bowser

One of my weims is very precious about anyone touching his feet. If I try and clip his nails he will fight me every step of the way, and bite the clippers - trying to take them out of my hands. He carries on so much that I've occasionally torn a nail as he pulls his foot away mid clip. I've also tried filing his nails but he didn't like that either. I have to get someone to help me by sitting on him to keep him relatively still and do it very slowly. When I was working at a vet he was a regular blood donor, but always needed sedation, so I'd just wait until he was sedated and clip them then so that he couldn't fight me Since he no longer donates blood I haven't actually clipped his nails in a while, because it's not worth the fight. He's been like this since he was a young pup (we got him at 9 weeks, and he's almost 7) and no amount of treats or bribery have changed his opinion on the matter. So unfortunately I have no suggestions for you, sorry!

This is the info that we (at Doggie Rescue) give new dog owners, based on a First Aid handbook for dogs. There are other things that are toxic (like chocolate, caffeine etc) but here is the fruit/vegie info for you: Grapes and sultanas are toxic. There have been quite a few reported deaths from dogs who have eaten grapes. Many dogs have eaten the occasional grape and been fine, but I just don't risk it with my dogs. Green/unripe tomatoes are toxic, as are tomato plants. Onions cause anaemia, which is much more serious in dogs than in people. They can die if they become too anaemic and don't get treatment. Stone fruit like apricots and peaches are ok but the seeds are toxic - they contain small amounts of arsenic, so if the seed is cracked open and eaten its a bad thing. Apple seeds generally pass through and come out whole in faeces so aren't usually a problem. Avocado is also toxic. You need to be cautious if you have fruit trees in the yard as fallen fruit can ferment and produce alcohol and harmful bacteria that dogs should not be eating. I've seen wild rainbow lorrikeets getting 'drunk' off fermenting fruit. Other fruits are fine but you shouldn't feed too much or you'll end up with very pooey dogs. My dogs LOVE watermelon but if they eat too much they get the squirts. You should also be very careful about compost bins/heaps as the fermenting fruit and veg can produce very toxic bacteria. I know of two dogs who died recently from eating stuff from the compost pile.

I just checked their website and there is no mention of a refund for your dog not liking it (though I couldn't get their Australian one to load). I haven't heard of any dog food company offering a money back guarantee if your dog doesn't like the food. As far as I'm aware it's just 'too bad' and you have to give away or try to sell the bag you've got to someone else.

Name: Erin Age (optional): Location: Sydney Rescue Group: Doggie Rescue Time in Rescue: 4 years Who can vouch for: Dogmad, IBite, Shmoo, Jelly, Fiona Mills (have spoken and typed with many rescue people but have only met/know these in person) Preferred Breed: Weimaraners, dachsies, big boofers, little scruffers, anyone who wants a belly rub. Experience (if any): Kennel hand then adoption officer and foster co-ordinator at Doggie Rescue, foster carer twice, have done some transport, donated bedding, work in a vet, always chasing/saving stray dogs and finding cats.

Just make sure that you don't feed any CHOCOLATE icecream, or macadamias, or any of the other 'no no' foods for dogs. Small amounts of icecream should be fine, but due to the fat content and as some dogs are very intolerant of dairy, it should only be an occasional treat. My dogs seem to disagree with me on that though, and will always try to snaffle our dessert and steal paddle pop sticks etc

Bowser isn't ashamed of himself, unfortunately. Here is a lovely, very flattering picture of him (Note the patch of fur where he once had testicles... I think he is just one very confused boy...) Edited to add: EEEW! That poor cat... I think that definately tops my gross story.

We had a friend staying for a week, and one morning when he got up and opened the spare bedroom door, Bowser just couldn't contain his excitement at seeing someone awake... and started... well...air humping :D He kinda walks, hunched over, like he's going to poo, but he's really shuffling along, humping the air and/or trying to hump his front legs. It looks funny and very disturbing at the same time My friend freaked out and was like "NOOO! No pooing in the house!" and ran to open the back door... which only resulted in MORE excitement because someone was running around! I unfortunately had to explain, which was quite embarrassing... "Yes Dave, he's just REEEALLY happy that you're awake..." The first time he did it was a couple of months ago. One morning we woke up (the dogs sleep on beds on the floor at the end of our bed) and as soon as we woke up Bowser jumped up, started humping the end of our bed and erm, 'messed' all over our sheets. My OH has never gotten out of bed so quickly! (and I of course had to clean it up...) We've always known that Bowsie was a little bit gay (very friendly with a certain male viszla at the park) and we accept him for who he is, but this new behaviour is a little disturbing, especially since he's been desexed for 3 years now! So, perhaps that's too much info, but now that I know I'm not alone, I can proudly say, "I love my gay air humping dog"

From the research I've done (online, and talking to various vets), I've found that grapes/sultanas, avocadoes and green/unripe tomatoes can be harmful for dogs. You also need to be careful of large fruit seeds like peach and nectarine, and large quantities of small seeds like apple. Mandarin, orange and other citrus fruits would be fine as long as your dog isn't chewing lots of seeds, as many fruit seeds contain small amounts of toxins like arsenic. Most small seeds like that will pass through a dog undigested, so you shouldn't be too worried. If you are worried about the seeds, just pick them out before you give any of the fruit to your dog

I think it is definately the fat that he has a problem with, as he has vomited every time in the past after eating anything with too much fat in it. I asked my vet about the aspergillus in the Eagle Pack and she suggested I contact the company as aspergillus niger, one of the ingredients, has been known to cause significant health problems in dogs. She was baffled as to why anyone would knowingly put aspergillus in food considering how bad it can be. I will contact Eagle Pack (or attempt to) and report back.

Thanks Bloss - I have bought some rice flour so will see what I can come up with for biscuits. And thanks Dodgy Doggy - I knew that, but your help is still appreciated

The aspergillus is listed as an ingredient, which is what shocked me. At the end of the list it has "Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Enterococcus faecium, B. subtilus, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus coagulins, Aspergillus oryzae, and Aspergillus niger." I'm sure there isn't much of it in the food, but why put it in there at all if it is known to be a harmful fungus?

Ok, so I've checked it out and it looks like the following foods would be ok: * Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach (Salmon and Rice based) * ROYAL CANIN Veterinary Diet canine potato and duck formula and canine potato and venison * Natura Pet Lamb and Rice * Eagle Pack Holistic Select® Anchovy, Sardine & Salmon Meal Formula All the other Eagle Pack Holistic foods seem to have chicken fat in them. One thing I found out though is that most of the Eagle Pack foods have Aspergillus fungus in them. I was of the understanding that aspergillus fungus was a really bad thing as dogs who get it in their nasal cavities can have major problems. I will have to ask my favourite vet about that one and get back to you all... Thanks again everyone

He loves carrot, the problem is that we are in the elimination phase of his diet. We're in week three of four weeks of feeding nothing but beef and rice. He LOVES his vegies but we will have to reintroduce them one variety at a time to see if any of them are contributing to the problem. We haven't had any scoping done. The diet change was the first step, if this didn't work we were going to try other things like antibiotics and other medication. I will check out the websites that people have given - thanks! So far I've been able to keep the hubby quiet by keeping this whole exercise fairly cheap (buying mince on special, etc), but I'm sure there will be much whinging if and when I find a kibble to buy, as I'm sure it won't be cheap. Damn stupid husbands who whinge about spending money on dogs... grrr... isn't that what a pay check is for?

My problem child (Austin) has recently been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (after months of 2am vomits and toxic farts). Through a process of elimination I have figured out that he is allergic to chicken and pork (and possibly other things too). At the moment he is existing on a diet of beef mince cooked up with plain white rice. He likes things that are crunchy, so I would like to be able to re-introduce some kibble at some point in the future. Today I checked out a couple of the expensive brands of food (science diet, eukanuba etc) that claimed to be 'beef and rice' and 'lamb and rice' but every single food I looked at has chicken or 'poultry fat' as one of the ingredients. I don't like my chances of finding anything, but does anyone know if such a kibble exists? Could someone with eagle pack please check the ingredients to see if the beef one has chicken in it? And do any treats exist that are mainly beef without chicken or pork added? I made a batch of beef jerky type stuff by baking chunks of casserole beef but they take forever to make. Any help would be appreciated. Ta. Edited to add: I know I could do BARF, but at this point he is only allowed to have a very bland diet so no veggies, and bones make him very stinky so I don't like giving them every day.

I'm glad he is ok Daisy The vet you spoke to needs to do some serious extra reading or go back to Uni - vets should KNOW that chocolate is bad and what it causes, it's important!

You need to take your dog to an emergency vet and make them take you seriously. That many fits over a 24 hour period indicates that something is seriously wrong. It could be a number of different things, but only someone who is qualified in that particular field will be able to tell you for sure. Good luck ;)

Call your vet NOW if you haven't already. Chocolate is EXTREMELY TOXIC to dogs. Ruffles - PLEASE don't go around telling people it is ok for dogs to eat chocolate just because your dog didn't get sick. Your dog was lucky. I work in a specialist vet hospital and we see dogs with chocolate toxicity all the time. I am dreading going to work tomorrow because I know there will be a lot of dogs who need their stomachs pumped. Even a small amount of chocolate can kill a dog (and this is straight from a first aid book for dogs, written by a specialist vet) - " as little as 250-500g of milk chocolate, or 30-60g of cooking chocolate can kill a 5kg dog." What you need to look out for: Signs of overdose include excessive salivation, neurological symptoms (seizures shuddering/shaking/twitching/convulsing), diarrhoea and vomiting – these can lead to a coma and death if left untreated. These symptoms may not show up for several hours, but can lead to death within 24 hours. If your boy shows any of these symptoms or is not acting like himself, please see your vet or get to an emergency vet a.s.a.p. - better to be safe than sorry.

You said you've tried: Toast and peanut butter Toast and jam/vegemite Skim milk, bread and jam bran and skim milk weetbix and skim milk Weetbix, honey and skim milk Why? This is people food. Dogs get nothing nutritional from weetbix or bran, it goes straight through them. Toast is ok for an occasional treat, but it is not a great idea to feed every day for breakfast. Dogs do best on meat and vegetables, raw meaty bones, raw chicken necks and wings and meat based products (good quality kibbles like eukanuba and science diet). The cheap kibbles (pal, home brand etc) are packed full of cereal grains, colours and salt etc - they have very little nutritional value and will create 'cow pat' type soft poos, which is not healthy. What do you feed him for dinner? Sultanas are definately not good for dogs. They are TOXIC, as are grapes. They can kill dogs. Please DON'T feed your dogs any of these! I will post a list of toxic foods below... This is long, but worth reading if you are unaware of what not to feed your dog. Chocolate We’ve all heard ‘chocolate is bad for dogs’, but many people do not realise how unsafe it can be. Chocolate contains thiobromine which is very toxic to dogs and causes liver damage. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is, however any chocolate in large enough amounts can cause death. For example, as little as 250-500g of milk chocolate, or 30-60g of cooking chocolate can kill a 5kg dog. Signs of overdose include excessive salivation, neurological symptoms (seizures shuddering/shaking/twitching/convulsing), diarrhoea and vomiting – these can lead to a coma and death if left untreated. These symptoms may not show up for several hours, but can lead to death within 24 hours. Chocolate overdose is life threatening and needs to be treated as an emergency. Be sure to check the label on any ‘dog chocolate’ to make sure that it is made with carob instead of real cocoa. Onions These contain thiosulfate, which will destroy red blood cells and can cause anaemia, weakness, and breathing difficulty. Avoid feeding large quantities of onion or small quantities over time as it will build up in the dog’s system. Large amounts of garlic cause the same problems as onions, as well as chives, as they belong to the same family of plants. If your dog is showing signs of anaemia or has overdosed on onions, you need to see your vet urgently. Grapes and raisins/sultanas These can cause kidney failure in dogs. As little as a handful of grapes or sultanas can kill a dog. If the dog doesn't eat enough at one time to be fatal, he/she can be severely damaged by eating just a few grapes or raisins regularly. Macadamia nuts As few as SIX macadamia nuts can cause paralysis in dogs. Dogs with macadamia poisoning will appear anxious and have difficulty moving their rear legs. Other symptoms include pain (especially in the legs), depression and vomiting. Unshelled macadamias can also cause bowel blockages if eaten. If your dog has consumed macadamia nuts you need to take him/her to your vet urgently. The paralysis will generally disappear after several days of treatment. Walnuts and cashew nuts are also poisonous to dogs. Tomatoes Green/unripe tomatoes contain solanine, which can be toxic even in small amounts. Ripe tomatoes are very high in selenium, which is toxic in large doses. Ripe tomatoes are harmless in small amounts. If you have tomato plants in your garden make sure you keep your dog away from them (tomato plants, except for the tomato itself, are also poisonous to humans). Cooked bones Chicken wings, necks, beef and other bones are safe to feed in moderation, as long as they are raw. When bones are cooked (particularly chicken bones) they can splinter and cause damage to your dogs digestive system, either by tearing or becoming stuck. This can be very painful for your dog and lead to serious health complications. Whenever possible your dog should be supervised while eating bones. Caffeine Caffeine (from coffee, coffee grounds, tea, or tea bags) stimulates the central nervous and cardiac systems, and can cause vomiting, restlessness, heart palpitations, and even death within hours. Artificial Sweeteners Diet products containing the sweetener Xylitol can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, resulting in depression, loss of coordination and seizures. Unless treatment is given quickly, the dog could die. Fruit seeds Apple seeds, cherry pits, peach pits, pear pips, plums pits, peaches, and apricot pits contain a small amount of cyanide, which is poisonous. Smaller seeds (such as apple seeds) will generally pass through your dog’s system undigested, but if they are allowed to chew on larger seeds it can be harmful. Larger seeds may become lodged in your dogs digestive tract and cause serious health problems. Fatty and Salty Foods Ham and bacon, as well as other things like turkey fat contain too much fat and too much salt, and can cause pancreatitis (inflammation of the liver) and kidney problems. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea and a painful abdomen. Dogs that eat salty food may also drink too much water and develop a life-threatening condition called bloat (most common in large breeds of dogs with large chests and thin waists). This is where the stomach fills up with gas and within several hours may twist, causing death. If you suspect your dog has pancreatitis or bloat you need to go to your veterinarian urgently. Liver and liver treats Raw liver or too much cooked liver can lead to vitamin A toxicity. This can cause deformed bones, excessive bone growth on the elbows and spine, weight loss, and anorexia. If you must feed your dog canned food, be sure to check that it does not contain too much liver. Plants around your garden Some garden plants can also be toxic if eaten by your dog. Poinsettias are mildly toxic to dogs – while most dogs who eat them will experience no symptoms at all, some dogs will drool or vomit after eating them. Holly causes intense nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Mistletoe causes vomiting, diarrhoea, neurological problems and heart failure. Wild mushrooms can cause abdominal pain, drooling, liver damage, kidney damage, vomiting, diarrhoea, convulsions, coma, or death.

Could be a tick, could be the flowers he was eating were poisonous, could be any number of things. Hind limb weakness and vomitting are very serious - go to the vet NOW. If your local vet is closed find an after hours one.

You should only use Valium as prescribed by a veterinarian. Asking people on a forum to tell you how much medication to give your dog could be very dangerous for your dog.

You could boil up some chicken and mix it with some rice (if you haven't already tried it?)- it's easy on the stomach and most dogs seem to love it. You could also try mixing in a little chicken stock powder (but not too much as it's very salty) - it smells like 'people food' and will often encourage dogs to eat. Another thing you could try is cottage cheese mixed with some food. Both are recommended by vets I work with to owners with dogs recovering from illness. I would avoid feeding too many liver treats as they are very rich and can cause diarrhea. I hope your vet can find out what's wrong.

We did try to clean Jaffa's bum externally first, but unfortunately it required more than that. He definately didn't like it, but most dogs generally aren't a fan of anything going into their bums, which is understandable! There was a thread on here a while back with detailed instructions on how to express anal glands, including a flash animation. If you do a search it would come up. Good luck

My ex-foster dog Jaffa had his anal glands emptied out a couple of times by a vet at work (using gloves and lubricant). He would squirm, squeal and try to run away, it would take two people to hold him still, and he would usually wet himself with fear. So all in all, he didn't like it! But unfortunately being a daschy cross they kept giving him trouble, so it had to happen. Hope your dogs are more accepting!

The simple answer - because it's TASTY! I know...it's really gross, but it's just a thing that my dogs seem to do - something to do with the gross smell, and personal preference of the dog. You don't need to worry about it - they're not doing it cos they're starving, they're not doing it because they're lacking anything, they just do it cos they want to, and cos it's there. Is it possible to put the kitty litter somewhere where the dogs can't get to it? Maybe put some kind of barrier across a doorway, one that the cat can jump over but the dogs can't, so that the cat can have some privacy? Failing that you'll just need to keep checking the tray and clean it out a few times a day.

There would be a few vets open this long weekend, though they'd only be open for emergencies. There's a specialist centre at Strathfield, one on the North Shore, the Vet Specialist Centre/Animal Critical Care and Emergency Service in North Ryde, St George Animal Hospital in Carlton, etc... Is it possible to keep your dog inside? She would be safer that way, as males will do just about anything to get to a female in heat - they will even mate through holes in a fence! Unfortunately there's no way for you to know if she is pregnant or not at this stage. You will just have to wait a couple of weeks to get her desexed. and if she is pregnant it would result in termination of the foetuses.