bowser

Oh yeah, I knew there was something I'd forgotten. Grapes and raisins can also be toxic. The occasional one or two is fine but some studies have proven them to be toxic in larger quantities (like a whole bunch).

You should steer clear of chocolate, onions, most kinds of nuts, cooked bones and grapes/raisins/sultanas. Some people suggest avoiding raw potato also, and the seeds of stone fruit. You should have no problems with citrus fruit - I've never heard of anyone having a problem with it. I also work in a vet, and have not seen any problems with animals there either. If your dog wants to eat different kinds of fruit then great :p Mine used to eat all kinds of vegie and fruit scraps but recently decided to become more picky - they act all enthusiastic when I offer them stuff and then spit it out on the floor, heh (Edited to add GRAPES to the list.)

It could be risky to put a 17 year old dog under anaesthetic, but it depends on the type of anaesthetic used by the vet. Bleeding from the penis, whether or not it coincides with females being on heat, is definately not a good thing. You should get your vet to check the problem further, do tests etc. Although, if he's been having the problem for 16 years and is otherwise healthy, it may not be worth doing anything about...

I know specialist surgeons who use Manuka honey all the time on wounds to assist with healing. Bandages are removed, the wound is cleaned, then smeared with honey and re-wrapped. It helps to beat post operative infections. I'd double check with your vet first, but can't see how it would cause any harm ;)

Is your dog desexed? I assume the answer is "no". If not, why? And why don't you get him desexed now?

" WARNING: Grapes Could Kill Your Dog ...Grapes and raisins join chocolate and onions as items proven hazardous to canines, according to the Animal Poison Control Center of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. ...Hours after eating large quantities, ranging from nine ounces to two pounds, dogs began throwing up or experiencing diarrhea, said Dr. Safdar Khan, APCC director of toxicology. Grapes or raisins could usually be seen in either the vomit or stool. One to two days afterwards, the dogs went into kidney failure. Originally the center believed 50 percent recovered, but further research into the data showed that more than half survived. Survival depended on a number of factors, particularly how early the damage was caught and how aggressively it was treated, Dr. Khan said. ...As for small quantities, there's no way to say at this point whether they're dangerous. Further research is needed to establish whether small amounts can build up to a cumulative effect, Dr. Khan said. But it's best to be careful. "Chronic toxicity is always a challenge," he said. "We don't know if that would be a problem or not, since it's come up so recently. I would caution them." " http://www.vetcentric.com/magazine/magazin...?ARTICLEID=1394

Yup, grapes and raisins/sultanas can be toxic. They are ok if you give the dog one or two, but anymore than that and they can get quite sick (vomitting etc). Apparently avocado seeds and mango seeds are bad for them too, so probably best to avoid any big seeds in fruit. My dogs won't eat citrus fruits, or kiwi fruit, as they are too tangy, but they'll eat pretty much anything else. One of my boys particularly likes watermelon.

Hi Weimlover, I have two weimarener boys myself and couldn't go past your post without replying. I have had the opposite problem to you - my 4 y.o Austin has been underweight for most of his life. We've tried everything the vet suggested (feed small portions more often, different foods etc) but up until recently you could see every rib and backbone and he looked like he was being starved. Strangers in the street would tell me that I 'should feed him', and it killed me because I didn't know what else to try. He would vary between 27kg and 29kg, but recently put on some weight and is now 32kg. I didn't notice it as it has been a gradual change, but recently some people at the dog park commented on it, so I weighed him. I've been feeding him more chicken wings and necks etc, so I think that is what has helped. My other boy, Bowser, is 2 years old and has been around 33kg since he stopped growing, and has always had a bit of healthy 'pudge' around his middle. He LOVES his food and would eat constantly if he could get away with it, whereas Austin eats a bit more slowly. So anyway, my point is - there can be a lot of variation in weights within the breed. I read the 'ideal weight range' for a weimeraner in a book once (can't remember which one, sorry) and it said they should be between 25kg and 40kg. You've said that your boy is quite tall for his age, so he is probably just destined to be a HUUUGE boy (they sure do grow quickly). How tall is he? Has the vet ruled out any thyroid problems? If your vet isn't worried then you can probably relax. He will probably burn off any excess fat as he gets older. I hope you figure it out. We'll keep our fingers and paws crossed for you