Papillon Kisses

I like to imagine a world where health data is taken into account at shows and given high priority. Example: you have whatever is deemed flashy at that point in time but your hip score is trash? Too bad, so sad, you can’t even enter the competition.

It is suspicious for spinal nerve pain to me; we saw this with Malcolm but he was urinating instead. Sometimes vets trial analgesia (suspect gabapentin or pregabalin in this case) to see if it has any impact. If it does, there’s your answer.

There was not one but two highly skilled and experienced vet behaviourists involved in this case. No one should be thinking they know more than the actual professionals who were on the case. I am sick of people getting pitchforks out for behavioural euthanasia. No one wants to euthanise otherwise healthy dogs.

Yup. Adrenaline sends dogs through and then they get stuck on the other side, not wanting to hurt themselves to go home. It’s a big problem in the USA where invisible fences are more common. I would be fencing a house/dog yard and saying no to shock collars.

With Malcolm who had autoimmune diseases and other problems I was simply told not to give the Proheart shot and instead give tablets. This was on the basis of (a) his illnesses and (b) that I could be relied upon not to forget the heart/intestinal wormers.

Pretty sure our BV said that was the case a couple months ago but I may have got mixed up with prescription diets which definitely need a script.

For the main part people are confusing correlation with causation, but again flea and tick drug choice is something to discuss with a vet as they know your dog’s medical history and environment. In the USA you can’t even buy any flea, tick or worming products or prescription diets without a vet script. https://www.yourvetonline.com/flea-and-tick-treatments-kill/

https://lauraivesdesign.com/portfolio/for-fun/ watercolour (scroll down to see my Malcolm)

Two possibilities with the soaking are drooling so much in fear that she was soaked (can happen), or going outside in an attempt to escape and get to people for comfort. The latter is one reason why videoing is important when assessing for separation-related distress… you can discover that the anxiety trigger is something else.

Hi, I’m not from that area but NSW council websites are usually good places to find that sort of info. This is Bateman’s Bay council. https://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/residents/pets/dog-friendly-beaches-and-areas

Coincidentally just saw this on Facebook. Fireworks phobias are treated much the same as storm phobia. This is their website for pet owners https://www.fearfreehappyhomes.com

The number one thing for storm phobia is anti-anxiety medication (NOT acepromazine/ace/acp) so it’s great you have got onto that. Other things you can do include: - Providing free access (don’t lock in) to their safe space, e.g. some dogs like to hide in the wardrobe, bathroom, under the lounge, in an open crate, or be with you in bed. - Adaptil if it helps - Counter conditioning games (clap of thunder = throw high value treat; the order matters) - Keep lights on to mask lightning - Mask noise with dog relaxation music e.g. through a dog’s ear - Thundershirt or ttouch wrap if it helps your dog (assess body language) - Comfort your dog if they want it. You cannot reinforce fear. Some dogs enjoy firm massage. - Don’t give any supplements without checking with your vet. Many are contraindicated with anxiety medication and a lack of quality control and evidence base can be another issue. - See a Behaviour Vet if you don’t make progress with your regular vet. Like a human psychiatrist, they have a lot more knowledge and experience with anxiety medications. For the lawn mowing: I initially took my dog on a walk when doing our own lawns so he was away from it when it was at its loudest/closest (see this article about thresholds). Over time as his fear improved he was able to be home so long as he didn’t see the monster.For neighbours mowing, I did some of the above (masking noise, closing windows, playing with food toys to form a positive association with the noise, cuddles in bed). If you’re close with your immediate neighbours, you could ask if they could send you a text half an hour or so before mowing so you can make tracks if you need to. Alternatively/additionally it can help to have containers of high value treats or favourite toys dotted around the house so they’re at hand for tossing whenever something happens. My dog also took an everyday (rather than situational) medication for generalised anxiety disorder which helped tremendously in treating his noise sensitivity. The amount of progress made once we added that in was astounding. A force free trainer who does behaviour consults can help with a behaviour modification plan for these fears if you would like additional help. These two websites are good places to look: Pet Professional Guild Australia and Delta Society. Hope this helps!

This website https://caninearthritis.co.uk may help you as well as their accompanying Facebook page and groups. Sending love to Hugo!

They can be combined but speak to your vet/nurse in case it’s not recommended for your dog or if they have special instructions for your area. I’m aware that some have been giving different dose schedules. Nexgard is another option (same goes for that re checking).

Vets make very little off medication. What you are seeing is (a) their lack of buying power, and (b) the fact that the pharmaceutical benefits scheme does not cover animals. An option may be to get a script from your vet. Expect a fee for the work that is involved with this as it’s not just a scribble; ours was usually around $20-$25. If it’s a medication that humans also take, then you can have it filled at a human discount chemist. If it’s a pet-only medication then there are a number of online pet chemists that may be cheaper. Some medications are compounded, in which case prices can especially differ between compound pharmacies but quality control needs to be considered alongside that. As for other things to do alongside analgesia, check out Canine Arthritis Management including their Facebook page and groups. Best wishes!

nvm

Annoying person answer but ask your vet. You don’t want to restrict / change something if it’s not needed, because they wind up being deficient in other things.

Vets in Sydney will check for microchips and call owners. If there is no microchip or no response they call the relevant pound/ranger to collect if at the end of the day no one has come. People who have lost their pets call all the local vets and pounds to see if their dog has been found; they are unable to door knock every home, and the dog may have a behaviour issue (scared of dogs or kids) or medical problem for all they know. I get quite cross when people keep dogs because they think they know better. In your scenario, if I had the presence of mind I’d have taken a photo before trying to retrieve the dog as sightings are helpful, even if the dog has gone from that exact spot.

Absolutely!

Prime 100 can be frozen, so I would assume other brands can too.

Or this! https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/jun/15/kelpie-fetches-world-breaking-35200-at-australian-working-dog-auction

I know people who have a designated ladle.

I second asking vet about Denamarin for a simpler option.

If there is one word of praise that she loves beyond measure you might like to add a sign to that when you say it. I regretted not doing that. Being told he was clever made Malcolm light up. In any case, I kept talking. I figure talking changes our facial expressions and body language, all of which dogs read. And who knows about dogs but I think if my loved one’s faces just went blank (and I could see them even with limited vision) I might find that sad?