Skruffy n Flea

I am close to running out Oakway and I had a look on ebay for it but couldn't find one at a similar price to yours. Can you give me/us some more clues? If you do a search for kelp powder on eBay and then make sure the kelp is Ascophyllum Nodosum you will be on the right track. I DID! but either I, or my computer, is/are having a dyslexic week :laugh: (my grammar could also do with a brush-up) Thanks Oakway for the link. From Brain-dead Me I can supply your organic Ascophyllum Nodosum with a dogz discount. 450g or 1kg bags if you are interested.Link Julie, you are fast becoming the one-stop shop for me; I expect to have an order to you shortly :)

hi cas :) I've heard really good things about deer antler! the cost tho is outside my usual pet budget when raw bones are only about $3 a kilo. I've wondered whether my two would take to them! I have 2 swfs: one is an avid chewer while the other only every other night decides to chew on a depleted bone. I'd be more than happy to introduce a product such as you describe but continue only if both enjoyed them and if the cost was doable, I'd be keen on a length of say 2 inches or more.

thanks steve :) and my thanks to both erny and you for reinforcing cal tea benefits --- I just need to get a handle on remembering to prepare it ahead of time. being a tea drinker [and I don't necessarily mind cal tea], the other little bits and pieces of intel provided in this thread I can work into my human routine and that will provide a flow-on effect to the dogs.

I've used calendula tea on numerous occasions but only when I 'thought' to use it following the use of numerous other products that are on the current market; I need to think 'calendula' more promptly... following each walk I rinse my dogs with tepid water to remove pollens etc followed by the occasional rinse using ego brand 'flare up' leave in bath oil [or water mixed with vinegar] and after a towel dry, they each get a coconut oil massage. this process obviously helps them stay smelling pleasant. I must work in to my morning routine the steeping of cal tea so it's at a reasonable temp when I return from our walk... Q1: would steeping say a fist-full of tea [2 dogs] in a small amount of boiling water then adding adequate tap water have the same or similar benefits? Q2: how often can one use such a rinse on their swf? and Q3: can I follow [or do you think I can follow] a cal tea rinse with a coconut oil [an excellent carrier] massage? thanks so much for the advice :}

Why don't you read the rules to check? You ticked to say you'd read them when you signed up here :) geez, saucer of milk, minimax? and the smilie you used didn't lessen the impact!why not just help them out instead? truehorseaddict, registered members on this forum often post about where they buy their stuff and identify the websites from which they made their purchases, even going so far to say that they had a better buying experience with X company than they did with Y company. if you have a good experience with any particular company related to this forum's vast topics, then feel free to let the rest of us know also :)

my dogs taught me how to be a better human

cat, i haven't read all the posts but those that suggest feeding smaller amounts more often is what i needed to do with my boy when he was on pred. it's a necessity and avoids over-feeding because smaller amounts fed every few hours satisfies the hunger pangs and when managed, your dog shouldn't gain much if any weight --- we as humans know that in just the same way and like i always am when on anti-inflams, water is my friend so make sure your dog has plenty of it... good luck :)

yup teebs, you've provided me with perspective and offered it so very eloquently; my post was crass given what you've had to say and i am now better informed. thanks for being so kind about it too; you could just have easily ripped me a new one for being so unenlightened. you've taught me a valuable lesson :) i see now it's deeper than what's on the surface and i will in future not be so hasty in making rash assumptions, but in the case of my neighbour, i will continue to feel bad for those two dogs when i see one parent pushing the pram while the other ambles along side, hands free...

i've seen and heard the 'having a baby' excuse more than often and it really bahluddy irks me --- pups/dogs/cats/kittens, let's be real, they can be child subs, so when a real-life child comes along, the pet in some cases, can be pushed aside/shut outside/surrendered/etc. case on point: i have a neighbour, across from me but down two houses; a lovely couple new to the area about 3 years ago with two feisty aussie terriers and then along came bub, gorgeous wee boy, i see them often out walking, pushing the pram, but i haven't seen those two dogs since. i certainly hear them barking for whatever reason and certainly as i walk my two by their hedged fence-line, and i've occasionally stopped and spoken to the mum or dad and they've remarked about them also having 2 small dogs a little bit bigger than my two... yeah i know, i can't be around all the time to see whether those 2 are being exercised, but i'm around at different times of the day and i walk my two at different times of the day also and i walk them in different directions, taking different paths as much as i can, and i am around most weekends too. i realise i might get some flack for making these assumptions. it remains the same however; a distinct lack of care.

i said in my initial post that i'm torn over this and quite a few of you have since made some very valid and exceptional arguments against rescuing a dog with such obvious disability. i'm now on the fence even tho i'm convinced that if i watch that video again, my opinion will tilt again in favour of rescue, BUT only because i believe that rosie's condition is well managed and maintained and she is enjoying the life she has in what little ways she knows. beyond that, my sensibilities would be far too offended [as they were with the dog, faith] if rosie was put on display for the sake of her deformities and limitations, for whatever purpose. i don't know about the kangaroo [and i'm not so sure that i do want to know]! puppy farm dogs: they are born, they live, exist and survive in horrendous conditions but and just like those we bust out of pounds or accept as surrenders or find wandering the streets, if they find themselves in kinder, warm and loving environments, they have the capacity to trust [again or for the first time], learn to play and become confident canines whereas rosie knows no difference between her, any other dog or situtation. i realise that's a rather simplistic view, comparing rosie's existence to that of a dog born in a puppy mill, but one dog does not compare its life, beginnings, or existence to that of another, able bodied, manic or otherwise, and if rosie is being raised with the best care, attention and [i understand], medication, then i must believe she is enjoying the life she has the only way she knows with her obvious inabilities, and i accept that her rescuer made a righteous choice. while that above certainly sounds like i'm not on the fence, there's a fence for a reason and yes, i do 'sit on it'. i know pickles but only as a young dog and her wonky'ness was definitely part of her charm; i don't know her as an adult dog and therefore, i don't know what challenges present as she grows older. i wish you the best T :)

that plan may leave you in a pot of legal hot water --- the owners might be a bit precious about it and you've left a calling card... just sayin'

wundahoo, thank you for you :) i wanted to say as much as you and even a couple of posters in this thread came close to saying a little of how i feel on this topic. as sad as it seems to be to us, dogs is dogs and from what i understand, they don't rationalise; they just be. they don't look at another dog and think 'damn, why can't i?' BUT i do believe they have, despite any limitation, a natural desire and THAT is where i'm torn --- that wee chi can't tear up a soft toy, or chase a ball and obviously quite a bit more of what comes naturally to a dog in its pursuit of 'happy'ness. that isn't to say however that rosie doesn't have a comfortable, pain-free and enjoyable existence; her carer is a specialist and that video depicts a life for that beautiful little dog as being warm, healthy and loving, and as i think T and most certainly wundahoo said, and also myself, rosie would have given it up way before this if her body couldn't cope with the life she's been handed. rosie doesn't move or play the same way as the dogs i know, but if she had any issue eating or digesting or pooping, then it would be a much more grave situation and i'd be less in favour... i was reminded lately about another dog, faith, who i believe was recently 'retired' from her celebrity life at about the age of 10 years --- HER story really made me think about the kinds of relationship between humans and their best friend, and whether it really is, in all honesty, worth the spectacle... rosie's story bears no relevance to that of faith's life, BUT both have deformities and from what i can tell, both exist reasonably well, even tho i believe faith shouldn't have been made to perform and that perhaps a cart could've been constructed to make her lower body work the way nature intended.

that was gorgeous :) him too! i miss puppiness...

hi sandgrubber :) i don't mix my own compounds but i do swap treatments; during the hotter months i administer comfortis and interceptor spectrum [staggered one week apart], BUT during the colder times of the year i drop comfortis and use only sentinel spectrum. i know it doesn't answer your question, but you might consider it an alternative to an all-year-round parasitic treatment routine that you could feel comfortable with. best of luck!

hi trishm, i'm not online all that much, so sorry for the delay :) the active ingredient in plaque off is 'ascophyllum nodosum': plugging that into google brings up any number of links that helps you learn more about the product and how you can acquire it. there's also this link that takes you to the original plaque remover thread [clicking the link should take you to pg 28 actually which provides several other links]. i bought mine thru austral herbs, but they require a minimum $50 order. i hope that helps and good luck!

for those wanting to use the product and choosing instead to source it locally, don't be inclined to 'over dose' with the product simply because it is presented differently; it is the same, no matter how you look at it or administer it. it contains high levels of iodine and in that regard, you really must do your own research in order to fully understand and appreciate the pros and cons.

it's best to start with a dental clean, or close there after; plaque off is brilliant for 'after that' care because, in my experience, it goes to maintaining good dental health, and by providing your dog with good meaty bones at least 3 times a week [add a few chicken necks also] it will go a long way to keeping your pet's teeth and oral health in very good condition... i, along with a number of others, now source the same exact ingredient from autralian-based herbalists and i've continued to treat my pets once a day with the same amount for a great deal less the cost with the same results. plaque off in my view is no longer the 'be all, end all' in the struggle to maintain good oral health and a benefit [including for humans taking the supplement] is the distinct lack of halitosis!

hi guys and thanks for the feedback. i'm still mystified to the point where i'm perplexed by the amount i pick up after just 24 hours! i'm still convinced however that it is a good product and i will persevere; i must admit there had been some dietary upheavel [not consistently feeding raw] for up to a week or so when this change occurred and that may have played a part, but i'm back on track and hopefully i'll see a return to those earlier toileting habits... i'll give it a week or so and post again following that :)

hey stan's mum :) good to see you again! I should visit the inviserable thread just to catch up --- it's a shame that life is getting in my way... BOT tho: i'm now seeing more output in the back yard and that disturbs me... I must say also that since starting them on VIP grain free, BOTH MY DOGS occasionally defecate MORE THAN ONCE during walks! most unusual... i'm still deciding whether that's to do with *time of day* or whether it's a natural form of marking brought about by enzyme arousal resulting from them sniffing I don't know what to make of all of it frankly --- still feeding vip gf and happy-ish at this point :)

i'm sorry I can't offer any advice concerning ticks --- I don't live in a tick prone area so I wish you very much the best of luck... during the warmer months [say nov to april], I treat my dogs with comfortis [for fleas] and interceptor spectrum [for worms, including heartworm]; during the colder part of the year [may thru to sept depending], I drop the comfortis and treat my dogs with sentinel spectrum which deals with adult fleas and takes care of the usual wormage.

i answered your poll but it didn't allow for several answers per question: that's a forum thing, not yours :) i feed a raw recipe that i make up [for both my dogs and one cat] and i supplement with VIP grain free. every 6 or so days tho, i'll feed each over the next 24 or 36 hours either bbq chicken, roast lamb or vip's grain free sausage or nature's gift or wellness grain free, all supplemented with a small amount of vip's grain free dry. i chose vip grain free because i was happy with the ingredients

oh god, I would so do this, but I don't have the freezer capacity.i usually wet my dogs down after their walk; as other have posted, i do it not only to help cool them, but to rinse from them any pollens and whatnot that clings to their coat; they seem to enjoy it too. today tho, i gave both my fluffies a medicated wash in tepid water [man, it was hot here today], slow rinsed using calendula, i vacuumed like a woman possessed, and washed all and sundry using a capful of eucalyptus oil [in the pre-wash cycle]. my two don't exhibit redness; they just itch indiscriminately --- my boy however has two or three wee itchy bumps centrally along his spine and just above his forelegs; poor boy can't reach to scratch and so comes over to me for relief; i do what i can with whatever product i have available but it's been days, almost beyond a week and those bumps are still there and itchy. not even caladryl helped with the itching. i bought some 'fly spray', but it squirts rather than sprays so i squirt it into my hand, rub it with the other and then run my hands thru their coat to distribute it --- once we're back from our walk, i feel it necessary to shampoo it from their coat; needless to say that I've only used the damn stuff once [#woftam] i too am watching this thread with interest...

I've weaned my two dogs and cat off BH [but for a small amount of feline BH] and on to VIP recently and all seems to be going well. ftr, it had nothing to do with BH or any issue associated with feeding my pets [it was more to do with availability actually] --- i'd heard about VIP, it's grain-free, easily obtainable and soooo damned affordable that I had to try it on my pets... there appears to be no health differences [between feeding BH and VIP] but one thing for sure that I find remarkable is that with VIP, there seems to be much less output [even tho there wasn't much more output when feeding BH]! every day I do the backyard grid walk lately, every day i'm astounded by the lack of refuse [there is no evidence of coprophagia].

what suits one, does not necessarily suit another --- no need to defame or discourage another from at least trialing a product that may very well work for their dog. i'd used BH for a number of years without issue and in fact, my two mixed breed swfs [and cat] always ate their quota without fuss and all looked and acted in a way you would expect from being fed a healthy diet. lately tho i became interested in VIP's 'grain free' [via woolies] and decided to try it out with my 3 pets and i'm happy with those results also; i've decided to continue feeding VIP. VIP grain free has no wheat or corn, but it does contain beet pulp [which i think some peeps believed causes 'staining'] and fwiw, there appears to be no less staining on BH than appears to be since changing to VIP... eta: i edit to add that i feed my animals a raw diet, supplemented with dry

i agree wholeheartedly with oakway