Michelle3

I've looked at diet too. I deliberately vary it so they don't get bored ) but also to avoid the issue with too much or not enough of whatever. The other thing is, I have 5 dogs and only this one gets the sores. I am hoping as she is only a bit over 12mnths that she may yet grow out of it. Anyway, my info might of use to someone else. Cheers, M

For anyone looking for options to treat the recurrent sores known as hot spots, this is working for me: Firstly, stating the obvious, do your own research and reach your own conclusion about using 'human' medication for animals. Vet presribed medications and cremes, including 2wks courses of 2 different anitbiotics, didn't work. I have applied Clindamycin creme (topical antibacterial) in the mornings, followed by Tazarotene creme (topical Vit A) at night. Improvement by next day, followed by rapid healing. I sit with the dog for about half hr tomake sure she doesn't lick it all off, then I give her a biscuit or something to distract her. I keep applying for about a week. I am also trying Euclalyptus spray (from supermarket - spray tin) as a preventative, once a day on her paws which is where she gets them. Although you may not have acess to these same cremes, they might point you in the right direction for other options if what you have from your vet isn't working.

Thanks for the responses everyone. I'll see if they have a local stockist as I'd like to actually handle it before I buy but it's not likely here. Thanks for telling me about the service from Innotek Cosmolo, good service is a big part of the decision. I will have a look at one other, a dogtra, but I really want to try the streamlined type. Hopefully the dogs won't catch on so quick! Cheers, Michelle

Hi All, I have an Innotek ADV-300, the blue block type with a blue block shaped transmitter. I am looking to buy another, either the same again or an IUT-300 which seems to be more streamlined and may be an improvement on the ADV-300. Wondering if anyone has the IUT-300 and if they have any comments about it? The ADV-300 has been good. Positives: Still working after 2yrs Does the job Water resistant Different levels of stim Negatives: Can't get battery out of transmitter to replace Block shape is cumbersome on dog's collar Dogs easily learn when they are wearing it by it's shape and weight Tone is either not working or has no effect - no way to test Transmitter and Reciever have to be held together and button pushed after charging to re-set Terminals on collar will dig in to dog's neck if it is left on them Rubber insulators on terminals fall off in short time

Does anyone know what the problem is with Petco's Enduro dog biscuits, specifically Enduro Plus? I am in Townsville, Nth Qld and none of us can get hold of it. We get different excuses/explanation every time we ring them and it's always 'it'll be there next week' but never arrives. Shame, because it's a good Aust product.

We were told about 2 weeks for it to start to heal up. It has been very hot and humid up here, but no rain for a few days, he had only just been washed like normal. The ground has been hot though, maybe it was a combination of wet paws and very hot ground...although only the dirt driveway is hot because we had rain and the grass has greened up everywhere. There were bits of skin still attached by a flap, we cut it off (and he didn't even notice we were doing it) so it wouldn't hold dirt and catch on things. Thanks for replys so far...I am relieved to know that it does heal up OK. ATM he is laying on the bed outside with the fan on him. He is so sore, I take him his water to have a drink, can't watch him limping over the water bowl Last night he had his dinner in the air con bedroom, hubby took it in for him. Our poor boy.

Hopefully the pics are attached and you can see what our Greyhound, Snoop did to his paws yesterday. We have had cut paws before, but never sloughed off like this. It didn't bleed at all. He had just had a bath and went for a run round the yard, came back limping. The vet has said to just keep him quiet and bath paws twice a day with iodine solution. He is very sore, and with 3 paws affected he can't win no matter which paw he leans on really. Hubby is carrying him from bed to bed during the day and we have made him as comfy as we can. Has anyone ever had this happen to their dog? Does anyone know if there is a particular cause? We have made no changes to the ground in the yard, no harsh chemicals, no rough cement. Same yard he has been running around in for 2yrs.

OK, I'll give the malaseb a try this week. He's got an appointment with the vet on Sat for a general check so I'll get him to look at the sores then too. I've only just used the scissors on the matts as low down as I could go without hurting him. thank you.

hi puggy_puggy, I have cut out the worst of the matts myself as you say, but I didn't want to get too close to the skin in case i hurt him, he has sores where the matts were/are. I am bathing him and using betadine on the sores but I was thinking a clip all over just once would get rid of all the yuck and also let me get at the sores, it's hard to get the betadine onto the actual skin. Even letting the sunshine in would be a help I think.

He has badly matted fur all around his back legs and rump.

Can anyone recommend a good groomer in Townsville? The only one I've seen is in Pet HQ, but don't know if they are any good. I need to get Jack the border collie (was a stray a few wks ago, no-one come forward for him so now he's mine) clipped and as he is pretty timid I need to find someone with experience and patience. Cheers, Michelle

Just an update for anyoen interested... Billie was just fine when I got home yesterday, jumping around as usual and back to her normal self Took her to vet anyway. Vet had been doing some research for me, she rang a specialist in Brisbane to find out about the whole injestion vs injection of venom and possible damage to organs. The specialist said that even if the venom had been in contact with a cut in her mouth, it still wouldn't be actually injected into the bloodsteam as the snake was already dead. Her being off colour was just the natural reaction to having an upset stomach. The main thing that was addressed is that there will be no long term damage to any of her organs. She gave Billie a check over and said she saw no need to do a blood test now. Am still giving her Vit C, the stomach medication and a bland diet for the rest of the week just to be sure. Thanks everyone for your input, hopefully this may be of some use if anyone else finds themselves with a dog eating a snake's head!

Right then. Will do. Will also get some Vit C, worth a try too.

Happened on Sat arv. That was first trip to vet, then again on Mon after she started vomiting early hours that morning. Blood will also tell me if she has damage to kidney etc I guess?

OK. I've just rung another vet about the venom detection kit. They send the samples off to the local hospital who will run the tests for them but apparently it's not much use this long after the event (happened on Sat arv before 4pm sometime). Anyways, I said I will get a sample and bring her in this evening to get blood tests as well just in case.

While we were out, my cattle cross girl decided to kill an Eastern brown and then eat it's head (and other bits). She vomited up the head at some point. Has anyone else had this happen, and were there any long term effects? She appeared fine apart from some blood in her mouth from a cut. Took her straight to vets who said she was fine. She was not happy the rest of the day but ate dinner. Next morning she started vomiting and I took her straight to vet again, worried that she may somehow have gotten venom into her digestive system or blood via the cut. Vet checked her, no temp, heart fine, nothing wrong apart from the vomiting. He gave me some liquid to squirt into her mouth (Eslan? something like that) and tablets to settle her stomach. She had of course stopped vomiting by the time we got to the vet anyway and looked bright and happy again. Anyways, she is back home again and eating small meals with the medication, not been sick again but is also not happy, quiet and obviously not herself. I am worried there may be some effects from injesting the venom, or from it perhaps getting into her blood via that small cut - it's likely the cut was from eating the head since it wasn't there that morning. There's not much info about dogs eating snake's heads, or injestion of snake venom in general on the web. My vet could only say he thought it had to be injected for it to have any effect. However I do have an Aunt who had an ulcer form on her leg after venom got on her skin from her pants leg - type of snake unknown. That took nearly 12mnths to heal and she had a scar and 'soft' spot. I have sent off an email to the Aust Herpetoligocal Society in the hopes they might have some info Sorry to be so long winded. Hoping someone can help with their experience of this happening or any ideas...

[ I would guess Schutz more so, because it is a very small training world. Which dvds did you order??? hiya, I didn't have to go through and order any in the end, someone very kindly offered to copy some for me. They are the balabanov (sp) ones. I emailed my local library a couple of days ago and they going to see what's at the state library they can order up for me. I gave them the names everyone here had suggested I told them I would take whatever they might have.

Thanks guys for your comments. Now I am little clearer about the whole thing. I didn't realise there was the ANKC thing. I'm glad it's not just me Jenicol. This is another reason why I don't enjoy competing, all the 'stuff' people go on with. "Those who can, do, and those who can't, criticise". I must admit when I was looking into it I was pretty disgusted by the cowboy types I saw, but I have grown up around similar types with pig hunting (not myself, don't approve but have erm - distant relations that do it) so I just ignored them. Meanwhile, still waiting for the DVD's to arrive. This morning I got a package from the NDTF for Cert III in Dog Behaviour and Training, I won't be able to do it 'cos of the travel but they were nice enough to send it anyway.

Umm, so...the main thing with Schutz is the actual rules? Like the challenge is in doing the work but also in making sure you meet the rules? Whereas with sec and protection dogs, there are no rules as such? So, it would be like a police dog tracking a criminal just has to find the guy - not worry about how long it took or if he had to circle 12 times to pick up a scent. Whereas the Schtuz dog has to not only find the guy, but has the 'added degree of difficulty' of meeting the rules. And THAT'S the actual challenge that people are more interested in? But, if, like me you're not interested in competing then the rules don't matter as much as the challenge of getting the training right so the dog can find the person (or whatever the task is). Well, maybe I will find someone who is interested int he challenge as you say, here's hoping.

Here's the 'short' story... I have been trying to find someone who has done Schutz (any level, any time) to teach me how to do it with my new dobergirl (who has only just been born). I'm not interested in competing. I got some advice already here from DOL (thank you) and I'm getting some DVD's and a book. I live in Townsville, Nth Qld. There is no Schutz club up this way. That's OK, I might start one myself if I get involved enough, just a possibility. I don't mind being part of something if others want to compete. I will do anything if a dog is involved After encountering various levels of ignorance and only one person who wanted to help from the local obdience clubs, I contacted a Schtuz club. I won't name names because it's not relevant and I don't want to start a war since I assume Schutz is a small world and mostly everyone will know each other. I just thought that they might know someone who has moved up this way, friend of a friend, someone's cousin, whatever. I was told that if I wanted to do Schutz, I should move down south as I wouldn't find anyone with any genuine understanding up here, and I shouldn't expect much help from Schutz clubs if I don't want to compete. Great. How is Schutz going to increase in popularity with an attitude like that? I am actually interested, possibly a person who could start a club where none exists. Instead of offering some support, I get the closed shop mentality. How does anyone else know (since I don't) that I'm not going to find someone who has moved up here that used to do Schutz, or that I might eventually find or form a small group of interested people? The only way to grow the sport is to leave every door open, every contact from an interested person could lead to something. I'm posting this in case (a) anyone does have a mate up this way who might help and (b) if anyone is in a Schtuz club, perhaps you might be able to tell me if this is the attitude or did I just strike the wrong person? Is there a reason for the attitude I don't know about? Sorry for the rant, I'm just peed off. Anyways, moving forward; there's a pretty big army presence up here, and I know they have dogs, so do the police so I'm going to ask around if any handlers/trainers have Schutz experience. I'm thinking what they do with their dogs is similar (?). My only worry with this approach is that they might think I am some kind of weirdo making a 'cold' contact. (I am a weirdo - but lets just keep that between ourselves OK )

Thanks everyone. I'll get some DVD's from a couple of different sources and take it from there. I also contacted the NDTF and they are sending me a info pack on their distance learning course. Problem with that is I can't go to Melbourne for the hands on stuff. But every bit of info helps. Kavik, I understand what you mean about how far I can go on my own. I will just have to do what I can as I learn it myself. I'm not really into competing, I just want to learn it and do it. For example, I want the dog to be able to search and find a person or object but I'm not worried about the technical aspects of competition. It would be far too much travel for me to go to trials and competitions anyway. I have been putting out feelers locally so perhaps there will be other interested people around. Cheers, Michelle

Hi All, I've been reading different threads and googling for about 3 days now looking for a 'how to' of Schutzhund. I live in Townsville Nth Qld and there is no-one here who trains or teaches it. So, I am going it alone and hoping to find a sort beginers guide to teach me how to teach my new dobergirl pup (when she arrives in a couple of months time). I have done everyday obedience with all my dogs, more advanced with some. From what I have learnt so far though SH has quiet a different approach and I'd like to know what I should be doing with the new girl from day one. Can anyone help? Websites, ideas, advice? Cheers, Michelle

Well, I know for this particular dog that her parents are both active working GSD's and have various obediance titles. Both highly trained. Two other dogs I've had that have done it, were 'foundlings' so I don't know anything about their parents (other than the fact that their appearance proved that dogs don't get too choosey when it comes to falling in love and making babies!). And the other was a cattle x GSD and her position was attack first and ask questions later. She was the only one who didn't grow out of it. Her problem was she had no fear at all. The thing is, it's not like these dogs are skittish or scared of things. I haven't treated or trained the ones that did it any different from the ones that didn't. It's just puzzling. Anyways, I am making sure she investigates the 'evil' item, and preventing her from attacking the living items. Cheers, Michelle

Thanks guys for your thoughts I guess it is just a combination of things, temperament, age, senses, training and how the dog actually puts it all together for themselves. Cheers, Michelle

Nope, not nervy or spooky. All well socialised with other dogs and people. The one currently that is doing it is a GSD. However, as I said, various dogs over the years have done it.