vnv

It is true that some dogs are immune to Paralysis ticks BUT they do not develop immunity to ticks. They either are or arn't immune. If your dog has tick paralysis and recovers and then gets another tick it is actually more comprimised. They can develop immunity from exposure - let me know if you want me to find sources but there have been studies where the exposure to paralysis tick was built up over time and immunity developed. It might not last forever but it does happen.

Some dogs are immune to paralysis tick toxin. They can also develop immunity after being exposed to the toxin.

The problem is that if you dont use a preventative for heartworm, and your dog contracts it and the larve develop into adult worms inside the dog, it is extremely difficult and dangerous to get rid of the adult worms. Once lodged in the heart, they can cause all sorts of problems but they can also show no symptoms, until the dog drops dead. It has been known as the "silent killer". The larve takes up to six months to grow into adult worms and be accurately detected by tests, so Golden Rules - if you are just testing for heartworm by the time the test picks it up your dogs will most likely already have adult heartworms.

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I have come home to find the remains of two decimated bananas (RIP) and a very smug looking dog. She's eaten most of the inside and some skin. Should I panic?

If you have no friends or family to take them in, no will and no money to leave for their care. Do they just end up in the pound?

poodlefan - I have noticed she has been drinking a bit more. I am measuring her water intake over 24hr periods for the vet. Her wee's are really small and frequent. Normally she is like clockwork. No hormonal tests have been done as the first thought was a UTI. She was desexed at the end of 2007. I got her from the pound, who guessed her age was 3 months, vet guessed 6 months, another vet guessed 1 year.

baciandollie - me too noisymina- I gave the first antibiotic tablet on saturday night and the urine sample was from first thing sunday morning. The vet said that thought the antibiotics work fast, that should be fine for the urine sample.

On Saturday I noticed my dog licking at her private parts a lot. I had a look and I thought I saw a small amount of gunk and when I was looking a few drops of clear liquid (what I assume was urine) dripped out. I called the vet and they were concerned so I took her in. Earlier in the week she did have an accident inside, but it was on a rainy day and sometimes she won't toilet outside when it's raining, so I thought nothing of it at the time. I have also noticed a slight increase in the amount of water she's been drinking. The vet couldn't get a urine sample while we were there, and there was no discharge around her girl bits at that point, all the vet said was that it looked slightly red. She prescribed a course of antibiotics and sent me home with the sample cup to try and get a urine sample. I managed to get one on Sunday morning and dopped it in. Yesterday the vet called and said the urine sample was fine. Since then Willow has been needing to pee a lot. She normally goes out in the morning, then stays inside and goes out again around 6-7pm. Last night she went out twice in the evening, then woke me up at 1.30 to let her out, then she wee'd in the house while I was at work today, and was busting to go out again when I got home at 4.30. She has stopped licking and doesn't seem to be in any pain or discomfort. What else could this be? I am going to ring the vet again tomorrow.

On weekdays Willow sleeps in longer than me and usually stays in bed until right before I leave for work when she goes outside while I get her kong and other toys ready. On weekends she wakes me up around 9ish. She is mostly inside, if she wants to go out for any reason outside the normal schedule, or if I lose track of time, she runs between wherever I am and the back door until I go and open it. On sunny weekends when I am home I leave the back door open so she can come and go as she pleases.

It really annoys me (to put it mildly). Not only are there are number of ways the dog could get hurt, but I would be so devestated if I hit a dog with my car, I would just be traumatised. It just sucks to meet these sweet little dogs who obviously need some love and attention... then the owners are deadbeats who obviously don't care.

I was driving home today when I saw two dogs running on the road. I was pulling over just as one of them ran straight in front of my car (in fact I had to stop a metre out from the curb and half over someones driveway). A large SWF, very dirty and matted, and a little foxie x type. The foxie was too scared to approach me, and was obviously following the scruffer. I was trying to call them over, but they would come up to me then run off again. I kept my distance as I didnt want to cause them to run on the road. They started running down the street so I went back to my car, they turned around to follow me and ran almost in front of another car, luckily it stopped. They started running down the street again, luckily on the footpath. Then they ran into a house which had no fence to the backyard or anything, and was a bit dilapitated and the yard was full of junk. I knocked on the door and it turns out only one of the dogs was theirs, and the other belonged to a neighbour but the dogs run around together all the time. So it's not one but two dog owners doing the wrong thing The people could not have cared less even after I told them I almost ran their dog over and so did another car.

The first photo looks like he is practicing his "who-me?-How-could-I-possibly-do-anything-wrong?" face So cute!

My girl has a few toys that she loves, but she also loves ripping apart cardboard. I think it's good to give them variety.

It's a bit sad at first, but really cool at the end:

http://www.acacialodge.com.au/ this is the kennel that I am going to visit on Saturday (hope it's okay to post the link here). I think it looks good and the lady was very nice when I called to speak to her.

Thank you for all the replies. I am starting to feel better about it and hoping she might even have fun in the kennel. Are there any specific questions I should ask at the kennels about their policies and practices?

I have thought about somewhere like Don't Fret Pet where she stays with a minder at their house but I think I would be even more worried - she was very destructive when I first got her and her seperation anxiety was at it's worst. I don't like the idea of a stranger house-sitting. I did have someone I trusted who was going to house sit for me but that has fallen through at the last minute. Hopefully she will adapt and settle into the kennel. I just don't know how I will cope thinking of her alone at night in a strange place instead of curled up at the end of my bed with me

Unfortunately I am out of all other options an I have to put my dog in a boarding kennel for a month. It is making me sick with worry and stress. I feel so bad for her and like I've majorly let her down. She did have seperation anxiety but that has settled down now except when the routine changes (I have to go away for work 2 weekends a year and she takes a while to settle down again after) so I am worried this will be a major disruption for her and she will fret the whole time. I also got her from the pound so I am worried she will stress more and think she is back there. I've been researching kennels and things relating to leaving your dog in the kennel and have read all sorts of horror stories. A major concern I have is the tendency for weight loss. My girl is already very hard to keep weight on and she is a picky eater at the best of times. She has been unsettled lately and I am not sure why. Maybe she is picking up on my stress about the situation? She will be in the kennel from the start of Feb until the start of March. I have found a small kennel (32 or 36 dog capacity) where they are let out to run individually twice a day and get walks etc... kennels are air conditioned too.. she is an inside dog and used to sleeping on my bed with me. Will she be okay? What can I do to make it easier and less stressful for her? Is leaving your dog in a kennel as bad as it seems? I feel so horrible. I just want my doggy to be safe and happy all the time and I feel like I am letting her down majorly by having to do this.. but I have no choice.

I told the vet about her behaviour last night - he checked her over and took her temperature again. It was normal and he couldn't see anything else wrong so he did vaccinate. She seems better today, apart from the excitement of actually going out.

stonebridge - infection or disease were the other options the vet mentioned for her high temperature, but I wanted to believe it was just excitement. I don't want her to be sick :D She has had two stomach bugs in the time I have had her, but they had obvious symptoms. She toileted normally on this afternoons walk. She is laying quietly now, but I will watch her like a hawk tonight... vet appointment is at 9am tomorrow.

Her posture seems normal. I have an appointment first thing tomorrow to try to vaccinate again. Could it possibly be psychological stress from going to the vet? She chewed through the bedclothes once before just after I had gone away for the weekend for work (a friend housesat). Aaagh it's so scary, I wish dogs could talk.

She is desexed and toileting okay. I dont have anything I can take her temperature with. She isn't panting like she was at the vets yesterday. eta: She is a staffy x and I think she is about 2.5 or 3 years. I got her from the pound 2 years ago. The vet checked her over pretty thoroughly yesterday and her high temp was the only thing that seemed wrong, and the vet said it was probably just from stress/excitement.

She is getting her usual amount of walks, play, affection etc. She is eating and drinking normally. Yesterday afternoon I took her to the vet for her yearly vaccination and she got over-excited at the prospect of new people fussing over her. Her temperature was apparently almost 40 degrees, and after some water and 5 minutes of alone time to calm down it was still high so the vet didn't vaccinate her. Today she chewed a big hole through the bed clothes while I was at work I took her for a walk, played with her in the back yard and did 15 minutes of training but she won't settle. She keeps making growly/grissly sounds, walking around, wanting to go outside and come straight back in again, then go outside again. I don't know what's got into her

My girl has had a stomach bug twice, both times she had the same symptoms you described. The first time she got an antibiotic shot, a course of tablets for home and the vet advised to feed a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice for a week. The 2nd time she just got the tablets and the bland diet without the shot. It was never suggested she would have to stay at the vets at all. I would do the exact same thing again if she ever gets another bug.