Muttaburra

I support that suggestion, it would be a good thing to eliminate in my opinion, and good you suggested the plywood as suspect in the first place Persephone. Tris, perhaps if you can ring your Vet tomorrow, or a Duty Vet somewhere, or a Poisions Information Centre and see if you can get more information on the effects of treated wood. If it is arsenic or chromium arsenic I think that can be tested for with a blood test, so you should be able to isolate that.

Certainly treated wood could be suspect, I think those kinds of poisions have a build-up effect in the body, like arsenic which takes time to build up when given in small doses (ref: Arsenic and Old Lace). He might not chew it but could be licking it? Or licking himself where his body has contact with it. I was thinking maybe the glue in it, but if it has been treated then that would be more obvious. Here is a couple of quick web grabs. arsenic /ar·se·nic/ (As) (ahr´sĕ-nik) a nonmetallic chemical element, at. no. 33. Acute arsenic poisoning may result in shock and death, with skin rashes, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, muscular cramps, and swelling of the eyelids, feet, and hands; the chronic form, due to ingestion of small amounts of arsenic over long periods, is marked by skin pigmentation accompanied by scaling, hyperkeratosis of palms and soles, transverse lines on the fingernails, headache, peripheral neuropathy, and confusion. wood preservative substances used as dressing for lumber to protect it against mold, insects, pests, fire, etc. Animals housed in pens made of wood which has been treated with wood preservatives may be poisoned by these compounds if they chew the wood. Chlorinated phenols, chlorinated naphthalenes, copper-chrome-arsenate mixture, coal tar creosote and other coal tar preparations are some of the compounds used which are potentially toxic. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionar...od+preservative http://curriculum.toxicology.wikispaces.net/2.2.6.1+Arsenic

Yay! Go Grover! great to hear he is on the mend.

So sorry for your loss Kizmy, and your lousy experience with a very unprofessional person. The death of a pet is always sad, and can be worse depending on the circumstances. It's amazing that the little Princess enjoyed a wonderful long life with you for 19 years, that is a grand age for a dog. She must have been very loved to have lived that long and no doubt was devoted to you too. Rest in Peace little Princess

Sending supportive thoughts for Grover, Trisven, Steve and family.

Yes, would love to hear how Molly is doing, glad that she is rallying. Photos?

it sounds like a clear cut case of "Atlas Foot" sometimes known as Athletes Foot, fungal, identified by smell alone, but also it does itch a bit sometimes too. Although the keratosis theory is interesting and might be contributing factor. If the fur was stiff then it could even be some kind of viral wartism. I would be tempted to try soaking (just one foot) in a mild solution of 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 1 litre of water for 5 minutes, then gently wipe the pads of the paw (and dry the rest of the paw). It is possible that this might gently remove the "fur" from the pads. Ensure his feet are always dry before bedtime. Otherwise I would say try an antifungal creme as a follow-up, whatever brand as recommended by a vet, but I suspect like my dog he would just lick it all off. I wouldn't be rushing to expensive tests at this stage.

It might also be wise to stop the milk and get the Puppy Milk that does not contain lactose from the supermarket, and encourage Boots to drink more water, even if you have to water the Puppy Milk down for a while. Many animals are lactose intolerant, and it can cause allergic type reactions.

Also be aware of where the glycosphate will run off to if it rains. The instructions are clear about avoiding rainy weather anyway. It can wash off and drain down and kill other things that way. Regarding the question about the potash killing other plants, it shouldn't have too much effect (if you don't smother them with it), wandering jew is just very sensitive to it.

Bellabear, what a roller coster ride you and Mollie have been through, So glad to hear that she is recovering now. Are you keeping on with the Cellfood? also Active Manuka Honey is good for fighting bacterial infection such as Kennel Cough and also should help support the body with the pneumonia. If you do try it, start with tiny amounts at first. It can be bought for around $10 from the supermarket in the Honey section, otherwise you could go more upmarket, as long as it is high in Active properties as explained on this website. http://www.unc.edu/~knobe/experiments.html

Just curious, would Chocolate Labradors fall into this category? when I was a kid there were only many shades of gold or black.

Is well tested and widely use by Vets as "off label" medication for dogs and cats with allergies. The vet should be able to advise on the dosage (according to wieght).

There appears to be a homeopathic remedy that might help http://www.zillion.co.nz/listing/10926731/ Also if you have ashes or can buy potash, you can kill it with that. Otherwise rake and roll it up into a ball and put in a black plastic bag then solarise it by leaving it out in the sun to kill it. Perhaps fence off an area that you can keep clear of wandering jew.

Tris, sending supportive thoughts for you and Steve and Grover. He is responding to treatment so that is a good thing. If he is a dog that already paces himself, then that will be good for his ongoing treatment.

Yes, that has occurred to me too. It doesn't seem very fair.

Well a lot of issues with some state police forces have been investigated and there certainly was problems there. One of the biggest issues being that only the Police investigated other Police, this has changed to some degree I believe. This same problem is occurring with the RSPCA there is no independent body to investigate complaints. An even greater problem is that in order to have a wide coverage of a spread-out country like Australia there is not always sufficient systems in place to see that all inspectors behave according to best practice. Some complaints about some actions are cause for grave concern. Like a lot of organisations, it has grown organically, and grown very large with increased powers. These things need to be constantly reviewed to see that the organisation has it's own checks and balances about practices and monitoring it's own operations. There is a lot of good done by individuals within the RSPCA, it is not all bad, we need to have a body that can effectively prosecute people, like those who think its fun to inflict dreadful acts on animals. But, as with any large administration that has the power to Prosecute under the law, it needs to be reviewed by an outside Governmental body from time to time, the same Government that gives them the powers in the first place, also needs to see that those powers are being used and never abused.

My brother has 2 Shihzstu x Silkies, (not on my advice!) anyway they are divine, and it does seem the Shihtzu temperament coming through. Their big round eyes just hypnotise you and they absolutely worship people. When you pick them up onto your lap they are like rag dolls talk about relaxed. The big drawback are the coats, an absolute nightmare.

There's this Maybe you need more set times spaced further apart, after meals is always good. Don't forget to use a command, like "go wee wee's" for example, then praise. Even when pup does it in the right place without your command, use the words of the command you want them to learn then praise. With my dogs that were trained before I got them, one goes on the "go wee wees" command and the other on "toilet" command Puppy House Training Made Easy By: Steve Davis If you have recently brought a new puppy into your home then you are embarking upon a relationship with your dog which should prove to be an enjoyable and rewarding experience for you both. There can be no question that the first few weeks will be the hardest and most important weeks in establishing your relationship and setting out the ground rules. Top of the list will be the task of house training your puppy which must begin as soon as you bring him home. The keys to successful house training are time and patience. Your puppy will require almost constant supervision and when accidents happen, which they will, you must not shout at or punish him. Shouting at or punishing your puppy when he goes to the toilet in the wrong place will only teach him that by going to the toilet he makes you angry. As a result he will try to hold his bowels and bladder to avoid making you angry again and when he can really hold himself no longer he will find a place to hide and go to the toilet which will make house training much more difficult. With the above key points in mind you will first need to decide which part of your garden or yard you would like your puppy to use as his toilet. Once you have chosen it you must stick to it and always take your puppy to that same spot to go to the toilet. During the first few weeks your puppy will require almost constant supervision. Establish a daily routine for him which incorporates set toilet times. These should be at least every 2 to 3 hours including first thing in the morning when he wakes up, after every meal, after every play time and before he goes to bed in the evening. At each of the designated toilet times in the daily routine take your puppy to the chosen spot outside your house whilst giving him the “outside” command. Once there if he goes to the toilet say the command “toilet” as he does it and when he has finished praise and reward him. In this way he will learn to associate the “toilet” command with doing his business and in time you will be able to train your puppy to go to toilet on command. If between set toilet times you catch your puppy doing his business in the house do not get cross with him. Instead, firmly issue the “outside” command and take him to his outside toilet spot as quickly as possible to finish his business while you say the “toilet” command. Try to reduce the risk of accidents by keeping a watchful eye on your puppy at all times whilst in the house. Look out for the tell tale signs of circling and sniffing the floor which normally mean he needs to go to the toilet. If you spot this behaviour issue the “outside” command and quickly take him to his outside toilet spot. If he goes when you are there issue the “toilet” command and praise and reward him when he has finished. On the occasions when your puppy does have an accident in the house, including those you do not find out about until some time later, do not shout at or punish him. Simply clear any mess up without a fuss and if possible without him seeing you do it. Make sure you have a supply of deodorising spray or solution which you can apply to the area once you have cleaned it so that all traces of any smell are completely removed. If you do not it is likely that your puppy will find, and use, the same spot again the next time he feels the need to go to the toilet whilst in the house and you are not watching him. Time and patience with your puppy in the first few weeks are essential. A daily routine and the issuing of repetitive commands which your puppy can learn to associate with actions, coupled with plenty of praise and reward when he gets things right, should enable you to house-train him both quickly and effectively. Credits for this article: Author Resource:- Want more help and advice on how to train your puppy? If so, go to http://puppyanddogtrainingonlinereview.blogspot.com for further details including access to online audio and visual training material. Article From http://www.articlecity.com/

Well done, and may you be blessed for what you have done. The weight gain is promising and seems she is enjoying your nurturing. Maybe wait a little while for the teeth, in the meantime some "sensible" raw bones could well do the job for you. Gracie's teeth were dreadful when I got her, covered in tartar etc., from a tinned food diet, it took a few months, but with regular bones and they were completely cleaned up, - except for the upper canines which it appears she doesn't use much. It will also mean less time under GA if there is some that still need scraping off.

Send it to meeee pleese!! I want that owl and all it's relatives too. Janba - isn't it a pain!! my dog hurls himself at the window, because the power cable attaches to the house above that window and the possums use it as an aerial footway.

It's pretty evil. But far from an isolated case. There are archery, cross-bow groups that arrange with farmers to go on the property and kill everything and anything, except the stock and farm animals of course. One of these groups is located in the ACT.

What a beautiful tree and lovely tribute to a beautiful dog.

RIP Pat, he had a good life, and was given the best chances, I know you will miss him Persephone, you know you made the right decision. Sorry for your loss

Kirah, she looks such a beautiful dog, a very sad loss for you. She will have appreciated your great strength and kindness as you helped her over the bridge. Run free Kirah

Cassie sounds a very special dog, thank you for sharing your memories, both happy and sad. Run free now Cassie