OSoSwift

Thanks guys, I am glad lilly is having a wander and a bone. Brutus has been on heart medication for 3 years and medication for spinal arthirtis and nerve damage for 2 years so we take each day as it comes. I hope he and Lilly have lots more good days.

I groomed a Rough that had not been brushed for ages and sges. She had heaps of dead coat that had matted in. I used a slicker brush, detangling spray and started backwards and groomed forwards layer by layer. It did take around 4 hours in total and the dog was less than half the size she cam in, but the coat was suprisingly easy to remove. It wasn't dreadlocks just caught up hair. I hope you find someone soon to give you a hand, don't clip her off though.

HAve no idea about ticks, bit for here snake bite would be high up, and yes two warmish days are enough to bring them out. The vet hospital usually has a couple bitten over the July August period. Our old Stafford recently did not want to get out of bed and when he did could barely walk. He does have spinal problems so some degree of wobbliness in his back end is normal. He had a temperature and was dehydrated. Subcutaneous fluids and some antibiotics and fingers crossed he seems to be okay at the moment. Sending all our get well wishes to your boy

No need to say sorry, you are going through a tough time and we all know how you feel. I went to feed my old Stafford who is a vacuum cleaner last week and he wouldn't eat. He was at the vets the next morning and while he has improved at the moment I know we are living on borrowed time. I really hope she improves for you, we are thinking of you and sending lots of hugs and Whippet kisses

Thanks it was Rubystar who was after that, I am quite a way away from Perth

Mine get a tune up from time to time even if I don't think they have an issue as I also don't want to jump them or ask them for the working I do if they are not quite right. I can function quite well and be in disconfort or pain with my back and I am sure they are much more stoic than me so I take them from time to time just to be sure, and as soon as I see signs of a problem. I don't know of any in Perth - sorry

I have had Bowen done on my dogs with huge success (and myself) Iwasn't a huge believer or disbeliever. My mum was a total non-believer and she had extremely good results. One of my dogs has a problem with his back up near his shoulders I can tell when it is not right as his natural stance changes as does his movement, he is also unwilling to heel well and for any length. One session of Bowen and I had a completely different dog after I gave 5 days of recovery not training etc. It has worked for over 6 months and only in the last few weeks I have noticed the tell tale signs moving back in. I am booking an appointment for all three of us.

Good idea Mokha. The laundry may be to big, they need to be very confined after surgery like that. It is no use having the surgery then having it not heal properly due to not being adequately confined. The recovery which includes strict confinement is absolutely necessary for the best result possible

Yep I think she is, I have bumped it in the WA thread, would love to help but 750kms is a little out of my way! Hope someone helps soon

Anyone in Eaton or Bunbury that can help out??

MIne got sent to Dogs Vic and I got them back no worries, I am in WA

Yes it is very scary, they can't go and shove their nose in a tuft of long grass just incase they have a snake lurking beneath. I have nealry trodden on 4 and one I missed only because my Stafford was walking right infront of my legs. I was about to tell him to get out of the way when a snake started flicking around under his legs. I yelled at him while back peddling and he luckily bolted (poor bugger thought he was in trouble) It was in cover of about half an inch of clover that had grown a little after we had mowed it and it was on dusk. Got my heart rate up that was for sure and freaked me even more as I was 12 weeks pregnant.

MAybe post in the WA thread?? There are a few over BUnbury way, I think Wazzat Xolo is one of them.

I hold the utmost resepect for our soliders serving in some very very scary places overseas. It is something I would never be brave enough to do. In two days we had two soldiers killed and two injured - 4 soldiers too many in my book. It i so fantastic he has something to look forward to when he comes home. We would definately love to see some photos of your boy and Andrew if he is happy to have that happen. I cross my fingers that he is okay and his friends heal quickly. What a wonderful story. The power of our canine companions

I think I remember others saying you sned them to your own Canine rego body. I have sent mine to the state they originate from. Lewis had Victorian rego so I filled out my details and sent it off to Dogs Vic to get it transfered, they sent me new ones in my name.

Yes their is a risk of them not being able to get out if they get in, however I have only ever had one very small snake in my dog runs (smaller than a pencil) and a midsized on before I fixed the corner it got in by(it was half in and out when I saw it- luckily no dogs were in there). I have had my dog runs 11 years so even though not one snake would be nicer I guess that isn't too bad. WHen I had my Dobe she would bark and guard if there was snake anywhere near her run and she was in it. One year was quite bad and I think there were 6 or 8 around the dog runs or between there and the house ( not very far away). 5am Christmas morning was the worst one, especially when it was a 6 foot Dugite! This year will probably eb bad for TIger Snakes as we have had a wet winter. That means lots of snakes as the Tigers LOVE frogs. It does also mean they generally stay down in the wet areas though and are less likely ot come up to the house looking for a drink. I am lucky as I live on acerage so every day is offlead, no stray dog time. Makes life much easier than having to try and avoid potential disaster when out walking in populated areas.

We have snakes, but not ticks. My dog runs and yard have snake mesh around them - not 100% safe but a lot betetr than nothing. They are only outside running around when I am out there, especially in summer, I keep them much closer to me than during winter/cooler months. We spend quite a bit of time outside unless it is really hot or cold so the dogs can run around a fair bit. They also have their chews in their dog run where they can chew them lying in the sun but have no worries about anyone stealing anyone elses chew. We go for lead walks as well usually at least an hour (this is more for me than them!)

Sorry for the loss of your dad. It would be very hard to make such a decision under those circumstances. I second getting someone else in to look at the situtaion for a non-emotional point of view. The other thing that you need to consider is, it will be quite stressful for Elvis to be living in a situation where he feels he needs to be on guard all the time and that a fight is quite litereally just around the corner. At his age the chemical casteration may help, but many behaviours have become habit and not a new behaviour. Also he is fighting with an essentially desexed dog. This would suggest to me that the fights are more than just an excess of hormones. The more often he fights the better he gets at it, the fighting will escalate and it could we become extremely serious and life or limb threatening. It is such a hard time for you and you have many things to take into consideration.

Excellent news I am sure they are all very relieved.

I can't register, it keep going to a page that tells me the page has expired or something - can't remember now. After 5 times I gave up!

I have tried covered and uncovered, metal and soft crate. He did shred the bottom of my crate cover a while back, but the other day in the soft crate he didn't seem quite as hbad, he started up and I growled at him and told him to shut up and he did, apart from the odd whinge,whine and sook. He is improving, when I first got him if you even thought of crating him by himself he would scream like you were ripping his legs of and wrap his teeth around the crate and try and rip his way out. Sometimes he still thinks about grabbing on, but a firm no generally stops him. He loves clicker training so he might like crate games, I will have to research it a little bit more and save up, trying not to spend money at the moment after some hefty vet bills.

Hubby painted mine, did everything right and it still scratched off very easily. I have since used coloured cloth tape to go over it. I don't paint weavers they are plain white. I am not sure I have seen painted weavers?

I am interested in this as Lewis is a bloody poof when his is in the crate by himself, yells and carries on while I am training Rommi. Maybe this would help him learn to shut up so I don't hear him complaining on the other side of the oval during our stays????

I can't sign on it keeps chucking a wobbly at me.

There is now ay I would knock out a dog every 3 years or so for a dental xray and teeth clean unless warrented. I have only every had to have one dog have his teeth cleaned, they were not that bad but he had a GA for another reason so we did it. He now could do with two teeth being removed due to them being broken, but with his heart and age it would kill him. vWD is a disease for life there is absolutely no need for yearly blood tests, not to mention when I had it done many mnay years ago it was $110 for one test. I didn't get the second one as it was almost non -existant so I knew he wasn't going to improve enough not to be unaffected. I have no idea about glaucoma so I am not sure if any of the eye things are over kill, but heavily sedating a dog at 11 years of age for routine xrays is just stupidity to me. If the dog has an issue - fine, but no just for the sake of it. This is purely a money making exercise and the welfar of the animal is not at the forefront of these peoples mind. If it was this list wouldn't be so ridiculous. Lining their pockets is at the forefront of the minds. Disgusting.