sheena

It doesn't say on the Advantix informatiion or precautions that it cannot be split, so how can that be contrary to the instructions or deemed illegal if it doesn't advise not to split. It doesn't even say that the WHOLE tube must be applied. And what about where it says to divide the dose up along the dogs back....surely this means that some spots would not have the active ingredient. It is still being used as directed...just that the dose is being split after thorough mixing.

There is something I do not understand from this information. Firstly I have been splitting my doses for 5 years or more now & never had a problem...secondly I was advised by my vet AND the supplier of the spot-on that this was a normal practice & was quite acceptable. But the one thing that doesn't make sense, is if the emulsion does not mix, then how do they make the stuff & get it into the viles in the first place. Surely it is just mixed in a big vat then a machine puts it into the viles. So if the active ingredient does not mix then how do they mix it to manufacture it...same thing as pouring it into an egg cup, giving it a good mix with the syringe then applying it to two dogs. Also, when it is applied in several spots along the back like they advise on the packet for bigger dogs, then some spots would have the active ingredient & others wouldn't. We live in a high tick area & I have not had any more of a problem with ticks since I have been splitting it, then before when I wasn't. In fact I have less problem now, as I apply it right down the back. We have a similar type tickicide for the calves & that just comes in a 5 litre container & is measured out & applied along the back...it obviously doesn't have any trouble mixing & the bottle is so big you can't even give it a good shake. I cannot for the life of me understand why they would put an active ingredient into a medium in which it did not mix. Where did you get your information from?????? ETA... I just Googled methylpyrilliodine & came up with nothing except that it's common use is a paint stripper. So I would be interested to know where Nowstarin got the information

Do you just use human thinning scissors ??

No....We called it Grevillea Cottage many years ago when I went mad on planting grevilleas, then we had a nursery by the same name & the name has just stuck. We are not far away, though, just north of Coffs Harbour & south of Grafton.

I buy the largest size available & divide it up with a tiny syringe. Works out a lot cheaper if you don't have an extra large breed dog.

My girls tail is so thick it is like a fox's tail. It gets brushed every couple of days with a Les Pooch Brush & rake & I keep the knots out of it, but it is so thick & heavy. Is there a safe way of thinning her tail out without ruining her coat. I have used the Mars Coat King on her pants to take some of the weight out of them, but not game to use it on her beautiful, thick tail.

I know with my dogs, using a good brush like a furminator is much better than a rubber brush. If you think that's getting lots of hair off, grab a furminator and you'll get about 100 times more. I try and do my pugs daily (haha yeh right, who am I kidding, it's more like weekly ) and it really does cut down on shedding. So yes, get used to the white fluffy look, invest in some white clothes, but also invest in a furminator! Whats the difference between a furminator & a Mars Coat King in the way they work, & how are they different to a rake...are they suitable for double coated dogs like mine.

I wouldn't use a tick collar, not just because my dogs are swimming everyday, but also because of the chance of them mouthing each others tick collars & also myself & grandkids getting the stuff on their hands or face. I am in a very high tick area & use Frontline Plus, and every now & then switching to Advantix so that the little buggers don't build up an immunity. I find it works best if distributed fairly evenly all the way down the back from the base of the neck to the base of the tail making sure it is applied to the skin. Also I don't let them get wet for two days after. I have a small supply of Proban left which I keep for when I have to leave them with someone & I have ordered a couple of these Flea & Tick Repeller Not sure if it will work, but it got good reviews & anything is worth a try & nothing takes the place of daily searching.

I just keep my dried stuff in a sealed plastic container in a dry dark spot. The only thing I have had go fuzzy on me were some sheep necks once & that was during our long humid summer. The tendons I get seem to have a long shelf life....I have never had to throw them out.

When my dogs get it, I give one tablespoon each & they are around 20 kilo dogs. I just sprinkle it on their kibble & moisten it with a bit of home made stock. My chocolate coloured dogs fade because they are in the pool each day & then sunbake for about an hour to get dry. The Livamol brings back the dark chocolate that they really are, even though the top layer is still a bit faded ATM they look good. I was giving coconut oil, but supply was a bit haphazard, so I think I will stick to the Livamol daily from now on.

My dogs wont eat pigs ears. I give them beef tendons & am about to try cows ears.

Well done Jules. You must have been on tender hooks for a while. Not sure if this is my imagination or not (don't think so). The last couple of times I have been to a trial or just hanging about at training waiting our turn & my girl starts to carry on like a Tassie Devil, I have just straddled her, holding her gently but firmly between my legs & holding the back of her collar (just gently). A couple of times she has made an attempt to back out, but quickly settles again when she realises I "have her". It really seems to have calmed her down & when its her turn to line up, she goes like a rocket. Just wondering, if holding the dog this way may be similar to having a thunder shirt on. It's only early days yet, & I will test it out this weekend at a two day trial.

Yep, have a 10kg bag and it has lasted a loooong time even with giving to chooks etc as well as dogs. Can't remember what I paid for it! :laugh: at Vehs. Well they are French - and fashion is everything :laugh: Interesting...what did it do for the chooks & how did you feed it to them ??...sorry a little off topic :D

Yep.....good old Livamol...2kg for $29.00 :laugh:

I just ordered two Skudos from Amazon for a total of $39 AUD including postage. Will be interested to see if they work in conjunction with their normal tick treatment. The fact that they actually repel the ticks is what I am looking for.....it does it by way of ultrasonics.

Does anybody know where you can buy the Skudo tick repeller ETA It is now called the Mitey Tick Off & I have found it on-line, but it is not cheap at $69.

Excellent comments Sheena - my breeder who is extremely knowledgable and well respected in Aus. sent me an email the other day re; the current diet of the pups... she basically said everything you have just said - "why remove grain, a staple food of the world unless the dog is allergic?" - she adds some rice to their meals occasionaly and has been feeding the pups raw chicken wings, necks, frames, brisket bones, lamp flaps, veg mix and advance or bonnie puppy dry food occassionaly. She said (and I def agree) that they should be exposed to all these different foods - eliminates picky eating later on. She will occassionaly cook up chicken or lamb mince with veg/rice too but only sometimes. She also believes in not having a strict routine but a 'round about' time for feeding (most people would agree on that) and to increase/decrease food depending on look of dog or activities eg: hunting or the season. She has told me to 'relax' and not worry too much as long as it is balanced. Sheena - may I ask what food your dogs are on that you have mentioned in that comment - sounds great! :) I have sent you a PM

Grains are only "bad" for your dog if it has an allergy to a particular type. MOST dogs do not have allergies to grains & may benefit from having them in their diet. "Grain Free" has become a buzz word like other buzz words used in marketing & it seems it has become fashionable to seek out the most "grain free" food available. If you look at the ingredient list of most of these "grain free" foods, you will see that they still use the oil extracted from grains, which is the most potent part of the grain. Personally, I feel that a young pup should be exposed to all these things in moderation while it is still young to help it build up resistance. The best food for your pup is the food IT does best on. Before I found the food I currently feed my dogs, which is 100% Australian, free of preservatives & free of corn, wheat & soy (which seem to be the biggest "nasties")& is a premium food at a reasonable price....I raised my dogs on Bonnie & a daily meaty bone. So unless you have a particular health reason for it, don't get too carried away & stressed over trying to find the best "grain free" food. That's just my opinion.

I havn't used that one, but Livamol is excellent for brown/chocolate type dogs & is quite cheap @ $29 for two kilos. For a 20 kilo dog, you sprinkle 1 tablespoon on their food once a day & they don't mind the taste.

LOL. Hope you are right, Willow. If you watched the video, it is quite clear what the mother said about the dogs...but in hindsight, she probably wishes she hadn't said it. If it were my kid & he's done it before, I would have a childproof fence & gate, similar to a swimming pool.

Thanks for that. I did some Googling myself & came up with nothing. Thanks Again

Maybe someone from BioShine, Smiley Dog Products who advertise on DOL, might read this. :) I would like to get in contact with them preferably by email & can't find reference to a contact any where on their website.

Can a food really be labeled "grain free" if it contains canola & linseed oils Both canola & linseed are a grain/seed & the oil would be the most potent part of the grain,& all vegetable oils come from grains, so therefore if you had a dog that was allergic to grains, then the oil from grains would surely have to be taken into account. This is a genuine question , I am not just throwing a red herring about this particular food, but just foods labeled "grain free" in general.

Personally, I would rather sit down to a good old bowl of rolled oats than a massive big plate of mashed potato :)

A lot of unnecessary fillers ie...potato, pumpkin, beet pulp, tapioca starch plus salt is high up on the list @ 1.2% of the total ingredients.