aussielover

Thanks guys! Yeah I am skeptical about her growing out of it, especially as she seemed to have issues from such a young age, which are more than just itchiness now and then. Where do you get calendula tea and how do you apply it? The polaramine hasn't really had any noticeable effect. Will be taking her to the vets again today

I would teach Hi-10 and go from there. Once they can stay up on their back legs for a reasnable time (maybe a few secs) i would then use the same lure as for shake hands- holding a treat in a closed fit so the dog will try and paw the fist to get the treat. Beg is not recommended for growing pupies though as their hips may not be strong enough.

Did you not read all my posts in this thread? Or do you just choose to ignore what I have said, dismiss it as rubbish, and keep harping on about how you feel? This isn't an opinion, it is science. Bones need a certain amount of stress while they are growing to develop to their full strength and potential. If that irritates you, that is your own problem, and not the fault of dog breeders. I've also read research from the U.S about growth plates maturation. not taking varying breeds into account, but only the one's I own, you shouldn't work a kelpie or a border hard in the first 18 months of their life. Recommended are collared walks in parks and on beaches. You know, the kind of things you can offer from an apartment. So my argument is only strengthened by your need to 'harp on'. well done, and thank you To protect a pup's growth plates, the recommendation is that pups should get free exercise rather than being walked on lead. This is exactly why large breed pups should be raised in homes with yards, and not be raised in apartments. The dogs need to exercise and rest at their own natural intervals, and not be put in a sitauition where there joints get pounded by the repetitive nature of lead walking on a lead alongside a person. Good on you for reading some research from the US, too bad you don't really understand what you have read. Lead walking a giant breed pup instead of letting it free run for exercise is a sure way of it developing arthritis as an adult. Do you have any studies on this? I would be interested to have a read

Really (what I have bolded) Was this advised by Guide Dogs or your Vet. I haven't encountered this problem with any of my retriever pups/youngsters and I haven't heard that this is an issue that is common with young retrievers so that is why I am interested in who advised you of this. If it is Guide Dogs who breed their own Labs or source from a particular breeder or two, then it may be a problem within the breeding lines as opposed to a generic problem with Labradors. If advised by your vet, then there could be more likelihood of it being a generic problem as they would see a variety of Labs from different breeders. A number of vets and guide dogs have said its common for young dogs to get this and to wait and see if it clears up as she gets older. Guide dogs didn't specifically say labs and goldens, but seeing as they only use labs and GRs I assume this is the case. Different vets have said this can be an issue in young, growing dogs, particularly retrievers. But that may have been in relation to retrievers having increased incidience of skin problems overall, I have certainly seen an increased incidence of hotspots in GRs and labs compared to other breeds (perhaps because they spend alot of time in the water?)

Thanks for your replies. I was under the impression that Puppy pyoderma was just a descriptive term for pustules forming on the skin of puppies. The antibiotics usually clear up the pustules, but this is the first time that they have come back while she's still on them. She is on cephaxelein (kefvet) for 2 more weeks. Ongoing allergies would probab;y rule her out of the guide dog program however they are waiting to see whether this is just a puppy problem (apparently rather common in young retrievers) or will be on going. Seems to be much worse in summer. She is more comfortable after her bath and i also gave her a polaraimne tab.

actually you can It's just a matter of training them to go ON COMMAND .. and then,when walking, there is no peeing or pooing except where YOU want them to go . I trained many many dogs to do this, when doing Guide dog training ...as a lot of guide dogs go to work ..and at pee breaks , there is often only a small area in which toileting is possible/permitted. Must admit- seeing dogs peeing everywhere when walking is a pet hate of mine ;) I would be interested in this also. very, very easy to teach. When they are toileting, simply say the magic word I use "quick, quick" as all guide dogs use this command. Reward when they have finished. Most dogs will quickly learn this association. You can then start saying the word just before they toilet ie when they are sniffing around. Sometimes that act of relieving itself will be enough of a reward. Many horse trainers use a whistling noise as a cue for the horse to pee, as they often have to do drug testing after a comp or race.

Dogs lose heat through panting. They also have sweat glands in the pads of their paws, but that is about it. They can lose heat by conduction as well- exposing skin to a cool surface. You will find mixed views on clipping. Personally all the dogs I have seen clipped do appear to be more comfortable and energetic than their non clipped counterparts of the same breed. It will ruin their coat though and it will potentially grow back thicker and coarser. So you have to be committed to regualr clipping then. I wouldn't clip my lab but i clipped the aussie shepherd as we had bad ticks in our area and her coat was too difficult to search through. Would not get a long coated breed in this area again.

Wings, my GSP was the biggest couch potato you've ever seen - he made the Poodles look hyperactive well you get freaks in every breed ;) all the GSPs I have met are very full on dogs! which i love!!! I was just trying to point out that it does seem like they've done their research in choosing a more relaxed type of gundog.

Yaps, I am so sorry for your loss. Others have made some great suggestions to help you cope with this a bit better. Sadly, mistakes do happen and if this vet has been negligent then you should certainly persue this issue as it could prevent others from suffering also. I think you are too emotional at this point to look at this rationally though and you should wait until you are in a better state of mind to persue this. I agree with Stormie's statement though- the vet board do take these matters very seriously.

I just read the original thread in the breeders forum. I think the breeder should at least go and look at the apartment and set up- how big it is, gardens within the complex etc I think the majority of dogs (with the possible execption of some livestock guardians) would prefer to spend time with their people than alone in a backyard however large it is. So other factors like how much company the dog would receive would be important in my view. My gundog does not go into the backyard unless I accompany her and will only run around/play if I am there to play with her. She spends all day by my side, gets regular walks, off leash time and comes with me everywhere. She is only left alone for 2-3hrs at a time as a training exercise to make sure she doesn't get separation anxiety. I would have thought a pointer would be one of the better choices of gundog for apartment life? They seem to be less full on than other gundogs such as GSPs and labs.

I agree, it is up to the breeder. You may be interested to know that guide dogs and assistance dogs are more than willing to place large breed puppies in apartments and inner city areas, provided the puppy raisers can provide training, company and exercise for the pup. A number of puppy raisers have a small yard or even no yard or a courtyard/terrace and have gone on to successfully raise numerous healthy working dogs. Personally i think having no yard at all would be quite hard, but definitely managable if you were home a lot or willing to let the dog toilet inside on a specific area. I believe you can even get doggy "toilets".

My 9 month old pup has had a few ongoing skin issues. She has been extremely itchy yesterday and today and also has a rash and pustules on her tummy and armpits. She has had "puppy pyoderma"previously about 3-4 times before, but seems to be more itchy this time. We saw the vet last weekend when the pustules/rash first appeared and were given antibiotics, a corticosteriod apray (cortavance) and malaseb shampoo to bathe her in. The rash went away for a few days but is now back Pup is extremely itchy today, i am going to give her another bath and she has had the spray applied. I was wondering if human antihistamines such as claratyne, zyrtec etc might help? Or should we go back and see the vet? I would rather wait until tomorrow if we need to go to the vet though as we are supposed to contact guide dogs before seeing a vet (unless life-threatening, very ill etc). Also many vets here are only open for 2hrs and charge a sunday consult fee of around $90! Any tips on how to make her more comfortable? Our vet said skin probs like this were common in younger dogs and were likely to resolve when she got older, so allergy testing was not recommended. btw she is on regular flea and tick prevention and I haven't seen any fleas on her (but still could be a flea allergy)

You have beautiful dogs

That is completely normal for a puppy. Do you think the second eye was perhaps more painful? If it was me I would have taken him out the back and got a nurse to hold him- they are often much quieter when strangers are handling them. I really don't think sedation is neccessary just to look in his eye. He probably just needed some time to calm down. Are they concerned about an ulcer or something?

My lab is scared of guinea pigs and kittens lol. I had some 3 week old foster kittens and she just let the kittens crawl all over her while she lay on her back (I think they thought she was their mum!). The RIGHT lab could be perfect for you, but you do need to get a very gentle natured one, not a psycho boisterous one. A good breeder can help you there. All of my dog's brothers are very "energetic" to put it nicely (even though they are in experienced homes), where as my puppy (the only female in the litter) is extremely calm and laid back, which I think is just her natural personality, nothing to do with training etc. She is a very easy dog, and is also a lot of fun, loves going to parks, shops etc but is not over-the-top in excitement. Labs are very smart and will quickly learn what is expected of them and of course, generally love other dogs and kids (given the right socialisation). ETA: Guide dogs prefers smaller labs as they tend to fit into public situations (like transport, restuarants etc) better. So smaller sized ones do exist. (my girl is very tall though).

True, but if there is even a small chance that there will be improvement, imo it is worth taking. I personally think its better than doing nothing. If I had a dog that could be managed with diet, physio/chiro, accupuncture etc I wouldn't go ahead with it though. It would only be if all these things had been tried and the dog still had a poor quality of life (like my old girl). In horses they have used fluorescent labelled cells to measure uptake rate of the stem cells. It is a shame no such testing happens in dogs. At a minimum i am surprised that they do not CT scan them a few months down the track to see if there are actual physical improvements.

How often do you exercise him? What training do you do with him? I would start the TOT program with him straight away. TOT program Have you tried putting him in a time out area, when he does this? That was what worked best for our pup, but of course all pups are different. A water spray bottle may also be a good idea.

I use lamb shanks for my 8 month old lab. I find these are the best bones for her as other bones are too hard for her teeth and others she spews up chunks of bone. I think lamb shanks are one of the "safest" options, although as with any bone there is still risk. They are expensive though. I also used to give lamb flaps which were really good but they are fatty. Chicken frames are also really good as a roo tails. Carrots, potato and pumpkin are a favorite here for vegies. I also give eggs, sardines, salmon and tuna occaisonally.

How sad! I hope people are able to use their common sense when they reads this rubbish. There would only be a few dogs left in the world if all dogs were PTS for nipping as puppies. As for the lab and spitz comments.... ;) :D

seeing as mindy prefers toilet rolls, bottles etc over her actual expensive dog toys, i think i will just give her a few rolls of toilet paper and an empty drink bottle

The ad is not really painting the dogs in a good light. The only potential plus I can see (for bybers, puppy farmers etc) is that the dogs are not desexed and of breeding age. Otherwise, they sound like nightmare dogs- destroyed the backyard, don't ;like small animals, escape artists, iffy with kids.... I also think it is a bit rich of her to state that you really need to know what you're in for etc, when clearly she didn't. However, at least she is being honest. I hope they find good homes and are desexed. I do worry about puppy farmers and bybs getting their hands on them as many of these know all the right answers that people want to hear, and make themselves sound great when the reality is the opposite

that is abnormal. I would take her to the vet and see if there is a medical reason. Could it be stress? You could try a DAP diffuser to something if you rule out medical causes

The reason why the results are variable is that the "stem cells" aren't fully purified and are injected in a matrix of other types of cells and substances. Also the number of stem cells is not quantified within this matrix, so you can never know how many cells are being injected let alone the uptake rate of the stem cells. In theory it sounds like a great idea but in practice it is extremely diffiuclt to isolate canine induced (ie extraced from fat or other tissues) pluripotent stem cells. If I had a young dog with a joint condition I probably would do the treatment as it is the best available at this time (but still far from perfect).

Mindy does it when she tries to "kill" her toys or sticks!

I would keep her crate next to your bed or somewhere you can hear her wake up/ cry. Only get up when she wakes. If she is having accidents in her crate, it is possibly too large. As soon as I moved my puppy into my room (3 months old) she never had an accident (overnight) again.