Labs4me

Mum on her wee break, breats are soft and looking normal again. Pups enjoying a feed and as you can see having no trouble. Appoligies for the bad photo, don't like using the flash.

It is, only one pup still a little dehydated (working on it), rest just like new. Very lively and nosiy, wont miss the quiteness one bit.

It has discussed me for many years peoples additues to animals with they get hurt. Not once do they stop to think, hey maybe I did soemthing wrong here, or I would I react if the situation was reversed? When I was 7-8yrs I had fallen in love with a trail ride horse and my mother bought it for me. He was quite aggressive, bit & kicked every one. Didn't put me off. I manged to go yrs with this horse without harm till one day, lost in the clouds and not watching where I was walking, I found myself face-to-face with his rump. I got a huge fright, so did he. I next felt searing pain as his rear hoof connected with my kneecap. A workman was close by and quickly came to see if I was alright. He starting calling the horse stupid & stuff. I only got defencive and told him firmly no, it was my fault, not his. At 14yrs just walking down the street, just as I past a house with no yard, a huge German shepard (I was still small at 14) came charging at me nipping at my hand. Time seemed to slow and remember telling myself no to run. I opened my hand & stiffened it so he couldn't nip me so much and allow him to smell that Im not a treat. Very quickly s/he calmed. I then approched the house to inform the owners of there dogs behavior and a yard would be needed. No one was home, and being 14 I forgot about it by the next day. At 17yrs I was picking up a 2yr old Harrier that I just bought. I borrowed a car to pick him up, it happened to be a flat top ute. So had no be restained for his safety. The ex ownwer brought him out & wanted to tie him himself to the ute. I was on the side of the tray waiting for him to do that, then without warning, the dog leaped of the ute. Added to my supprise, the lenght was too long, instintively I cought the dog so he wouldn't hang. He latched onto my forearm, ouch. The exowner paniced and asked what he could do. I told him he could untie him while I supported him. He couldn't said it was too tight. I then noticed it was in fact a slip knot around his neck. Omg, who does that. Someone that age (30+) should know better. I had to wait with the dog still on my arm as he fetched a knife to cut him free. The moment he was freed, he released myt arm. He was not hurt, just very shaken up by the ordeal. To the ex-owners supprise, I still took the dog home. He never had another insident of biting and was never tied up again. 20 yrs on, I have never been harmed again by another animal and a strong beliver of a dogs actions are very easily the results of peoples ignorant actions or unfair (no win) situation a dog has been placed in. Just like a drowing swimmer can bring down there rescuer out of fear. People just need to put themselves in the place of the animal, and ask themselves what would they do... ETA: Just wanted to add that I very much feel for the poor girl that was harmed and don't belive it was her fault, but harmed as a result of other peoples mistakes/ingorance. The council sould NOT be encouraging dog owners to put their animals in a situation that can lead to harm. IMO both girl and dog are the victims here.

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. The biggest problem was of course the vet not seeing me, but nothing open for miles. The Formula I had handy had expired, I will be sure not to let that happen again. I am truely disapointed at the messures I had to go through to get my girl & her pups seen to. I left just after 7am and only made it back at 1:30pm. I wasn't going to take them to my local vet after saying he didn't care if any died from waiting till morning. As you can imagine, such a long trip & trying to make sure the pups didn't go too long without a feed, no sleep has left me rather annoyed & exausted. I still want to monitor them for the next few hours, after that if needed my son is prepared to take over. Before I left town, with the help of McDonalds, I was able to make up a batch of formula & get some into them for the trip home. My son continued to help the weakest one, who was becoming limp. Buy 2pm, all the pups are looking stronger and their bellys filling Mother is otherwise fine and still strong. No real answer from the vet as to what's happening with her appart from "looks like plenty of milk, just don't seem to be coming down and that there is some signs of mild infection", but I think I will continue with the heat gel pack for the harden breasts, cold for the sore teats, suppliment pups feeding till mum can take over fully, and of course the Antibiotics & keeping an eye on it. No discolouration from any teats. As for he last litter, all pulled through and with no lasting impact that I or the vet could see... That God!

I did try in Wagga Wagga, he also was conserned wanted to help but claimed he could not legaly see my dog after hours as he was not my local vet. I even tried telling him I was already looking for a new vet as I was not happy with my local vet. Still he said he couldn't. Im very concerned for her and I just find it incredibly hard to understand or accept that I can't get one vet to look at her.

My labrador just whelped 7 pups on Thursday afternoon. Mother and pups were doing really well. Day 3, pups are now dehydrated & also showing in the stools. Stools not watery yet, but orange & clear with bubbles. Mother has been eating & drinking well and nursing plenty, but suspect Mastitis as one of her breast has gone very hard, few small areas with broken skin and teats becoming tender. Called the vet, he belives there is an infection & said that it sounds bad for the pups & even if they don't make it to tomorrow he will not see them/me tonight. I had antibiotics on hand & he suggested I started her on those. I have nowhere else I can really go to pick up some fumula. My last can expired. curses* Any one got any suggestion on how I can help hydrate the puppies tonight or prevent them from getting worse? Her last litter one year ago, pups became dehydrated and declined rapidly. Tho there was no hardening of the breast or anything that the vet could find. Appreiate any suggestions.

Omg, what a night, one of my girls has given birth to 7 chocolate puppies (more to come?), looking healthy & strong. Mother doing we & so far has gone pretty quick for her, tho she getting a little tired now. Hope for her it's over with. Then just after #7 was born, I got the results back for the hip scores. Hips 73 Elbows 0 Isn't the maximum score 106? I would be upset if any of my dogs had HD, but he's special & bond is strong. I watched him being born & spent the 1st 7 weeks with him. By 9 weeks he was with me again. It's one thing not to be able to breed with him, but if it comes to seeing him suffer any... From such joy with one of my dogs to a saddening low for another. Well for now as my boy appears in good health I must focus on this litter just born.

Thanks for the tip. I did call but I spoke with wife? I belive. We had a very interesting talk. She knew of this vet in question and suggested that I don't dispair, do get a second option just first wait for Dr Wyburns assesment (via teh vet) and if I have any conserns on his notes to give him a call. She assured me notes will be printed on the orginal form (not post it notes) so they can't hide any notes.

Thanks for the info guys. I have emailed him and now I will just have to wait and see. The fisrt vets I tried contacting, they were seemingly less knowagable of hip scoring and the one that did seem to know a great deal more, took the liberty in sending in the x-rays themselves.| Once bitten, twice shy... I really miss my old vet... that's the trouble with moving

Does anyone know of a vet in Wagga Wagga (or region) that is familiar with the process of x-raying hips? Willing to travel as far as Sydney if needed for a capable vet. Sandgrubber As I stated, I was still pretty upset at the time of writing that. My main point was ment to be there was too much focus on which is better for detection and no focus on the dog that is affected. Tamons The vet didn't come recommended, but did claimed to be trained in PennHip. I travelled to Wagga Wagga in hopes to find a more qualified vet as I live in a remote area. I hope to know next week of Dr Wyburns assessment. Might shed some light and be clearer on the severity of it. My dog is of good weight and maintains it very well, even the vet said he is at ideal weight. Exercise I give him is walk/swimming, never force rigorous exercise. He does his most vigorous exercise on his own free will in daily playtime with me & the rest of the dogs. Lappiemum Dr.Lynne Bodell of Wagga Wagga. I understand that a number of factors can lead to a bad x-ray and lead to possible incorrect assessment. Poor or incorrect positioning is not always picked up by the person doing the assessing. I will be getting a second option and have already contacted his breeder.

Hi all, I just had one of my dog's hip & elbows x-rayed for scoring yesterday. The assistant became very elusive when I simple ask if everything went ok(only concern if the procedure went well, not the score), and insisted I pay & sign the relevant forms for the x-rays to be assessed by Dr. Wyburn before speaking to the vet. He is a labrador of 4yrs with no visible signs (and nothing as far as I could find in his pedigree, inc' siblings), full mobility, very active and loves to run. In fact the most active & agile out of my 4 dogs. So after signing the forms and paying the fees, she had the vet come to speak with me. She proceeded to tell me somewhat reluctantly that he server HD. I think my first word was "Gosh!" Then simply stated that it was rather surprising, so server with no history & no symptoms in over 4yrs? She responded first with "I'm surprised you haven't noticed any symptoms" then quite abruptly & rudely with "See, this is why I told you to have the PennHip" and started ranting on about Pennhip serperioty. For Goddness sake, if it was as bad as she was saying, either way it would have shown up, he still would be excluded from breeding and the informing of my dogs breeder of the outcome. I was left feeling rather stunned, with of course the news, but also what purposes would there be in saying something like that and then ranting on about PennHip before addressing my dog's new found predicament? If it's more accurate, it would not cure him of a server case of HD? or somehow pass. Or was she hoping for a fail on PennHip to help support the claims that PennHip is better and detects more cases? Which very much feels like the case. By not choosing to go with PennHip (while there is still many questions with it and not many train vets) has not in anyway caused HD. To be honest, at the time I was just concerned with my dogs health, not this war between PennHip & OFA and disappointed with total disregard to my dog who IS affected, the direct result that all this is about to prevent. It is simple, no one wants to breed or own a dog with HD. So research & steps were taken to help eliminate this. How can you only be concerned with which way it was done? Isn't the concerns of the individual dog effected that lead to to the whole process? She was not forthwith coming on my dogs outlook with such a server HD, even after questioning her on it. Only after pressuring her she eventually replied "he MAY need surgery down the line". No advice, no nothing, just how important it was to prove PennHipp is better... How far are some willing to go to prove/support this? And is it not expected for vets to eliminate other conditions before jumping to the conclusion of HD and give management advice? There just seemed too much wrong with this scenario (you really need to have to have been there), she showed absolutely no concern for my dog, seemed way too busy being Pro PennHip and too angry that I didn't go with PennHip. And after reading many topics with breeders and vets concerns on x-ray procedures affecting scoring or leading to misdiagnosing of HD, untrained vets doing x-rays, submitting of only one x-ray usually the best? for assessment ect, it has left me wondering the care and fair assesment of my dog & others have received. I just want to make it clear that I will NOT breed any dog known to have HD and I support every true effort to help eliminate this condition from our beloved friends. Also that I am not outright saying my dog doesn't have HD, only that something was wrong with the scenario & my dog should have received better care... at least some attention. I will be at least seeking a second option & from a vet that has an interest in my dogs wellbeing & followup care. How much faith can with have with our vets to x-ray our dogs with experiance & without bias? If there is not good control in the taking of x-rays, should we also question the control of the whole process? Should we rush into a new controlling method if great care has not been taken to ensure that it is conculsion based on solid data and indeed a change for the better. If not, how could it possibly benefit future dogs? I feel that our dogs would be better served if people (as a whole) tried harder to work together for progress against HD, rather than fractioning off and working against each other. And lastly, while we work towards reducing the prevalence of HD, the dogs that we breed that do unfortuantly have HD passed on to them, I do not believe that they shouldn't be forgotten about in the grand scheme of things and full care should be giving. Just my thoughts & views & still pretty disapointed with this vet as you probably can tell. Like to hear if anyone has had a simular experiance or thier views on the matter.