Muttaburra

Yes, get it checked out. Might also be the stuff the active ingredients are suspended in, that may be a bit different to the lower doses. Have heard of it happening with frontline too.

Dru Ok, I'm outa here now! ;) :p

Wendysdarwin "He has a 'staff' infection" = staphylococcus bacterial infection Found on most healthy skin in small amounts, but once it gets into open wounds can multiply and get out of control. Ok, staff is very contagious, once an irritation sets in they scratch it, then it gets in between the toes and on the claws they scratch again, do more damage and spread it everywhere. Once it is that prevalent it will just get into any little surface wound and stop it healing. Sorry, not very impressed with your vet. There is an off-the-shelf product called Medicreme (for humans), most Chemists stock it, it contains Chlorhexidine similar to Savlon, but also contains a nice little bit of Lignocaine, which helps numb the irritation a bit and help stop the scratching. Inspect your dogs claws and between toes very carefully for more infection, as well as the ears. IT IS ESSENTIAL YOU ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER APPLYING CREAMS OR TOUCHING THE SORES ON YOUR DOG, and also beforehand, you may even need to consider wearing rubber gloves when touching the skin until the infection is getting under control, also disinfect or replace all the brushes you are using, these too will be spreading the "staph infection" bacteria around. I would also recommend using a clean Cotton Bud or swab to apply to each area of skin damage, ensuring you are not carrying the infection from one sore to another, and avoid all contact with your bare hands. Alternatively provided your dog does not have plant or bee allergies, you could try Manuka Honey, you need to get the one with the active ingredients, Woolworths keeps it in the health food section. Chemists also stock a form of it, but the raw honey is better and just as good. This might get a bit sticky on a hairy dog, so maybe the day before its due to be washed. Hopefully this along with the other health and diet advice will help your dog.

belgavin The smell is like nothing you have ever experienced before so it's hard to mistake it for something else. Recently my JRT Maxi started to stink from under the tail, he's only ever had them done once at the vets a few years ago, and my attempts to help them express were unsuccessful (the vet had shown me). So I gave him some oily sardines, just to make sure there was no constipation causing it, and the smell went away. So I think diet might have some role to play here. If you give your dogs fresh meaty bones (which is very good to do) just ensure that the bowel movements remain fairly regular by adding a bit of cooked vegetable and roughage to the usual meals. And of course some nice oily sardines if the dog is straining too much or not going at all.

Fifi, I'm so sorry. Rest in Peace Navaare, a sad loss :p

So sorry to hear of Wedge's parting, he had a long and great life for a rat. RIP Wedge :p

Yes, I think that was Helen Heydon?

Yes, I love that book, still have it. A lot of what he says makes sense and it does explain a lot of dog behaviour. But like many things you need to take it with a pinch of salt to suit your own needs.

Not necessarily so, the onus is on the consumer to test the meat themselves, it is not uncommon for it to be present in mince especially from supermarkets. http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/fea...s/sulphites.htm

So sorry to hear of the Loss of Andy in such a tragic accident. The Company will be missing him terribly right now and I offer my sincere condolences.

Horus, so very sorry, I know how much you must be hurting to have to make such a decision. You did your very best. Hope Ellie recovers well. hugs.

Varicool. So sorry for your loss, sincere condolences to you.

Thanks Dogsbesotted, you did right to make the recommendations as you did, that is the right way to do it especially for someone new to Homeopathy. Whilst Maxi happily transfers his hunting instincts to ball and toy play, Gracie really just isn't interested in anything. Sometimes after dinner she will have a bit of toss around with the Cuz ball for about 2 minutes (this took about 1 year for her to start doing). Sometimes her and Maxi will play, usually once a day. Tiring them out doesn't work either, they just sleep after dinner and then she revives late at night when I am trying to sleep. I imagine if they were in a backyard at night they would both bark if possums were around, they would not be content to stay inside a fence if something interesting was on the outside. Putting her to sleep in the bathroom is working to settle her, I think the prey drive just very ingrained with her.

Thanks, that is an option to see an Homeopath, there is one that sees animals in our area. I certainly wasn't going to administer anything willy-nilly, and I am not a stranger to Homeopathy, my mother has used it for about 40 years and I have read extensively on it over the decades, and do understand the underlying principals. Gracies problem is in part behavioural, and she has been settling well at night in the bathroom. Part of the cause I believe is that before I got her she had been let to regularly escape to the bushland and run riot for many hours on end. For a hunting dog like a JrT this can make ordinary life seem pretty dull. There is also some underlying nervousness even though she is very devoted and loving. I also wonder if the paralysis tick attack she experienced (before I got her) and had to have the full serum treatment might have had some lasting effects.

The investigation of food and atopic allergies can go on for a long time and it may well be the path you need to go on. Initially try to rule out any immediate environmental issues to eliminate the possibility of contact allergy. If she has plant/grass allergy then do not let her near wool or apply lanolin (both can have residual plant extracts). Use well washed soft cotton bedding. Remove Paspallium (sp?) grass, Wandering Dew, Plumbago (blue star flower hedge), and keep her away from rough abrasive grasses. If contact with these plants is unavoidable, try applying some Curash before going out, it will act as a barrier and the zinc helps the skin rash. You need to be careful with shampoo if the skin is irritated, I think that Alloveen is often recommended and there are some similar ones. Another thing to watch out for is if they are developing hot spots, caused by dampness under the fur and then I think it is some kind of fungal infection. In mild cases you can apply Listerine. Flea allergy I guess you are already trying to find a solution. Is there a sandy area in the yard? often fleas inhabit that kind of soil so there could be new ones jumping on and having a bite before the treatment kills them.

I have had Gracie a few years now. She was 3 when I go her and had been a regular escape artist. She would go into the bush and hunt, or at least that is what I suspect since her hunting senses are always switched to high. She looks with deadly intent to cats and wants to have a go at anything that moves. Her hearing and scent smells seem extra sensitive and she always has them trained for anything that moves. So much so that she doesn't rest at night but constantly is trying to get out and at the night animals around my dwelling. Maxi on the other hand will only startle at very unusual noises and mostly ignores Gracies carrying on, although sometimes will join in. I guess it might just be her nature or she has had too much freedom in the bush (before I owned her) where she has enjoyed following the trails and scents and possibly the catching and killing of vulnerable animals. Apart from the annoyance of having her hyped up all night, (the current solution is to keep her in the bathroom where there is less access to the window and away from the front door, she does seem to settle), I am thinking that it might not be that good for her to be so wound up all the time. Medication would seem like overkill but I was wondering if there is a homeopathic remedy commonly applied for this behaviour?

So sorry you have lost your Chopper, and so suddenly too. He looks a beautiful dog and you must be missing him a great deal. He knows you loved him all his life. Rip Chopper

Shekina, sorry for your loss, I know how you love your cats. Rip Tommy Boy The love will travel with you over the Rainbow Bridge.

So sorry for your sad loss, :D Do you have someone to help you lay him to rest in the earth and say some nice farewell prayers with you? Rest in Peace Teabag.

I don't know if anyone has suggested it but Fish Oil capsules do have some anti-inflammatory properties, and could help. It is not good to allow inflammation to go on unchecked since it tends to become chronic, does some damage due to the inflammation itself and can set up a cycle of pain, where the nerves become hyper primed to pain and turns into chronic pain. There is a lot of information about chronic pain of this type in humans and spinal, soft tissue injuries. (Some inflammation such as when a wound is healing is good, it is a sign of red and blood white cells rushing to the site to bring oxygen for healing, and the heat and white blood cells kill any bacteria etc.) In arthritic and joint diseases the inflammation is often due to what is known as an autoimmune response, where the body starts to attack its own cells in the joints, cartilidge etc in response to some kind of irritation/pain due to wear and tear type "injury", this kind of inflammation is not useful, the body simply goes on auto pilot as with some allergies etc.

Definitely try it. Sometimes I think it is to do with the quality/texture of the dog coat too, you could also try putting some between the shoulder blades and some on the rump/lower spine area, where the dog can't reach or lick it off. Frontline does not always work. Also with such a very heavily infested area you should seriously consider getting a Killtix collar (these are waterproof), call vets first, not all stock them, as well as the Advantix. There is an old bushmans remedy for paralysis ticks, mash a few of them up in the dog's food and feed it to them. I did this with Maxi in a hopelessly infested area and it seemed to work, I did also use collars and other preventions. It appeared to do him no harm and I have met people who absolutely swear by this remedy. One of the most important things is to check your dog morning and night for ticks. Check all the nooks and crannys, the little creases in and around the ears, the dogs gums, between the webs of the toes, in the whorls of fur on the chest, and all over. It can become a routine where you have a bit of special one on one time with the dog and the dog will love it if you make it like a nice pat and scratch. There is also a product called Neem oil that you can mix up and spray around the garden, it is harmless to dogs and humans but ticks and fleas don't like it. A bit of Neem oil on the dog is ok too.

At this point a homeopathic remedy might be worth trying. You could try both the Arnica drops or pilules. Another idea might be to eliminate all foods containing grains & cereals, that would include a lot of manufactured dog foods, both dried, packaged and tinned. Try a diet of lean boiled chicken for a few days. Then for a bit longer if that improves. If she is sensible with eating and bones, you could also try her on a raw chicken wing or neck. See how she is after a week on that diet. New things could be added gradually, try whole root vegetables, well cooked (steamed grated carrot for example). Aside from allergies, sometimes these little dogs just have very fine and tender skin, (like my dog) so being rubbed against wet and rough vegetation like some of the grasses would cause some damage along with any underlying allergies. So, you could try a barrier cream on the legs when she goes out in the grass, simple creams like Curash can both protect and sooth, make sure you never use any Lanolin based products (has traces of plants and pollens in it from the sheeps fleece). Most things with zinc for humans and dogs are ok for skin complaints, the human creams tending to be cheaper.

Kirstie, I am just so very sorry for your loss, no words can really tell you that. Please know that I am thinking of you and your loved ones at this time with kind thoughts for you all through this heartbreak. RIP Barker

So sorry to hear of Jesse James passing. He looked a lovely dog and I know how much you must be missing him.

RIP little Spot, you were a real treasure, had a great innings and will be sadly missed. Maxi and Gracie send their blessings.