Kirty

Scams for sure.

I'd go for a cavalier. Such sweet little dogs. :)

He can come here short term if you need. :) He can even come to work with me. Call me on 0438 359 724 if you need me.

Generally any routine spays I've had done (cats and dogs) haven't had take-home anti-inflams or ABs. However the OP said that the vet said it was a bit more complicated due to a full bladder and recent season, so that's probably the reason for the anti-inflams. ALL animals should be given an injection of pain relief/anti-inflams and ABs at the time of surgery though, and the non-steroidals generally last for up to 48hrs.

He doesn't look like an Am Bulldog to me. More like an Am Staff. Where did you get him?

Not sure but there are some great breeders who would probably want to help her. Perhaps try contacting the Samoyed Club if there is one?

Local drops can delay healing and also dry the eye out. There are other antibiotics and meds that could possibly be used too. If a referral to a specialist isn't an option and the ulcer still isn't healing, perhaps ask your vet to call and chat to an ophthal next time you're there. Our vets are always happy to speak to local vets about their cases. :)

We make up Cyclosporin drops and Tacrolimus drops at work so you can definitely still get them.

I work at an eye specialist clinic and have never heard of REMEND. What meds is she currently on? As for drops that cure cataracts, I'm afraid that there is no product available that does this. We are always on the look out for new products that might help our patients, but currently the only cure for cataracts in people and animals is surgery.

No I don't think so. Drinking water can also cause it, and I think having an empty tummy can too.

Thanks for the replies. She doesn't seem to mind going on different walks and is confident except for the barking dogs. She wears a special vest with 'I'm blind' on it. It seems to keep people away because they think she is a service dog in training! I wish more people would come and say hello to her! I have these ideas in my head about what I want to do with her, just not sure how to achieve them. I want her to respond to different things by looking to me for reassurance, and if she gets startled I want her to feel confident and happy about it. My worst fear is that if she gets a fright she will bite someone.

Oh my gosh, she is so gorgeous!! How will you ever let her go?

Oops

I lost my first Dane to bloat. We went out for a few hours, come home and she was dead. She was fine when we left but it was a hot day so I'm guessing she gulped down lots of water. She was 2.5yrs old. We later found out that her dad died of bloat at a similar age. I don't feed within an hour before or after exercise. I add water to their kibble (not soaked, just wet). I feed on the floor. But that's all I can do. I now have four dogs out of five that are high risk but I try not to think about it!

Stevie is my 5mo blind GSD foster pup. She is doing really well but I feel like I am getting out of my depth with her sometimes. If anyone can help with these questions, that would be great! I think I am going to have get some professional help very soon though. So I have been walking Stevie a few times a week for a while now. I try to walk a slightly different way every time, and sometimes we drive somewhere to mix things up. I always walk her with Toby my 7mo Std Poodle because I think it helps her feel confident. But after a while, all she wants to do is follow Toby, play with Toby, etc and we end up in a tangle of leads. Do you think I should try walking her on her own? I want her to learn to focus on me, and to trust me to guide her. Sometimes when walking, she will get startled and stop. The biggest cause of this is dogs barking aggressively in their yards as we walk past, which is fair enough because she can't see that they are behind a fence! I have been saying 'what's that?' in a happy tone and praising her when she keeps walking. Does that sound ok? Also, I'm trying to keep her always next to my left leg. Is this a feasible thing to teach a blind dog?

Empty nesters are very popular here, with the dogs and myself! The dogs love chewing them, throwing them around and destroying them. I like them because there is no stuffing to clean up!!

Make sure the parents are checked for hereditary cataracts!

Thanks, she is not too bad yet and I have her on sashas blend, glucosamine and cartrophen injections so she is very comfortable. i just worry about her lying down and then trying to get up again. A mattress might be a good idea - won't last long though with the other dogs.

Maisie is 10.5yrs old and has some arthritis. She currently sleeps on a cushion bed but I'm wondering if a trampoline bed would be easier? Any suggestions?

Is he deaf? Deafness is an issue in the breed. Does he have fleas? I had a foster once who barked constantly - got her home and she was CRAWLING with fleas. Several flea treatments and soothing baths later, no more barking.

I work at an eye specialist clinic so hopefully I can answer some of your questions. First of all, blind dogs generally cope very well. However as cataracts progress, they can cause secondary problems (uveitis and glaucoma) so even if you decide against surgery, they must be monitored quite closely. In terms of cost, you should expect to pay around $4000-$5000 depending on what state you live in, what tests need to be done, whether you get artificial lenses put in, etc. Cataract surgery is done by a specialist using mostly human equipment, hence the cost. I have to say, with a Poodle as young as yours, I would be worried about PRA. How was her vision before you noticed the cloudiness? As far as her age, she would be fine to have surgery. Most of our patients are 10-14yrs and they cope really well. The specialist should give you a likely success rate and that should help you make your decision.

I'm not sure Lynn. I have read that normal visual dogs use their nose for 70% of their navigation, so I think its easy for her to compensate. We see a lot of blind dogs at work and most of them cope extremely well. Stevie uses her ears a lot at the moment, but she also has the house and yard mapped out very well by scent. Poodle Mum, will try and get some photos of Toby up soon. She is so big now! I gave her a terrible hair cut though which is why I haven't posted any for a while! Lol

A pet shop is a pet shop. Sorry but I dont care if its PP or a family run business, they still source puppies and kittens from dodgy breeders, they still sell to anyone that comes along with the money and they still keep animals in cramped conditions. Do some more research and dont fool yourself - there is no such thing as a good pet shop.

One of my cats ran head first into a window once - cracked it right down the middle! Cat was fine but forever known as Brickhead from then on.

1) Afghan (black and tan *swoon*) 2) Borzoi 3) Bull Terrier (red and white) 4) Standard Poodle (already have one) 5) Bulldog (British, Aussie or French - not fussy lol)