LizT

There was also a report on GAP done on the channel 7 morning Show last week featuring Todd McKenney who has a GAP Greyhound.

Strange that it's considerably less on the Saturday though??

I've often seen your pen out there on the lawn at the back door when going out to toilet my Cavaliers and wondered whose it was as I've never been out when you've actually been using it. I was going to say I can't believe someone had the gall to take it...but then I'm not really surprised with anything people do. Some have more front than Myers!

Cremated, I believe.

Gosh if they are sharing the apartment I'd fear for the safety of the old couple????

I saw a Morning TV news show headline this a.m. that the family of the infected dog quote "Hold grave fears for their son" unquote. I hope he hasn't contracted the virus. Those poor people.

Just a point of fact, the hendra virus has never been identified in Victoria, according to the Department of Primary Industries: http://new.dpi.vic.gov.au/agriculture/pests-diseases-and-weeds/animal-diseases/horses/hendra-virus I'm pretty sure it was confirmed in a bat colony a few months ago in Kew. It was on the news. Hmmm...in hindsight I think the "lockdown' was in response to the Horse Flu that was brought in by the Japanese Entry in the Melbourne Cup that year. Even so, I still believe all efforts should be made to contain any virus that can have an inpact on our Agricultural Industry, let alone anything that can mutate and effects the populace. Fruit bats....poor things they are not ALL carriers of the virus but they certainly do instil a great deal of fear over such thigs. In the past 15 years their population in Victoria has swelled. At one point the were destroying a large number of trees in our Botanical Gardens, then were relocated to Kew/Ivanhoe on the Yarra River. We had a large group spend two weeks in our large eucalypt outside my bedroom last January, my concern was for all the local Orchards, it was at the back of my mind that they could possible carry infection though. They would arrive at approximately 2.00 am and they were awesome in the moonlight and leave after two hours of incesant chatter and come back again the next night. I'm sure our place was a rest stop during their nightly search for food. Fortunately they moved on. They did make a pooey mess though, like baby food puree had been slopped around the decking. I believe the poor dog has died due to the virus.

Got to wonder then why they took the dog if it couldn't be rehomed, why not make it the owner's responsibility to have their dog PTS are their own expense if it isn't a candidate for rehoming - yes I know that in the real world the owners probably would have just chucked it out of the car or tied it somewhere to die a horrible death. Makes me so angry that some people can even think of taking their dog to the "shelter" like they'd take rubbish to the dump. At least it's slightly better than what I used to encounter as a child (I'm 50) when I went out exploring and adventuring (kids did in those days without their parents going insane worrying about them like I did with mine!) I'd often find a cardboard box on the side of the road, with dead puppies just left to die.

Sadly for this dog and his family when it comes to the containment of an infectous disease there is very little room for sentiment. Action and a quick containment are paramount to stop the spread. I believe that horses tested positive were also PTS during the height of the outbreak on some properties previously. When the virus was last in Victoria (a few yearsback now) we had some serious self imposed lock down of venues, Riding Clubs, and very limited travelling of horses, equine specialist were staying away from properties and if absolutely essential all wore covers on boots, disenfected their footwear and equipment etc. all horse events were cancelled. All in an attempt to avoid the heartache these things can bring. It is very sad but when there is a serious disease that can cross to other species one has to put emotions aside. I know I'd personally be devastated if my horses or dogs were in the same situation but logic would dictate that there really is no other recourse.

heheh They are good for a quick change but I have been know to lose my number off my boob!

Actually there is a Doler who does a lovely brooch/number pin with your own dogs photo on it that you supply. They are lovely. Cazzies Creations!

I have had many different pets, horses,cows, dogs and cats with many different names. But at one stage I owned two ponys called Jacky (and they both came with the names!) But the strange thing is ALL my life there has been a ginger and white male cat called Bini. At age 50 I now own Bini VI, pehaps a 'familiar' of sorts.

Oh, the poor, poor little poppet! I think soft toys look dismal pegged out to dry. Poor bubba, it looks so young too!

What's worrying is there is nothing stopping these people from getting another dog and treating it the same way. To my mind it is just as bad as starving a dog to over feed it to that extent!

Actually I find all kinds of pageants OFF. I site "Toddlers and Tiaras" as my first exhibit!!!! My 18 year old daughter showed me an episode. It was like a train crash...I could stop watching!! Bizarre And this is from a person who Shows dogs ;)

Sadly, quite a few pedigree dog breeders would respond in a manner that plays right into his hands. If anyone responds, it should be the ANKC. They should speak for all. Yes, PF I can hear the reels being wound in as I type! Hope fully the lines will snap.

Clancy, our GSD of 5 1/2 would sound like George Clooney! Sophisticated and comical at the same time. ;) Bonnie (Cavalier nearly 4) would sound very sweet and loving, like Bambi's mum in the Disney movie. Crystal (Cav 2 1/2)would sound like a posh Londoner, who sometimes has too much to drink, get a bit tipsy and lets her guard down! I just described by little sister heheheh And Clover (Cav 9 months) would have the voice of a 10 year old girl who giggles a bit.

Did you vet give the murmur a 'rating'? Murmurs are graded in severity from 1 to 6. Grade 1-3 not considered serious 4-6 possibly requiring medication, and likely to require medication as animals age advances. Your vet stated it was a 'slight' murmer and given the already possible advanced age of your dog I would not be panicking at this stage. Provided the murmur does not advance dramatically and is monitored it should not encrouch on your dogs day to day lifestyle, given that at this age things would be starting to slow down a bit in any case. Keep your dog fit and make sure it does not become fat. If the murmur was not detected last year and is only slight now, chances are it will progress slowly. Sadly, there is many a younger dog that is diagnosed with far more severely rated heart murmurs. Keep your visits to the vet regular, at least twice yearly, and don't worry so much. Feed your dog a healthy diet and allow moderate exercise. Don't over react and stop all the fun.

Thanks PF - I hadn't even thought of that! I have some black flats I can use (now I think about it, most of the shoes in my wardrobe are bright colours!) You can always buy bright pants to match your shoes. You're lucky, you can wear just about any colour...except white! P.S. Also just an observation of mine but you'll often see 'stronger' dogs with chain leads (eg. Males, larger breeds) and slip leads on puppies or bitches.

You'd expect the manufacturer to say that! My vet said you can split them, which makes sense when you consider the weight range of the dog specified on the box in relation to each size of tablet/chew. For example, Interceptor blue can be given to 22KG dogs and 45KG dogs. So the manufacturer is saying it's OK to give dogs the same dosage even if one is twice the weight of the other. Clearly precision in dosage/weight ratio is not extremely important when it comes to worming. Indeed, with most worming products there is a high margin of safety. As for example, with Horse Wormers where you can get a great deal of spillage from the mouth and weight is usually guesstamated. Also given that the product is probably made in a production line 'en mass' and cut and shaped by a machine into the required sizes I cannot see why you can't do that yourself? Perhaps it could be to protect the company from people not dividing the portions correctly and the product becoming ineffective. Not advising people to cut it up could be a "disclaimer" of sorts.

LOL Watching telly last night and I had three Cavaliers cuddled up on and around me. It was lovely till they got up to get a drink! Brrrrrr I recently bought a modular leather lounge with a 'chaise' end. Initially the girls were sitting on the chaise that I covered with an old doona to protect the leather but they seem to be 'forgetting' the "new lounge' rules and sneak up next to us now! ;)

That black stone is Volcanic Rock, it's marketed as a "Heros Stone" in Chemists for dry, cracked heels! They work great on moulting short/medium hair. Keep at it and if you don't find a groomer who will hand strip (if they do they will charge you for the extra time taken) try to locate a JRT breeder/exhibitor. I'm sure they will be happy to help you out and even teach you how.

I use No. 63 Conditioning Mist (Detangler) on my Cavaliers. I have used a number of Isle of Dog Products and I love them all so far.

Hand stripping should really only be done when the coat is ready to "Blow" (twice yearly moult). If your dog is blowing his coat then you could do it with a "stripping knife" or by hand using rubber finger stalls for grip. It is totally unfair to try to strip a coat that is not ready to blow as it is painful for the dog. Most dog groomers wouldn't do this as it is time consuming and the dogs coat may not necessarily be ready to strip at this time. That is why clipping is often the preferred option Dog groomers have for pets.