trifecta

Well here we are about 7 weeks since I first posted...... just wanted to update: Rogan is still able to exercise quite well, we walked about 10km this afternoon; he was glad to be out & about after a couple of days of rain. The lump on the lower jaw is growing back & is almost the size it was when we first sought veterinary advice on the 11th April; however, his breathing, even when sleeping is rhythmic & does not appear laboured. We consulted a holistic vet about a month ago & have tried a number of supplements & holistic treatments. The ground up apricot kernels did not agree with him & were abandoned after a couple of weeks. We are sort of following the Budwig diet of flaxseed oil & cottage cheese, although he cannot consume the recommended amount. He has 5 mushroom extract, is supplemented with vitamins A,D & E, as well as high doses of vitamin C which he is tolerating well. This week I have introduced green tea (matcha) powder, which he loves! I have changed Rogan's diet which is now modelled on cooling foods according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. He is still as strong as an ox & loving life! Every day is a bonus & we are grateful he is in realtively good health & not in pain.

It's just out of Braidwood, Southern Tablelands, NSW. I went past there last Thursday unfortunately, but it's not too far off the track for anyone heading to the coast from Canberra. ETA In fact it's a very pretty drive!

I would include a digital thermometer for a home kit..... to keep it seperate from the one for human use! Temperature is a good guide as to whether a dog has hypothermia, is overheating or is feverish.

I second this, a few years back several pet cats were admitted to our local vet with gunshot wounds. Sorry for your loss, Cookie was a beautiful soul

Thanks Staffyluv! In the Budwig diet the two ingredients are blended together so that the oil water mix is more easily absorbed into the cell membrane. We are having a break from it for a few days, at which point I may reintroduce it in smaller quantities.

In Traditional Chinese Medecine watermelon is a cooling food (pretty obvious really :laugh:), but my point is, maybe she is a 'hot' dog? Dogs do seem to know which foods they should seek out, afterall. We feed raw here & have done for 24 years.... like persephone's dogs ours eat all sorts of fruit & vegetables & will even steal the strawberries from the runners!

Are these guys local to Canberra. Have PMd you with a long shot, Maree!

Rogan, who has mandibular osteosarcoma, has been on the Budwig diet for about 3 weeks now. Initially he didn't mind it, but increasingly he is having difficulty chowing down such a large quantity : 5tbs oil to 10tbs of cottage cheese. Has anyone tried it with any success? It seems pointless to coax him into eating something he doesn't want if it's not going to be of benefit

There is Dr Kate Millhouse in Canberra - she is providing additional support for our boy who has osteosarcoma. Kate is very caring, easy to talk to & the animals love her! She does long distance consults, wherever possible, with the aid of skype. Obviously for some things, such as acupuncture, you would need to travel! Maybe give her a call & have a chat? She will let you know if she can help you. Here is the link to Kate's website http://www.holisticpaws.com.au/ ...... she is at a conference for most of this week, but she will call you back in the evening if you leave a message.

Unfortunately the people I had in mind are not really Boxer 'people'. Sorry to be of no help, hope they find something soon.

Hi Rae, Could you PM me your phone number? I have a couple in mind who these dogs may suit - however they do not have the internet.

I have a Kelpie with pemphigus, which is akin to lupus. While it is an auto-immune condition it is exacerbated by 'things' in the environment. I am able to manage the condition very well through diet. If you are in Canberra I thoroughly recommend a consultation with Dr Kate Millhouse, a holistic vet in Kambah.

Both...... she is for sale from 9th May Queanbeyan pound

No, the faeces appear normal. I guess the mucus which is produced protects the bowel & it is able to work properly. As soon as the faeces are normal I would cease treatment, sometimes foals need only one or two doses. Don't ask me how it works..... I just know it does! :D

Tricky Woo :laugh:

The tincture is the homeoepathic form. In the case of IBS it stimulates the nerve endings in the stomach & intestines to secrete mucus. Likewise it is medicinal in the treatment of sore throats, respiratory ailments, cystitis, inflammatory bladder & chest complaints including pleurisy, bronchitis & tuberculosis. In fact, homeoepathically, it stimulates all the tissues in the body which secrete mucus.

IBS has just come up on another forum I frequent. Loose stools & bowel problems can be caused by thyroid deficiency. As this condition is quite common & easy to treat it could be worthwhile getting a blood test done.

I am a great believer in Slippery Elm, have used it with much success in foals for scouring. I usually use the tincture, just 5-10 drops does the trick. I have been reviewing the diet for one of my dogs as he has been diagnosed with cancer & I would like to nutritionally support his immune system. After a discussion with a holistic vet I have been reading up on Chinese Traditional Medicine. I simply hadn't realised the heating & cooling effects of different foods on the body. I will include a couple of links for anyone that is interested; it is well worth considering, the body, afterall, is a delicate balance of yin/yan. http://www.acreaturecomfort.com/yinyanbalance.htm http://www.herbsmithinc.com/Home/Education/FoodCharts/default.asp#coolingfoods

A cautionary word on roo tails - they are a weight bearing bone & I have found them too hard for one of my dogs..... resulting in a slab fracture of a tooth

Same here apart from the dogs which have obedience trialled or attended club. The sooner these organisations accept titre testing the better.

Can also be one of the first signs of snakebite, so worth keeping an eye on him.

At that stage there was no histo to confirm the diagnosis. He didn't think it presented as osteosarc but another form of bone tumour. The mass was cartilagenous when a needle was inserted & at that point there was no evidence of metastasis..... first round of X-rays were inconclusive but the second clearly showed metastasis. And yes, I probably misconstrued some of what was said... Thankfully I have not had to make decisions alone; after the initial shock, my partner has been a rock. Some of our decisions have been coloured by my own personal experience with cancer, but at the end of the day we are comfortable with the path we have chosen. Thank you for your advice, cNr, it is much appreciated. I can tell that Sophie was a special girl, but lucky to have an owner such as yourself :)

Run free Montana...... hope you are coping OK.....

Sorry I have been slow to update but there have been a couple of developments since I last posted. Rogan underwent surgery last week to remove the lump as it was growing into the tooth above & the lump was becoming red & raw. The histopathology report confirms a productive osteosarcoma of the mandible. Sadly the cancer has already metastasised with tumours evident on the lungs. We will not be following up with chemotherapy but we are consulting a naturopath in the hope we can give some support to his immune system. We have been told we will probably have him for 3-4 months, though to look at him now, he looks the picture of health. A few days ago we went out for a good hike at Rogan's favourite spot near a waterfall. It is difficult terrain, steep & rocky. We walked for a good couple of hours & all the dogs had a ball. Maybe it will be our last visit together to the waterfall? Who knows?..... but we will enjoy him while we can & look after him to the best of our ability until it is time to say farewell.

Have a chat to Sally at Happy Paws Haven. Grafton is a couple of hours from Nambucca Heads, but maybe Sally has a contact there?