Muttaburra

Thank heavens you had the presence of mind to apply pressure and saved the pup. Well done Another technique for stemming the jugular is to press a beer bottle top, the ones with the fluted edges, down on it. Hope it all settles down for you now.

Bit of a bummer about the tick disease, at least it is identified and treatable, and hopefully may bring about some overall health improvement once done. All that can be done is to take one step at a time. Sending you lots of positive vibes.

How amazing, (about Lucinda) and her progress, thank you so much for sharing.

Thanks for letting us know about Kal's progress, and it's very good to know that she is putting on a little bit of weight. If there was any So2 problems, then that should be compensated for now, so it might be possible to try reducing any B supplements for a few days, just to see how that goes. These will also help to determine the amount that needs to be compensated for (reduced to prevent post-op complications) prior to surgery. Although the blood pressure is inconclusive, it needs to be monitored, luckily although elevated, it is not in the very high range. If only that damn tumor had not been malignant, being so, it means that surgical intervention is necessary, and has reduced many other options for treating the disease. This is the hardest part to accept. The vetinarian care she is recieving sounds excellent and with all the tests being done, everything is set for the best possible conditions for Kal to have the surgery. This is a really big plus in this situation. So here's a big :cool: and sending you and Kal lots of positive vibes.

Little Chomsky is a legend in his own lunchtime Read something in the training section about the 3 second introduction. Just a quick sniff of each other and move on. This works well for dogs getting the hang of socialisation. Remember, you are pack leader not him, so its your perogative to show agression to other animals not his, he should follow what you do, not insitigate agression. An off lead play and romp is a different situation, since there pack order is being sorted amongst many.

Cabanossis is not good for dogs. It contains fat, salt and Sulphur Dioxide. Dr Malik's investigation revealed that: * Just 400mg of sulphur dioxide per kilogram of meat destroys over half the thiamine in the food. * 1000mg destroys virtually all thiamine. Sulphites In very small amounts it would be neglible, provided that the dog is not eating a diet that is high in SO2 from other sources. Other sources TT SO2 story As long as you keep the amount per day very small it should be ok.

Hi Elsa, there's others here in Rainbow Bridge that have been through similar experience of loss, and for some it just takes time for the feelings to not be so overwhelming. My grandpa used to say "never give your heart to an animal", it sounds strange, because he loved animals, but what he meant was that dogs and some animals have much shorter lives than the average human, and so in giving our heart we are also going to feel great loss when our pet dies, even if it is from natural causes at an old age. But it is always better to have loved.... My sympathy for your loss.

Sorry to hear your girl is sick. The antibiotics are likely clear it up so try not to worry too much. There is a medication that increases blood supply to the kidneys in old animals but I don't know the name, it might be suitable if there is any drop in kidney function after the infection. Keep her warm and quiet for a few days. See that she gets plenty of water. Hope she's feeling better soon.

Oh boy, that is a lot to take on board regarding Kal's condition. That vet certainly is a wellspring of knowledge and there is now the opportunity to prepare her better for any surgical treatment. Glad to hear that Kal's holding down her food better now. I am finding this all very nerve-racking just reading about the complexities of Kal's health problems, so I can only imagine how very difficult this is for you. She sure looks one very special dog in your avatar. Sending special thoughts to you and Kal.

ZA The problem arises from a Thiamine deficiency for the animal exclusively fed on "fresh" pet grade roo, beef or fish mince that has a high level of the Sulphur Dioxide (as preservative) in it. A dog with a varied diet would not develop the deficiency. Some people do feed their dogs on the Kangaroo mince, thinking that fresh lean meat is the best for their dogs, so it is quite likely that a number of animals could be suffering from the deficieny. Link to story here Food for human consumption is required to have the amounts of such preservatives on the labels, unfortunately fresh pet is not by law required to display the quanities of preservatives, and in some instances this is testing as being in very high amounts.

borrowed this from another thread. Also called Nutripet. Nutrigel is sold at Vets and the Nutripet from pet store outlets. It would be mild in the stomach as it is for unwell dogs.You and Kal have been so strong through all of this, and your bond is one that many share with their pets too, so it seems natural to offer moral support for you both. Just wish I could be of more help.

G'dday. Although the news is not terrific, from what your vet says there is still reason to hope for a positive surgical outcome. Certainly has narrowed things down a bit now. I have known both people and dogs with adrenal conditions and both had symptoms of excessive urination (overproduction). The intermittent nature of Kal's urinary symptoms are a bit puzzling. Have you had the thyroid and pituitary levels blood tested as well? Your vet has worked very well with you and that's a huge plus knowing that his opinion is thorough and dependable. I know for aging cats with kidney problems there is a new medication (a few years now) that helps with the blood supply to the kidneys. Do you think some nutrigel (something like that for dogs?) added to the food might help? I hope you and Kal have some lovely times together over easter and that your spirit is replenished somewhat by the rest. Don't forget to look after yourself too.

I hope the vet can do some X-Rays, that could narrow down some possibilities.

These people sound pretty ignorant, and have possibly changed their minds. Hope you can get her back, they don't deserver her.

Hi Rozzie What kind of coat does the puppy have now? If it is a thick coat/double coat then it might be fungal or hot spots or a combination of atopy etc. Are they ensuring that the dogs fur is properly dried after swimming and bathing or just in the moist humidity? Is the bedding aired and dried out thoroughly, and is the bed away from damp areas of the house/garden? There has been quite a bit of rain on the coast lately, if its playing outside it could be getting damp from the grass out there. Are they brushing, grooming correctly etc. Just thought it might be worth eliminating some of these possibilities, mostly due to the presence of the bad odour mentioned.

How's the little puppy doing now? Is he home from the vets yet? Regarding the skin condition, I chased down a bit of info. As Dan said there can be internal causes that show skin symptoms, and these may require various diagnostic procedures. Regarding contact allergies, I have read that although less common, this is mostly because dogs have a good covering of fur. A puppy or dog with a hairless belly and underarms would then be quite exposed to contact allergy. It the easiest to diagnose or locate, as it involves a local skin reaction to a topical substance, and it is recommended that through a small amount of detective work, the cause can easily be removed and the skin problem disappears. Possible allergens are: particular grasses, woool blanket, carpet, carpet cleaner, wax polish, plant or insects. If it is on the dogs back as well then it could be shampoo or other products applied to the skin. This was definitely the problem with my bare bellied JRT boy. (Plumbago and certain grasses). I am also making a separate thread with the following directions for a skin poultice found in an Indian magazine. One of the most helpful home remedies is to plaster a paste of Chikcpea curd, and Chickpea Flour (‘besan’) over the area. Let it dry before washing off. Repeat over the next few days.

Pippin sure did love that baby of yours, the picture together and with the teletubby tell the story. He crossed the bridge touching someone he loved and found great comfort in. You have given Pipping the greatest gift for his final days. Rest in Peace little Pippin

Spikey, it could be the grass then. Also he could have come into contact with something else at the show.If his skin is already reactive, contact with the grass could make it worse (even if not allergic to grass). There is a herbal and zinc based cream that also acts as a bit of a barrier cream, called something like K9, its a bit hard to get but might help a little bit. All I could suggest in the short term is that you cover the grass in his pen with outdoor "artificial grass", get rid of any woolly blankets & bedding, and replace them all with pure cotton blankets. (wool can contain some invisible plant residues like lanonline cream). Also are there sandflies or midges in your area? You might be able to throw some old mosquito netting over the pen or some flyscreen wire on the outside. I have heard somewhere that fleas like sand, so maybe?

I used to give Maxi pigs ears as a treat every few weeks. When I got Gracie, I gave her one of them and she was violently ill, vomiting and very crook afterwards. I strongly suspect the artificial smoked bacon flavouring in some things, because she had the same reaction after the guy in the PO gave her a schmako. She does not react pork mince. Hopefully it was just an inflammatory reaction to the pork chew, and if you avoid all Bacon and Pork treats, there won't be any re-occurance. The urge to poo could be due to the inflammation of the alimentary canal, especially if there is no evidence of constipation or full bowell. There are some good diets ideas already recommended.

Along with all the fantastic expert advice already given I would just like to mention that a few drops of Apple Cider Vinegar in the water can help with skin and coat conditioning as well as a flea deterrant. Also a teaspoon to a glass of water (at that dilution to start with, can be increased once the skin is in good condition) for the final rinse will remove any shampoo residue that may be the result of incomplete rinsing. This will also condition the fur and skin and add shine. Must say not impressed with a groomer that is not looking after a return customer properly.

A breeder I know of feeds her whippets (many of them) nothing but chicken necks. They do exceptionaly well on it. The argument for feeding cereal and grains is that when a dog is in the wild, the theory goes that they sometimes eat the gut of the herbivores and get grains that way, certainly might explain the dogs that wait for their hot green horse bum patties. I have a lot to learn about diets, but hedge my bets by giving a small amount of quality dry kibbles for breakfast, then raw mince or turkey necks or similar in the evening. Sometimes I mix rice in, sometimes processed bran. One of my dogs appears to have an allergy to the artificial smoked bacon flavouring that is in half the tinned food, baked bones, pigs ears, and schmakos these days, so I am very careful in that regard.

So very sorry to hear of your dog's failing health. She knows you love her, so just take it one day at a time. Give her a nice quiet place where she can rest quietly and give her nice attention when she is up and about. She will be thirsty because of the diuretics. We can't always plan and do things perfectly as we would want, we can just do our best. The vet can adjust the level of diuretics and perhaps a further examination of the tumor can assess if this is also reducing the air intake. Possibly a full stomach of water is reducing the amount her lungs can expand to get in air, or the few breaths she is missing while drinking is causing her to catch up after drinking. You could consider giving her another week on the diuretics, just to see if she stabalises a bit then look at reviewing the situation.

Very sorry to hear of your sad loss, you acted appropriately on good advice and did the best you could have done for her. Dogs are amazing at hiding weakness or illness, it's partly a survival instinct. The muscles probably made up for the strength, until as the vet mentioned some small trauma, or accident put the pressure on the bone structure. If this is breed related then yes, like hip disease, let's hope the breeders get onto it and breed it out.

Polaramine is also used off label for pets with allergies. They all can have side effects. Certainly as a last resort, and provided they are not conflicting with any other medication or treatment they are worth a try, I only say this as it was told to me by a trusted vet. Since it is just a pup, it might be worth trying homeopathic treatments, his system is young and should be responsive. I think Apis (bee sting) and one based on nettle are two of them. Look around for the common hedge plant, Plumbago, the one with the pretty blue flowers, this is highly allergenic for some dogs. The fact that it is his chin, shoulders etc, sounds like it might be a contact allergy from plants. Could you try keeping him in a pen or in the house for a week, limiting any contact with plants and grasses? It might help to confirm whether its insect or plant. You can also request some cortisone creme at the chemist, they keep behind the prescriptions counter, but it doesn't need a prescription. This can give some relief, but not necessarily a cure.

Well at least the 11th of April is not too far away now. (I do rice in one of those plastic microwave ricecookers, 1 cup of rice to one and a half of water, 15 minutes on high, and you posititively cannot muck it up! ) Just thought the carrots might be a bit heavy in fibre and rich. I think it is Kerotene, that ingredient can cause a condition called Kerotosis in humans that are silly enough to go on a diet of carrot juice for a week. So I'm not thinking the amount Kal has as harmful, but maybe a bit rich for a sensitive (?) digestive system. As regards the iodised salt, I thought if you had wanted the kelp for the iodine factor, then the salt would be a good subsitite. Tiny amounts of salt are not harmful and can help retain fluids a bit if there is a lot of fluid loss through diaohhrea. If you are not concerned about the iodine factor (vegies can also provide that) then I think celery has a natural salt and fluid balancing quality to it, it can be a bit of a diuretic but I think it is due to balancing things out. Other things like dandelion are more of a straight diuretic. I just wish I could wave a magic wand and it would be all better. I also wish I truly had magic hands that would fix things, Maxi's response I put down solely to his response to me, that the gentle stroking somehow turns off the histimine reaction due to it's calming effect on him. I still keep a tube of cortisone cream handy just in case.