.

This legislation is the scariest thing i've ever read. I have a rescue ridgeback x rottie that fits the description far to well (shes small for her breed/s). I could do a dna test and show the council what she is but what about when vic next brings in banning rotties as im sure they will. Do i prepare to save her this time around by condeming her the next?